Hydroseeding in Rancho Cordova, CA

Hydroseeding in Rancho Cordova takes place on ground with a busy past. The city, incorporated on July 1, 2003, sits on mostly level terrain around 90 to 120 feet above sea level, on land that saw placer mining during the Gold Rush, then vineyards, orchards and farms, then post-war housing that started on former vineyard land at Folsom Boulevard and Zinfandel Drive.

Gravel close to the surface

Local gravel companies have dug younger gravels at 30 to 40 feet without reaching groundwater, which here usually sits around 100 feet down. Where old mining or gravel work left coarse, rocky soil near the surface, a lawn dries out fast. On those lots we bring in topsoil before seeding, because hydroseed needs a few inches of soil that actually holds water.

Mather and the vernal pools

Mather Air Force Base closed on September 30, 1993, and part of its 5,845 acres became part of Rancho Cordova when the city formed. The former base has rare vernal pools, the seasonal wetlands that form where a hardpan or claypan stops rainwater from soaking in. About 90 percent of California's vernal pool ecosystems are gone. Work near protected areas on the Mather side needs tight sediment control: silt fence or fiber rolls on the downhill edge and no washout toward the pools.

Creeks and the American River

The city counts six miles of American River frontage and about 70 acres of creek channels and tributaries, plus a stormwater system with pump stations and regional detention basins. Detention basin side slopes and channel banks are typical places for hydroseed with bonded fiber matrix, since they get wet every winter and need roots fast.

Steady housing growth

Rancho Cordova grew 22.5 percent from 2010 to 2020, reaching 79,332 people and 28,614 housing units. The Villages of Zinfandel at Stonecreek began building in 2000, and newer neighborhoods have kept going since. New-home yards, HOA strips and park edges are where most residential hydroseeding happens here.

Rain timing

Most of the city's roughly 18 inches of rain falls from December through March, and July highs average near 93 degrees. We aim to have erosion control in place before December and to seed lawns in fall or early spring. Get a free estimate or call (916) 249-7160.