Regrading

Regrading is the process of raising and/or lowering the levels of land; such a project can also be referred to as a regrade. Regrading may be done on a small scale (as in preparation of a house site) [http://ohioline.osu.edu/b870/b870_6.html Trees and Home Construction: Minimizing the impact of construction activity on trees] , University of Ohio Extension Bulletin 870-99. Accessed online 16 October 2007.] or on quite a large scale (as in major reconfiguration of the terrain of a city, such as the Denny Regrade in Seattle, Washington). Regrading is typically performed to make land flatter (in which case it is sometimes called levelling ["Montana, McLaren Tailings", p.35 in [http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/ldr/mine/cercla.pdf CERCLA Imminent Hazard Mining and Mineral Processing Facilities] , Office of Solid Waste, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, February 1997. Accessed online 16 October 2007.] ), but can have the side effect of making other nearby slopes steeper.

Reasons for regrading include:
* Allowing construction in areas that were previously too steep.
* Enabling transportation along routes that were previously too steep.
* Changing drainage patterns.
* Improving the stability of terrain. [Malcolm Puller, "Deep Excavations: A Practical Manual", Thomas Telford (1996). ISBN 0727719874. p. 63.]

Potential problems with regrading include:
* Biological/ecological impacts.
* Drainage problems for areas not taken into account in the regrading plan. [Barry Stone, [http://www.doityourself.com/stry/propertyregrading Adjacent Property Regrading Creates Drainage Problem for Homeowner] , doityourself.com. Accessed online 16 October 2007.]

Notes