S I N K H O L E S A R E
most common in what geologists call, “karst terrain.”
caused by erosion. They may appear suddenly and
have devastating consequences.
cavities in the ground that form when water erodes
an underlying rock layer.
dramatic because the land usually stays intact for a
period of time until the underground spaces just get
too big.
H O W D O S I N K H O L E S F O R M ?
Rainfall percolating, or seeping, through the soil absorbs carbon dioxide
and reacts with decaying vegetation, creating a slightly acidic water. That
water moves through spaces and cracks underground, slowly dissolving
limestone and creating a network of cavities and voids. As the limestone
dissolves, pores and cracks are enlarged and carry even more acidic wa-
ter. Sinkholes are formed when the land surface above collapses or sinks
into the cavities or when surface material is carried downward into the
voids.
Drought, along with resulting high groundwater withdrawals, can make
conditions favorable for sinkholes to form. Also, heavy rains after droughts
often cause enough pressure on the ground to create sinkholes.
Sinkholes can be triggered by human activities such as:
• Over withdrawal of groundwater
• Diverting surface water from a large area and concentrating it in a
single point
• Artificially creating ponds of surface water
• Drilling new water wells
In urban or suburban areas, sinkholes are hazardous because they can
destroy highways and buildings. Sinkholes also can cause water quality
problems. During a collapse, surface waters may leak into the aquifer, our
underground source of drinking water.
https://www.sjrwmd.com/education/sinkholes/
C A N SI N KH OLE S B E P R E VE NT ED ?
SINKHOLES HUMAN ACTIVITY
Sinkholes are a common feature of Florida's land-
scape. They are only one of many kinds of karst
landforms, which include caves, disappearing
streams, springs, and underground drainage sys-
tems, all of which occur in Florida. Furthermore, lime-
stones in Florida are porous, allowing the acidic wa-
ter to percolate through their strata, dissolving some
limestone and carrying it away in solution. Addition-
ally, sinkholes can occur in the beds of streams,
sometimes taking all of the stream's flow, creating a
disappearing stream. Dry caves are parts of karst
drainage systems that are above the water table,
such as the Florida Caverns in Marianna. On the
same hand, other subterranean events can cause
holes, depressions or subsidence of the land surface
that may mimic sinkhole activity. These include sub-
surface expansive clay or organic layers which com-
press as water is removed, collapsed or broken sew-
er and drain pipes or broken septic tanks, improperly
compacted soil after excavation work, and even
buried trash, logs and other debris. https://floridadep.gov/fgs/sinkholes
REFERENCES:
National Geographic (2017). Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/
sinkhole/
Icie Waelchi (2017). Documentary 2017. Sinkholes. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=U_ab8IKTIjU&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3SEYAPUD_9RnYW1teR0wRBRGjOLaC8qOpOUlc8UifSDbOrF
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