North Dakota: basement moisture and foundation risk by county
53 counties, ranked by our combined index. Highest combined risk is Traill County (86), lowest is Logan County (44). The worst soil for foundation cracks specifically is in Burke County.
| County | Index | Moisture | Cracks | Water table | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traill County | 86 | 77 | 100 | 82 | Red River Valley (bed of glacial Lake Agassiz) |
| Sargent County | 83 | 78 | 82 | 95 | Red River Valley (bed of glacial Lake Agassiz) |
| Grand Forks County | 80 | 75 | 75 | 95 | Red River Valley (bed of glacial Lake Agassiz) |
| Pembina County | 79 | 74 | 84 | 82 | Red River Valley (bed of glacial Lake Agassiz) |
| Richland County | 79 | 78 | 69 | 95 | Red River Valley (bed of glacial Lake Agassiz) |
| Cass County | 75 | 74 | 70 | 82 | Red River Valley (bed of glacial Lake Agassiz) |
| Ransom County | 71 | 75 | 68 | 66 | Red River Valley (bed of glacial Lake Agassiz) |
| Wells County | 60 | 52 | 67 | 66 | Dakota prairie till plain |
| Griggs County | 59 | 53 | 61 | 66 | Dakota prairie till plain |
| Benson County | 58 | 50 | 63 | 66 | Dakota prairie till plain |
| McHenry County | 58 | 42 | 100 | 30 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Morton County | 58 | 42 | 100 | 30 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Ramsey County | 58 | 52 | 62 | 66 | Dakota prairie till plain |
| Burke County | 57 | 40 | 100 | 30 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Divide County | 57 | 40 | 100 | 30 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Kidder County | 57 | 54 | 55 | 66 | Dakota prairie till plain |
| Hettinger County | 56 | 40 | 97 | 30 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| LaMoure County | 56 | 52 | 69 | 46 | Dakota prairie till plain |
| Mercer County | 56 | 38 | 99 | 30 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Steele County | 56 | 54 | 52 | 66 | Dakota prairie till plain |
| Billings County | 55 | 39 | 94 | 30 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Bottineau County | 55 | 40 | 94 | 30 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Golden Valley County | 55 | 39 | 96 | 30 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Bowman County | 54 | 42 | 89 | 30 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Eddy County | 54 | 55 | 69 | 30 | Dakota prairie till plain |
| Foster County | 54 | 53 | 62 | 46 | Dakota prairie till plain |
| Grant County | 54 | 38 | 95 | 30 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Nelson County | 54 | 51 | 51 | 66 | Dakota prairie till plain |
| Burleigh County | 53 | 42 | 84 | 30 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Emmons County | 53 | 40 | 99 | 16 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Pierce County | 53 | 54 | 67 | 30 | Dakota prairie till plain |
| Slope County | 53 | 38 | 100 | 16 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Ward County | 53 | 42 | 94 | 16 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| McKenzie County | 52 | 37 | 98 | 16 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Oliver County | 52 | 42 | 93 | 16 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Sheridan County | 52 | 40 | 86 | 30 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Towner County | 52 | 54 | 65 | 30 | Dakota prairie till plain |
| Williams County | 52 | 37 | 100 | 16 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Dunn County | 51 | 41 | 79 | 30 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| McIntosh County | 50 | 50 | 52 | 46 | Dakota prairie till plain |
| Rolette County | 50 | 52 | 51 | 46 | Dakota prairie till plain |
| Stark County | 50 | 41 | 76 | 30 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Walsh County | 50 | 53 | 49 | 46 | Dakota prairie till plain |
| Renville County | 48 | 40 | 72 | 30 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Adams County | 47 | 41 | 67 | 30 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| McLean County | 47 | 41 | 69 | 30 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Mountrail County | 47 | 41 | 67 | 30 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Barnes County | 46 | 53 | 49 | 30 | Dakota prairie till plain |
| Dickey County | 46 | 50 | 52 | 30 | Dakota prairie till plain |
| Cavalier County | 45 | 54 | 42 | 30 | Dakota prairie till plain |
| Sioux County | 45 | 37 | 66 | 30 | Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains) |
| Stutsman County | 45 | 50 | 50 | 30 | Dakota prairie till plain |
| Logan County | 44 | 51 | 43 | 30 | Dakota prairie till plain |
Values from USDA NRCS SSURGO where available, otherwise our regional model — each county page states which. Methodology.
The physiographic regions inside North Dakota
State lines are political; soil follows geology. These are the distinct ground types inside North Dakota and why each behaves the way it does.
Missouri Plateau (unglaciated Great Plains)
The water table is deep, so basements rarely flood — but Pierre Shale is one of the most expansive substrates in North America. The risk here is mechanical, not hydraulic.
26 counties: Adams County, Billings County, Bottineau County, Bowman County, Burke County, Burleigh County, Divide County, Dunn County, Emmons County, Golden Valley County, Grant County, Hettinger County, McHenry County, McKenzie County, McLean County, Mercer County, Morton County, Mountrail County, Oliver County, Renville County, Sheridan County, Sioux County, Slope County, Stark County, Ward County, Williams County
Dakota prairie till plain
The dry climate hides the mechanism: the profile shrinks through dry years, swells after a wet one, and the footing moves. A cycle, not permanent damp.
20 counties: Barnes County, Benson County, Cavalier County, Dickey County, Eddy County, Foster County, Griggs County, Kidder County, LaMoure County, Logan County, McIntosh County, Nelson County, Pierce County, Ramsey County, Rolette County, Steele County, Stutsman County, Towner County, Walsh County, Wells County
Red River Valley (bed of glacial Lake Agassiz)
The combination that destroys foundations: no slope, impermeable clay, and extreme volume change. Foundation repair is a bigger trade here than waterproofing.
7 counties: Cass County, Grand Forks County, Pembina County, Ransom County, Richland County, Sargent County, Traill County
Page data updated