Ouachita County, Arkansas
A shallow water table limits basements on 45% of Ouachita County's mapped land, a higher share than 62% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 9%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 15 flood losses here since 2016. 62% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1974.
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 Ouachita County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 9.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 44.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 80.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 7.2% |
| Mapped soil | 473,556 acres |
How we count · survey areas AR103 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 45% of Ouachita 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: 35.20 in, 18.93 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 54.13 in.
USDA rates 81% 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 43 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 34 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 | 5.4% |
Flood losses since 2016
15 flood losses since 2016, $434,095 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 8.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 7 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 54.13 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 35.20 in (-18.93) |
| 2025 | 49.25 in (-4.88) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2009: 83.53 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2010: 32.95 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CAMDEN 1 (3 mi away) | 17.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 11,869 |
| Median year built | 1974 |
| Built before 1980 | 62% |
| Built 2000 or later | 11% |
| Owner-occupied | 71% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $102,100 |
| Single-family detached | 75% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calhoun County, AR | 21 mi | 3% | 83% |
| Nevada County, AR | 25 mi | 19% | 71% |
| Dallas County, AR | 29 mi | 10% | 66% |
| Columbia County, AR | 33 mi | 23% | 81% |
| Union County, AR | 33 mi | 15% | 74% |
| Clark County, AR | 36 mi | 24% | 55% |
| Bradley County, AR | 42 mi | 6% | 79% |
| Cleveland County, AR | 45 mi | 8% | 78% |
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