PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS The Development of a Virginia Karst Assessment Standard Christie Boyden, GeoConcepts Engineering, Inc., Intern

pying at least 29 counties and yet Virginia has no standardized Introduction method for analyzing its presence and potential negative n Ancient Mayan tradition, caves were a place of impacts. This has resulted in large assessment gaps and interpre- worship. They were seen as portals to the under- tive variation from one geologist to another. world, where one could visit the gods and present In the last two decades, karst problems have sputtered on I sacrificial gifts. Caves with flowing water were con- the radar with sinkholes swallowing a Virginia home in 1992; sidered the most sacred. The symbolic significance disrupting I-70 traffic in Frederick, MD, with a 14-foot-wide sink- of caves can also be seen in Ancient Greek and Roman mythology hole in 2008; swallowing a swimming pool in Florida this past and literature. In fact, Athens is often called the “Acropolis” February 2013; and tragically killing a man in Florida this past meaning “The Sacred Rock” in Greek, referring to Greece’s karst April 2013 when his bedroom collapsed into a subsurface cavity. terrain. Even Plato dedicated an entire section of his famous work In one of the most dramatic demonstrations of karst problems, The Republic to “The Allegory of the Cave.” an entire lake was drained in St. Louis, MO. According to the USGS, between 1970 and 2007 the Missouri Department of Natural Resources examined more than 160 collapses reported by the public. In response Professional Geologist Robert Denton and the Virginia Cave Board are working to change this inefficient system, campaigning for the development of uniform standards across the state of Virginia and hoping one day other states will follow suit. Robert Denton and the Cave Board Robert K. Denton Jr., CPG, LRS, is currently a senior geologist at GeoConcepts Engineering, Inc. in Ashburn, VA. Denton has over 36 years of experience with special emphasis on engineering geology, hydrogeologic evaluations, environmental studies, and drain field design. He has extensive experience surveying,

Senior Staff Geologist Eric Miquelon evaluating karst features during a karst terrain survey for The Conservation Fund on behalf of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in central Virginia PHOTO COURTESY OF GEOCONCEPTS ENGINEERING, INC.

The fascination with caves, karst, and springs has ancient roots and yet the benefits and detriments are still widely unknown by the public. A poor understanding of site karst ter- rain issues combined with a lack of uniform karst assessment standards can have significant economic and environmental ramifications. Poor planning can result in sinkholes, polluted water resources, and millions of dollars in repair costs to build- ings, highways, bridges, and pipelines. Karst issues are typically treated after the damage has already occurred instead of proac- tively, which is both costly and inefficient. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), nearly 20 percent of the U.S. is underlain by karst terrain and sus- ceptible to sinkhole events. Karst can be defined as a terrain class characterized by the presence of sinkholes, caves, large springs, losing and gaining streams, and an irregular, pinnacled bedrock L to R: Robert Denton and two staff geologists at the entrance of the surface. It is a consequence of the action of acidic water on sol- GeoConcepts Cave found during the 76-mile karst terrain survey uble bedrock. Karst terrain covers over one third of Virginia, occu- PHOTO COURTESY OF GEOCONCEPTS ENGINEERING, INC.

September 2013 AEG NEWS 56 (3) 15 PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS National Karst Issues Currently, no states have established statewide karst assessment standards. There are a few provincial exceptions such as Indiana’s road survey guidelines and Bowling Green, Kentucky’s karst hazard assessment guideline. The Commonwealth of Virginia hopes to develop a formal statewide karst assessment standard of practice which will hopefully lead other states to follow suit. Establishing karst assessment guidelines will help identify and/or prevent the destruction of endangered species’ habitats, the formation of enlarged faults from water movement, ground- water pollution, and misleading or useless karst studies. According to the Cave Conservancy, established in 1980 to pro- tect karst in Virginia and West Virginia, there are over 5,000 caves in Virginia affecting thousands of people from farmers and well- water drinkers to developers and homeowners each year. Once contaminated, it is difficult to remediate these water resources, presenting a significant health concern. Both promising and disheartening news, according to James Currens in his “Model Ordinance for Redevelopment on Karst in Kentucky,” most karst geohazards are completely avoidable, but have not been properly managed thus far. Concurrent with Denton’s mission, Currens advises a template to minimize the damage, citing the Kentucky Geological Survey’s estimate that karst geohazards cost the state approximately $20 million per year. Kentucky is home to the world’s largest known cave system, Mammoth Cave, stretching more than 400 miles. While Federal Laws and Executive Orders regulate Mammoth Cave Park, the Commonwealth of Kentucky does not have its own statewide leg- islation governing karst assessments. Similarly, Tennessee is estimated to have 9,000 caves under the state’s surface, more than any other state in the nation. It is home to several federally endangered species, including the Project Geologist, Ashley Hogan, CPG, LEED, mapping a Virginia cave American harts-tongue, Indiana bat, and gray bat. Many Ten- PHOTO COURTESY OF GEOCONCEPTS ENGINEERING, INC. nessee state-listed endangered species including the Eastern big- eared bat, Eastern small-footed bat, Tennessee cave salamander, studying, and assessing karst geology including sinkhole studies Southern cavefish, long-headed cave beetle, and searcher cave and remediation and stormwater BMPs in karst. With a passion beetle, call these caves home. The caves’ delicate ecosystems are for caves and a deep understanding of karst depressions and sensitive to activity occurring above ground, often caused by sinkholes, Denton is one of eight members appointed to the Virginia Cave Board working toward developing a Virginia Karst Assessment Standard. The Virginia Cave Board, established to conserve and pro- tect caves and karstlands in Virginia, began when the Virginia Cave Protection Act was first ratified in 1966 to preserve cave resources. The act was revised in 1979 but karst resources are highly threatened today despite these proactive state measures to protect Virginia’s caves. The Cave Board meets at various places throughout Virginia once per quarter and their members are all prominent cave owners, cavers, or experts in their fields. All members are appointed by the Governor of Virginia and serve four-year staggered terms. Their goals are simple: protect and preserve Virginia’s caves, including all the wildlife, streams, and natural resources associated with them. However, these environments are very fragile and sensitive to human actions. While there are extensive rules and regulations to prevent water pollution, which kill many organisms and poison the water, there are no enforceable rules governing cave assessments or maintenance. GeoConcepts Senior Staff Geologist and Consultant, Eric Miquelon However, Virginia is not the only state struggling with this mapping the parapet of a cover collapse sinkhole using a hand-held disjuncture. GPS unit PHOTO COURTESY OF GEOCONCEPTS ENGINEERING, INC.

16 AEG NEWS 56 (3) September 2013 PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS careless human interactions. Contamination, over-construction, and poorly designed or maintained septic systems can destroy these fragile ecosystems and exacerbate environmental stresses, endangering these species more critically. Other states with rare endangered species in their cave sys- tems are Missouri and Arkansas whose blind cave fish are now going deaf due to a disruption of ambient noise in their aquatic cave homes. Without uniform assessment standards and regula- tions, these ecosystems will continue to be impacted by human carelessness and pollution will destroy these aquatic habitats. While the National Speleological Society and American Cave Conservation Association are national organizations working to protect, conserve, and educate others about the importance of karst lands and caves, there is a dire need for state guidelines to address and target local issues uniformly. Virginia’s Pursuit of Karst Assessment Standards Virginia is also experiencing the environmental and economic strain of inadequate and nonexistent karst guidelines. Most Robert Denton and Eric Miquelon utilizing GPS during the 76-mile karst recently, Denton supervised and managed the largest stand-alone terrain survey karst survey ever undertaken in Virginia to assist the U.S. Fish and PHOTO COURTESY OF GEOCONCEPTS ENGINEERING, INC. Wildlife Service in developing population estimates for the Madison Cave Isopod. The Madison Cave Isopod is a federally used to assess karst terrain. In the aforementioned 76-mile karst protected endangered species found in the groundwater of Vir- terrain survey, Denton used two and four foot contour maps ginia and West Virginia karst geology. It may have lived alongside based off triangulated irregular networks (TIN) obtained from the dinosaurs, surviving for millions of years, and are important county surveys and cross-referenced that data with aerial pho- indicators of a clean water supply, as they require carbonate-rich, tography. Moreover, he employed Google Earth, which allows unpolluted water originating in the phreatic karst aquifer. one to scroll back in time as long ago as 20 years to look at a his- Without them, cave pools can become quickly contaminated. tory of floods and identify wet years. In Virginia, wet years were After conducting a 76-mile survey, Denton determined there from 1997 to 2003. was a higher density of karst features in middle Ordovician car- Other methods to assess karst features include GPS, GIS bonates than previously thought. The frequency of sinkholes and (Geographic Information Systems), and RS (remote-sensing) tech- caves was much higher in certain limestone and carbonates, nologies. GPS allow geologists to establish centimeter level accu- demonstrating a greater risk of environmental and geohazard racies using ground and satellite based radio and locational issues in Virginia. This understanding of karst feature distribution systems. GIS is an application that allows large quantities of data was an unexpected consequence of the study. to be stored, managed, and analyzed, giving geologists a better Without statewide karst assessment standards, Denton fears understanding of the spatial relationships. RS technologies use the gradual deterioration and possible destruction of one of Vir- satellites and airborne sensors for mapping and spatial analysis. It ginia’s most important ecosystems. In a recent article presented collects reflected electromagnetic radiation, producing a digital at the National Cave and Karst Research Institute (NCKRI) 13th image, which can be overlaid on other maps and used as a cross- Sinkhole Conference, Denton outlined a plan to standardize karst reference tool. assessments. Concurrent with the guidelines of his colleagues, The most recent technology USGS made available is Laser Denton recommends the importance of requiring qualifications Imaging Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). A type of remote for karst investigators, such as being a Professional Engineer (PE) sensing technology, LiDAR scanning can detect elevation or Certified Professional Geologist (CPG) and a minimum of five- changes of less than a meter, and is a powerful tool for the detec- years karst experience. Geologists must provide a summary of tion of potential sinkholes and subsidence areas, particularly in their findings and recommendations with each site inspection wooded terrain where these structures would be hidden from and investigation report. All closed depressions and sinkholes view in standard aerial photographs. Nonetheless, as sensitive as would need to be measured and delineated using a global posi- it is, LiDAR can only detect surface features and should not be a tioning system (GPS) unit and all shallow bedrock, which can be geologist’s only source of information. resistant to scaling and scarping, must be noted. The lack of karst terrain survey minimum requirements If karst features are found, a Karst Management Plan should regarding technologies, cross-referencing, or follow-up studies is be prepared and then approved and reviewed by local regulatory just another variable affecting the accuracy of karst reports. staff. It would also be necessary to conduct follow up studies requiring an investigator with experience interpreting the Elec- trical Resistivity Survey (ERS). Conclusion In addition to Denton’s qualification guidelines, he empha- Denton and the Virginia Cave Board are not alone in their quest sizes the need to cross-reference technological findings while to develop rudimentary karst assessment standards to improve conducting karst surveys. There are five primary technologies public safety and health, prevent pollution, protect ecosystems, September 2013 AEG NEWS 56 (3) 17 PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS and prevent costly damage. Thorough karst assessments and management plans will minimize the risks associated with land References development, storm-water management, and site maintenance Claassen, Cheryl. Cave Rituals and Ritual Caves in the Eastern United in karst terrain. States. Enduring Traditions. http://academia.edu/238719/Cave_ We would not trust a doctor who did not understand the Rituals_and_Ritual_Caves_in_the_Eastern_US basic anatomy. We would not allow drivers on the road without Currens, James C. “Model Ordinance for Development on Karst in Ken- obtaining a license. And yet, we allow people to drive, live, and tucky.” Kentucky Geological Survey, University of Kentucky. Lex- ington, KY. January 5, 2009. work on karst terrain without a concrete understanding of the Denton, Robert. “Towards a Karst Assessment Standard Practice.” 13th subsurface conditions and dangers it may present. We have the Sinkhole Conference. NCKRI Symposium 2. 2013. resources and technologies available to prevent karst geohazards “GIS, GPS, and Remote Sensing Technologies in Extension Services: issues but lack minimum requirements to ensure karst assess- Where to Start, What to Know.” Journal of Extension. June 2005. ments are proactively conducted in areas prone to karst and http://www.joe.org/joe/2005june/a6.php establish standards to guarantee these assessments are compre- Kollipara, Puneet. “Blind cave-dwelling fish also hard of hearing.” Science hensive. Karst studies are prone to error, misleading, and useless News. May 4 2013. http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/ without a uniform code or standard. Without accurate karst 349243/description/Blind_cave-dwelling_fish_also_hard_of_hearing assessments, groundwater pollution, enlarged faults, and endan- LaMoreaux, Philip E. and LaMoreaux, James W. “A History of Karst gered species are nearly irreversible. We can no longer place a Studies: From Stone Age to the Present.” The American Geographical Society. 1998. band-aid on the issues. Like our ancestors, we need to respect these ecosystems, which start by establishing statewide guidelines Mammoth Cave National Park.” National Park Service. Department of Interior http://www.nps.gov/maca/index.htm for karst assessment. “Tennessee’s Caves.” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. http://www.fws. gov/asheville/pdfs/TNcaves.pdf

NEWS OF THE PROFESSION – BOOK REVIEW…continued from page 11

rockfalls, the fundamentals of Newtonian mechanics and their use in describing motions of falling, bouncing, and rolling rock blocks, approaches for the quantitative modeling and prediction of rockfall, and how to conduct rockfall field tests. Rockfall Mitigation (six chapters) begins with an overview of rockfall mitigation options, including definitions of engineered versus non-engineered solutions and discus- sions of criteria for selecting an option, and then describes each of the major mitigation options in considerable detail. Rockfall Maintenance and Manage- ment Programs (two chapters) describes how appropriately designed maintenance or moni- toring activities may significantly reduce the risk associated with rockfall and improve public safety. Rockfall management pro- grams, implemented by several transportation agencies, can achieve significant cost savings when they are integrated into broader asset- management approaches. Multiple rockfall protection systems installed near the Pen-Y-Clip The book also contains two appendices. Appendix A offers stere- tunnel on the A55 North Wales Expressway, United Kingdom ographic projections for structural analysis. Appendix B describes the PHOTO BY DAVID GILES, UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH, UNITED KINGDOM contents of the DVD included with the book. The DVD provides sig- nificant supplemental information to the text in the chapters. It contains digital copies of all the book illustrations, including color Oregon Department of Transportation, and rock-slope scaling tech- versions of photographs and some technical drawings, 29 short niques recorded by the Colorado Department of Transportation. video clips of rockfall field tests illustrating rockfall impact energies Ordering Information and some testing procedures, and four longer video presentations. Rockfall: Characterization and Control, 658 pages and includes a These include a copy of the historic movie of the 1963 rockfall DVD with video clips of rockfalls and field tests. Copies may be testing procedures conducted in Washington State, field tests con- ordered at www.TRB.org/Rockfall. Hardcover, ISBN 978-0-309- ducted in 1990 to evaluate rockfall restraining nets conducted by the 22306-5, $110; Paperback, ISBN 978-0-309-22312-6, $100. For California Department of Transportation, field tests conducted in additional information, send an e-mail to [email protected] or conjunction with the 2001 rockfall catchment design guide for the visit TRB’s online bookstore: http://books.trbbookstore.org/.

18 AEG NEWS 56 (3) September 2013