Once called Fourth Plain

Excavation Contractors in Orchards, WA

A fast-growing community on gravelly flood terraces.

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Gravel Ground East of Vancouver

Excavation contractors in Orchards work on one of the Missoula-flood terraces east of Vancouver. The community was first called Fourth Plain; residents voted in 1904 to rename it Orchards for its many fruit trees. It sits at about 272 feet and grew 41.8 percent from 19,556 residents in 2010 to 27,729 in 2020.

Sifton soils

The Sifton neighborhood lies in the southern part of Orchards, and the USDA Sifton soil series has its type location nearby. Sifton soils are volcanic ash over very gravelly coarse sand with very rapid permeability. That makes drywells and infiltration practical on many lots, though deep trenches in loose gravel must be protected from caving.

Housing growth

The 2020 census counted 9,722 housing units, 3.4 percent vacant. New subdivisions mean finishing yards, adding shops and ADUs, and fixing drainage where builders left grades wrong.

Common Orchards jobs

Drywells and tightlines
Shop, garage and ADU pads
Utility trenching
Driveways and RV pads

Permits

Orchards is unincorporated, so Clark County handles permits. Drywells have their own rules.

Hudson's Bay roots

In 1846 Dugald McTavish of the Hudson's Bay Company surveyed land here near Fort Vancouver, long before the orchards and subdivisions.

Gravel and caving

On the Sifton gravels, a trench can stand for a moment and then let go. Every trench deep enough to endanger a worker is sloped or boxed, and spoil is kept back from the edge.

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Local Notes for Orchards

Renamed for orchards. First called Fourth Plain, the community voted in 1904 to rename itself Orchards for its fruit trees.
Fast growth. Orchards grew 41.8% from 19,556 residents in 2010 to 27,729 in 2020.
Sifton soils. The Sifton neighborhood is in southern Orchards; Sifton soils are very gravelly with very rapid permeability.
Housing. The 2020 census counted 9,722 housing units, 3.4% vacant.

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Orchards Questions

Do drywells work in Orchards?

Often, on gravelly Sifton-type soils. We test and confirm county rules.

Is digging in gravel dangerous?

Loose gravel can cave. Deep trenches are sloped or boxed.

Can you add an RV pad?

Yes, with a thick compacted rock base.

Do I need a permit for a drywell?

Usually some form of approval. We confirm with the county.

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