Sinkhole risk in Lincoln County, MO: Pockets of it

Pockets of it

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

On soluble rock: 85%
At or near the surface: 0%
Buried under cover: 85%

What to do about a house in Lincoln 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 529 of Lincoln County's 627 square miles on soluble rock. With about 65,888 residents (105 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 329 map points about 1.4 miles apart, so a pocket smaller than that can be missed or overstated.

Two things to read before deciding: why the 85% under cover still counts, and the signs to look for and how an inspection works.

Counties around Lincoln County

The nearest county rated sinkhole country is Calhoun County, IL, about 17 miles northeast, 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.

Calhoun County, IL 17 mi northeast · 51% at surface
Pike County, MO 22 mi northwest · 0% at surface
Warren County, MO 23 mi southwest · 42% at surface
St. Charles County, MO 25 mi southeast · 14% at surface
Montgomery County, MO 28 mi west · 30% at surface
Jersey County, IL 32 mi east · 7% at surface

The rock underneath

The largest mapped soluble unit here is the Osagean Series (limestone), Early Mississippian-Osagean Series in age, covering about 42% of the county. Next is the Meramecian Series at 13%.

Against the rest of Missouri

Lincoln County ranks 96 of 115 in Missouri for soluble rock at the surface, and sits above 0% of US counties on that measure.