A sinkhole is a depression or hole in the ground caused by some form of collapse of the surface layer. The term is sometimes used to refer to doline, enclosed depressions that are also known as shakeholes, and to openings where surface water enters into …

A sinkhole is a depression in the ground that has no natural external surface drainage. Basically, this means that when it rains, all of the water stays inside the sinkhole and typically drains into the subsurface. Sinkholes are most common in what geologists call, “karst terrain.”

Jun 9, 2018 · A sinkhole is an area of ground that has no natural external surface drainage--when it rains, the water stays inside the sinkhole and typically drains into the subsurface. Sinkholes can vary from a few feet to hundreds of acres and from less than 1 to more than 100 feet deep.

Dec 4, 2024 · A sinkhole is a hole or deep depression in the ground that opens up when layers of certain types of rock – usually limestone, carbonate rock and salt beds – dissolve beneath the surface and ...

Sinkholes typically form when naturally acidic rainwater erodes underlying bedrock, creating damage beneath the surface. Their formation is most common in easily erodible karst terrains with...

Dec 4, 2024 · A sinkhole is an area of ground that has no natural external surface drainage and can form when the ground below the land surface can no longer support the land above, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Jan 19, 2025 · Sinkhole, topographic depression formed when underlying limestone bedrock is dissolved by groundwater. It is considered the most-fundamental structure of karst topography. Sinkholes vary greatly in area and depth and may be very large.

Nov 21, 2024 · Is it just an annoyance or something more serious—like a sinkhole? While social media and movies often portray sinkholes as catastrophic events that swallow cars and houses, the reality is that sinkholes in residential yards are often smaller but can still pose risks if ignored.

Sinkholes have both natural and artificial causes. They tend to occur most often in places where water can dissolve the bedrock (especially limestone) below the surface, causing overlying rocks to collapse. Florida, Texas, Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania are most sinkhole-prone.