Sinkhole risk in Limestone County, AL: Pockets of it

Pockets of it

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

On soluble rock: 50%
At or near the surface: 50%
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 279 of Limestone County's 563 square miles on soluble rock, 279 of them with the rock at or near the surface. With about 118,942 residents (211 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 281 map points about 1.4 miles apart, so a pocket smaller than that can be missed or overstated.

Counties around Limestone County

The nearest county rated sinkhole country is Madison County, AL, about 25 miles east, close enough that the same rock may run under the county line. 1 of the 6 closest counties land in the same band; the ground changes quickly around here.

Madison County, AL 25 mi east · 59% at surface
Morgan County, AL 26 mi south · 56% at surface
Giles County, TN 27 mi north · 62% at surface
Lawrence County, AL 27 mi southwest · 60% at surface
Lincoln County, TN 32 mi northeast · 62% at surface
Lawrence County, TN 37 mi northwest · 21% at surface

Which formation it is

The largest mapped soluble unit here is the Tuscumbia Limestone (limestone), Mississippian in age, covering about 36% of the county. Next is the Ordovician System undivided in part (Includes Sequatchie Formation, Elkmont Formation, Leipers Limestone, Inman Formation, Nashville Group, and Stones River Group) at 13%.

Against the rest of Alabama

Limestone County ranks 11 of 67 in Alabama for soluble rock at the surface, and sits above 87% of US counties on that measure.