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 underground passages known as ponor , swallow hole or swallet .

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.”

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 ...

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.

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.”

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...

14 hours ago · A second hole that emerged nearby on Tuesday merged with the first one early Thursday, forming a larger sinkhole. The collapsed area now stretches approximately 65 feet in diameter.

Jul 3, 2024 · A sinkhole is a hole in the ground that forms when water dissolves surface rock. This sinkhole sits in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Natural sinkholes in limestone, like this one, are called cenotes. People of Mexico have been using the …

Nov 2, 2023 · Also called sinks, sinkholes owe much to water. A sinkhole usually forms by erosion caused by frequent exposure to water. It comes down to the type of rocks underlying the soil (as opposed to the soil above called the overburden).

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.