Short answer
In our sample, all of Fortville's land is poorly or somewhat poorly drained, rated very limited for basements, and estimated by the soil survey to have a seasonal water table within about a foot of the surface (USDA NRCS). Nearly half is Brookston silty clay loam, a depression soil. Homes are relatively new, with a median year built of 1982 (Census ACS), so the condition of drains and pumps matters most.
Fortville sits southwest of Anderson on some of the flattest, wettest till in the area. Its housing is newer than most of the region’s, so many basements were built with footing drains and a sump from the start. On this ground those systems work hard, and when they falter, water comes in.
Fortville in numbers
- 1982: median year homes were built (15% before 1940, 48% before 1980)
- 100% of sampled land rated very limited for basements
- 100% somewhat poorly to very poorly drained
- 100% with an estimated seasonal water table within about a foot, 100% within 3 feet
- 42.1 inches of precipitation a year at the nearest NOAA station
| Main soils in our sample | Share of points |
|---|---|
| Crosby silt loam, New Castle Till Plain, 0 to 2 percent slopes | 54% |
| Brookston silty clay loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes | 46% |
Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates. Soil figures are USDA NRCS soil-survey estimates for 50 random points inside Fortville’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, Lapel 4 S station, about 6 miles away. Methods: data and methods.
The ground
Our sample split between two soils: Crosby silt loam (54% of points), somewhat poorly drained, and Brookston silty clay loam (46%), a poorly drained soil that forms in low, flat depressions where water collects. Every sampled point is in the poorly drained classes, and the soil survey estimates a seasonal water table within about a foot at all of them.
The houses
The median Fortville home was built in 1982, and about 48% predate 1980 (Census ACS). About 71% are owner-occupied. Most newer basements are poured concrete with perimeter drains feeding a sump.
What tends to go wrong
- Pumps that run for weeks and burn out. See sump pump running constantly.
- Seepage when perimeter drains clog with silt or the discharge sends water back to the house.
- Leaking shrinkage cracks in poured walls. See crack repair.
The local angle
Brookston soils form in the low spots, so on a Fortville lot the house’s position matters: a home at a low point of the subdivision collects more water than one on a slight rise. Watch where water stands in the yard after heavy rain. If it pools near the foundation, grading and drainage outside the house are part of the fix, not just what happens in the basement.
On ground this wet, a pump that runs for weeks needs a discharge that ends well away from the house, or the water circles back to the pit. See discharge and freezing.
What usually fixes it
A healthy, right-sized sump pump with a backup, a discharge that ends far from the house, and drains that are clear. Where perimeter drains have failed, interior drain tile restores them. Yard grading and drainage for lots in low spots.
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, Ingalls, Lapel, Pendleton. For the bigger picture, read why Anderson basements leak.
Start with the symptom and typical costs.