Abilene soil: What does the official description say?

The type location is in Haskell County, Texas, and the series was established in Taylor County, Texas, in 1915. It is described as extensive.

Abilene soil: How much might it swell?

Soil scientists rate shrink-swell by linear extensibility, the percent a soil's length changes from moist to oven-dry. Under 3 percent is low, 3 to 6 moderate, 6 to 9 high and 9 or more very high.

Abilene soil: What does it mean for foundations?

Edge movement with moisture. Clayey soil shrinks as it dries and swells as it wets, and uneven moisture around a house causes more damage than uniform change. See perimeter drying settlement and perimeter wetting heave; Dry climate.

Where does Abilene soil form?

Abilene forms on Quaternary terrace deposits in southwestern Oklahoma's Red Plains. See Quaternary alluvium and terraces and the Southwest (Lawton and Red Plains) region page.

Where is Abilene soil found?

Abilene is an extensive soil of the Central Rolling Red Plains and Rolling Limestone Prairies of Texas and Oklahoma (MLRA 78). It occurs on stream terrace treads on dissected plains, mostly on slopes under 1 percent.

Is Abilene soil expansive?

Its subsoil is 35 to 50 percent clay with mixed clay mineralogy, so it has clear potential to shrink and swell. The USDA description does not list cracks or slickensides, so lot-specific shrink-swell values should be checked in the Web Soil Survey.

Does Abilene soil contain caliche?

It has calcium carbonate accumulations. Secondary carbonates start about 10 to 28 inches down, and a calcic horizon begins between about 28 and 60 inches.

How well does Abilene soil drain?

It is well drained but has moderately slow permeability, and runoff is negligible to very low on its nearly flat slopes.

Apperson soil: What does the official description say?

The typical profile is in Osage County, about 1 mile north of Foraker. Most Apperson land is native range, hay meadow or pasture, with some cropland.

Apperson soil: What signs of shrink-swell are in the profile?

The USDA description reports cracks that open and close periodically, slickensides in the Btss and BCss horizons, and shiny pressure faces on the clay. Slickensides are polished, grooved surfaces formed when clay masses shear past each other as they swell.

Apperson soil: What is the limestone underneath like?

Apperson forms on Pennsylvanian limestone. In northeastern Oklahoma, limestone units such as the Oologah are described as blue cherty limestone with bands of black shale, about 80 to 145 feet thick. See Pennsylvanian limestones.

What does Apperson soil mean for foundations?

Seasonal heave and settlement. Smectite clay over rock swells when wet and shrinks when dry, and uneven moisture causes more damage than uniform change. On this soil, slab edges can drop in late summer and rise in wet spells.

Where is Apperson soil found?

Apperson occurs in north-central and northeastern Oklahoma and possibly south-central and southeastern Kansas, in the Cherokee Prairies and Bluestem Hills. Its typical profile is in Osage County near Foraker.

Is Apperson soil expansive?

Yes. It is a Vertisol with a smectitic silty clay subsoil, slickensides, and cracks that open and close periodically. Those are the soil survey's signs of strong shrink-swell.

How deep is the rock under Apperson soil?

Hard limestone lies 40 to 60 inches below the surface, about 44 inches in the typical profile.

Does Apperson soil stay wet?

It is somewhat poorly drained with slow permeability, and it has perched saturation from about December through April.

Bates soil: What does the official description say?

The type location is in Crawford County, Kansas, and the series is mapped across eastern Oklahoma. About half of Bates land is grassland and half is cropland.

What soils are nearby?

Bates is associated with several Tulsa-area soils that behave differently:

Bates soil: How much might it swell?

Shrink-swell is rated by linear extensibility, the percent change in a soil's length from moist to dry, with under 3 percent rated low and 3 to 6 percent moderate. The Bates description gives no number.

Bates soil: What does it mean for foundations?

Water and erosion. Moderately high to high hydraulic conductivity lets water move readily through the loamy soil, so a plumbing leak or concentrated roof water can carry soil from beside a footing.

Where is Bates soil found?

Bates is an extensive soil of southeastern Kansas, eastern Oklahoma and southwestern Missouri. It occurs on interfluves and hillslopes on plains, including the Cherokee Prairies around Tulsa.

Is Bates soil expansive?

Bates has a fine-loamy, siliceous subsoil rather than a clayey, smectitic one, so it is not in the high shrink-swell group. Neighboring Dennis and Eram soils, which have clayey subsoils, are more likely to swell.

How deep is the rock under Bates soil?

Soft (paralithic) sandstone or shale lies 20 to 40 inches below the surface; about 33 inches in the typical profile.

What problems are common on Bates soil?

With low swell potential, the usual concerns are water: runoff, leaks washing out loamy soil beside footings, fill on sloping lots, and uneven bearing where soft rock is shallow.

Where does Bernow soil occur?

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) maintains an Official Series Description (OSD) for every named soil.

What are the key properties of Bernow soil?

"Residuum" means soil that weathered in place from the rock below it. The "Bt" horizon is the subsoil layer where clay has built up over time.

Bernow soil: What do these properties mean for foundations?

Clayey soils swell when they take on water and shrink when they dry, which pushes foundations up and lets them drop as seasons change. Bernow's subsoil tops out around 32 percent clay and is loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam rather than clay.

Bernow soil: How do you check a specific lot?

Look up the address in Web Soil Survey, which publishes soil data produced by the National Cooperative Soil Survey; Check the map unit's LEP value against the NRCS shrink-swell classes; Keep soil moisture next to the foundation as uniform as practical: slope soil away from the house and discharge downspouts away from the foundation.

Is Bernow soil an expansive clay?

Bernow's subsoil is loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam with about 20 to 32 percent clay, which is much less clay than the heavy expansive clays found elsewhere in Oklahoma. The rated shrink-swell value for a specific lot is listed as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.

Where is Bernow soil found in Oklahoma?

Bernow occurs in eastern and southeastern Oklahoma, and its type location is in Bryan County near Bokchito. It forms on hillslopes of dissected plains.

How deep is Bernow soil to bedrock?

The official description classes Bernow as a deep soil, at least 80 inches thick, formed in material weathered from Cretaceous sandstone.

How can I tell if my house is on Bernow soil?

Web Soil Survey, the free USDA soil map, shows the soil map units for any address. A site investigation confirms the actual conditions on a single lot.

Where does Bethany soil occur?

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Official Series Description (OSD) places Bethany in central Oklahoma and Kansas, in Major Land Resource Area 80A, the Central Rolling Red Prairies.

What are Bethany soil's key properties?

The "solum" is the upper, weathered part of the soil profile (topsoil plus subsoil). Bethany land is used for small grains, grain sorghum, cotton and alfalfa, with some pasture and rangeland.

How much does Bethany soil shrink and swell?

A 1978 Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station bulletin studied Bethany silt loam as one of five benchmark soils of western Oklahoma. The researchers found:

What should you know about a Bethany lot?

Look up the map unit and its linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey; Keep soil moisture next to and under the foundation as even as practical; the ASCE guide calls this the single most useful step a homeowner can take; Grade soil away from the house and repair water or sewer leaks promptly, since leaks can cause localized movement.

Does Bethany soil shrink and swell?

Yes. An Oklahoma State University study of Bethany silt loam rated its subsoil moderate in shrink-swell, with the fine clay fraction largely montmorillonite, a swelling clay mineral. Its subsoil holds about 35 to 45 percent clay.

Where is Bethany soil found?

Bethany occurs in central Oklahoma and Kansas, and its type location is in Oklahoma County about 1 mile east of Wheatland. It covers about 525,000 acres.

Is there rock close to the surface in Bethany soil?

No. Bethany is a very deep soil with a solum thicker than 60 inches, formed in Pleistocene loess or alluvium over Permian shale.

How do I know if my Oklahoma City house sits on Bethany soil?

Web Soil Survey, the free USDA soil map, shows the mapped soils for any address in Oklahoma. A site investigation confirms what is under a particular house.

Where does Chickasha soil occur?

According to the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Official Series Description (OSD), Chickasha occurs in Oklahoma and Texas within Major Land Resource Area 80A, the Central Rolling Red Prairies.

Chickasha soil: What are its key properties?

"Fine-loamy" is a soil-taxonomy family name for soils with a loamy texture and moderate clay. Most Chickasha land is cultivated to small grains, grain sorghum, cotton and improved pasture, and native vegetation is tallgrass prairie.

Chickasha soil: What do its properties mean for foundations?

Clayey soils swell when they gain water and shrink when they dry, which moves shallow foundations up and down. Chickasha's weighted clay content of 18 to 30 percent is modest.

Chickasha soil: How can a specific lot be checked?

Find the map unit and its LEP in Web Soil Survey; Compare the LEP with the NRCS shrink-swell classes; Watch for stair-step brick cracks, sticking doors and sloping floors, and track existing cracks over time.

How deep is bedrock in Chickasha soil?

The official description gives a solum thickness of 40 to 60 inches over weakly cemented Permian sandstone. Depth can vary from place to place within a mapped area.

Oklahoma soils: every question answered

480 questions with short answers. Each links to the full, sourced explanation.

What is Abilene soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Abilene is a deep, well-drained terrace soil of southwest Oklahoma with a 35 to 50 percent clay subsoil that shrinks and swells with the seasons.

Abilene soil: What does the official description say?: The type location is in Haskell County, Texas, and the series was established in Taylor County, Texas, in 1915. It is described as extensive.
Abilene soil: How much might it swell?: Soil scientists rate shrink-swell by linear extensibility, the percent a soil's length changes from moist to oven-dry. Under 3 percent is low, 3 to 6 moderate, 6 to 9 high and 9 or more very high.
Abilene soil: What does it mean for foundations?: Edge movement with moisture. Clayey soil shrinks as it dries and swells as it wets, and uneven moisture around a house causes more damage than uniform change. See perimeter drying settlement and perimeter wetting heave; Dry climate.
Where does Abilene soil form?: Abilene forms on Quaternary terrace deposits in southwestern Oklahoma's Red Plains. See Quaternary alluvium and terraces and the Southwest (Lawton and Red Plains) region page.
Where is Abilene soil found?: Abilene is an extensive soil of the Central Rolling Red Plains and Rolling Limestone Prairies of Texas and Oklahoma (MLRA 78). It occurs on stream terrace treads on dissected plains, mostly on slopes under 1 percent.
Is Abilene soil expansive?: Its subsoil is 35 to 50 percent clay with mixed clay mineralogy, so it has clear potential to shrink and swell. The USDA description does not list cracks or slickensides, so lot-specific shrink-swell values should be checked in the Web Soil Survey.
Does Abilene soil contain caliche?: It has calcium carbonate accumulations. Secondary carbonates start about 10 to 28 inches down, and a calcic horizon begins between about 28 and 60 inches.
How well does Abilene soil drain?: It is well drained but has moderately slow permeability, and runoff is negligible to very low on its nearly flat slopes.

What is Apperson soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Apperson is a smectite clay Vertisol over hard limestone 40 to 60 inches down that cracks and swells seasonally, so heave and settlement are both concerns.

Apperson soil: What does the official description say?: The typical profile is in Osage County, about 1 mile north of Foraker. Most Apperson land is native range, hay meadow or pasture, with some cropland.
Apperson soil: What signs of shrink-swell are in the profile?: The USDA description reports cracks that open and close periodically, slickensides in the Btss and BCss horizons, and shiny pressure faces on the clay. Slickensides are polished, grooved surfaces formed when clay masses shear past each other as they swell.
Apperson soil: What is the limestone underneath like?: Apperson forms on Pennsylvanian limestone. In northeastern Oklahoma, limestone units such as the Oologah are described as blue cherty limestone with bands of black shale, about 80 to 145 feet thick. See Pennsylvanian limestones.
What does Apperson soil mean for foundations?: Seasonal heave and settlement. Smectite clay over rock swells when wet and shrinks when dry, and uneven moisture causes more damage than uniform change. On this soil, slab edges can drop in late summer and rise in wet spells.
Where is Apperson soil found?: Apperson occurs in north-central and northeastern Oklahoma and possibly south-central and southeastern Kansas, in the Cherokee Prairies and Bluestem Hills. Its typical profile is in Osage County near Foraker.
Is Apperson soil expansive?: Yes. It is a Vertisol with a smectitic silty clay subsoil, slickensides, and cracks that open and close periodically. Those are the soil survey's signs of strong shrink-swell.
How deep is the rock under Apperson soil?: Hard limestone lies 40 to 60 inches below the surface, about 44 inches in the typical profile.
Does Apperson soil stay wet?: It is somewhat poorly drained with slow permeability, and it has perched saturation from about December through April.

What is Bates soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

A well-drained, loamy eastern Oklahoma soil over soft sandstone at 20 to 40 inches. It swells less than nearby clays, so drainage, erosion and fill matter most.

Bates soil: What does the official description say?: The type location is in Crawford County, Kansas, and the series is mapped across eastern Oklahoma. About half of Bates land is grassland and half is cropland.
What soils are nearby?: Bates is associated with several Tulsa-area soils that behave differently:
Bates soil: How much might it swell?: Shrink-swell is rated by linear extensibility, the percent change in a soil's length from moist to dry, with under 3 percent rated low and 3 to 6 percent moderate. The Bates description gives no number.
Bates soil: What does it mean for foundations?: Water and erosion. Moderately high to high hydraulic conductivity lets water move readily through the loamy soil, so a plumbing leak or concentrated roof water can carry soil from beside a footing.
Where is Bates soil found?: Bates is an extensive soil of southeastern Kansas, eastern Oklahoma and southwestern Missouri. It occurs on interfluves and hillslopes on plains, including the Cherokee Prairies around Tulsa.
Is Bates soil expansive?: Bates has a fine-loamy, siliceous subsoil rather than a clayey, smectitic one, so it is not in the high shrink-swell group. Neighboring Dennis and Eram soils, which have clayey subsoils, are more likely to swell.
How deep is the rock under Bates soil?: Soft (paralithic) sandstone or shale lies 20 to 40 inches below the surface; about 33 inches in the typical profile.
What problems are common on Bates soil?: With low swell potential, the usual concerns are water: runoff, leaks washing out loamy soil beside footings, fill on sloping lots, and uneven bearing where soft rock is shallow.

What is Bernow soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Bernow is a deep, well-drained loamy soil from Cretaceous sandstone with about 20 to 32 percent clay, so water, erosion and fill matter most.

Where does Bernow soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) maintains an Official Series Description (OSD) for every named soil.
What are the key properties of Bernow soil?: "Residuum" means soil that weathered in place from the rock below it. The "Bt" horizon is the subsoil layer where clay has built up over time.
Bernow soil: What do these properties mean for foundations?: Clayey soils swell when they take on water and shrink when they dry, which pushes foundations up and lets them drop as seasons change. Bernow's subsoil tops out around 32 percent clay and is loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam rather than clay.
Bernow soil: How do you check a specific lot?: Look up the address in Web Soil Survey, which publishes soil data produced by the National Cooperative Soil Survey; Check the map unit's LEP value against the NRCS shrink-swell classes; Keep soil moisture next to the foundation as uniform as practical: slope soil away from the house and discharge downspouts away from the foundation.
Is Bernow soil an expansive clay?: Bernow's subsoil is loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam with about 20 to 32 percent clay, which is much less clay than the heavy expansive clays found elsewhere in Oklahoma. The rated shrink-swell value for a specific lot is listed as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.
Where is Bernow soil found in Oklahoma?: Bernow occurs in eastern and southeastern Oklahoma, and its type location is in Bryan County near Bokchito. It forms on hillslopes of dissected plains.
How deep is Bernow soil to bedrock?: The official description classes Bernow as a deep soil, at least 80 inches thick, formed in material weathered from Cretaceous sandstone.
How can I tell if my house is on Bernow soil?: Web Soil Survey, the free USDA soil map, shows the soil map units for any address. A site investigation confirms the actual conditions on a single lot.

What is Bethany soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Bethany is a very deep central Oklahoma soil with a silty clay subsoil of 35 to 45 percent clay, with a subsoil rated moderate in shrink-swell, so homes can move seasonally.

Where does Bethany soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Official Series Description (OSD) places Bethany in central Oklahoma and Kansas, in Major Land Resource Area 80A, the Central Rolling Red Prairies.
What are Bethany soil's key properties?: The "solum" is the upper, weathered part of the soil profile (topsoil plus subsoil). Bethany land is used for small grains, grain sorghum, cotton and alfalfa, with some pasture and rangeland.
How much does Bethany soil shrink and swell?: A 1978 Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station bulletin studied Bethany silt loam as one of five benchmark soils of western Oklahoma. The researchers found:
What should you know about a Bethany lot?: Look up the map unit and its linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey; Keep soil moisture next to and under the foundation as even as practical; the ASCE guide calls this the single most useful step a homeowner can take; Grade soil away from the house and repair water or sewer leaks promptly, since leaks can cause localized movement.
Does Bethany soil shrink and swell?: Yes. An Oklahoma State University study of Bethany silt loam rated its subsoil moderate in shrink-swell, with the fine clay fraction largely montmorillonite, a swelling clay mineral. Its subsoil holds about 35 to 45 percent clay.
Where is Bethany soil found?: Bethany occurs in central Oklahoma and Kansas, and its type location is in Oklahoma County about 1 mile east of Wheatland. It covers about 525,000 acres.
Is there rock close to the surface in Bethany soil?: No. Bethany is a very deep soil with a solum thicker than 60 inches, formed in Pleistocene loess or alluvium over Permian shale.
How do I know if my Oklahoma City house sits on Bethany soil?: Web Soil Survey, the free USDA soil map, shows the mapped soils for any address in Oklahoma. A site investigation confirms what is under a particular house.

What is Chickasha soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Chickasha is a well-drained loamy soil over weakly cemented Permian sandstone at 40 to 60 inches; drainage, erosion and fill matter more than swelling.

Where does Chickasha soil occur?: According to the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Official Series Description (OSD), Chickasha occurs in Oklahoma and Texas within Major Land Resource Area 80A, the Central Rolling Red Prairies.
Chickasha soil: What are its key properties?: "Fine-loamy" is a soil-taxonomy family name for soils with a loamy texture and moderate clay. Most Chickasha land is cultivated to small grains, grain sorghum, cotton and improved pasture, and native vegetation is tallgrass prairie.
Chickasha soil: What do its properties mean for foundations?: Clayey soils swell when they gain water and shrink when they dry, which moves shallow foundations up and down. Chickasha's weighted clay content of 18 to 30 percent is modest.
Chickasha soil: How can a specific lot be checked?: Find the map unit and its LEP in Web Soil Survey; Compare the LEP with the NRCS shrink-swell classes; Watch for stair-step brick cracks, sticking doors and sloping floors, and track existing cracks over time.
How deep is bedrock in Chickasha soil?: The official description gives a solum thickness of 40 to 60 inches over weakly cemented Permian sandstone. Depth can vary from place to place within a mapped area.
Is Chickasha soil expansive?: Chickasha is a fine-loamy soil whose subsoil is mostly sandy clay loam, with 18 to 30 percent clay in the control section. That is less clay than Oklahoma's heavy expansive clays; the rated shrink-swell for a lot is shown as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.
Where is Chickasha soil found?: Chickasha occurs in Oklahoma and Texas in the Central Rolling Red Prairies. Its type location is in Carter County, and the series was established in Washita County.
What drains well and what doesn't in Chickasha soil?: The soil is well drained with moderate permeability, so water moves through it at a moderate rate until it reaches the sandstone below.

What is Choteau soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Choteau is a very deep, somewhat poorly drained clayey soil with a perched water table 2.5 to 3 feet down from December through April.

Where does Choteau soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Official Series Description (OSD) describes Choteau as an extensive series in southeastern Kansas and eastern Oklahoma, mapped in Major Land Resource Areas 112, 116, 117 and 118.
Choteau soil: What are its key properties?: "Colluvium" is soil material that has crept or washed down a slope. "Aquic" in the classification signals a soil that is wet for part of the year. Most Choteau land is cropland for small grains, sorghum or soybeans, with some tame pasture and native tallgrass prairie.
Choteau soil: What do the properties mean for foundations?: A perched water table is a local zone of saturated soil held above the main groundwater by a slowly permeable layer, usually clay. In Choteau the top of this zone sits 2.5 to 3 feet below the surface and its bottom 5 to 8 feet down, from December to April.
What should you know about a Choteau lot?: Look up the map unit, LEP and water table data in Web Soil Survey; Grade soil away from the foundation and route downspouts away from the house so roof water does not add to seasonal saturation; Keep sprinkler heads and planter beds from ponding water near the foundation.
Why is Choteau soil wet in winter and spring?: The official description reports a perched seasonal high water table with its top 2.5 to 3 feet below the surface from December to April. Water collects above slowly permeable clay layers instead of draining down quickly.
How much clay is in Choteau soil?: The subsoil is silty clay loam, clay loam, silty clay or clay with about 35 to 45 percent clay, and the typical pedon's subsoil is clay.
Where is Choteau soil found?: Choteau occurs in eastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas in the Cherokee Prairies and nearby areas. Its type location is in Mayes County and it was established in Wagoner County.
Does Choteau soil shrink and swell?: Clayey soils like Choteau can swell when wet and shrink when dry. The rated value for a map unit is published as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.

What is Clarksville soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

A deep, cherty Ozark soil on steep slopes with fast-draining gravelly upper layers and clay 3 to 4.5 feet down; slope and runoff are the main concerns.

Where does Clarksville soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Official Series Description (OSD) maps Clarksville across the Ozark region (Major Land Resource Areas 116A and 116B) of Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas, as well as in dissected cherty areas of other southeastern states.
Clarksville soil: What are its key properties?: "Loamy-skeletal" means the soil has a large share of rock fragments mixed into a loamy matrix. Clarksville land is mostly second-growth timber of oak, hickory and shortleaf pine, with some pasture and hayland.
What is the Clarksville profile, layer by layer?: The OSD's typical profile shows how much chert the soil holds:
Clarksville soil: What do the properties mean for foundations?: Clarksville occupies slopes up to 70 percent and sheds water with medium to very high runoff. On sloped sites, concentrated runoff and erosion are the main soil-related concerns; see erosion, creeks and slopes, slope creep and lateral movement and surface drainage and grading.
Clarksville soil: How is a specific lot checked?: Look up the map unit, slope class and LEP in Web Soil Survey; Check drainage within several feet of the foundation each year and monitor existing cracks.
What is Clarksville soil made of?: Clarksville is a gravelly, loamy soil full of chert fragments that lies over clayey residuum weathered from cherty dolomite or cherty limestone. Rock fragments in the typical profile range from about 20 to 70 percent by volume.
Where is Clarksville soil found?: It is mapped across the Ozark region of Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas. In Oklahoma that means the northeastern corner of the state.
Is Clarksville soil shallow to bedrock?: No. The official description gives depth to bedrock as more than 80 inches, although the soil is very rocky with chert gravel and cobbles.
Does Clarksville soil have clay in it?: Yes, deeper down. Horizons with more than 40 percent clay begin 36 to 54 inches below the surface, under the gravelly upper layers.

What is Collinsville soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Collinsville is a shallow sandy loam over hard sandstone 4 to 20 inches down, with 5 to 20 percent clay, so rock depth and runoff matter more than swelling.

Where does Collinsville soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Official Series Description (OSD) maps Collinsville in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri, in Major Land Resource Areas 84A, 112, 118A and 118B.
What are the key properties of Collinsville soil?: The word "Lithic" in the classification refers to this shallow contact with hard rock, which the OSD places at 10 to 50 cm (4 to 20 inches). Collinsville land is mainly native tallgrass range, with small areas of tame pasture.
Collinsville soil: What do these properties mean for foundations?: Shrink-swell movement comes from clay soils that swell when wet and shrink when dry. With 5 to 20 percent clay and 30 to 75 percent sand, Collinsville has far less clay than Oklahoma's expansive clays.
Collinsville soil: How do you check a specific lot?: Look up the map unit and depth-to-bedrock rating in Web Soil Survey; Route downspouts away from the foundation and grade soil to drain away from the house; Track cracks over time and check drainage around the house yearly.
How shallow is the rock in Collinsville soil?: Hard sandstone bedrock lies 4 to 20 inches below the surface, and the typical profile reaches rock at 9 inches.
Is Collinsville soil expansive?: Collinsville is a loam or fine sandy loam with only 5 to 20 percent clay in all layers, so it contains little of the clay that drives shrink-swell. The rated value for a lot is listed as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.
Where is Collinsville soil found?: Collinsville occurs in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri. It was established in Tulsa County in 1935, and its type location is in Rogers County near Inola.
Does Collinsville soil drain well?: Yes. It is well drained to somewhat excessively drained with high saturated hydraulic conductivity, and surface runoff is medium to very high because rock is so close to the surface.

What is Coweta soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Coweta is a shallow, well-drained loamy soil on eastern Oklahoma ridges over soft sandstone 10 to 20 inches down. Shallow rock and runoff are its main traits.

Where does Coweta soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Official Series Description (OSD) places Coweta in Major Land Resource Areas 84A, 112, 117 and 118 in eastern Oklahoma, and possibly southeastern Kansas and southwestern Missouri.
What are Coweta soil's key properties?: A "Bw" horizon is a subsoil layer that has changed color or structure but has not gained much clay. Coweta land is mainly rangeland of tallgrass prairie, with tame pasture on slopes under 15 percent and small cultivated areas on slopes under 5 percent.
What does Coweta soil mean for foundations?: Clay soils swell when wet and shrink when dry, which is the main driver of seasonal foundation movement. Coweta's subsoil has 10 to 30 percent clay.
Coweta soil: How do you check a specific lot?: Look up the map unit, slope and depth to bedrock in Web Soil Survey; Grade soil away from the foundation and discharge downspouts away from the house; Repair leaks quickly and confirm repairs with pressure tests.
How deep is Coweta soil?: Coweta is shallow. The solum and the depth to soft sandstone both range from 10 to 20 inches, and the typical profile reaches sandstone at about 15 inches.
Is Coweta soil clay?: No. Coweta is mostly loam and fine sandy loam with about 10 to 30 percent clay. The rated shrink-swell for a lot appears as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.
Where is Coweta soil found?: Coweta is mapped in eastern Oklahoma and possibly southeastern Kansas and southwestern Missouri. Its type location is in Wagoner County about 11 miles northeast of the town of Coweta.
What is the difference between Coweta and Collinsville soils?: Both are shallow sandy soils over Pennsylvanian sandstone near Tulsa. Collinsville sits on hard sandstone at 4 to 20 inches, while Coweta sits on soft sandstone interbedded with shale at 10 to 20 inches.

What is Dale soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Dale is a very deep, well-drained silt loam to clay loam on central Oklahoma flood plains, so flood exposure and variable layering are the key questions.

Where does Dale soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Official Series Description (OSD) places Dale in central Oklahoma and south-central Kansas, in Major Land Resource Area 80A, the Central Rolling Red Prairies. It is moderately extensive.
Dale soil: What are its key properties?: "Alluvium" is sediment deposited by flowing water. "Pachic" means the dark, organic-rich topsoil is unusually thick.
Dale soil: What do its properties mean for foundations?: The OSD describes Dale as a flood plain soil. Official flood hazard maps for the National Flood Insurance Program are published through FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which can be searched by address.
Dale soil: How can a specific lot be checked?: Look up the map unit and its LEP in Web Soil Survey; Search the address in FEMA's Flood Map Service Center; Keep downspout water and sprinklers from ponding next to the foundation.
Is Dale soil in a flood plain?: Dale forms on level to sloping flood plains of alluvial plains in central Oklahoma. Whether a specific property is in a mapped flood hazard area is shown on FEMA flood maps.
What is Dale soil made of?: Dale formed in loamy alluvium, sediment laid down by streams. Its layers are silt loam, loam, silty clay loam or clay loam, with calcium carbonate appearing 20 to 60 inches down.
Where is Dale soil found?: Dale occurs in central Oklahoma and south-central Kansas. Its type location is about 1 mile east of Harrah in Lincoln County, and it was established in Okfuskee County in 1940.
Does Dale soil shrink and swell?: Dale is a fine-silty soil with loamy layers rather than heavy clay. The rated shrink-swell for a specific map unit is listed as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.

What is Dalhart soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Dalhart is a deep, well-drained Panhandle soil formed in wind-laid loamy sediment; wetting response and water management are the main foundation questions.

Where does Dalhart soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Official Series Description (OSD) places Dalhart in the Southern High Plains, Northern Part (Major Land Resource Area 77A) of Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, and describes the series as extensive.
Dalhart soil: What are its key properties?: "Btk" marks a subsoil layer that has gained both clay and calcium carbonate (lime). "Aridic" signals a dry moisture regime. Dalhart is used mainly for wheat and grain sorghum, with some grazing on native mixed grasses.
Dalhart soil: What do the properties mean for foundations?: Collapsible soils are unsaturated soils that lose volume when wetted, loaded, or both, and wind-deposited soils such as loess and dune sands are among the deposits where they occur, especially in dry climates.
Dalhart soil: How do you check a specific lot?: Look up the map unit and LEP in Web Soil Survey; Route downspouts and irrigation water away from the foundation.
Where is Dalhart soil found in Oklahoma?: Dalhart is mapped on the Southern High Plains of Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Its type location is in Cimarron County about 8 miles west of Boise City.
What is Dalhart soil made of?: Dalhart formed in loamy eolian sediment, meaning material carried and deposited by wind. Its subsoil is sandy clay loam over loam with accumulated calcium carbonate.
Can wind-deposited soils settle when they get wet?: Some wind-deposited soils have a loose, open structure that can collapse when wetted under load. Whether a particular Dalhart site behaves this way is determined by testing, not by the soil name alone.
How much rain does Dalhart soil get?: The official description gives a mean annual precipitation of about 18 inches, ranging from 15 to 23 inches.

What is Darnell soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

A shallow, sandy, rapidly drained soil over Permian sandstone 10 to 20 inches down; shallow rock, slopes and runoff matter more than clay swelling.

Where does Darnell soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Official Series Description (OSD) lists Darnell in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas within Major Land Resource Area 84A, the Cross Timbers. It is an extensive series found at 740 to 1,315 feet elevation.
Darnell soil: What are its key properties?: A "paralithic contact" is the boundary with rock that is weathered or only weakly cemented, as opposed to hard rock. The OSD notes that the Cr sandstone has high or very high excavation difficulty, meaning it is hard to dig.
Darnell soil: What do the properties mean for foundations?: Clay soils swell when they take on water and shrink when they dry, moving foundations up and down. Darnell's surface and subsoil are sandy loam or fine sandy loam.
Darnell soil: How is a specific lot checked?: Look up the map unit, slope and depth to bedrock in Web Soil Survey; Grade soil to drain away from the foundation and discharge downspouts away from the house; Monitor existing cracks and inspect drainage around the house each year.
How deep is the sandstone under Darnell soil?: Darnell is shallow, with a paralithic contact to sandstone 10 to 20 inches below the surface. The typical profile reaches sandstone at about 15 inches.
Where is Darnell soil found?: Darnell occurs in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas on the Cross Timbers hills. Its type location is about 8 miles west of Tryon in Lincoln County, and it was established in Okfuskee County in 1942.
Is Darnell soil expansive?: Darnell is a sandy loam or fine sandy loam with very high permeability, not a clay soil. The rated shrink-swell for a map unit appears as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.
What grows on Darnell soil?: Native cover is post oak, blackjack oak and eastern red cedar over tall and mid grasses, and the land is used mainly as rangeland.

What is Dennis soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Dennis is a deep, somewhat poorly drained clay soil with 28 to 50 percent clay and a perched water table 12 to 30 inches down in winter and spring.

Where does Dennis soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Official Series Description (OSD) maps Dennis in southeastern Kansas, southwestern Missouri and eastern Oklahoma, mostly in Major Land Resource Area 112 (the Cherokee Prairies), with smaller areas in MLRA 76 and LRUs 84A, 116A and 118B.
What are the key properties of Dennis soil?: "Argiudolls" are prairie soils with a dark topsoil and a clay-enriched subsoil in a humid climate; "Aquic" marks periodic wetness. Dennis is mainly cropland for small grains, sorghum, soybeans and some cotton, with tame pasture and native tallgrass range.
Dennis soil: What do these properties mean for foundations?: A perched water table is a local saturated zone held above the main groundwater by a slowly permeable layer, usually clay. In Dennis it ranges from 12 to 30 inches below the surface from December through April in normal years.
What should you know about a Dennis lot?: Look up the map unit, water table and LEP in Web Soil Survey; Grade soil away from the house and send downspout water well away from the foundation; Water evenly on all sides during dry spells, with extra attention to the sunnier south and west sides.
Where is Dennis soil found?: Dennis is mapped in eastern Oklahoma, southeastern Kansas and southwestern Missouri, mostly in the Cherokee Prairies. Its type location is about half a mile north of Claremore in Rogers County, and it was established in Wagoner County in 1941.
Why does Dennis soil stay wet in winter?: The official description reports a perched seasonal high water table 12 to 30 inches below the surface, typically from December through April. Water sits above the slowly permeable clay subsoil.
How much clay is in Dennis soil?: The subsoil is silty clay loam, silty clay or clay with 28 to 50 percent clay, and the particle-size control section averages 37 to 60 percent clay.
Do Dennis soils move with the seasons?: Clay soils swell when wet and shrink when dry, which moves shallow foundations. The rated shrink-swell for a Dennis map unit is listed as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.

What is Dougherty soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Dougherty is a very deep central Oklahoma soil with 20 to 40 inches of loose fine sand over sandy clay loam, so erosion and water management are main concerns.

Where does Dougherty soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Official Series Description (OSD) places Dougherty in central Oklahoma and Texas, in Major Land Resource Areas 80A and 84A, at 750 to 1,220 feet elevation. It is a series of large extent.
What are Dougherty soil's key properties?: "Arenic" in the classification refers to the thick sandy layer above the clay-enriched subsoil. The "E" horizon is a pale layer from which clay has been washed downward.
What does Dougherty soil mean for foundations?: The upper 20 to 40 inches of Dougherty are fine sand or loamy fine sand, and the typical pedon has 27 inches of sandy material. Washout of sandy soil by concentrated water is covered in erosion, undermining and washout voids.
Dougherty soil: How do you check a specific lot?: Look up the map unit, slope and LEP in Web Soil Survey; Check that soil next to the foundation slopes away from the house and has not washed out; Look for gaps or soil pulled away from the foundation and exposed footings.
Why is Dougherty soil so sandy?: Dougherty formed in sandy and loamy Pleistocene terrace sediment reworked into dunes that are now stabilized. Its upper 20 to 40 inches are fine sand or loamy fine sand.
Where is Dougherty soil found?: Dougherty occurs in central Oklahoma and Texas. Its type location is about 9 miles south and 8 miles west of Stillwater in Payne County, and it was established in Murray County.
Is Dougherty soil expansive?: Its sandy upper layers hold little clay, and the subsoil has 18 to 35 percent clay. The rated shrink-swell for a map unit is listed as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.
Does Dougherty soil drain well?: Yes. It is well drained with moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

What is Durant soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Durant is a very deep south-central Oklahoma clay, 40 to 60 percent smectitic, that cracks over 1 cm wide and 30 inches deep when dry, so it shrinks and swells.

Where does Durant soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Official Series Description (OSD) places Durant in south-central Oklahoma, in Major Land Resource Area 85, the Grand Prairie of Oklahoma.
Durant soil: What are its key properties?: "Udertic" means the soil is an intergrade toward the Vertisols, the soil order defined by shrink-swell clay. "Smectitic" means smectite is the dominant clay mineral. Durant is used for cotton, small grains, grain sorghum, tame pasture and range.
Why does Durant soil move?: Vertisols are clay-rich soils that shrink as they dry and swell as they rewet, forming deep, wide cracks that open and close, and this shrink-swell action causes serious engineering problems including damage to structures.
What are the practical points for a Durant lot?: Look up the map unit and LEP in Web Soil Survey; Keep soil moisture next to and under the foundation as uniform as practical; Plant trees farther from the house than their mature height; deep root barriers can help where trees are already close.
Is Durant soil expansive?: Durant has a clay subsoil with 40 to 60 percent clay, smectitic mineralogy and an Udertic classification, meaning it shows shrink-swell traits approaching those of Vertisols. Its official description reports cracks over 1 cm wide and 30 inches deep in dry periods.
Where is Durant soil found?: Durant occurs in south-central Oklahoma in the Grand Prairie (MLRA 85). Its type location is in Bryan County about 4 miles west and 1 mile north of Albany.
How deep is Durant soil?: Durant is very deep. Some profiles reach shale or claystone below about 64 inches.
Why do cracks in a house on Durant soil open and close?: Clay soils swell when wet and shrink when dry, moving shallow foundations up and down. Cracks that open in dry months and close in wet months are a common result.

What is Eram soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Eram is a clayey soil over weathered shale 20 to 40 inches down with a 1 to 2 foot seasonal water table; wet saturation and dry shrinkage affect foundations.

Where does Eram soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Official Series Description (OSD) maps Eram in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri, in Major Land Resource Areas 76, 84A, 112, 118B and 119. It is moderately extensive.
Eram soil: What are its key properties?: "Consistence" describes how hard or firm a soil feels; "extremely hard when dry" is a sign of a dense clay. Eram is mainly rangeland of tall grass prairie, with some cropland and tame pasture.
Eram soil: What do the properties mean for foundations?: Clay soils swell when they gain water and shrink when they dry, and uneven moisture causes more damage than uniform moisture. Eram combines 35 to 55 percent clay with a water table that rises to 1 to 2 feet in winter and spring.
Eram soil: How do you check a specific lot?: Look up the map unit, depth to bedrock, water table and LEP in Web Soil Survey; Watch for stair-step brick cracks, sticking doors and sloping floors, and track cracks over time.
How deep is bedrock in Eram soil?: The official description gives depth to bedrock of 20 to 40 inches. The bedrock is weathered shale or compacted clay beds of Pennsylvanian age with thin sandstone layers.
How much clay is in Eram soil?: Eram's subsoil is clay loam to clay with 35 to 55 percent clay. In the typical profile it is extremely hard when dry and very firm when moist.
Does Eram soil have a high water table?: The official description reports an apparent seasonal high water table 1 to 2 feet below the surface during winter and spring in normal years.
Where is Eram soil found?: Eram occurs in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri. Its type location is about 5 miles northeast of Beggs in Okmulgee County, and it was established in Okfuskee County in 1942.

What is Foard soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

A sodium-affected smectitic clay of southwest Oklahoma with very slow drainage; seasonal shrink-swell and slow drainage drive foundation problems.

Where does Foard soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Official Series Description (OSD) places Foard in Oklahoma and Texas, in Major Land Resource Areas 78B and 78C, the Central Rolling Red Plains. It is an extensive series.
Foard soil: What are its key properties?: "Natrustolls" are prairie soils with a natric horizon, a clay subsoil high in sodium. "Slickensides" are polished, grooved surfaces found in shrink-swell clays. Foard is used mainly for small grains and cotton, with some native range.
Foard soil: What do the properties mean for foundations?: The "Vertic" part of Foard's name means it meets shrink-swell criteria close to those of the Vertisols: cracks at least 5 mm wide through 30 cm or more within 125 cm of the surface plus a slickenside layer, or a linear extensibility of 6.0 or more to 100 cm.
What practical points apply to a Foard lot?: Look up the map unit and LEP in Web Soil Survey; Keep soil moisture around the foundation as even as practical, watering more on the drier south and west sides in drought; Grade soil away from the house and repair leaks quickly.
What makes Foard soil different from other clay soils?: Foard combines a smectitic clay subsoil with vertic features such as slickensides and a sodium-affected (natric) horizon. Sodium makes clay particles disperse instead of clumping together, which plugs pores and slows water movement.
Where is Foard soil found?: Foard occurs in Oklahoma and Texas in the Central Rolling Red Plains. Its type location is in Cotton County, Oklahoma, and the series was established in Foard County, Texas.
How much clay is in Foard soil?: The upper clay-enriched layers are silty clay loam, silty clay or clay with 35 to 45 percent clay.
Does Foard soil drain?: The official description classes Foard as well drained, but its permeability is very slow, so water moves through the subsoil very slowly.

What is Grant soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Grant is a deep, well-drained silty soil from Permian siltstone with about 22 to 28 percent clay in the subsoil and weathered rock 40 to 60 inches down.

Where does Grant soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Official Series Description (OSD) places Grant in Oklahoma and south-central Kansas, in Major Land Resource Area 80A, the Central Rolling Red Prairies, at 700 to 1,500 feet elevation. It is a series of large extent.
What are the key properties of Grant soil?: "Fine-silty" means the soil is dominated by silt with a moderate amount of clay. "Paleoterraces" are old, high stream terraces left behind as rivers cut down. Grant is mostly cropland for wheat and other small grains, with some native tall and mid grasses.
Grant soil: What do these properties mean for foundations?: Clay soils swell when wet and shrink when dry, and uneven moisture causes more damage than uniform changes. Grant's subsoil holds about 22 to 28 percent clay.
Grant soil: How do you check a specific lot?: Look up the map unit and LEP in Web Soil Survey; Keep soil moisture around the foundation even and have plumbing leaks located and repaired; Track existing cracks and check drainage around the house each year.
Where is Grant soil found?: Grant occurs in Oklahoma and south-central Kansas in the Central Rolling Red Prairies. Its type location is in Garfield County about 2 miles north and 6.5 miles west of Hillsdale, and the series was established in Grant County.
How deep is the rock under Grant soil?: Weathered siltstone or silty shale begins 40 to 60 inches below the surface. In the typical profile it starts at 59 inches.
Is Grant soil expansive?: Grant's subsoil is silty clay loam with about 22 to 28 percent clay, a moderate amount. The rated shrink-swell for a map unit is listed as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.
What is the loess mantle on some Grant soils?: Some Grant areas have a thin cap of loess, which is silt carried and deposited by wind, over the weathered siltstone.

What is Hector soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Hector is a shallow, stony sandy loam over hard sandstone 14 to 20 inches down. Shallow bedrock, steep slopes and runoff are the main factors for houses.

Where does Hector soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Official Series Description (OSD) maps Hector in Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee, probably on more than 800,000 acres.
What are Hector soil's key properties?: "Lithic" in the name refers to hard bedrock close to the surface, which the OSD puts at 14 to 20 inches. Hector is mostly low-grade cedar-hardwood forest, and cleared pasture is limited by droughtiness.
What does Hector soil mean for foundations?: Shrink-swell movement comes from clay soils that swell when wet and shrink when dry. Hector's layers are sandy loam to loam with rock fragments. NRCS classes linear extensibility (LEP) under 3 percent as low; the LEP for each Hector map unit appears in Web Soil Survey.
Hector soil: How do you check a specific lot?: Look up the map unit, slope and depth to bedrock in Web Soil Survey; Inspect drainage near the foundation every year and monitor existing cracks.
How deep is Hector soil?: Hector is shallow. The official description gives solum thickness and depth to sandstone bedrock of 14 to 20 inches, with bedrock at 15 inches in the typical profile.
Where is Hector soil found?: Hector is mapped in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Kansas, Missouri and Tennessee, including the Boston Mountains and Arkansas Valley. Its type location is in Washington County, Arkansas.
Is Hector soil expansive?: Hector is a sandy loam, fine sandy loam or loam with rock fragments, not a clay. The rated shrink-swell for a map unit is listed as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.
What grows on Hector soil?: Most Hector land is low-grade mixed cedar and hardwood forest of cedar, oak, elm, hickory and pine. Cleared areas used for pasture are limited by droughtiness.

What is Hollister soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Hollister is a southwest Oklahoma clay Vertisol, 35 to 55 percent smectitic clay, with cracks deeper than 30 inches, so seasonal movement is the key concern.

Where does Hollister soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Official Series Description (OSD) places Hollister in Texas and Oklahoma, in Major Land Resource Areas 78B and 78C, the Central Rolling Red Plains. It is described as extensive.
Hollister soil: What are its key properties?: "Calcareous" means the material contains calcium carbonate (lime). Hollister is mainly cropland for wheat, cotton and grain sorghum.
Why does Hollister soil move?: Vertisols are clay-rich soils with at least 30 percent clay to 50 cm; they shrink as they dry and swell as they rewet, opening deep, wide cracks and forming slickensides, the polished, grooved surfaces found in these clays.
What are the practical points for a Hollister lot?: Look up the map unit and LEP in Web Soil Survey; Keep soil moisture uniform around and under the foundation; Plant trees farther from the house than their mature height.
Hollister soil: What is a Vertisol?: A Vertisol is a clay-rich soil that shrinks and cracks deeply as it dries and swells as it rewets. Hollister is classified as a Vertisol (Typic Haplusterts).
How much does Hollister soil crack?: The official description reports cracks extending deeper than 30 inches that stay open for 150 or more cumulative days in most years.
Where is Hollister soil found?: Hollister occurs in Texas and Oklahoma in the Central Rolling Red Plains. Its type location is in Hardeman County, Texas, near Chillicothe.
How much clay is in Hollister soil?: The subsoil layers hold 35 to 55 percent clay, and the surface layer holds 32 to 40 percent.

What is Kingfisher soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Kingfisher is a well-drained silty clay loam with 27 to 42 percent clay over weathered red-bed rock 20 to 40 inches down.

Where does Kingfisher soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Official Series Description (OSD) places Kingfisher in Oklahoma and probably south-central Kansas, in Major Land Resource Area 80A, the Central Rolling Red Prairies. It is of moderate extent.
Kingfisher soil: What are its key properties?: "Argiustolls" are prairie soils with a dark topsoil over a clay-enriched subsoil. Kingfisher is mainly cropland, especially winter wheat, and native vegetation was tallgrass prairie.
Kingfisher soil: What do the properties mean for foundations?: Clay soils swell (heave) when they gain water and shrink (settle) when they dry, and uneven moisture causes more damage than uniform moisture. Kingfisher's clay rises from 27 to 35 percent in the upper subsoil to as much as 42 percent lower down.
What should you know about a Kingfisher lot?: Look up the map unit, depth to bedrock and LEP in Web Soil Survey; Keep soil moisture next to the foundation as even as practical, and grade soil away from the house; Repair leaks quickly and track existing cracks over time.
How deep is rock under Kingfisher soil?: Weathered bedrock of interbedded siltstone, shale and sandstone begins 20 to 40 inches below the surface. In the typical profile it starts at 38 inches.
How much clay is in Kingfisher soil?: The subsoil is silty clay loam or clay loam with 27 to 35 percent clay in the upper part and up to 42 percent in the lower part.
Where is Kingfisher soil found?: Kingfisher occurs in Oklahoma and probably south-central Kansas in the Central Rolling Red Prairies. Its type location is about 1 mile west and 5 miles south of the town of Kingfisher.
Does Kingfisher soil shrink and swell?: Clay soils swell when wet and shrink when dry, and Kingfisher's subsoil has a moderate to fairly high clay content. The rated value for each map unit is listed as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.

What is Kiomatia soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

A deep, sandy Red River floodplain soil that floods often and has a seasonal water table at 42 to 60 inches; water, not clay swell, drives concerns.

What is Kiomatia soil?: Kiomatia is a soil series described by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Its taxonomic class is "Sandy, mixed, thermic Typic Udifluvents". "Sandy" describes the texture of its control section.
What is the typical soil profile?: The official description gives this typical profile:
Kiomatia soil: What does it mean for foundations?: Shrink-swell soils are clays that grow and shrink as their moisture changes. Soil scientists measure this as linear extensibility, the linear expression of the change in volume between moist and oven-dry soil, with less than 3 percent rated "low".
How is the soil at a property confirmed?: Web Soil Survey shows the mapped soil units for an area and lets users judge soil suitability for a particular use; Check the FEMA Flood Map Service Center for the Flood Insurance Rate Map panel covering the address; A site-specific soil boring is the way to confirm actual layers and water levels; see soil testing and lab values.
Is Kiomatia soil expansive clay?: No. The official description lists only 5 to 18 percent clay in the control section, with sandy, layered material through the profile. Shrink-swell from clay is not the main concern on this soil.
Does Kiomatia soil flood?: Yes. The USDA description says it is frequently flooded for brief periods in most years where it is not protected by levees or other works.
How deep is the water table in Kiomatia soil?: The official description puts the water table at about 42 to 60 inches below the surface, usually from January through July in most years.
How do I know if my lot is mapped as Kiomatia?: Look up the address in the USDA Web Soil Survey, which shows the mapped soil units and their properties. Check the FEMA Flood Map Service Center for the official flood zone.

What is Kirkland soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Kirkland is a deep central Oklahoma terrace soil with a dense clay subsoil of 35 to 60 percent clay, so homes on it are exposed to seasonal shrink-swell movement.

What is Kirkland soil?: Kirkland is an official USDA soil series classified as "Fine, mixed, superactive, thermic Udertic Paleustolls". The word "Udertic" marks a vertic intergrade, a soil that trends toward the Vertisols, the order of clay soils defined by shrink-swell behavior.
What does a Kirkland soil profile look like?: Source for the table:. Other properties from the official description:
What does Kirkland soil mean for foundations?: Clay soils swell (heave) as they gain water and shrink (settle) as they dry. Uniform changes in soil moisture are less damaging than localized changes.
Is Kirkland soil expansive?: Its subsoil has 35 to 60 percent clay and slickensides, polished faces that form when clay repeatedly swells and shrinks. It is classified in an Udertic subgroup, meaning it trends toward the strongly shrink-swell Vertisols.
Where is Kirkland soil found?: The official description lists central Oklahoma and south-central Kansas. The type location is in Logan County, Oklahoma, west of Guthrie.
How deep is rock under Kirkland soil?: In the typical profile, weakly cemented siltstone begins at about 82 inches. The soil above it is mostly silty clay.
Why does a house on Kirkland soil move with the seasons?: Clay soils swell as they gain water and shrink as they dry. When moisture changes unevenly around a shallow foundation, parts of the house rise or settle relative to others.

What is Konawa soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Konawa is a deep sandy terrace soil of the Cross Timbers with an 18-30% clay subsoil. Its foundation issues more often trace to water, drainage and fill.

What is Konawa soil?: Konawa is an official USDA soil series classified as "Fine-loamy, mixed, active, thermic Ultic Haplustalfs". "Fine-loamy" refers to the texture of its subsoil, which is fine sandy loam or sandy clay loam.
What does a Konawa soil profile look like?: Source for the table:. Other properties from the official description:
What does Konawa soil mean for foundations?: Shrink-swell soils change volume as moisture changes, and the USDA measures this as linear extensibility: under 3 percent is low and 3 to 6 percent is moderate. Konawa's subsoil clay content is 18 to 30 percent; compare higher-clay central Oklahoma claypan soils such as Kirkland.
How do you confirm the soil at a property?: Web Soil Survey shows the mapped soil units for an area, covering more than 95 percent of U.S. counties, and can generate custom soil reports.
Is Konawa soil expansive clay?: Konawa's subsoil is fine sandy loam or sandy clay loam with 18 to 30 percent clay, and its surface layers are sand to fine sandy loam. It is a loamy soil, not a high-clay expansive soil, but the exact shrink-swell rating for a mapped area is listed in Web Soil Survey.
Where is Konawa soil found in Oklahoma?: It occurs in the North Cross Timbers region of Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. Its type location is in Payne County near Perkins, and the series was established in Pottawatomie County.
How deep is bedrock under Konawa soil?: The official description puts bedrock deeper than 80 inches.
What did Konawa land look like before development?: Native vegetation was post oak, blackjack oak and hickory with grass underneath, the typical Cross Timbers forest.

What is Lucien soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Lucien is a shallow loamy soil on central Oklahoma hilltops with weathered Permian sandstone 10 to 20 inches down; shallow rock and water flow matter most.

What is Lucien soil?: Lucien is an official USDA soil series classified as "Loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic, shallow Udic Haplustolls". "Shallow" in the name refers to its limited depth to rock.
What is its typical soil profile?: Source for the table:. Other properties from the official description:
Lucien soil: What does it mean for foundations?: A paralithic contact is the boundary between soil and soft bedrock that is very weakly to moderately coherent. Paralithic material can be dug with hand tools, with some difficulty.
How can the soil at a property be confirmed?: Web Soil Survey shows mapped soil units and soil data for more than 95 percent of U.S. counties. Actual rock depth at a house is confirmed by a boring or by pier installation records.
How deep is rock in Lucien soil?: The official description puts soil depth at 10 to 20 inches over weathered sandstone, with the rock contact at about 14 inches in the typical profile.
Is Lucien soil expansive?: Lucien is a loamy soil (loam to very fine sandy loam) with no clay-enriched subsoil. It is not described as a clay soil, though interbedded clay or shale can occur in the rock below.
Where is Lucien soil found?: On summits and shoulders of low hills in the Central Rolling Red Prairies of Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. Its type location is in Noble County, Oklahoma, near Perry.
Is the rock under Lucien soil hard?: It is described as weathered sandstone at a paralithic contact. Paralithic material is soft, weakly consolidated rock that can be dug with hand tools, with some difficulty.

What is Muskogee soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Muskogee is a deep terrace soil with silt loam over silty clay and firm clay; its slow permeability makes water management the central foundation issue.

What is Muskogee soil?: Muskogee is an official USDA soil series classified as "Fine-silty, mixed, active, thermic Aquic Paleudalfs". "Aquic" in a soil name signals periodic saturation and the reduced (oxygen-poor) conditions that come with it.
What is the typical soil profile?: Source for the table:. Other properties from the official description:
What does Muskogee soil mean for foundations?: The upper 14 inches of Muskogee are silt loam, while the subsoil becomes silty clay at about 26 inches and clay at about 46 inches. Clayey soils swell as they gain water and shrink as they dry, so the clay lower subsoil is the part most likely to change volume.
How do you confirm the soil at a property?: Web Soil Survey shows mapped soil units and lets users generate custom soil reports.
What is Muskogee soil like?: It has about 14 inches of silt loam over a subsoil that grades from silty clay loam to silty clay and then clay with depth. Water moves through it slowly.
Is Muskogee soil named after Muskogee, Oklahoma?: The series was established in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, in 1913. Its current type location is in Franklin County, Arkansas.
Does Muskogee soil stay wet?: It is moderately well drained with slow permeability, and its classification includes 'Aquic', which in soil taxonomy indicates periods of saturation. The official description does not give a water-table depth.
Is Muskogee soil expansive?: Its lower subsoil is clay that is very firm and sticky. The official description does not give a shrink-swell value; the rating for a mapped area is in Web Soil Survey.

What is Niotaze soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

A somewhat poorly drained hillside soil with a smectitic clay subsoil over shale at 20 to 40 inches, so homes can face clay movement and wet soil.

What is Niotaze soil?: Niotaze is an official USDA soil series classified as "Fine, smectitic, thermic Albaquic Hapludalfs".
What is the typical soil profile?: Source for the table:. Other properties from the official description:
Niotaze soil: What does it mean for foundations?: Clay soils swell as they gain water and shrink as they dry, and uneven moisture change under a shallow foundation causes uneven movement.
How much Niotaze soil is in Oklahoma?: The official description puts the series at about 350,000 acres, roughly 300,000 of them in north-central and northeastern Oklahoma and the rest in southeast Kansas.
How deep is shale under Niotaze soil?: Shale is reached at 20 to 40 inches. In the typical profile it begins at about 28 inches.
Why does Niotaze soil stay wet?: It is somewhat poorly drained with slow permeability, and clay content jumps sharply from the sandy surface into the clay subsoil. That kind of abrupt change significantly restricts water movement.
Is Niotaze soil expansive?: Its subsoil has 35 to 55 percent clay, and the series is classed as smectitic, the clay group associated with expansive soils, although some sampled profiles are mixed mineralogy.

What is Nixa soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Nixa is a very gravelly, cherty Ozark soil with a dense fragipan 14 to 27 inches down that perches water and speeds runoff on slopes.

What is Nixa soil?: Nixa is an official USDA soil series classified as "Loamy-skeletal, siliceous, active, mesic Glossic Fragiudults". "Loamy-skeletal" reflects its high rock-fragment content, and "Fragi" refers to its fragipan.
What does a Nixa soil profile look like?: Source for the table:. Other properties from the official description:
What does Nixa soil mean for foundations?: Fragic soil material is firm and brittle when moist, is not cemented (dry pieces break apart in water) and restricts roots. Nixa's fragipan is part of why its permeability is very slow.
How do you confirm the soil at a property?: Web Soil Survey covers more than 95 percent of U.S. counties and can produce custom soil reports.
What is a fragipan in Nixa soil?: A fragipan is a dense, brittle subsoil layer that restricts roots and water. In Nixa it starts 14 to 27 inches below the surface.
Why is Nixa soil so rocky?: It formed from colluvium and residuum of cherty limestone. Chert fragments make up roughly 35 to 85 percent of the subsoil by volume.
Is Nixa soil expansive?: Nixa's subsoil is mostly chert fragments with silt loam between them; only the deepest layer has clayey fine earth. The official description gives no shrink-swell value, so check Web Soil Survey for the mapped rating.
Where is Nixa soil found?: On ridgetops and side slopes of the Ozark Highlands in Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Virginia.

What is Norge soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Norge is a deep, well-drained silt loam over reddish silty clay loam in central Oklahoma. It is less clayey than nearby soils, so drainage and fill matter.

What is Norge soil?: Norge is an official USDA soil series classified as "Fine-silty, mixed, active, thermic Udic Paleustolls". "Fine-silty" is its particle-size family; in Norge the subsoil is silty clay loam throughout.
What does a Norge soil profile look like?: Source for the table:. Other properties from the official description:
What does Norge soil mean for foundations?: The USDA rates shrink-swell as linear extensibility, a linear expression of the volume change between moist soil and oven dryness: under 3 percent is low, 3 to 6 percent moderate, 6 to 9 percent high and 9 percent or more very high.
How do you confirm the soil at a property?: Web Soil Survey shows the mapped soil unit for an address and lets users create custom reports.
What is Norge soil like?: It has about a foot of brown silt loam over a reddish to red silty clay loam subsoil that continues past 5 feet. It is well drained with moderately slow permeability.
Where is Norge soil found?: In the Central Rolling Red Prairies of Oklahoma. The type location is in Pawnee County, and the series was established in Grady County in 1942.
Is Norge soil expansive?: Its subsoil is silty clay loam rather than clay, and the official description lists it as fine-silty. The rated shrink-swell value for each mapped area is in Web Soil Survey.
How is Norge different from Kirkland or Renfrow?: The official description notes that Bethany, Kirkland and Renfrow have a finer (more clayey) control section than Norge.

What is Okemah soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Okemah is a deep eastern Oklahoma prairie soil with a shrink-swell silty clay subsoil and a perched water table 2 to 3 feet down in winter and spring.

What is Okemah soil?: Okemah is an official USDA soil series classified as "Fine, mixed, active, thermic Aquic Paleudolls". "Aquic" in a soil name indicates periodic saturation and the oxygen-poor conditions that come with it.
What is its typical soil profile?: Source for the table:. Other properties from the official description:
Okemah soil: What does it mean for foundations?: Slickensides are polished, grooved surfaces formed by repeated shrinking and swelling of clay. Okemah's upper subsoil has a few slickensides, and its subsoil is silty clay to clay.
How can the soil at a property be confirmed?: Web Soil Survey shows mapped soil units and soil data for an area and can generate custom reports. The water table described for Okemah is seasonal, present from December to April in normal years, so the time of year matters when water levels are checked on site.
Does Okemah soil have a high water table?: Yes. The official description lists a perched seasonal high water table 2 to 3 feet below the surface from December to April in normal years.
Is Okemah soil expansive?: Its subsoil is silty clay from about 21 inches down, with a few slickensides, polished faces that form as clay shrinks and swells. The rated shrink-swell value for each mapped area is in Web Soil Survey.
Where is Okemah soil found?: On broad high terraces and lower upland slopes in eastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas. The type location is in Okmulgee County near Beggs.
Okemah soil: What does a perched water table mean for a house?: It means a saturated zone sits on top of drier soil below, a condition soil scientists call episaturation. On Okemah it occurs 2 to 3 feet down in winter and spring.

What is Osage soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Osage is a poorly drained floodplain Vertisol with 40-65% clay and a water table 6-18 inches down in winter and spring, so clay movement and wetness combine.

What is Osage soil?: Osage is an official USDA soil series classified as "Fine, smectitic, thermic Typic Epiaquerts". The "-ert" ending places it in the Vertisols, clay-rich soils that shrink and form deep, wide cracks when dry and expand when wet. That movement creates serious engineering problems.
What is the typical soil profile?: Source for the table:. Other properties from the official description:
What does Osage soil mean for foundations?: Slickensides, polished and grooved surfaces formed by repeated shrinking and swelling, are one of the diagnostic features of Vertisols. Osage has continuous, intersecting slickensides from about 13 to 60 inches.
Is Osage soil expansive?: Yes. Osage is a Vertisol, the soil order defined by clay that shrinks and cracks when dry and swells when wet. Its subsoil is 40 to 65 percent clay with intersecting slickensides from about 13 to 60 inches.
How high is the water table in Osage soil?: The official description lists an apparent seasonal high water table 6 to 18 inches below the surface from November through May in normal years.
Where is Osage soil found?: On flood plains along major streams in eastern Oklahoma, southeastern Kansas and southwestern Missouri.
How can I check flood risk on Osage soil?: Osage forms on flood plains. The official flood zone for an address comes from FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which can be searched by address.

What is Parsons soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

A claypan soil with about a foot of silt loam on dense clay; water perches 6 to 18 inches down in winter and spring, and the clay can change volume.

What is Parsons soil?: Parsons is an official USDA soil series classified as "Fine, mixed, active, thermic Mollic Albaqualfs". The "aqu" in its name points to aquic conditions, which in soil science means periodic saturation and reduction.
What is the typical soil profile?: Source for the table:. Other properties from the official description:
Parsons soil: What does it mean for foundations?: An abrupt textural change is a sharp increase in clay over a very short distance, and it significantly restricts water movement. Parsons has this change at the top of its clay subsoil.
What is a claypan in Parsons soil?: It is the dense clay subsoil that starts abruptly, at about 12 inches in the typical profile, directly beneath the silty surface. Clay content in that layer is 35 to 60 percent.
Does Parsons soil stay wet?: Yes. The official description lists a perched seasonal water table 6 to 18 inches below the surface, typically from December through April.
Where is Parsons soil found?: On plains, divides and old terraces in eastern Oklahoma, southeastern Kansas, southwestern Missouri and northwestern Arkansas. The type location is near Wagoner, Oklahoma.
Is Parsons soil expansive?: Its subsoil is clay with 35 to 60 percent clay. The official description gives no shrink-swell value, so the rated linear extensibility for a mapped area should be checked in Web Soil Survey.

What is Pond Creek soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Pond Creek is a deep, well-drained silty soil partly formed in loess, with moderate clay, so water management and possible collapse are the main concerns.

What is Pond Creek soil?: Pond Creek is an official USDA soil series classified as "Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, thermic Pachic Argiustolls". It formed in calcareous loamy material high in silt and very fine sand, derived from loess, alluvium and residuum from red beds.
What does a Pond Creek soil profile look like?: Source for the table:. Other properties from the official description:
What does Pond Creek soil mean for foundations?: The USDA rates shrink-swell as linear extensibility, the linear expression of volume change from moist to oven-dry: under 3 percent low, 3 to 6 percent moderate, 6 to 9 percent high.
What is Pond Creek soil made of?: It formed in calcareous loamy material derived from loess (windblown silt), alluvium and red-bed residuum. It is silt loam at the surface over silty clay loam.
Where is Pond Creek soil found?: On broad uplands of the Central Rolling Red Prairies in north-central Oklahoma and south-central Kansas. The type location is in Garfield County near Carrier.
Is Pond Creek soil expansive?: Its subsoil is silty clay loam with about 28 to 35 percent clay in the upper 20 inches and up to 45 percent lower down. The rated shrink-swell value for a mapped area is in Web Soil Survey.
Can loess-derived soil collapse when wet?: Windblown deposits such as loess are one of the deposit types engineers check for collapse, a loss of volume on wetting. Whether a specific site is collapsible is determined by lab testing.

What is Port silt loam, Oklahoma's state soil, and does it flood?

Port silt loam is Oklahoma's state soil, a deep floodplain soil on about one million acres in 33 counties that floods briefly between March and October.

What is Port soil?: Port is an official USDA soil series classified as "Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, thermic Cumulic Haplustolls". Flood plains are among the landscape positions that periodically receive fresh sediment.
What does a Port soil profile look like?: Source for the table:. Other properties from the official description:
What does Port soil mean for foundations?: Port forms on flood plains and floods occasionally or frequently. The Soil Science Society of America summary identifies occasional flooding as Port's main limitation.
Port silt loam: How do you confirm the soil at a property?: Web Soil Survey shows the mapped soil unit and soil data for an area, and can generate custom reports; FEMA's map service center provides the FIRM panel and a printable flood map (FIRMette) for an address, and notes that later map changes (LOMCs) should be checked.
Port silt loam: What is Oklahoma's state soil?: Port silt loam. The Governor and Legislature named it the state soil in 1987. It covers about one million acres in 33 of Oklahoma's 77 counties.
Does Port soil flood?: Yes. The official description says it is occasionally or frequently flooded for very brief periods from March to October.
Is Port soil good to build on?: Soil scientists list occasional flooding as its main limitation. A Soil Science Society of America summary also notes that low strength and shrink-swell limit its use for local roads and streets.
Where is Port soil found?: On narrow flood plains in western and central Oklahoma, as well as parts of Kansas and Texas. Its type location is in Grady County, east of Chickasha.

What is Pratt soil and is it found in Oklahoma?

Pratt is a deep, sandy dune soil with thin clay bands, mapped mainly in south-central Kansas; its Oklahoma extent should be confirmed site by site.

What is Pratt soil?: Pratt is an official USDA soil series classified as "Sandy, mixed, mesic Lamellic Haplustalfs". "Lamellic" refers to its lamellae, and "sandy" describes its texture.
What is its typical soil profile?: Source for the table:. Other properties from the official description:
Pratt soil: What does it mean for foundations?: The USDA measures shrink-swell as linear extensibility, with under 3 percent rated low. With 4 to 11 percent clay and 80 to 90 percent sand in its control section, Pratt lacks the clay content behind seasonal shrink-swell. The rated value for a mapped unit is in Web Soil Survey.
Is Pratt soil found in Oklahoma?: The official description's header lists Kansas and Oklahoma and notes a 1995 update for Oklahoma, but its distribution section names only south-central Kansas. Check Web Soil Survey to see whether Pratt is mapped at a specific Oklahoma address.
Is Pratt soil expansive?: No. Pratt is sandy, with only about 4 to 11 percent clay in its control section. Clay-driven shrink-swell is not a feature of this soil.
What are the thin bands in Pratt soil?: They are lamellae, thin layers less than 3 inches thick where clay has collected within otherwise sandy soil. They slow water movement slightly.
Can sandy windblown soil collapse?: Windblown sand dunes and loess are among the deposit types engineers check for collapse, a loss of volume when wetted. Lab testing determines whether a specific site is collapsible.

What is Pulaski soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Pulaski is a very deep, well-drained creek floodplain sandy loam; flooding, water movement and erosion, not clay swelling, are its foundation issues.

What is Pulaski soil?: Pulaski is an official USDA soil series classified as "Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, nonacid, thermic Udic Ustifluvents".
What is the typical soil profile?: Source for the table:. Other properties from the official description:
What does Pulaski soil mean for foundations?: Pulaski forms on creek flood plains and floods occasionally to frequently. FEMA's Flood Map Service Center provides the official Flood Insurance Rate Map panel and a printable flood map (FIRMette) for any address, and lists any later map revisions.
How do you confirm the soil at a property?: Web Soil Survey shows mapped soil units and soil data for more than 95 percent of U.S. counties.
Does Pulaski soil flood?: Yes. The official description lists occasional to frequent, very brief flooding from March to October.
Where is Pulaski soil found in Oklahoma?: On flood plains of small tributaries in the Northern Cross Timbers of Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. Its type location is in Lincoln County, near Chandler.
Is Pulaski soil expansive?: It is not described as expansive. It is fine sandy loam throughout, with no clay-enriched subsoil. Clay shrink-swell is not a defining feature of this soil.
Pulaski soil: How do I check whether my house is in a flood zone?: Search the address in FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which provides the official Flood Insurance Rate Map panel and a printable flood map.

What is Quinlan soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

A shallow loam over soft Permian sandstone at 10 to 20 inches in western Oklahoma; shallow rock, steep slopes and fast runoff matter more than clay swell.

What is Quinlan soil?: Quinlan is an official USDA soil series classified as "Loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic, shallow Typic Haplustepts". It formed in loamy residuum (rock weathered in place) from noncemented, calcareous Permian sandstone or siltstone.
What is the typical soil profile?: Source for the table:. Other properties from the official description:
Quinlan soil: What does it mean for foundations?: Densic materials are compact, noncemented layers that restrict roots, with compaction from geologic or human causes rather than soil formation.
How deep is rock in Quinlan soil?: Dense, noncemented sandstone bedrock starts 10 to 20 inches below the surface, at about 13 inches in the typical profile.
Where is Quinlan soil found?: In the Central Rolling Red Plains of western Oklahoma, a few counties of southern Kansas, and northwestern Texas. It was named and established near Quinlan in Woodward County.
Is Quinlan soil expansive?: Quinlan is a loam with mostly 10 to 20 percent clay in its subsoil. It is not described as a clay soil; the rated shrink-swell value for a mapped area is in Web Soil Survey.
Is the sandstone under Quinlan hard rock?: No. The official description calls it noncemented, calcareous sandstone that breaks down to very fine sandy loam, loam or silt loam. It is dense enough to restrict roots.

What is Renfrow soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Renfrow is a deep clay soil from Permian shale with seasonal cracks, slickensides and high linear extensibility, all signs of strong shrink-swell.

What is Renfrow soil?: Renfrow is an official USDA soil series classified as "Fine, mixed, superactive, thermic Udertic Paleustolls". "Udertic" marks a vertic intergrade, a soil trending toward the Vertisols.
What does a Renfrow soil profile look like?: Source for the table:. Other properties from the official description:
What does Renfrow soil mean for foundations?: Slickensides are polished, grooved faces formed by repeated shrinking and swelling, and Renfrow has them through most of its subsoil. Its linear extensibility of 6 cm or more in the upper meter meets the key criterion soil taxonomy uses for vertic subgroups.
Is Renfrow soil expansive?: Yes. The official description lists vertic properties: cracks at least 5 mm wide in most years, slickensides, and a linear extensibility of 6 cm or more in the upper 100 cm.
Where is Renfrow soil found?: On low hills of the Central Rolling Red Prairies in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. Its type location is in Kay County, near Tonkawa.
How deep is shale under Renfrow soil?: Soft, noncemented shale begins deeper than 60 inches. The soil above it is mostly clay.
Why does Renfrow soil crack in summer?: Its clay subsoil shrinks as it dries and swells when it wets. The official description notes cracks at least 5 mm wide within about 4 feet of the surface for some time in most years.

What is Richfield soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Richfield is a deep Panhandle loess soil with a smectitic subsoil of 35 to 42 percent clay, so clay movement and collapse on wetting both matter.

What is Richfield soil?: Richfield is an official USDA soil series classified as "Fine, smectitic, mesic Aridic Argiustolls". "Smectitic" refers to its clay mineralogy. It formed in calcareous loess 1 meter (about 3 feet) to more than 3 meters (about 10 feet) thick.
What does a Richfield soil profile look like?: Source for the table:. Other properties from the official description:
What does Richfield soil mean for foundations?: A federal survey of expansive materials noted that montmorillonite, a smectite clay, contributes to the widespread occurrence of expansive materials, notably in the Great Plains. Richfield's subsoil is smectitic with 35 to 42 percent clay.
Where is Richfield soil found?: On high-plains tablelands in western Kansas and Nebraska, eastern Colorado, southwestern South Dakota and the Oklahoma Panhandle. Its type location is in Grant County, Kansas.
Is Richfield soil expansive?: Its subsoil has 35 to 42 percent clay and is classed as smectitic, the clay group associated with expansive soils. The rated shrink-swell value for a mapped area is in Web Soil Survey.
Richfield soil: What is loess?: Loess is windblown silt. Richfield formed in calcareous loess 3 to more than 10 feet thick.
Can Richfield soil collapse when it gets wet?: Loess is one of the deposit types engineers check for collapse, a loss of volume on wetting. The official description does not report collapse, so testing is needed at a specific site.

What is St. Paul soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

St. Paul is a deep, well-drained western Oklahoma terrace soil with a silty clay loam subsoil of 27-40% clay; moisture control is the main foundation issue.

What is St. Paul soil?: St. Paul is an official USDA soil series classified as "Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, thermic Pachic Argiustolls". It formed in a thin layer of Pleistocene (Ice Age) silty alluvium over residuum (rock weathered in place) from Permian siltstone and sandstone.
What is the typical soil profile?: Source for the table:. Other properties from the official description:
What does St. Paul soil mean for foundations?: The USDA rates shrink-swell as linear extensibility, a linear expression of the change in soil volume between moist and oven-dry states: under 3 percent low, 3 to 6 percent moderate, 6 to 9 percent high, 9 percent or more very high. St.
Where is St. Paul soil found?: On broad paleoterraces in the Central Rolling Red Plains of western Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas. Its type location is in Roger Mills County near Leedey, and it was established in Kiowa County.
Is St. Paul soil expansive?: Its subsoil is silty clay loam with about 27 to 35 percent clay in the upper part, rising to as much as 40 percent lower down. The rated shrink-swell value for a mapped area is in Web Soil Survey.
What is under St. Paul soil?: A thin layer of Ice Age silty alluvium sits over material weathered from Permian siltstone and sandstone. Depth to bedrock is not stated in the official description.
Does St. Paul soil drain well?: It is well drained, but its permeability is moderately slow, so water moves through the subsoil gradually.

What is Stephenville soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

A moderately deep, well-drained sandy soil over soft sandstone at 20 to 40 inches; sandy texture, shallow rock and water handling matter more than swelling.

Where does Stephenville soil occur?: Every named soil in the U.S. has an Official Series Description (OSD) kept by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The Stephenville OSD places the series in central Oklahoma, in Major Land Resource Area 84A, the Northern Cross Timbers, and calls it extensive.
Stephenville soil: What are its key properties?: A "paralithic contact" is the top of soft, weakly cemented rock that can be dug with effort. In Stephenville it is weakly cemented sandstone. The "Bt" horizon is the subsoil layer where clay has collected over time.
Stephenville soil: What do the properties mean for foundations?: Clay soils swell when wet and shrink when dry, and uneven moisture change is what moves foundations. NRCS rates this with linear extensibility: under 3 percent is low, 3 to 6 percent moderate, 6 to 9 percent high, and above 9 percent very high.
Is Stephenville soil an expansive clay?: Stephenville's subsoil is sandy clay loam or fine sandy loam, not a heavy clay, so it is generally not grouped with Oklahoma's high shrink-swell soils. The rated shrink-swell value for a specific map unit is listed as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.
How deep is the rock under Stephenville soil?: The official description puts weakly cemented Permian sandstone at 20 to 40 inches below the surface. The typical profile reaches that sandstone at about 33 inches.
Where is Stephenville soil found in Oklahoma?: Stephenville is an extensive soil of central Oklahoma in the Northern Cross Timbers, on hill side slopes. Its type location is in Oklahoma County near Spencer.
How can I find out if my lot is mapped as Stephenville?: Web Soil Survey, the free USDA soil map, shows the mapped soil units for any address. A site investigation confirms what is actually under a specific house.

What is Summit soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Summit is a deep shale-derived soil with a 40 to 70 percent smectitic clay subsoil, high to very high shrink-swell and a perched water table in winter and spring.

Where does Summit soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) keeps an Official Series Description (OSD) for every named soil.
What are the key properties of Summit soil?: "Smectitic" means the clay is dominated by smectite, the clay mineral group that swells most when wet.
Summit soil: What do these properties mean for foundations?: The coefficient of linear extensibility (COLE) is the change in length of a soil clod from moist to dry, and as a percent it is called linear extensibility (LEP).
Is Summit soil expansive?: Yes. The official description gives Summit a coefficient of linear extensibility of 0.09 or more, which is at the high to very high end of the NRCS shrink-swell scale, and notes deep, wide cracks that usually form in summer.
Where is Summit soil found?: Summit is an extensive soil of eastern Oklahoma, southeastern Kansas, southwestern Missouri and northwestern Arkansas. Its type location is in Rogers County, Oklahoma.
Does Summit soil stay wet?: In normal years Summit has a perched water table 12 to 36 inches below the surface from November to May, and water moves through it slowly.
How do I find out if my house is on Summit soil?: Web Soil Survey, the USDA online soil map, shows the mapped soil units for any address, including their rated shrink-swell. A site investigation confirms actual conditions.

What is Tabler soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Tabler is a very deep clay soil of north-central Oklahoma with a 35 to 50 percent clay subsoil that drains very slowly and moves with the seasons.

Where does Tabler soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) maintains an Official Series Description (OSD) for each named soil.
What are Tabler soil's key properties?: The jump from a silt loam surface to a clay subsoil is typical of a claypan profile. "Udertic" in the classification marks some vertic traits without a full Vertisol; Tabler has slickensides, the polished surfaces that Vertisols form through shrinking and swelling.
What does Tabler soil mean for foundations?: Vertisols and vertic soils shrink and crack in dry periods and swell when rewetted, and that behavior creates serious engineering problems. Tabler's slickensides, which cover up to 80 percent of some subsoil layers, are a physical record of that movement.
Is Tabler soil expansive?: Tabler's subsoil is silty clay loam or silty clay with 35 to 50 percent clay, and slickensides make up 20 to 80 percent of some layers. Slickensides form from repeated swelling and shrinking, so the soil is classed with vertic-type properties. The rated value for a lot is listed as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.
Where is Tabler soil found?: Tabler occurs in the Central Rolling Red Prairies of north-central Oklahoma and south-central Kansas. Its type location is near Medford in Grant County, Oklahoma.
Why does water drain so slowly on Tabler soil?: The official description rates Tabler's permeability as very slow because of its dense, clayey subsoil, and it sits on nearly level ground with 0 to 1 percent slopes.
How can I tell if my house is on Tabler soil?: Web Soil Survey, the free USDA soil map, shows mapped soils for any address. A site investigation confirms actual conditions on a lot.

What is Talihina soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Talihina is a shallow, poorly drained eastern Oklahoma clay over soft shale 10 to 20 inches down, so shallow shale, wet-season water and clay matter most.

Where does Talihina soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) keeps an Official Series Description (OSD) for each named soil. The Talihina OSD lists the series in eastern Oklahoma, southeastern Kansas and southwestern Missouri, and calls it extensive.
Talihina soil: What are its key properties?: "Bw" means a weakly developed subsoil layer; Talihina has no clay-enriched "Bt" layer. The soft rock at its base is a "paralithic contact," rock that is weakly cemented rather than hard.
Talihina soil: What do its properties mean for foundations?: Talihina's surface layer has 35 to 55 percent clay and its subsoil 35 to 40 percent. The OSD does not record deep cracks or slickensides for Talihina; it notes only a few pressure faces.
How deep is the rock under Talihina soil?: Talihina is a shallow soil. Soft shale bedrock lies 10 to 20 inches below the surface, at about 15 inches in the typical profile.
Is Talihina soil clayey?: Yes. Its surface layer has 35 to 55 percent clay and its subsoil 35 to 40 percent, with silty clay loam, silty clay or clay textures. The rated shrink-swell for a map unit is listed as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.
Does Talihina soil hold water?: The official description rates it poorly drained with slow permeability, and a perched water table can sit 0.5 to 2 feet down for short periods from November to April.
Where is Talihina soil found?: Talihina occurs in eastern Oklahoma, southeastern Kansas and southwestern Missouri on ridges and side slopes of dissected uplands. Its type location is near Holdenville in Hughes County.

What is Taloka soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Taloka is a very deep soil with a silty surface that changes abruptly to dense clay, and a perched water table 12 to 24 inches down from late fall through spring.

Where does Taloka soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) keeps an Official Series Description (OSD) for every named soil.
Taloka soil: What are its key properties?: The "E" horizon is a pale, leached layer above the subsoil; in Taloka it runs from about 8 to 28 inches and ends at an abrupt boundary where texture jumps to silty clay or clay loam.
Taloka soil: What do the properties mean for foundations?: With 35 to 60 percent clay, Taloka's subsoil can shrink when it dries and swell when it wets. The OSD does not record deep cracks or slickensides for this series.
Does Taloka have a dense clay subsoil?: Yes. Taloka changes abruptly from silt loam to silty clay or clay loam at about 28 inches, and its very firm subsoil has 35 to 60 percent clay.
Does Taloka soil stay wet?: Yes, seasonally. In normal years a perched water table sits 12 to 24 inches below the surface from November through May, and water moves through the subsoil very slowly.
Where is Taloka soil found?: Taloka occurs in northeastern Oklahoma, northwestern Arkansas and southeastern Kansas on interfluves and old terraces. Its type location is near Wagoner in Wagoner County.
Is Taloka expansive?: Its clayey subsoil can shrink and swell, but the official description does not list a shrink-swell value or slickensides. The rated linear extensibility for a map unit is shown in Web Soil Survey.

What is Teller soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

A very deep, well-drained terrace loam with about 18 to 30 percent clay in its subsoil; drainage, leaks, erosion and fill quality are checked first.

Where does Teller soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) keeps an Official Series Description (OSD) for each named soil. The Teller OSD places the series in the Central Rolling Red Prairies (Major Land Resource Area 80A) of Oklahoma and Texas, with moderate extent.
Teller soil: What are its key properties?: The "Bt" horizon is the subsoil layer where clay has built up over time; in Teller it runs from about 20 to 60 inches.
Teller soil: What do the properties mean for foundations?: NRCS rates shrink-swell by linear extensibility: under 3 percent is low, 3 to 6 percent moderate, 6 to 9 percent high and above 9 percent very high. Teller's subsoil is a loam-family texture rather than a clay, and its OSD records no cracking or slickensides.
Is Teller soil expansive?: Teller's subsoil is sandy clay loam or clay loam, with the upper part averaging 18 to 30 percent clay, so it is not a heavy clay. The rated shrink-swell value for a map unit is listed as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.
Where is Teller soil found?: Teller occurs in the Central Rolling Red Prairies of Oklahoma and Texas on stream terraces. Its type location is near Perkins in Payne County, Oklahoma.
Does Teller soil drain well?: Yes. The official description rates Teller as well drained with moderate permeability.
How deep is bedrock under Teller soil?: Bedrock is more than 80 inches below the surface; Teller formed in deep loamy Pleistocene terrace sediments.

What is Tillman soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Tillman is a deep red-bed clay in southwest Oklahoma with cracks over 48 inches deep and high shrink-swell, so seasonal wetting and drying drive movement.

Where does Tillman soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) keeps an Official Series Description (OSD) for each named soil. Tillman was established in Tillman County, Oklahoma, in 1932, and its current type location is in Wilbarger County, Texas, near Lockett.
What are the key properties of Tillman soil?: "Vertic" in the classification means the soil shows strong shrink-swell features such as deep cracks; Tillman was reclassified from Typic to Vertic Paleustolls in 2000. Some profiles also show a few slickensides, polished faces formed when swelling clay shears against itself.
Tillman soil: What do these properties mean for foundations?: The coefficient of linear extensibility (COLE) is the change in length of a soil clod from moist to oven-dry; times 100 it is linear extensibility percent.
Is Tillman soil expansive?: Yes. The official description gives Tillman a coefficient of linear extensibility above 0.06 in the upper 40 inches and cracks more than 48 inches deep, which places it in the high shrink-swell range.
Where is Tillman soil found?: Tillman occurs in western Oklahoma and northwest Texas on old alluvial terraces of the Rolling Red Plains. The series was established in Tillman County, Oklahoma, in 1932.
Why does Tillman soil crack so deeply?: Its clayey subsoil shrinks as it dries, and the region's mean rainfall is only about 26 inches a year, so the soil goes through long dry spells that open deep cracks.
How can I check whether my lot is Tillman soil?: Web Soil Survey, the free USDA soil map, shows mapped soil units and their rated shrink-swell for any address. A site investigation confirms the actual soil.

What is Tivoli soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Tivoli is very deep, excessively drained dune sand in northwestern Oklahoma with no clay subsoil, so loose sand, not shrink-swell, is the main concern.

Where does Tivoli soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) keeps an Official Series Description (OSD) for each named soil. Tivoli was established in Major County, Oklahoma, in 1936, and its type location is about 2.5 miles northeast of Woodward in Woodward County.
What are Tivoli soil's key properties?: "Psamments" are sandy soils with little horizon development. Tivoli has no B horizon; a sandy surface layer sits on sandy C layers, in places with a transitional AC layer between. "Single grain" means the sand grains do not stick together into clods.
What does Tivoli soil mean for foundations?: NRCS rates shrink-swell by linear extensibility, with under 3 percent classed as low. Tivoli has no clay-rich layer at all, so it lacks the material that drives seasonal swelling. The rated value for a map unit is in Web Soil Survey.
What kind of soil is Tivoli?: Tivoli is deep dune sand. Its profile is sand, fine sand, loamy sand or loamy fine sand from top to bottom, with no clay-rich subsoil.
Does Tivoli soil shrink and swell?: Tivoli is a sandy soil without a clay layer, so it does not have the clay content that drives shrink-swell. The rated linear extensibility for a map unit is listed in Web Soil Survey.
Where is Tivoli soil found?: Tivoli occurs on dunes along river valleys in western Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. Its type location is northeast of Woodward, and the series was established in Major County, Oklahoma.
How fast does water drain through Tivoli soil?: Very fast. The official description rates Tivoli as excessively drained with rapid permeability.

What is Ulysses soil and is it still mapped in Oklahoma?

Ulysses is a deep, well-drained loess soil of the High Plains; Oklahoma was removed from its mapped extent in 2016, though older reports may name it.

Is Ulysses soil mapped in Oklahoma?: Every named U.S. soil has an Official Series Description (OSD) maintained by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
Ulysses soil: What are its key properties?: "Torriorthentic" is the subgroup in the name; the OSD notes it replaced the earlier Aridic Haplustolls classification in 2016. The "Bk" horizon is a subsoil layer with accumulated lime (calcium carbonate).
What do loess soils like Ulysses mean for foundations?: NRCS rates shrink-swell by linear extensibility: under 3 percent is low and 3 to 6 percent moderate, with damage to buildings possible above 3 percent. Ulysses is a silty soil with 19 to 34 percent clay in its control section, a silty rather than clayey texture.
Is Ulysses soil still mapped in Oklahoma?: No. In a 2016 revision, NRCS removed Oklahoma from the Ulysses series extent because its major map-unit components had been removed from the state. Current soil maps for Panhandle lots show which series is now used.
What is Ulysses soil made of?: Ulysses formed in loess, which is wind-blown silt. It is silt loam, silty clay loam or loam with about 19 to 34 percent clay in its control section and lime starting a few inches down.
Where is Ulysses soil found today?: The official description lists western Kansas, western Nebraska, southeastern Wyoming, southwestern South Dakota and eastern Colorado, in the Central High Tableland.
How do I find which soil is under a Panhandle lot?: Web Soil Survey, the free USDA soil map, shows the currently mapped soil units for any address.

What is Verdigris soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Verdigris is a very deep, well-drained silty floodplain soil with 15-33% clay; flood exposure and soft water-laid layers are the main foundation concerns.

Where does Verdigris soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) maintains an Official Series Description (OSD) for each named soil.
Verdigris soil: What are its key properties?: "Cumulic" is a soil-taxonomy term for an unusually thick dark topsoil, which on flood plains typically builds up as floods add sediment. Below 40 inches, textures range from sandy loam to silty clay.
Verdigris soil: What do the properties mean for foundations?: The OSD states plainly that Verdigris soils are subject to flooding, though it does not give a frequency. Official flood hazard maps for a specific address are published through FEMA's Flood Map Service Center.
Does Verdigris soil flood?: The official description states that Verdigris soils are subject to flooding; they form on flood plains. Flood maps for a specific address are available from FEMA's Flood Map Service Center.
Is Verdigris soil expansive?: Verdigris is a silty soil whose control section averages 15 to 33 percent clay, so it is not a heavy clay. The rated shrink-swell for a map unit is listed as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.
Where is Verdigris soil found?: Verdigris is extensive in southeastern Kansas, northeastern Oklahoma and southwestern Missouri along streams. Its type location is on the Verdigris River flood plain near Elk City, Kansas.
How is Verdigris different from Wynona soil?: Both form in silty alluvium on flood plains. Verdigris is well drained, while Wynona is somewhat poorly drained with a seasonal perched water table.

What is Vernon soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

A red clay soil with 40 to 60 percent clay over dense claystone at 20 to 40 inches; clay movement with moisture and the shallow claystone drive behavior.

Where does Vernon soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) keeps an Official Series Description (OSD) for each named soil. Vernon was established in Wilbarger County, Texas, in 1902, and its type location is about 12.5 miles south-southeast of Vernon, Texas.
Vernon soil: What are its key properties?: "Densic" bedrock is very dense but noncemented material; in Vernon it is red-bed claystone or dense clay, fractured at less than 4-inch spacing in its upper part. Vernon has no clay-enriched "Bt" layer; its subsoil is a weakly developed "Bw" or lime-bearing "Bk" layer.
Vernon soil: What do the properties mean for foundations?: With 40 to 60 percent clay in the soil and in the claystone below it, Vernon is a clay soil top to bottom. The OSD does not list a shrink-swell value or slickensides for Vernon.
Is Vernon soil clay?: Yes. Vernon's subsoil is silty clay or clay with 40 to 60 percent clay, and it rests on red-bed claystone or dense clay. The rated shrink-swell for a map unit is listed as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.
How deep is the rock under Vernon soil?: The official description puts dense red-bed claystone 20 to 40 inches below the surface. The claystone is noncemented, so it is closer to very dense clay than to hard rock.
Where is Vernon soil found?: Vernon is extensive in the Rolling Red Plains of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, on hillslopes, pediments and escarpments. Its type location is near Vernon in Wilbarger County, Texas.
Does water soak into Vernon soil?: Very little. The official description rates permeability as very slow and runoff as very high.

What is Woodward soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Woodward is a well-drained silty soil with 8 to 18 percent clay over soft sandstone 20 to 40 inches down, so rock depth and runoff matter more than swell.

Where does Woodward soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) keeps an Official Series Description (OSD) for each named soil. Woodward was established in Woodward County, Oklahoma, in 1944, and its type location is about a quarter mile south of Fort Supply.
What are the key properties of Woodward soil?: The "Cd" layer at the base is soft sandstone or siltstone that breaks down to loamy material and has a root-restricting density.
Woodward soil: What do these properties mean for foundations?: NRCS rates shrink-swell by linear extensibility, with under 3 percent classed as low and over 3 percent able to damage buildings. Woodward's control section has only 8 to 18 percent clay. The rated value for a map unit is in Web Soil Survey.
Is Woodward soil expansive?: Woodward is a silty, loamy soil with only 8 to 18 percent clay in its control section, so it lacks the clay that drives strong shrink-swell. The rated value for a map unit is listed as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.
How deep is the rock under Woodward soil?: Soft, noncemented Permian sandstone or siltstone lies 20 to 40 inches below the surface; the typical profile reaches it at about 28 inches.
Where is Woodward soil found?: Woodward covers large areas of western Oklahoma, plus parts of southern Kansas and northwestern Texas. It was established in 1944 in Woodward County, and its type location is near Fort Supply.
What rock formations does Woodward soil come from?: The official description names calcareous Permian sandstone and siltstone mainly of the Marlow and Rush Springs formations, plus the Cloud Chief and Quartermaster formations.

What is Wynona soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Wynona is a very deep, somewhat poorly drained silty floodplain soil of eastern Oklahoma that floods occasionally and holds a perched water table near 2 feet.

Where does Wynona soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) keeps an Official Series Description (OSD) for each named soil. Wynona was established in 1975 in Osage County, Oklahoma, and its type location is about 4 miles south and 1 mile west of Skiatook.
What are Wynona soil's key properties?: "Epiaquolls" are dark-surfaced soils with a wet (aquic) moisture regime; in Wynona the wetness comes from a perched water table. The "g" in Bg stands for gleyed, the gray colors that form when soil stays saturated, and Wynona shows redox mottling in both its topsoil and subsoil.
What does Wynona soil mean for foundations?: Wynona floods occasionally for very brief periods from January through July in normal years. FEMA's Flood Map Service Center can be searched by address for the flood map covering a lot. See creeks and flood history.
Does Wynona soil flood?: Yes. The official description lists occasional flooding for very brief periods from January through July in normal years. Flood maps for an address are available from FEMA's Flood Map Service Center.
Is Wynona soil wet?: It is somewhat poorly drained, and a perched water table sits about 2 feet below the surface from November through April in normal years.
Is Wynona soil expansive?: Wynona's control section averages 27 to 35 percent clay, and its subsoil is silty clay loam or silty clay. The rated shrink-swell for a map unit is listed as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.
Where is Wynona soil found?: Wynona occurs on flood plains in eastern Oklahoma, southeastern Kansas and southwestern Missouri. It was established in 1975 in Osage County, Oklahoma, near Skiatook.

What is Zaneis soil and how does it affect Oklahoma foundations?

Zaneis is a deep, well-drained loamy soil on central Oklahoma hills over Permian sandstone and shale at 40 to 60 inches; runoff and drainage matter most.

Where does Zaneis soil occur?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) keeps an Official Series Description (OSD) for each named soil. Zaneis was established in Carter County, Oklahoma, in 1932, and its type location is about 1 mile east and 5 miles north of Edmond in Oklahoma County.
Zaneis soil: What are its key properties?: The "Bt" horizon is a subsoil layer where clay has built up over time; in Zaneis it runs from about 19 to 55 inches. "Cr" marks weakly consolidated bedrock; in Zaneis it is rated as having high or very high excavation difficulty.
Zaneis soil: What do its properties mean for foundations?: NRCS rates shrink-swell by linear extensibility: under 3 percent is low, 3 to 6 percent moderate, and values above 3 percent can damage buildings. Zaneis has a loamy rather than clayey subsoil, and its OSD records no cracking or slickensides.
Is Zaneis soil expansive?: Zaneis's subsoil is clay loam or sandy clay loam with about 18 to 38 percent clay, so it is a loamy soil rather than a heavy clay. The rated shrink-swell for a map unit is listed as linear extensibility in Web Soil Survey.
How deep is the rock under Zaneis soil?: Bedrock of weakly consolidated sandstone and sandy shale lies 40 to 60 inches below the surface; the typical profile reaches it at about 59 inches.
Where is Zaneis soil found?: Zaneis is extensive in the Central Rolling Red Prairies of central Oklahoma. Its type location is north of Edmond in Oklahoma County, and the series was established in Carter County in 1932.
Does Zaneis soil have runoff problems?: Runoff is low on nearly level ground but rated high on 1 to 5 percent slopes and very high on 5 to 8 percent slopes.

Which soil series are found under Oklahoma homes?

This index lists 55 Oklahoma soil series by region; find the soil under a house with the free Web Soil Survey map, then read the matching series page.

How does soil series information work?: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) publishes an Official Series Description (OSD) for every named soil series, searchable by name or list.
Oklahoma soil series index: How is shrink-swell read?: NRCS rates shrink-swell using linear extensibility percent (LEP), the change in length of a soil clod as it dries from a moist to a dry state. The classes are:
Which soil series occur in each region?: Many series cross regional lines, so some appear under more than one region.
What is a soil series?: A soil series is a named group of soils with similar layers, texture, parent material and properties. USDA NRCS keeps an Official Series Description for each one, and soil maps show which series occur on a given piece of land.
How do I find which soil series is under my house?: Web Soil Survey, the free USDA soil map, shows the mapped soil units for any address in most U.S. counties. A map unit is named for its main series, and a site investigation confirms actual conditions on a lot.
Which number tells me if a soil shrinks and swells?: NRCS uses linear extensibility percent. Under 3 percent is low, 3 to 6 moderate, 6 to 9 high and more than 9 very high, and values above 3 can damage buildings.
What do words like vertic and smectitic mean in a soil name?: Vertic means the soil has strong shrink-swell features such as deep cracks or slickensides. Smectitic means the clay is mainly smectite, the clay group that swells the most when wet.