Imperial County, CA Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Imperial County, CA

Moderate

Soil across 44.5% of Imperial County, CA comes back "Moderate" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 3.43% linear extensibility. Conventional foundations are the reasonable expectation here, with routine moisture-control practice rather than special engineering.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in Imperial County, CA - 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 Imperial County.

Imperial County: the real numbers

Imperial 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.

Imperial County's rank among California counties

Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, Imperial County, CA ranks 886 most-constrained nationally, and 15 of 58 within California. Imperial County covers 4,175 square miles and counts 181,724 residents.

For contrast

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Marshall County, IA and Eagle County, CO 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 California

Every county in California is on this site, including Merced County, CA and Ventura County, CA. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.