On August 25 a sinkhole opened up at the intersection of Court and Foster Streets in Lewisburg, causing traffic to be rerouted for ten days while the depression was first excavated, then filled in and gravel spread on top.

“A sinkhole is a depression in the ground that has no natural surface drainage,” according to the United States Geological Survey. The West Virginia Geological & Economic Survey notes that “West Virginia has many sink holes because of its extensive karst topography, a landscape where soluble rocks like limestone are dissolved by water, creating underground cavities and triggering sinkhole formation.” Storm drains and sewer lines can combine with topography to cause or worsen instability.

Because the Greenbrier Valley is situated on top of numerous caverns and underground streams, sinkholes have been common all over the region for centuries. Sinkholes have been reported for at least 150 years near Montwell Commons in Lewisburg. The city has also experienced other sinkholes in the more recent past. One occurred behind Lewisburg City Hall in 2016, no more than one hundred yards distant from the current hole. The former Kmart parking lot is another problem area.

Karst topography is appealing above ground, creating beautiful rolling hills, but is also a challenge in that it can not only discourage new construction, but require costly repairs of existing infrastructure. As reported in The Mountain Messenger, Lewisburg City Manager Misty Hill said that engineers won’t be able to determine which came first, a leaking sewer pipe forming the current sinkhole, or a sinkhole forming that caused the sewer pipe to leak and collapse.

Greenbrier East has also experienced the danger of a sinkhole. The school’s four tennis courts were built on top of a sinkhole in 1981. Current Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Joey Hodge noted that school officials were aware at the time that the location was a sinkhole, but chose it because it was the flattest location on campus. While East students are permitted to practice on the courts, matches with other schools must be played at the Greenbrier Hotel.

“The intention is to rebuild the tennis courts,” Hodge said. “However, we do not have the funding to do so. The new location for the tennis courts will be where the softball parking lot is located in the grassy area. We have to move the tennis courts because the ground keeps shifting.”

Following the initial repair completed on September 9 at the sinkhole in downtown Lewisburg, the city intends to repave the street once the ground settles. It is also possible that additional work will need to occur in the future.

Other nearby communities experiencing the geohazard of karst terrain include Anthony Creek, Blue Sulphur, Falling Springs, Fort Springs, Frankford, Irish Corner, White Sulphur Springs, and Williamsburg. Surrounding counties also noted for this terrain include Monroe, Pocahontas, Summers, and Nicholas Counties.