Sinkhole risk in Augusta County, VA: Pockets of it

Pockets of it

Soluble rock at the surface or under thin cover in part of the county.

On soluble rock: 49%
At or near the surface: 49%
Buried under cover: 0%

What this means before you buy

Check the parcel against your state survey sinkhole map, and ask for an inspection if cracks, depressions or sticking doors show up.

That works out to roughly 469 of Augusta County's 967 square miles on soluble rock, 469 of them with the rock at or near the surface. With about 78,622 residents (81 per square mile), homes are spread across towns and farmland, and a mapped unit may or may not reach the developed parts. The figures come from 585 map points about 1.3 miles apart, so a pocket smaller than that can be missed or overstated.

Two things to read before deciding: the signs to look for and how an inspection works, and how these percentages are measured.

Counties around Augusta County

The nearest county rated sinkhole country is Staunton city, VA, about 4 miles east, close enough that the same rock may run under the county line. 2 of the 6 closest counties land in the same band; the ground changes quickly around here.

Staunton city, VA 4 mi east · 89% at surface
Waynesboro city, VA 15 mi southeast · 69% at surface
Harrisonburg city, VA 23 mi northeast · 85% at surface
Highland County, VA 27 mi northwest · 36% at surface
Rockingham County, VA 27 mi northeast · 45% at surface
Rockbridge County, VA 30 mi southwest · 57% at surface

Which formation it is

The largest mapped soluble unit here is the Conococheague Formation (limestone), Cambrian-Ordovician in age, covering about 14% of the county. Next is the Beekmantown Group at 12%.

Against the rest of Virginia

Augusta County ranks 24 of 133 in Virginia for soluble rock at the surface, and sits above 87% of US counties on that measure.