Sinkhole Distribution Based on Pre-Development Mapping in Urbanized Pinellas County, Florida, USA Robert Brinkmann University of South Florida
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Western Kentucky University TopSCHOLAR® Geography/Geology Faculty Publications Geography & Geology January 2007 Sinkhole distribution based on pre-development mapping in urbanized Pinellas County, Florida, USA Robert Brinkmann University of South Florida Kelly Wilson University of South Florida Nichole Elko Pinellas County Government Larry D. Seale University of South Florida Lee J. Florea Western Kentucky University, [email protected] See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/geog_fac_pub Part of the Environmental Monitoring Commons, Geophysics and Seismology Commons, and the Natural Resources and Conservation Commons Recommended Repository Citation Brinkmann, Robert; Wilson, Kelly; Elko, Nichole; Seale, Larry D.; Florea, Lee J.; and Vacher, H L.. (2007). Sinkhole distribution based on pre-development mapping in urbanized Pinellas County, Florida, USA. Natural and Anthropogenic Hazards in Karst Areas: Recognition, Analysis and Mitigation, 5-11. Available at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/geog_fac_pub/11 This Contribution to Book is brought to you for free and open access by TopSCHOLAR®. It has been accepted for inclusion in Geography/Geology Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of TopSCHOLAR®. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Authors Robert Brinkmann, Kelly Wilson, Nichole Elko, Larry D. Seale, Lee J. Florea, and H L. Vacher This contribution to book is available at TopSCHOLAR®: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/geog_fac_pub/11 Sinkhole distribution based on pre-development mapping in urbanized Pinellas County, Florida, USA R. BRINKMANN1, K. WILSON1, N. ELKO2, L. D. SEALE1, L. FLOREA1 & H. L. VACHER1 1University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33617, USA (e-mail: [email protected]) 2Pinellas County Government, 513 S. Ft. Harrison Avenue, Clearwater, FL 33756, USA Abstract: Locating sinkholes in Pinellas County, Florida, is confounded by the presence of a cover of Quaternary sediments that mute the surface appearance of these sinkholes. As a first step in addressing the sinkhole hazard in the county, we analysed aerial photographs from 1926 and 1995 that covered the entire county. We digitized all identifiable sinkholes in each set of photographs in a GIS (Geographical Information System) using a set of criteria established to differentiate between karst depressions and depressions resulting from other geological processes. The 1926 photographs, although of low quality, helped to establish a baseline prior to urbanization. The 1995 photographs provided a post-urbanization distribution of natural sink- holes and man-made depression features (e.g. retention ponds). From these two data sets, we are able to assess natural and anthropogenic changes in the karst landscape of the study area. In par- ticular, we discovered that 87% of the sinkhole features identified in the 1926 photographs are no longer present in the photographs from 1995. Many of the lost depressions have been incorporated into retention ponds. Pinellas County, in west-central Florida (Fig. 1), in to or after development to assess the distribution the USA, is located in one of the most active karst of karst features in Pinellas County or to document regions of the world. Karst, a collection of surface changes in topography as a result of urbanization. and subsurface landforms produced from the dissol- Pinellas County, like much of the Tampa Bay ution of limestone and other soluble rocks, is present region and Florida in general, is rapidly urbanizing. in many regions throughout the world and is of Construction projects significantly impact the karst distinct interest to individuals and organizations landscape and vice versa. Without a clear under- associated with these landscapes. This is due, in standing of where karst features are located it is dif- part, to unique engineering difficulties and contami- ficult to implement appropriate land-use strategies nant transport properties of karst aquifers. Pinellas and management decisions that are suitable for the County is a peninsula and is underlain by distinct site geology and of benefit to the citizens of the layers of Cenozoic limestone that are covered county. As Pinellas County loses remaining green in most areas by Quaternary sands. The county is space, increases densities in existing developments modified by coastal processes on the current shore- and redevelops brownfields, it will be critical to line, and marine terraces indicate the presence understand the landscape that exists beneath the of higher sea levels. In the interior portions of the veneer of human development because the under- county, numerous karst depressions are present. lying geological processes that created the original The most identifiable surface features in the karst surface features will continue to modify the soil, landscape of west-central Florida are sinkholes. bedrock and topography. However, in contrast to classical karst landscapes In Florida, sinkholes occur in clusters or of the Central Lowlands and Appalachian Moun- ‘sinkhole regions’ (Tihansky 1999). These clusters tains in the USA, the topographic expression of represent areas of past sinkhole formation and these depressions is partially masked by Quaternary are locations where future sinkholes may develop, sediments deposited by eolian processes or during although the occurrence of topographic sink- higher sea levels. Within the past century, humans holes does not predict the development of new have filled many depressions and modified others cover collapses. Certainly, sinkhole regions may for storm-water retention as part of the rapid and be hidden by geological deposition or human devel- intense urbanization of this coastal area. Mapping opment, and may extend into or exist within and analysis of sinkholes was not completed prior urbanized regions. A useful method of identifying From:PARISE,M.&GUNN, J. (eds) Natural and Anthropogenic Hazards in Karst Areas: Recognition, Analysis and Mitigation. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 279, 5–11. DOI: 10.1144/SP279.2 0305-8719/07/$15.00 # The Geological Society of London 2007. 6 R. BRINKMANN ET AL. bulk of sinkholes in Pinellas County are categorized as cover-collapse sinkholes that form when Pleisto- cene sands above limestone ravel into void space in bedrock (Tihansky 1999). The spatial distribution of these sinkholes appears linear on many Florida maps. Sinkholes form in linear trends because they are localized by joints and fractures that facili- tate groundwater flow through the soluble rock. Previous efforts have described and/or mapped karst features in Pinellas County. For example, Sinclair et al. (1985) analysed sinkholes in west-central Florida and described their formation based on cover and bedrock type. They also reviewed data on recently formed sinkholes in the region. However, they did not map them. Frank & Beck (1991) assessed the causes of subsidence damage in a small area of the town of Dunedin in northern Pinellas County. They examined the mechanisms behind the formation of subsidence in the area in the years 1990–1991 and found that almost all of these damaging subsidences were Fig. 1. Location of Pinellas County, Florida. cover-subsidence sinkholes, although this could not be guaranteed for 100% of the damage. masked (obliterated) areas affected by subsidence is In 1991, Beck & Sayad (1991) published a to map topographic depressions and wetland fea- summary of the sinkhole hazards in Pinellas tures that are probably the result of karst processes County. They utilized reported sinkhole events to using historic air photographs and maps. Such an assess the overall hazard from subsidence. Stewart exercise will not only assist county planners, it et al. (1995) examined foundation failures in will aid our scientific understanding of karst pro- Pinellas County to assess the causes of failures. cesses in Florida and the extent of sinkhole More recently, the Florida Geological Survey regions that existed in the pre-urbanized past. mapped closed depressions on United States Such an exercise has rarely been conducted over Geological Survey (USGS) 1:24 000 topographic such a large area. maps as part of their overall Florida Aquifer Pinellas County is underlain by the unconfined Vulnerability Assessment (FAVA) programme. A Floridan Aquifer System and, as in most carbonate variety of other attempts have been made to map terrain, karst processes exert significant control on sinkholes in other parts of Florida, including the geomorphology (White 1970, 1988; Schmidt & nearby Pasco County (Currin & Barfus 1989). Scott 1984; Lane 1986; Miller 1986). Aggressive Although all of the past research is useful, to groundwater circulation and diagenetic alteration date, there has been no effort to map all sinkholes has dissolved limestone and increased porosity in Pinellas County, including those lost to urbaniz- within the stratigraphic framework of the Floridan ation. Therefore, the focus of this project is to Aquifer. This solution porosity dominates ground- develop a county-wide map of sinkholes present water flow. The complex nature of conduit systems on historic and recent aerial photographs in order in the unconfined Floridan Aquifer is becoming to assess the number and spatial distribution better understood (Miller 1997). However, the diffi- of depressions lost through development, and in culty of locating and exploring submerged conduits order to understand how pre-existing sinkholes and the complex porosity makes analysis and