Thousands of Sinkholes in Missouri

(Bixby) Missouri has many sinkholes throughout the state and new ones are constantly being discovered.

In fact, the state has over 16,000 identifiable sinkholes.

Martin Appold is a geology professor at the University of Missouri.

He tells us why sinkholes are so common in the Show-Me State.

Appold tells us where some sinkholes are located in the state.

However, you can stay right here in the listening area to find plenty of sinkholes.

Perry County may lead the state with over 300 sinkholes documented, along with hundreds of caves, including the longest cave in the state and one of the longest in the country.

A local sinkhole that has been getting “star treatment” of late is located in the Mark Twain National Forest in Reynolds County.

It’s off County Road 907 and it opened up about about three years ago, swallowing large trees, rock and earth.

Regional Radio visited that sinkhole about a year ago and it was about the size of a baseball field but that hole continues to still get a little larger each and every day.

The Reynolds County sinkhole is seeing it’s fair-share of tourists, checking out the large hole in the ground.

If you do decide to visit it, it’s a “travel out your own risk” type of situation.

There are barriers set up that has officially closed that section of the road.

You may have to walk the rest of the way to see the sinkhole.