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Bottineau County, North Dakota
A shallow water table limits basements on 83% of Bottineau County's mapped land, a higher share than 90% of US counties and the 9th highest of 53 North Dakota counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 18%.
None 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 1976.
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 Bottineau County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 18.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 82.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 85.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 21.2% |
| Mapped soil | 1,086,500 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Hamlet | 14% | n/a |
| Souris | 6% | n/a |
| Tonka | 5% | n/a |
| Hamerly | 4% | n/a |
| Gardena | 4% | n/a |
| Kelvin | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas ND009 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.0% by land area here, and 21% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 18% of the mapped land.
On 83% of Bottineau 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: 16.39 in, 1.51 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 17.90 in.
USDA rates 85% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
0% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 4 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 21.8% of its area, in 2 weeks, most recently on the September 1, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 0% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Bottineau County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 17.90 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 16.39 in (-1.51) |
| 2025 | 14.89 in (-3.01) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2010: 25.27 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 8.33 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at UPHAM 3 N (13 mi away) | 3.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 3,956 |
| Median year built | 1976 |
| Built before 1980 | 60% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 79% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $193,200 |
| Single-family detached | 80% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renville County, ND | 38 mi | 6% | 86% |
| McHenry County, ND | 40 mi | 9% | 73% |
| Rolette County, ND | 45 mi | 19% | 62% |
| Ward County, ND | 51 mi | 12% | 44% |
| Pierce County, ND | 55 mi | 8% | 68% |
| Towner County, ND | 73 mi | 12% | 94% |
| Burke County, ND | 77 mi | 30% | 32% |
| Mountrail County, ND | 81 mi | 12% | 15% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 27, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status