Moffat County, Colorado
USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 10% of Moffat County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 1%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. 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. 60% 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 Moffat County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 10.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 0.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 64.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 10.9% |
| Mapped soil | 3,001,400 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Rock River | 4% | n/a |
| Maysprings | 3% | n/a |
| Forelle | 3% | n/a |
| Torriorthents | 2% | n/a |
| Grieves | 2% | n/a |
| Crestman | 2% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas CO684 (2025-08-29), CO686 (2025-09-19), CO692 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 12.89 in, 2.01 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 14.90 in.
USDA rates 65% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
With shrink-swell clay on 10% and a shallow water table on 1% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Moffat County; conditions still vary lot by lot.
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 48 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 | 47.4% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 6.5% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Moffat County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 14.90 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 12.89 in (-2.01) |
| 2025 | 10.02 in (-4.88) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1983: 21.80 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1958: 8.96 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MAYBELL (9 mi away) | 0.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 6,136 |
| Median year built | 1977 |
| Built before 1980 | 60% |
| Built 2000 or later | 11% |
| Owner-occupied | 69% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $289,500 |
| Single-family detached | 60% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Blanco County, CO | 44 mi | 8% | 1% |
| Routt County, CO | 65 mi | 40% | 10% |
| Daggett County, UT | 70 mi | 2% | 1% |
| Garfield County, CO | 72 mi | 5% | 1% |
| Uintah County, UT | 76 mi | 3% | 3% |
| Sweetwater County, WY | 80 mi | 3% | under 1% |
| Jackson County, CO | 99 mi | 18% | 16% |
| Carbon County, WY | 101 mi | 9% | 5% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 19, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status