SinkholeOdds

Sinkhole risk in Scott 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
12%
At or near the surface
8%
Buried under cover
4%

What this means before you buy

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

That works out to roughly 50 of Scott County's 420 square miles on soluble rock, 32 of them with the rock at or near the surface. With about 37,957 residents (90 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 600 map points about 0.8 miles apart, so a pocket smaller than that can be missed or overstated.

Read next: how these percentages are measured, and the warning signs that apply anywhere.

Counties around Scott County

The nearest county rated sinkhole country is Cape Girardeau County, MO, about 24 miles north, close enough that the same rock may run under the county line. 2 of the 6 closest counties land in the same band; the ground changes quickly around here.

Which formation it is

The largest mapped soluble unit here is the St. Peter Sandstone, Everton Formation (dolostone (dolomite)), Middle Ordovician to Early Ordovician in age, covering about 8% of the county. Next is the Decorah Group, Plattin Group at 2%.

Against the rest of Missouri

Scott County ranks 71 of 115 in Missouri for soluble rock at the surface, and sits above 66% of US counties on that measure.