Tensas Parish, Louisiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 89% of Tensas Parish's mapped land, a higher share than 95% of US counties and the 7th highest of 64 Louisiana counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 75%.
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. 68% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1972.
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 Tensas Parish
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 74.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 88.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 89.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 13.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 75.3% |
| Mapped soil | 411,100 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Sharkey | 44% | 99% |
| Tensas | 18% | n/a |
| Dundee | 5% | n/a |
| Newellton | 5% | n/a |
| Commerce | 5% | n/a |
| Dowling | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas LA107 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 13.2% by land area here, and 75% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 75% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 75% of Tensas Parish's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 89% of Tensas Parish'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: 42.88 in, 14.75 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 57.63 in.
USDA rates 90% 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 33 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 29 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 | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Tensas Parish since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 57.63 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 42.88 in (-14.75) |
| 2025 | 49.98 in (-7.65) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1979: 76.41 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1924: 31.81 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ST JOSEPH 3 N (7 mi away) | 18.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 2,792 |
| Median year built | 1972 |
| Built before 1980 | 68% |
| Built 2000 or later | 12% |
| Owner-occupied | 74% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $86,300 |
| Single-family detached | 77% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Parish, LA | 21 mi | 21% | 83% |
| Madison Parish, LA | 25 mi | 72% | 89% |
| Claiborne County, MS | 25 mi | 1% | 35% |
| Jefferson County, MS | 25 mi | 11% | 34% |
| Adams County, MS | 36 mi | 9% | 27% |
| Richland Parish, LA | 37 mi | 27% | 74% |
| Catahoula Parish, LA | 37 mi | 47% | 70% |
| Warren County, MS | 38 mi | 19% | 49% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 29, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status