When Caltrans workers discovered that water was flowing beneath this hefty boulder along State Route 162, they decided to fill it with explosives and blow it to heck.

Willits Maintenance Supervisor Mike Maples said it took crews four days to drill into the rock and set the explosive charges.

“Had this rock come down onto the traveled way, it would have caused extended delays and possibly a hard closure,” Maples said in a quote posted on the Caltrans District 1 Facebook page.

Caltrans blew up the rock on Wednesday, and posted video footage of the event the next day.

“When boulders like this threaten the roadway and the safety of the public, sometimes - and only when the situation truly warrants it - we do the responsible thing and use explosives to blow them up before they can become a serious hazard,” Caltrans wrote on its Facebook page.

The rock pre smithereens. Photos Provided by Caltrans District 1.