Sinkhole risk in Howard County, MO: Mostly deep or small

Mostly deep or small

Some soluble rock, mostly deeply buried or in a small share of the county.

On soluble rock: 43%
At or near the surface: 5%
Buried under cover: 38%

The next step for one property

Sinkholes are uncommon here; watch for new depressions after heavy rain or leaking pipes.

That works out to roughly 199 of Howard County's 464 square miles on soluble rock, 22 of them with the rock at or near the surface. With about 10,150 residents (22 per square mile), much of the land is open, and the mapped rock may sit far from where people actually live. The figures come from 271 map points about 1.3 miles apart, so a pocket smaller than that can be missed or overstated.

Counties around Howard County

The nearest county rated sinkhole country is Cooper County, MO, about 21 miles south, close enough that the same rock may run under the county line. 3 of the 6 closest counties land in the same band; the ground changes quickly around here.

Cooper County, MO 21 mi south · 83% at surface
Randolph County, MO 23 mi northeast · 0% at surface
Boone County, MO 23 mi southeast · 27% at surface
Saline County, MO 27 mi west · 10% at surface
Chariton County, MO 30 mi northwest · 0% at surface
Moniteau County, MO 36 mi south · 95% at surface

What Howard County is built on

The largest mapped soluble unit here is the Marmaton Group (limestone), Middle Pennsylvanian-Middle Series-Desmonian Stage in age, covering about 33% of the county. Next is the Osagean Series at 10%.

Against the rest of Missouri

Howard County ranks 73 of 115 in Missouri for soluble rock at the surface, and sits above 63% of US counties on that measure.