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📘 How a sinkhole forms

Follow groundwater through soluble rock, hidden cavities, and the surface clues that precede collapse.

10
lessons
~10 min
to learn
🔬 Science
subject
Adults
level
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What you’ll learn

  1. A hole without a stream
  2. Soluble bedrock
  3. From soil to cavity
  4. Cover-subsidence
  5. Cover-collapse
  6. Water-table support
  7. Rain and runoff
  8. Surface clues
  9. Karst water
  10. Reading the landscape

Questions this course answers

What makes karst bedrock prone to natural sinkholes?

Soluble rocks such as limestone can be enlarged by groundwater, creating cavities.

How does a cover-collapse sinkhole differ from cover-subsidence?

Collapse occurs when a brittle or cohesive cover suddenly falls into a void; subsidence is gradual movement.

Why can pumping increase sinkhole risk?

Lower hydraulic support can increase effective stress and allow material to compact or migrate.

Why are karst aquifers vulnerable to spills?

Rapid conduit flow can bypass the filtering normally provided by soil.

Which observation is a possible warning sign, though not proof, of a sinkhole?

Depressions, cracks, and tilted structures can indicate settlement but require professional evaluation.

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