HomeLouisianaWest Feliciana Parish
West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 45% of West Feliciana Parish's mapped land, a higher share than 62% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 14%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 52 flood losses here since 2016, 0% of them in buildings with basements. 35% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1991.
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 West Feliciana Parish
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 14.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 45.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 69.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 14.0% |
| Mapped soil | 273,100 acres |
How we count · survey areas LA125 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
On 45% of West Feliciana 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: 58.87 in, 2.95 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 61.82 in.
USDA rates 69% 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 34 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 8 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 | 44.3% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
52 flood losses since 2016, $2.3 million paid. The worst year was 2016, with 21. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 65% slabs, 4% crawl spaces, 30% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 76 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 21 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 9 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 61.82 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 58.87 in (-2.95) |
| 2025 | 57.16 in (-4.66) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1905: 78.48 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1924: 35.68 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ST FRANCISVILLE (7 mi away) | 20 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,162 |
| Median year built | 1991 |
| Built before 1980 | 35% |
| Built 2000 or later | 35% |
| Owner-occupied | 76% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $245,700 |
| Single-family detached | 68% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pointe Coupee Parish, LA | 16 mi | 20% | 73% |
| Wilkinson County, MS | 21 mi | 20% | 45% |
| East Feliciana Parish, LA | 23 mi | under 1% | 67% |
| West Baton Rouge Parish, LA | 29 mi | 44% | 81% |
| East Baton Rouge Parish, LA | 30 mi | 7% | 72% |
| Avoyelles Parish, LA | 36 mi | 55% | 68% |
| St. Landry Parish, LA | 39 mi | 41% | 84% |
| Iberville Parish, LA | 42 mi | 54% | 88% |
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