Quote:
Originally Posted by manaboutown
According to this article human activity can lead to sinkholes although most are naturally occurring. Sinkhole activity within The Villages is specifically addressed.
"Man-made development, it turns out, is the most persistent factor for increased sinkholes. Earth-moving equipment scrapes away protective layers of soil; parking lots and paved roads divert rainwater to new infiltration points; the weight of new buildings presses down on weak spots; buried infrastructure can lead to leaking pipes; and, perhaps most of all, the pumping of groundwater disrupts the delicate water table that keeps the karst stable. “Our preliminary research indicates that the risk of sinkholes is 11 times greater in developed areas than undeveloped ones,” says George Veni, the executive director of the National Cave and Karst Research Institute who conducted a field study in Sinkhole Alley."
Read more: The Science Behind Florida’s Sinkhole Epidemic
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Science
| Smithsonian |
That is quite likely true. We have lived in Central Florida for almost thirteen years now and almost every year there has been a sinkhole in The Villages. I think less than five have badly harmed any houses and all of them up until now were repaired and are now lived in by someone.
I have always been told that the area in North Central Florida is more prone to sinkholes than the Panhandle or the southernmost part of the peninsula. Florida is growing quickly in population and in building and is now the third most populous state in the U.S., behind California and Texas.
No one here in The Villages has ever been physically harmed by a sinkhole thank goodness, but they do scare people.
Are you still thinking about living here Manabouttown?
Here are several Florida sinkhole maps from 2018.
Florida Map Of Sinkholes | Florida Map 2018