South-central Tennessee is known for its unique geology. The area sits on karst terrain. This is a landscape shaped by water dissolving limestone over time. This process creates underground cavities. Sometimes, these cavities collapse, making sinkholes on the surface. Wayne County has 21 known sinkholes. This is because it’s in the Appalachian Plateau’s carbonate rock […]
Tennessee’s karst terrain makes sinkholes a common sight. These happen when limestone bedrock dissolves. In places like Trousdale County, clay soils move over this rock. In 2023, LiDAR mapping found 87 sinkholes here. Twenty-two of them were over 10 feet wide. The deepest sinkhole is 65.6 feet deep. Acidic rainwater weakens the ground over time. […]
Central Tennessee’s landscape has a hidden story beneath its surface. The area sits on top of carbonate bedrock, mainly Ridley and Pierce Limestone. These rocks are easily dissolved by groundwater, making sinkholes common. USGS research shows three types of sinkholes in similar areas. Pan sinkholes are shallow and have little water flow. Deep sinkholes move […]
Tennessee’s karst landscapes pose unique geological risks due to its limestone-rich regions. Stewart County sits on porous bedrock, similar to Anderson County. This bedrock is prone to sudden collapses, with 141 documented sinkholes recorded from 2003. Recent DEM analyses (2013–2024) show subsidence zones near major waterways. USGS topographic maps reveal how groundwater erodes rock layers, […]
Eastern Tennessee’s unique geology leads to dramatic land changes. The area is built on limestone bedrock, a rock that water can easily break down. This creates karst terrain, with underground systems and voids that grow over time. Geologist Terry Haynes said in 2018, “Subsurface cavern networks act as architectural blueprints for surface collapses.” Water slowly […]
Eastern Tennessee’s karst terrain is unique, with sinkholes forming often. Sevier County is in a region where limestone dissolves, creating depressions. These can be small changes or sudden collapses. Statewide, 20% of Tennessee’s land has similar karst systems. But Sevier County has 590 documented sinkholes, showing it’s more vulnerable. Recent studies found 236 sinkholes over […]
Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau hides a huge geological wonder beneath its hills. The Grassy Cove depression is a massive sinkhole, shown by 3DEP lidar surveys. It covers 13.31 km² and is 39.97 meters deep. It’s a prime example of how karst landscapes form in areas with soluble rock. The Sequatchie Valley Anticline is key in shaping […]
Northeast Tennessee’s unique geology poses natural risks beneath its surface. The area falls within a karst corridor. This is where soluble bedrock shapes landscapes, making them prone to ground collapses. Digital elevation models from 2013 found 672 significant depressions. These depressions were over 15 feet deep in many cases. Recent studies of USGS topographic maps […]
Central Tennessee’s unique geology poses natural risks beneath its surface. The area falls within a karst terrain zone, where soluble bedrock erodes the landscape over time. In the last 20 years, 151 ground collapse events have been documented, showing the area’s ongoing instability. The limestone bedrock in this area dissolves when acidic rainwater and groundwater […]