Florida Sinkholes

“Brinkmann skillfully takes a technically and legally complex topic and weaves it into a shape that experts and the general public will understand and enjoy. Richly referenced to support further study, this book is very readable and includes pleasant but unexpected information on how Florida’s history was shaped by sinkholes.”—George Veni, Executive Director, National Cave and Karst Research Institute

“The most comprehensive and thorough resource to date on Florida’s sinkholes. Robert Brinkmann draws on decades of personal experience with Florida’s complex karst landscape to focus on the pressing issues of sinkhole development, public perception of the danger, and possible solutions for the future.”—Jason Polk, Western Kentucky University, Associate Director, Hoffman Environmental Research Institute

“An excellent and fascinating review of the science and policy issues behind the remarkable phenomenon of karst sinkholes in Florida. Recommended not only for environmental geology and karst specialists but also for members of the general public in Florida whose lives are actually or potentially affected by sinkholes or who want to learn more about the environment they live in.”—Alexander Klimchouk, director, Ukrainian Institute of Speleology and Karstology

Florida Sinkholes—the first comprehensive book on the subject—is an easy-to-follow guide to understanding how sinkholes form and what to do about them. City planners, construction managers, developers, and homeowners alike will find this book invaluable because of the heavy impact and increasing frequency of sinkhole formation in the state. Packing an abundance of sound scientific fact into frank, readable language, this book examines case studies of notable sinkholes, explains karst—the Swiss cheese–like formations of soluble rock that underlie Florida’s peninsula—and reviews practical concerns like structural damage, repairs, and insurance problems related to sinkholes.