Douglas County, WA Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Douglas County, WA

Low

Soil across 93.5% of Douglas County, WA comes back "Low" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 1.83% linear extensibility. That's the easiest starting point on this site's scale - a standard foundation is the reasonable default here, though any one lot can still differ.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in Douglas County, WA - never a reading for one specific parcel. A local geotechnical report, typically $1,000-$5,000 (around $2,700 typical), is the only way to know what one lot in Douglas County will actually do.

Douglas County: the real numbers

Douglas 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.

Where this sits nationally

Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, Douglas County, WA ranks 2,135 most-constrained nationally, and 18 of 39 within Washington. Douglas County, WA is 1,819 square miles with a population of 45,795.

For contrast

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Maverick County, TX and Estill 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 Washington

Every county in Washington is on this site, including Okanogan County, WA and Franklin County, WA. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.