Wayne County, Iowa
The soil mapped across Wayne County is predominantly classified somewhat poorly drained. Below is what that classification means for a basement, what it does not mean, and what the three repairs it points to cost here.
48% of the county’s mapped soil area falls in classes the USDA describes as wet enough to need artificial drainage for ordinary use. Saturated soil against a foundation wall is what creates hydrostatic pressure.
Linear extensibility 8.5% in the top metre — high. The soil changes volume enough between wet and dry that it can move a footing on its own.
Shallowest annual water table maps at about 75 cm (2.5 ft) below the surface — water table within basement depth. A typical US basement floor sits just under 200 cm, which is also the deepest the soil survey reports.
Source: BasementSoil physiographic region model — region “Dissected till plain with a claypan”. Not a soil survey of this county. Why.
What the ground here is made of
Dissected till plain with a claypan. Old till with an abrupt clay horizon 30-60 cm below the surface
The claypan is a hard clay layer a few tens of centimetres under the lawn. Water sits on it and spreads sideways. The typical symptom is seepage through the upper part of the wall rather than at the floor.
How the county’s soil area splits between drainage classes
| USDA drainage class | Share of mapped area | |
|---|---|---|
| somewhat excessively drained | 2% | |
| well drained | 22% | |
| moderately well drained | 28% | |
| somewhat poorly drained | 28% | |
| poorly drained | 17% | |
| very poorly drained | 3% |
Drainage class definitions: USDA NRCS SSURGO. Highlighted row is the dominant condition (drclassdcd). Wettest class present in the county: poorly drained.
Key soil values for Wayne County
| Dominant drainage class | somewhat poorly drained — the profile stays wet long enough to restrict ordinary use without artificial drainage |
|---|---|
| Wettest class present | poorly drained |
| Area needing artificial drainage | 48% |
| Linear extensibility (shrink-swell) | 8.5% — high modelled |
| Shallowest annual water table | 75 cm (2.5 ft) |
| Hydrologic soil group | C/D |
| Physiographic region | Dissected till plain with a claypan |
| Expected radon zone | Zone 2 (moderate) — predicted indoor average between 2 and 4 pCi/L expected, not the official designation |
| Basements in this state | most homes have one |
What the three likely repairs cost in Iowa
| Reference job | Modelled range in IA |
|---|---|
| Interior drain along two walls + sump pump | $4,650–$10,000 |
| Exterior excavation of one 40 ft wall | $3,500–$9,950 |
| Underpinning on 10 piers | $13,800–$29,450 |
Reference basement 30 × 40 ft. Price book 2026.08, updated 2026-08-11, regional factor for IA: ×0.92. Run your own dimensions.
Given this soil, the order of operations here
- Do not start with waterproofing. The dominant signal here is soil that changes volume, not soil that stays wet. Get a structural engineer’s letter first ($400–$1,150) — it costs a fraction of the repair and it is the only document that tells you whether piers are actually needed.
- Keep soil moisture constant. With expansive clay the enemy is the wet–dry cycle, not water itself. Consistent watering near the foundation and extended downspouts do more than any coating.
- Fix the cheap outside causes first. Extended downspouts, a discharge line that ends far from the house and positive grade for the first 3 metres. This is a few hundred to a few thousand dollars and it resolves a real share of wet basements.
- Then decide interior versus exterior — with the soil in mind, not the brochure. Honest comparison.
- Get the second and third quote before you sign anything. Same scope, in writing, from firms that are not owned by the same parent. How to do it without paying twice.
Questions about Wayne County soil
Does “somewhat poorly drained” soil mean my basement will flood?
No. The class describes how long the soil profile stays saturated in an average year across mapped areas of the county. It raises or lowers the statistical odds of hydrostatic pressure against a wall. It says nothing about your grading, your footing drain or your downspouts — which is usually what decides whether water actually gets in.
Which number should I care about most?
Whichever is highest, because they point at different contractors. High moisture and water table risk is a drainage and pump problem. High crack risk with low moisture risk — common on the Colorado Front Range and in the Flint Hills — is a structural problem, and a waterproofing salesman is the wrong person to call about it.
A contractor told me my county has “the worst soil in the state”. Is that true?
Check it here and on the USDA source we link. It is a specific, checkable claim, and in our experience of the sales scripts it is used loosely. Wayne County scores 61 out of 100 overall on our combined index, which is elevated for the counties we cover.
Will my homeowners insurance pay for this?
Almost certainly not, if the cause is groundwater seeping in gradually. That is excluded from standard US homeowners policies, and the exclusion is usually the reason people find this site. What is and is not covered.
Does “somewhat poorly drained” soil mean my basement will flood?
No. The class describes how long the soil profile stays saturated in an average year across mapped areas of the county. It raises or lowers the statistical odds of hydrostatic pressure against a wall. It says nothing about your grading, your footing drain or your downspouts — which is usually what decides whether water actually gets in.
Which number should I care about most?
Whichever is highest, because they point at different contractors. High moisture and water table risk is a drainage and pump problem. High crack risk with low moisture risk — common on the Colorado Front Range and in the Flint Hills — is a structural problem, and a waterproofing salesman is the wrong person to call about it.
A contractor told me my county has “the worst soil in the state”. Is that true?
Check it here and on the USDA source we link. It is a specific, checkable claim, and in our experience of the sales scripts it is used loosely. Wayne County scores 61 out of 100 overall on our combined index, which is elevated for the counties we cover.
Will my homeowners insurance pay for this?
Almost certainly not, if the cause is groundwater seeping in gradually. That is excluded from standard US homeowners policies, and the exclusion is usually the reason people find this site. What is and is not covered.
Nearby counties
Neighbours in the same physiographic region behave similarly. Different region on the other side of the county line means genuinely different ground.
All 99 counties in Iowa · More about “somewhat poorly drained” soil
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