Sinkhole risk in Lebanon County, PA: Pockets of it

Pockets of it

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

On soluble rock: 31%
At or near the surface: 31%
Buried under cover: 0%

What to do about a house in Lebanon County

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 114 of Lebanon County's 362 square miles on soluble rock, 114 of them with the rock at or near the surface. With about 145,319 residents (402 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 551 map points about 0.8 miles apart, so a pocket smaller than that can be missed or overstated.

Counties around Lebanon County

The nearest county rated sinkhole country is Union County, PA, about 51 miles northwest. 3 of the 6 closest counties land in the same band; the ground changes quickly around here.

Dauphin County, PA 17 mi west · 8% at surface
Lancaster County, PA 25 mi southeast · 46% at surface
Schuylkill County, PA 26 mi northeast · 2% at surface
Berks County, PA 28 mi east · 22% at surface
York County, PA 34 mi southwest · 10% at surface
Northumberland County, PA 36 mi north · 26% at surface

Which formation it is

The largest mapped soluble unit here is the Richland Formation (dolostone (dolomite)), Cambrian in age, covering about 6% of the county. Next is the Epler Formation at 4%.

Against the rest of Pennsylvania

Lebanon County ranks 17 of 67 in Pennsylvania for soluble rock at the surface, and sits above 80% of US counties on that measure.