Concrete leveling in Valley Center, KS

What the soil survey shows in Valley Center

Clipped to Valley Center's city limits, about 55 percent of the soil area is rated high or very high for shrink-swell, and about 31 percent is rated very high. That compares with about 38 percent in Wichita and about a third across Sedgwick County.

The town's soils vary more than most. Goessel, a Vertisol rated very high, is the most common at about 19 percent. Milan, a loam rated moderate, covers about 15 percent, and Tabler, a clay soil rated high, about 13 percent. Elandco, a flood plain soil rated low, and Punkin, a sodium-affected soil rated very high, each cover about 10 percent.

See how Valley Center compares with 12 other nearby towns on the soil by town page.

Source: USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey, Soil Survey Geographic Database, Sedgwick County, Kansas, survey version August 2025, clipped to the city limits from Census TIGERweb. Shares are our calculation by area and component percentage, using the highest-rated layer within 60 inches. Shares may not add to 100 because of rounding.

Valley Center's sidewalk rules

Valley Center's code says every sidewalk in the city is built, repaired and rebuilt to the Valley Center Design and Construction Standards, and that sidewalk work must meet the latest Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, including cross slope, running slope, width and landings. Sidewalks must be at least 48 inches wide.

The governing body can order a sidewalk built, rebuilt or repaired by resolution, or after a petition signed by five citizens, and the city clerk then serves notice on the owner. If the work is not done within the time in the notice, the city does it, and the cost is levied against the property and certified to the county clerk for collection. A sidewalk built against the city's plans and specifications can be condemned and torn out.

For leveling, the slope rule is the one to watch. Raising a sunken square brings its edge back flush with its neighbors, and the finished walk should also meet the cross slope the ADA allows. Ask the city whether the job needs a permit before it is scheduled. See sidewalk leveling for how the repair works.

Sources: Code of the City of Valley Center, Title 11, Chapter 11.16, sections 11.16.015, 11.16.020 and 11.16.050 (accessed October 2026); K.S.A. 12-1808.

What that means for a Valley Center slab

• Expect seasonal movement on clay ground. On Goessel and Punkin, both rated very high, a slab can sit lower after a dry summer than after a wet spring. Tell the contractor when the drop first showed up.
• Flood plain lots are different. On Elandco, rated low, swelling clay is rarely the cause. Look for water running under an edge or fill that has settled.
• Lighter fill can help on wet clay. Foam adds far less weight than mudjacking slurry. Ask for a price on both.
• Raised panels need a different fix. Leveling raises low concrete. It cannot lower a panel that swelling clay has pushed up.

Nearby areas

• Wichita
• Derby
• Andover
• Haysville
• Maize
• Park City
• Bel Aire
• Goddard
• Mulvane
• Augusta
• El Dorado
• Newton