Desha County, Arkansas
A shallow water table limits basements on 70% of Desha County's mapped land, a higher share than 82% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 55%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 77 flood losses here since 2016, 0% of them in buildings with basements. 57% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1977.
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 Desha County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 54.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 70.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 74.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 10.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 56.2% |
| Mapped soil | 522,028 acres |
How we count · survey areas AR041 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 10.6% by land area here, and 56% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 55% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 55% of Desha County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 70% of Desha 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: 34.00 in, 19.90 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 53.90 in.
USDA rates 74% 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 52 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 43 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 | 33.2% |
Flood losses since 2016
77 flood losses since 2016, $2.3 million paid. The worst year was 2016, with 27. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 84% slabs, 2% crawl spaces, 13% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 13 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 27 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 17 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 12 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 15 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 53.90 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 34.00 in (-19.90) |
| 2025 | 45.14 in (-8.76) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1991: 75.46 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1943: 34.32 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ROHWER 2 NNE (2 mi away) | 17.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,799 |
| Median year built | 1977 |
| Built before 1980 | 57% |
| Built 2000 or later | 18% |
| Owner-occupied | 57% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $90,900 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bolivar County, MS | 21 mi | 63% | 86% |
| Lincoln County, AR | 30 mi | 31% | 63% |
| Drew County, AR | 32 mi | 15% | 81% |
| Arkansas County, AR | 33 mi | 21% | 77% |
| Chicot County, AR | 39 mi | 51% | 72% |
| Sunflower County, MS | 40 mi | 76% | 92% |
| Washington County, MS | 42 mi | 65% | 88% |
| Coahoma County, MS | 46 mi | 48% | 75% |
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