Columbia County, Arkansas
A shallow water table limits basements on 81% of Columbia County's mapped land, a higher share than 89% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 23%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 49% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1981.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
in drought, October 13, 2026
of homes built before 1980
Soil under Columbia County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 22.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 81.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 86.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 8.0% |
| Mapped soil | 490,944 acres |
How we count · survey areas AR027 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 3.3% by land area here, and 8% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 23% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 23% of Columbia County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 81% of Columbia County's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 37.23 in, 17.12 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 54.35 in.
USDA rates 86% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
100% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 44 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 32 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 100% |
| D2 severe or worse | 100% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 100% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Columbia County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 54.35 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.23 in (-17.12) |
| 2025 | 48.48 in (-5.87) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2009: 82.29 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2005: 32.64 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at LEWISVILLE (22 mi away) | 16.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 11,030 |
| Median year built | 1981 |
| Built before 1980 | 49% |
| Built 2000 or later | 21% |
| Owner-occupied | 71% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $152,100 |
| Single-family detached | 70% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette County, AR | 22 mi | 49% | 61% |
| Claiborne Parish, LA | 31 mi | 22% | 28% |
| Nevada County, AR | 31 mi | 19% | 71% |
| Ouachita County, AR | 33 mi | 9% | 45% |
| Webster Parish, LA | 34 mi | 20% | 47% |
| Union County, AR | 37 mi | 15% | 74% |
| Miller County, AR | 39 mi | 43% | 70% |
| Bossier Parish, LA | 43 mi | 47% | 58% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 10, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status