Sinkhole risk in Wise County, VA: 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: 9%
At or near the surface: 9%
Buried under cover: 0%

What to do about a house in Wise County

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

That works out to roughly 34 of Wise County's 403 square miles on soluble rock, 34 of them with the rock at or near the surface. With about 34,973 residents (87 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 468 map points about 0.9 miles apart, so a pocket smaller than that can be missed or overstated.

Counties around Wise County

The nearest county rated sinkhole country is Scott County, VA, about 18 miles south, 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.

Norton city, VA 3 mi south · 40% at surface
Letcher County, KY 17 mi northwest · 4% at surface
Scott County, VA 18 mi south · 72% at surface
Dickenson County, VA 19 mi northeast · 0% at surface
Russell County, VA 29 mi east · 64% at surface
Knott County, KY 32 mi northwest · 0% at surface

The rock underneath

The largest mapped soluble unit here is the Mississippian Formations Undivided (shale), Mississippian in age, covering about 6% of the county. Next is the Hancock, Rose Hill, and Clinch Formations at 2%.

Against the rest of Virginia

Wise County ranks 59 of 133 in Virginia for soluble rock at the surface, and sits above 66% of US counties on that measure.