Created By: Marcous Phillips Sinkholes Created 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/