Quote:
Originally Posted by VillagerFrog58
I have been a resident of the Villages for only a few years. Using the news releases and postings on this website, I got the elevation chart from the Sumter county website and overlayed (using google maps) the roads of the villages. From that, I put a yellow dot where I have record of past sinkholes; whether big ones or little ones. Using Google earth (which has plotted every road in the Villages) and the elevation they provide, I put the elevation of that area by the yellow dot. Disregarding two areas where sinkholes occurred because of retention pond lining issues, I have 8 others as shown. What I found (though absolutely unscientific) is that of the 8 that I know of, were all below 84 feet in elevation, with the lowest being at 63 ft. There are portions of the Villages where the elevation is much higher... all the way up to 140 feet. No sinkholes have occurred in those areas. So.. I'm thinking that the more elevation / ground you have under you, the lesser the probability of a sinkhole occurring. Anyhow, I'm just sharing for those that may be interested. And BTW, if I am missing any locations from the past, just post it's location and date and I will add to the chart.
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Your information while not scientific, is right on the mark. The closer the sub limestone strata is to the surface, the more likely of sinkholes. Over many many years the limestone dissolves leaving a cavity. As the water table that normally fills the cavity, is depleted, and especially when the upper surface becomes wet and saturated from rains, the upper surface falls into the cavity. You then have a sinkhole.