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 […]
Tennessee’s karst landscape poses unique challenges, like in Scott County. The area’s soluble limestone bedrock dissolves slowly, sped up by groundwater. Nine documented sinkholes are found here, but nearby Anderson County has 239 depressions over three meters deep. Recent surveys show sinkhole patterns differ across East Tennessee. Scott County, though, shares limestone with its neighbors, […]
Tennessee’s karst landscapes hide a world where water shapes the earth. The limestone bedrock dissolves, creating voids that collapse into sinkholes. Recent surveys found 877 depressions deeper than 3 meters, with seven over 100 feet deep. The Hunter Sinkhole is one of the deepest, dropping 160 feet. It’s among Tennessee’s deepest collapses. The state has […]