Sinkhole risk in Rowan County, KY: 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: 4%
At or near the surface: 4%
Buried under cover: 0%

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 11 of Rowan County's 280 square miles on soluble rock, 11 of them with the rock at or near the surface. With about 24,675 residents (88 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 461 map points about 0.8 miles apart, so a pocket smaller than that can be missed or overstated.

Two things to read before deciding: how these percentages are measured, and the warning signs that apply anywhere.

Counties around Rowan County

The nearest county rated sinkhole country is Fleming County, KY, about 19 miles northwest, 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.

Bath County, KY 17 mi west · 39% at surface
Fleming County, KY 19 mi northwest · 58% at surface
Elliott County, KY 19 mi east · 1% at surface
Menifee County, KY 21 mi southwest · 1% at surface
Morgan County, KY 22 mi southeast · 0% at surface
Carter County, KY 22 mi east · 9% at surface

The rock underneath

The largest mapped soluble unit here is the Newman Limestone (limestone), Mississippian in age, covering about 4% of the county. Next is the Crab Orchard Formation and Brassfield Dolomite, undivided at under 1%.

Against the rest of Kentucky

Rowan County ranks 81 of 120 in Kentucky for soluble rock at the surface, and sits above 61% of US counties on that measure.