Watershed Block

Words: Bronzella Cleveland

https://watershedmaterials.com/
Photo copyright Ed Caldwell.

The Stanford Watershed Block’s color palette is inspired by the rich reddish-brown sandstone beneath the Stanford University campus

Watershed Block has introduced a new line of block all made using local materials that celebrate the region of their origin, all produced with the latest in sustainable building materials technology. The Lime White Watershed Block offers a zero-cement formula, a glacier-white appearance, and a novel mix design with a dramatically increased sustainability profile. The block uses no Portland cement, instead deriving strength from the high compression lithification of lime, recycled ground granulated blast furnace slag, and natural clays.

The Stanford Watershed Block’s color palette is inspired by the rich reddish-brown sandstone beneath the Stanford University campus. The block’s warm hue emerges as red clay from Amador County is mixed with crushed basalt from Mark West Springs, west of Calistoga, and quarry fines from Nun’s Canyon in the Mayacamas Mountains of Sonoma County. Finally, the Sweetwater Watershed Block (pictured) is comprised of mostly rhyolitic fines from Nun’s Canyon with a touch of crushed rhyolite from the BoDean quarry, both in the Mayacamas Mountains of eastern Sonoma County. The sunrise hue of the Sweetwater Block surfaces as the warm, almost peach color of the Nun’s Canyon fines overpowers the gray basalt from Mark West Springs.

Save

Masonry in the Media: Casa Azul, Chapultepec Castle, & More
June 2026

A film’s settings can take viewers to new locations, all from the comfort of their own home. It immerses them in the scenes, whether they take place in an opera house in Brazil or a grand mansion in Mexico City. Explore how these Latin American masonry ma

Chairman’s Message: When Things Don’t Go as Planned
June 2026

Not every day in this business goes the way we planned. Some days, everything lines up. The crew is moving well. Materials are on time. The job is flowing the way you hoped it would. And then there are the other days. The ones where something breaks. T

Marvelous Masonry: Borobudur
June 2026

For masonry contractors and suppliers, few structures offer as much practical insight as Borobudur. Built in the 9th century in Central Java, this massive stone monument remains as one of the most advanced examples of large-scale masonry construction ever

Wrapping Up Our Year And A Look Ahead
June 2026

It is amazing another year has gone by and what a year it has been. We have seen a lot of progress on so many fronts. All of this happens specifically due to the support of our members. Your support this past year is positioning our industry to make huge