Cowley County, KS Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Cowley County, KS

Moderate

Soil across 46.1% of Cowley County, KS comes back "Moderate" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 5.57% linear extensibility. That's a middle reading: not the sharp swings that crack a foundation outright, but enough that grading and drainage are worth getting right.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in Cowley County, KS - never a reading for one specific parcel. The real answer for one lot is still a site-specific geotechnical report, running about $1,000-$5,000 (typically near $2,700).

Cowley County: the real numbers

Cowley 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.

Cowley County's rank among Kansas counties

Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, Cowley County, KS ranks 207 most-constrained nationally, and 35 of 105 within Kansas. Cowley County covers 1,126 square miles and counts 34,186 residents.

For contrast

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Concordia Parish, LA and Wabasha County, MN 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 Kansas

Every county in Kansas is on this site, including Smith County, KS and Thomas County, KS. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.