Short answer
Alexandria's ground is mixed. About half of sampled land has an estimated seasonal water table within about a foot of the surface, and 68% is rated very limited for basements, but well-drained and moderately well-drained soils cover about 48% (USDA NRCS). The median home dates to 1962 (Census ACS). Which kind of ground your house sits on largely decides which fix fits.
Two neighbors in Alexandria can have completely different basements. Better-drained outwash soils and wet till sit close together here, so one house may only leak after storms at a corner while another seeps every spring. The first job is working out which ground you’re on.
Alexandria in numbers
- 1962: median year homes were built (20% before 1940, 74% before 1980)
- 68% of sampled land rated very limited for basements
- 50% somewhat poorly to very poorly drained
- 50% with an estimated seasonal water table within about a foot, 70% within 3 feet
- 42.5 inches of precipitation a year at the nearest NOAA station
| Main soils in our sample | Share of points |
|---|---|
| Crosby silt loam, fine-loamy subsoil, 0 to 2 percent slopes | 22% |
| Fox silt loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes, moderately eroded | 14% |
| Pewamo silty clay loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes | 8% |
| Westland silty clay loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes | 6% |
| Eel silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes, frequently flooded | 6% |
Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates. Soil figures are USDA NRCS soil-survey estimates for 50 random points inside Alexandria’s Census boundary; they describe mapped areas, not any single lot, and “very limited” is a building-suitability rating, not proof that basements leak. Rainfall: NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Elwood station, about 9 miles away. Methods: data and methods.
The ground
Crosby silt loam on wet till is the most common soil (22% of sampled points), but well-drained Fox silt loam outwash covers 14%, and wetter Pewamo and Westland soils fill low spots. Overall, 28% of sampled land is well drained and 20% moderately well drained, while 50% falls in the poorly drained classes. The soil survey estimates a seasonal water table within about a foot at 50% of points and within 3 feet at 70%.
The houses
The median Alexandria home was built in 1962. About 20% predate 1940, and 74% predate 1980 (Census ACS). About 60% are owner-occupied. Post-war block basements with original footing drains are common.
What tends to go wrong
- On the wetter ground: spring seepage at the floor-wall joint and through the floor.
- On the better-drained ground: leaks after storms where downspouts and grading send water to one wall. See yard drainage.
- Old footing drains that silted up in either case.
The local angle
Look up your lot on the USDA Web Soil Survey before paying for a full drainage system. If your house sits on Fox or Miami soils and water appears only after storms near one wall, fix the roof water and grading first and watch through a wet spring. If it sits on Crosby, Pewamo or Westland soils and water seeps along several walls for weeks, drainage at the footing is the likely answer. Our soils guide explains how to check.
What usually fixes it
Surface fixes first on better-drained lots. On wet lots, interior drain tile and a sump pump with a backup. A partial system can fit Alexandria better than most towns, where the evidence points to one side of the house.
Guides to each fix: interior drain tile, sump pumps, battery backups, crack repair, bowing walls, exterior waterproofing, yard drainage. Prices are on the cost page.
Compare nearby
Anderson, Elwood, Edgewood. For the bigger picture, read why Anderson basements leak.
Match your symptom first: basement problems.