Chugach Census Area, AK Shrink-Swell Risk

Chugach Census Area, AK's soil, for shrink-swell risk

Low

Chugach Census Area, AK: USDA's soil survey rates 99.7% of the county "Low" for shrink-swell potential (0.33% 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 Chugach Census Area's reading doesn't cover

Two lots a mile apart in Chugach Census Area can carry different soil, even though they share one countywide reading. The real answer for one lot is still a site-specific geotechnical report, running about $1,000-$5,000 (typically near $2,700).

What it costs to find out, versus to ignore it

With Chugach Census Area, AK rating "Low", a geotechnical report is still worthwhile before a build, just less urgent than in a high-risk county. 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.

Where this sits nationally

Nationally, Chugach Census Area, AK is the 3,066-most-constrained of 3,085 rated counties for shrink-swell soil. Within Alaska alone it ranks 8 of 11. Chugach Census Area covers 9,574 square miles and counts 6,604 residents.

For contrast

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Fulton County, IN and Humboldt County, IA 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

More of Alaska

Every county in Alaska is on this site, including Bethel Census Area, AK and Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, AK. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.