Excavating 7.4 Tons of Clay and Rock
Soil at the site was very difficult to remove. The top 8" consisted of a thin layer of sod, under which was gravel and clay. It took five people with a pick-axe and shovels three hours to remove it.
The next 8" were removed by the rain garden designer alone, since it consisted of red clay with larger round rocks and did not require a pick-axe. At the bottom of this layer, the ground was moist from recent rain and pools were forming in depressions.
The bottom 8" was extremely difficult to remove and required a pick-axe and plenty of patience. At this point the ground had dried, leaving a stubborn horizon of rocky blue clay. Completing the last leg of the excavation project was timed until after a rain shower, since that made the soil easier to work with. After the excavation was completed to 24" depth the base was carefully graded so that it was perfectly level and flat. The irrigation pipe was found about 15" below the surface and was very carefully excavated around.
The next 8" were removed by the rain garden designer alone, since it consisted of red clay with larger round rocks and did not require a pick-axe. At the bottom of this layer, the ground was moist from recent rain and pools were forming in depressions.
The bottom 8" was extremely difficult to remove and required a pick-axe and plenty of patience. At this point the ground had dried, leaving a stubborn horizon of rocky blue clay. Completing the last leg of the excavation project was timed until after a rain shower, since that made the soil easier to work with. After the excavation was completed to 24" depth the base was carefully graded so that it was perfectly level and flat. The irrigation pipe was found about 15" below the surface and was very carefully excavated around.
Here it is at two feet deep, the dig completed.
This is with the first layer of bioretention soil.
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