Utah: basement moisture and foundation risk by county
29 counties, ranked by our combined index. Highest combined risk is San Juan County (54), lowest is Millard County (33). The worst soil for foundation cracks specifically is in San Juan County.
| County | Index | Moisture | Cracks | Water table | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Juan County | 54 | 35 | 98 | 30 | Colorado Plateau |
| Grand County | 48 | 34 | 80 | 30 | Colorado Plateau |
| Morgan County | 47 | 34 | 76 | 30 | Basin and Range |
| Sanpete County | 47 | 37 | 72 | 30 | Basin and Range |
| Uintah County | 47 | 33 | 80 | 30 | Colorado Plateau |
| Wasatch County | 46 | 34 | 75 | 30 | Basin and Range |
| Cache County | 45 | 37 | 66 | 30 | Basin and Range |
| Daggett County | 45 | 37 | 67 | 30 | Colorado Plateau |
| Summit County | 45 | 37 | 76 | 16 | Basin and Range |
| Washington County | 45 | 34 | 71 | 30 | Basin and Range |
| Duchesne County | 43 | 34 | 65 | 30 | Colorado Plateau |
| Emery County | 43 | 34 | 66 | 30 | Colorado Plateau |
| Garfield County | 43 | 37 | 71 | 16 | Basin and Range |
| Tooele County | 43 | 34 | 65 | 30 | Basin and Range |
| Wayne County | 43 | 34 | 74 | 16 | Basin and Range |
| Weber County | 42 | 34 | 62 | 30 | Basin and Range |
| Davis County | 41 | 37 | 55 | 30 | Basin and Range |
| Piute County | 41 | 36 | 56 | 30 | Basin and Range |
| Carbon County | 40 | 34 | 66 | 16 | Colorado Plateau |
| Kane County | 40 | 33 | 68 | 16 | Basin and Range |
| Rich County | 40 | 34 | 56 | 30 | Colorado Plateau |
| Iron County | 39 | 36 | 49 | 30 | Basin and Range |
| Salt Lake County | 38 | 33 | 50 | 30 | Basin and Range |
| Utah County | 38 | 37 | 44 | 30 | Basin and Range |
| Beaver County | 35 | 34 | 39 | 30 | Basin and Range |
| Box Elder County | 35 | 34 | 40 | 30 | Basin and Range |
| Juab County | 35 | 37 | 35 | 30 | Basin and Range |
| Sevier County | 34 | 33 | 39 | 30 | Basin and Range |
| Millard County | 33 | 34 | 35 | 30 | Basin and Range |
Values from USDA NRCS SSURGO where available, otherwise our regional model — each county page states which. Methodology.
The physiographic regions inside Utah
State lines are political; soil follows geology. These are the distinct ground types inside Utah and why each behaves the way it does.
Basin and Range
Semi-arid, but the lacustrine clays on the basin floors are expansive while parts of the fans are collapsible — they settle when wetted. Two opposite failure modes in one metropolitan area.
21 counties: Beaver County, Box Elder County, Cache County, Davis County, Garfield County, Iron County, Juab County, Kane County, Millard County, Morgan County, Piute County, Salt Lake County, Sanpete County, Sevier County, Summit County, Tooele County, Utah County, Wasatch County, Washington County, Wayne County, Weber County
Colorado Plateau
Arid, so groundwater is rarely the problem, but Mancos Shale is strongly expansive and some soils are also gypsiferous, which dissolves. Two mechanisms that both move a footing without any water reaching the basement.
8 counties: Carbon County, Daggett County, Duchesne County, Emery County, Grand County, Rich County, San Juan County, Uintah County
Page data updated