has a sinkhole ever drained a whole lake?

Question

someone i know said they just saw i story on it and iwas sondering if anyone has ever heard anything like this?

Answer 1

It's happening right now, here in Florida.
None of us can believe it...it's so shocking!
An entire lake....is gone.
Check out the news link:

http://www.tampabays10.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=33996

Answer 2

Yes it can happen. I'm aware of two lakes in Florida that drained out. One was Payne's lake near Ocala ( a vey large lake) It drained very suddenl over a brief period..around 1880 I think.
The other was outsside Gainesville. The sinkhole is some 90 feet deep witha top diameter of approx 300 feet. very nearby is a long cave going dpown several levels. Spelunkers know about this cave. The sinkhole is now called "Devils Millhopper"
BTW Florida is full of sinkholes...many are now lakes where the water level has risen.

Answer 3

Yes. There was a lake outside of St. Louis that drained within the last few years because a sinkhole collapsed and the water was drained into the karst topography.

The bottom has fallen out of lakes, ponds, and lagoons in southern Missouri due to the karst topography.

Answer 4

A sinkhole, not a mine.
One in Russia about thirty years back. The lake drained suddenly through what turned out to be a void from settlement.

Once in Vernon, NJ caused by developers burrying large stumps and other debris. The lake drained sideways, almost to the bottom.

Answer 5

YES.

In Illinois, I was at a regional caving gathering, and some cavers witnessed an entire lake drain right in front of their eyes.

I never looked for the story, but they were reliable witnesses who wouldn't make it up.

It would have taken place sometime between 1989 and 1993. I believe it was in Krueger Cave, Monroe County Illinois. I was then a member of the Windy City Grotto Chapter of the National Speleologic Society, and a number of other members were present. Perhaps they are aware of a written account.

It is POSSIBLE that it happened in Indiana, but I seem to remember it being in Illinois.

Answer 6

i saw a tv show about this. it was unbelievable. it happened in louisiana the same week as mount St Helens eruption. MSH coverage kept it from being noticed very much.

a company was drilling an oil well in a lake. the oil rig accidentally drilled into the shaft of a huge salt mine that had been used for about 150 years. it drained the lake. the oil rig, boats, trees, all kinds of things went down the whirlpool hole like a huge bathtub drain.

Answer 7

YES it has happened. I read about it happening somewhere in Europe or Russia, (sorry, I can't remember where or when, but within the last 50 years.). But the whole lake, as well as fish and nearby trees went down the hole overnight. The lake looked like a giant toilet bowl that flushed.

Amazing natural occurence.

http://www.rense.com/general65/vsil.htm

I found a short article about the story- enjoy. (although not as detailed as the one I remember reading)

Answer 8

I did see that article about some drilling that went into a gap in a salt mine or something and caused a massive draining of a lake. I think it happened in the 1960's in the US. Sorry I don't recall the name of the state it happened in.

FOUND IT!!!

http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=6

Lake Peigneur in Lousiana in 1980!

Answer 9

The Iraq sinkhole is draining the US, does that count? Probably not.

Answer 10

We lived on a Northern lake in Minnesota, on the lake shore, we had a sauna and took many saunas in the winter and then, run and jumped in the lake the place we made a hollow throughout the ice. Very exhilarating. chilly too.

Answer 11

yes, this is a place to start for info: http://www.tallytown.com/redcross/library/SinkholeWhatToDoIfOneForms.pdf#search='sinkholes%20lakes'
I remember reading about some large lakes draining.