Chaves County, NM Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Chaves County, NM

Low

Soil across 71.5% of Chaves County, NM comes back "Low" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 2.38% linear extensibility. Among the 3,144 counties on this site, that's the clean result: little shrink-swell movement, standard construction the likely outcome.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in Chaves County, NM - never a reading for one specific parcel. A site-specific soil report, usually $1,000-$5,000, is what an engineer would actually pull before designing a foundation on a lot in Chaves County.

Chaves County: the real numbers

Chaves County's soil reading points toward standard foundation practice as the likely outcome, not the exception. A geotechnical report runs $1,000-$5,000, typically around $2,700. Foundation repair, if a specific lot turns out to differ from the county average, runs $5,000-$15,000.

Chaves County's rank among New Mexico counties

Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, Chaves County, NM ranks 1,659 most-constrained nationally, and 26 of 32 within New Mexico. The county spans 6,067 square miles, home to 63,697 people.

For contrast

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Castro County, TX and Lewis County, KY are worth a look for comparison.

How this reading is built, and its real limits · Moisture management: the cheap fix that works on any soil

Elsewhere in New Mexico

Every county in New Mexico is on this site, including Cibola County, NM and Hidalgo County, NM. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.