---
title: Soil moisture & subsidence | Geobear
description: Did you know that soil moisture plays a huge role in the occurrence of subsidence? But why is that? Let's find out.
---

[Home Foundation & Subsidence Blog | Geobear UK ](https://www.geobear.com/en-gb/blog)

# [Soil moisture & subsidence | Geobear](https://www.geobear.com/en-gb/blog/soil-moisture-and-subsidence)

 Written by [Aleister Willis](https://www.geobear.com/en-gb/blog/author/aleister-willis) | Jun 18, 2025 9:15:00 PM

# **Soil Moisture Levels Drop Across UK – What It Means for Your Property**

The latest **Hydrological Outlook UK (June 2025)** paints a worrying picture for large parts of the country. Soil and subsurface water levels are **well below average** across **southern and central England**, as well as much of the **east of the UK**. In some areas, as much as **57mm of additional rainfall** is needed just to bring conditions back to normal for the time of year.

## Dry soils = higher risk of subsidence

Why does this matter? In areas underlain by **clay soils**, reduced soil moisture causes the ground to shrink. This process - known as **shrink-swell behaviour - **can lead to **ground movement beneath buildings**, especially when the clay dries out during extended dry periods.

The result for homeowners and asset managers can be:

- **Cracks in brickwork and render**
- **Uneven floors or sticking doors**
- **Damage to paths, driveways and drains**
- In serious cases: **subsidence **(learn more about [what subsidence is](https://www.geobear.com/en-gb/what-is-subsidence)), requiring structural investigation and repair

These conditions are particularly dangerous in older homes with shallow foundations or buildings near trees that extract even more moisture from the soil.

## Long-term forecasts offer little relief

While some parts of **northwest England and western Scotland** have seen recovery in soil moisture due to May rainfall, the **southeast remains persistently dry**.

To overcome these deficits before autumn, several regions would need unusually high rainfall levels with return periods of over **50 to 100 years** in some cases. In short, **natural recovery isn’t likely any time soon**.

## What can you do?

If you’re seeing early signs of structural movement - like cracks forming, or windows and doors no longer aligning - **act now**. Early intervention can help avoid more severe damage and expensive insurance claims.

At **Geobear**, we offer a proven, low-disruption solution to address subsidence. Our **geopolymer injection technique** strengthens the ground beneath your property without the need for major excavation or traditional underpinning. Most jobs are completed in **just one day**.

 

**Get in touch with Geobear today** to speak to a specialist about your property.

#### References:

- [Hydrological Outlook UK – June 2025](https://www.hydoutuk.net)

[View full post](https://www.geobear.com/en-gb/blog/soil-moisture-and-subsidence)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Aleister Willis"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2026-05-21T09:57:36.831Z",
  "datePublished" : "2025-06-18T21:15:00Z",
  "headline" : "Soil Moisture & Subsidence",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 1016,
    "url" : "https://144453750.fs1.hubspotusercontent-eu1.net/hubfs/144453750/Imported_Blog_Media/screenshot-2025-06-18-at-15-31-22.png",
    "width" : 2022
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://www.geobear.com/en-gb/blog/soil-moisture-and-subsidence",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60,
      "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png",
      "width" : 60
    },
    "name" : "Homeowner"
  }
}
```