Tennessee Sinkhole Reaches 40 Feet Deep, 40 Feet Wide

A massive Tennessee sinkhole which opened up at the Austin Peay State University Stadium is being worked on by crews of construction workers after it reached 40 feet deep and 40 feet wide.

The sinkhole isn’t new and was actually discovered over a month ago. Back then, it was a mere three feet by five feet, but needed to be opened up in order to stabilize the bedrock below.

The superintendent for Bell & Associates Construction, Mike Jenkins, spoke to reporters about the Tennessee sinkhole, saying that they are a common sight in the area.

Jenkins said: “We actually put a line item in the budget for sinkhole remediation. You never know to what extent you’re going to run into them, but we know that Montgomery County, and Austin Peay State University specifically, is famous for sinkholes.”

Workers are due to excavate the sinkhole and it will then be filled with rock and concrete. Like Florida, Tennessee has a lot of limestone formations, which make it prone to sinkholes.

Sinkholes are no laughing matter and have led to injuries in the past. Sinkholes occur when water and limestone – two things which are very prevalent in places like Tennessee and Florida – mix. The degree to which the limestone dissolves depends on the acid levels in the water.

Like the Tennessee sinkhole, which started out really small, most sinkholes just get bigger and bigger as the small hole deep underground expands. The water on the ground just keeps dissolving the limestone, creating a kind of limestone cave.

Residents overground would usually have no idea at all that there are massive cavities beneath their feet and when they eventually open up, which they often do, there’s no telling what the resulting damage will be.