SINKHOLESCreated By: Marcous Phillips

What is a sinkhole A sinkhole is a depression in the

ground that has no natural external surface drainage. Water drains to the subsurface

Causes of sinkholes Underneath soil/rock is dissolved by

groundwater flowing through the material.

Human involvement

Factors in sinkholes Aquifer systems

The soil above the system is balanced by the water pressure in the aquifer. When water is removed from system it destabilizes the pressure, increasing the chance of a sinkhole forming Higher chance in

urban

Factors in sinkholes Karst Terrain

landscape formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks like limestone and gypsum.

characterized by sinkholes, caves, and underground drainage systems

Types of Sinkholes Dissolution

sinkholes ground with

little overburden

Water erodes the rock away

deep impression in the ground forming a basin

Types of Sinkholes Cover-collapse sinkhole

Water erodes rock away underneath overburden

Overburden soil loses stability Rapid and sudden collapse Can take weeks or years to reach point of

collapse

Types of Sinkholes Human

involvement Leaky pipes Sewer leakage Pumping of

groundwater Construction Water diversion These are

majors in formation of a sinkhole

Most Effected Areas

Florida, Texas, Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania are most prone.

Prevention of Sinkholes Natural Sinkholes are very hard to

prevent Human made sinkholes can be avoidable

Proper construction and maintenance of any underground pipes

Proper groundwater usage Helps keep water table high and supports

overburden When a sinkhole occurs make sure it is kept

trash free Sinkholes usually have a direct link to drinking

water which trash thrown into the sinkhole can lead to pollution of drinking water

Famous Sinkholes Guatemala City’s Sinkholes,

Guatemala Happened in 2007, 300 ft. down

Famous Sinkholes Devil’s Sinkhole, Texas, U.S.A.

40 ft. by 60 ft. opening , 400 ft. down

Sources http://water.usgs.gov/edu/sinkholes.html http://

science.howstuffworks.com/nature/natural-disasters/sinkhole.htm

http://www.esi.utexas.edu/outreach/caves/karst.php http://

amr.edwardsaquifer.org/display_education_portal_m.php?pg=education_how_does_the_aquifer_work

www.geocaching.com http://

www.sjrwmd.com/watersupply/howsinkholesform.html

http://www.therichest.com/expensive-lifestyle/location/the-top-10-most-amazing-sinkholes-on-earth/