Originally Posted by graciegirl (Post 1725399)

Zephyr Hills is in Pasco, County.

Originally Posted by Advogado (Post 1725316)

To refresh people's recollection: Our Sumter County Commissioners refused to oppose pumping of our aquifer for commercial water bottling-- thereby increasing our risk of both sinkholes and water shortages. This happened just a few years ago and, naturally, got virtually no coverage in The Daily Sun. Newcomers can read about it by doing a search in the on-line newspaper for: SWR Properties.

Originally Posted by Bilyclub (Post 1725784)

That's a pretty crazy thing to do.

Originally Posted by VillagerFrog58 (Post 1074521)

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.

Originally Posted by rubicon (Post 1075050)

To me, predicting sinkholes is like predicting 100 year floods.

Originally Posted by dale50000 (Post 1788536)

Being a little cruel, are you

Originally Posted by VillagerFrog58 (Post 1074523)

Here five of the recent ones that I have.

Originally Posted by graciegirl (Post 1131706)

I hope you are wrong. Only your third post with such upsetting information


In the bedroom you say....like the only person that I know of in the news that died from a sinkhole over near Tampa?


Was this in the news?


Posters who live in Alhambra, is this true?

Originally Posted by rubicon (Post 1075050)

To me, predicting sinkholes is like predicting 100 year floods.

Originally Posted by VillagerFrog58 (Post 1074521)

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.

Originally Posted by Advogado (Post 1725791)

Indeed. You have to wonder what motivated the Sumter County Commissioners not to vigorously oppose the pumping of the aquifer for commercial bottling, especially in light of the massive expansion of The Villages-- thereby increasing the risk of sinkholes due to the pumping.

In addition, that massive expansion will probably double our need for water right here in Sumter County, leading to the risk of possible water shortages-- as well as increasing the risk of sinkholes due to development itself. With respect to a possible water shortage, all but the newbies will recall that we had water rationing here just a couple of years ago.

For an article about The Villages being in Sinkhole alley and the connection between development, aquifer pumping, and sinkholes, see: [url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/science-behind-floridas-sinkhole-epidemic-180969158/]The Science Behind Florida’s Sinkhole Epidemic

Hummm, a good question, what MOTIVATED them to NOT oppose that ? Hummm, oh, could it have been MONEY ? Possibly hu ?