acford1019: Is there an active gopher or squirrel population present? Dry soil is typically a poor habitat as burrow systems can collapse quite easily. Gophers prefer moist soil that is near some sort of vegetation as they feed on the roots of younger plants. Ground squirrels on the other hand don't necessarily need foliage near their burrow systems and can be found in dryer soils as they venture out to find food, but then again, they don't seal their burrow entrances and the entrance holes would be obvious. From your comment, I'm assuming there isn't much growing on that embankment, so I would check other areas around your house that provide a more suitable habitat for the gopher. I hope this helps!