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Old River-Winfree, Texas
Inside Old River-Winfree's city limits, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 63% of mapped land, the 3rd-highest of 5 cities in Chambers County. A shallow water table limits basements on 39%, the 5th-highest of 5 cities in Chambers County.
That clay share is close to Chambers County's 63%. FEMA's flood data list 731 flood losses since 2016 in the 2 ZIP codes overlapping the city. Of its 685 homes, 19% were built before 1980; the median dates from 1990.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Chambers County
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
flood losses since 2016 in 2 overlapping ZIPs
of homes built before 1980
Foundation repair in Old River-Winfree
Foundation repair in Old River-Winfree: shrink-swell clay limits slab homes on 63% of Old River-Winfree's mapped land, more than in 67% of Texas cities.
About 300 of Old River-Winfree's 685 homes are detached houses.
| Who designs the repair | The ASCE Texas Section's repair guidelines say a Texas-licensed engineer should evaluate the foundation and design the repair (2022 guidelines) |
| Prices | Cost guide ranges compared |
Soil under Old River-Winfree city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 62.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 39.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 82.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 12.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 62.7% |
| Urban land, not rated | 13.5% |
| Mapped soil | 1,002 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Dylan | 24% | n/a |
| Vamont | 22% | n/a |
| Morey | 14% | n/a |
| Beaumont | 11% | n/a |
| Kaman | 4% | n/a |
| Aris | 4% | n/a |
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 12.1% by land area here, and 63% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 63% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of Chambers County is in drought on the latest map, and 63% of Old River-Winfree's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 39% of Old River-Winfree's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
USDA rates 82% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought in Chambers County
100% of Chambers County is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. County detail.
Flood losses by ZIP code
FEMA flood records since 2016 in the ZIP codes that overlap Old River-Winfree. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77535 | 60% | 413 | $26.3 million |
| 77523 | 40% | 318 | $21.6 million |
Homes in Old River-Winfree
| Housing units | 685 |
| Median year built | 1990 |
| Built before 1980 | 19% |
| Built 2000 or later | 33% |
| Owner-occupied | 83% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $124,700 |
| Single-family detached | 47% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mont Belvieu | 3 mi | 42% | 44% |
| Cove | 4 mi | 72% | 51% |
| Beach City | 9 mi | 22% | 40% |
| Baytown | 11 mi | 61% | 59% |
| Liberty | 12 mi | 51% | 69% |
| Dayton | 12 mi | 59% | 56% |
| Anahuac | 12 mi | 69% | 71% |
| Ames | 13 mi | 8% | 86% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 5, 2026) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status