A newly formed hole in the ground, causing controversy in the city of Springtown.
Karee Barrett's home sits at the resurgence of Big Spring, which is where the town gets its name.
"When we first saw the spring we were just thrilled with it," Barrett says. "This is a beautiful piece of property."
But on the morning of March 2, Barrett found a new feature in the landscape, nearly stumbling into a sinkhole, nine feet deep.
"I came out here to check the orchard and was with my dog and was about five feet from falling into it," she says. "I noticed it just in time."
Barrett called a geologist from the University of Arkansas who regularly visits the property with students.
"He did say that this was the biggest one he had seen in Northwest Arkansas," she says.
In the middle of February, Benton County road crews were working on the entrances to a bridge built by the city.
Barrett believes heavy machinery preparing a nearby road for paving shook the ground loose.
"They call it a roller, it compacts the soil and gets it smooth for paving," she says. "It consequently was shaking our home, more violently than I had ever noticed it being shaken before when they would have graters out here. Within the hour I noticed plumes of mud coming out of the spring, that I had never seen before, and it was quite baffling."
The geologist also found the vibrations could be to blame, but Benton County Judge Bob Clinard isn't convinced.
"I went out and looked at it and it's about 150 yards off the road, it's behind their house," he says. "I just don't know whether our equipment caused it or not, but at this point in time I'm going to say it didn't unless somebody can prove otherwise to me."
The geologist suggests filling the hole with gravel to level the area, and Barrett sent a letter to the county asking for help.
"Putting gravel in a sinkhole that's an underground stream to me would be a tremendous liability for the county," Clinard says. "We're not going to put our trucks anywhere close to that sinkhole, and we're not going to put anything in that sinkhole."
Barrett wants to work with the county and the city to avoid another collapse, while protecting Springtown's namesake.
"The responsibility lies somewhere, either with Benton County or the town or both," she says. "We need to find a way to remedy the sinkhole, and have to work together."
Karee Barrett's home sits at the resurgence of Big Spring, which is where the town gets its name.
"When we first saw the spring we were just thrilled with it," Barrett says. "This is a beautiful piece of property."
But on the morning of March 2, Barrett found a new feature in the landscape, nearly stumbling into a sinkhole, nine feet deep.
"I came out here to check the orchard and was with my dog and was about five feet from falling into it," she says. "I noticed it just in time."
Barrett called a geologist from the University of Arkansas who regularly visits the property with students.
"He did say that this was the biggest one he had seen in Northwest Arkansas," she says.
In the middle of February, Benton County road crews were working on the entrances to a bridge built by the city.
Barrett believes heavy machinery preparing a nearby road for paving shook the ground loose.
"They call it a roller, it compacts the soil and gets it smooth for paving," she says. "It consequently was shaking our home, more violently than I had ever noticed it being shaken before when they would have graters out here. Within the hour I noticed plumes of mud coming out of the spring, that I had never seen before, and it was quite baffling."
The geologist also found the vibrations could be to blame, but Benton County Judge Bob Clinard isn't convinced.
"I went out and looked at it and it's about 150 yards off the road, it's behind their house," he says. "I just don't know whether our equipment caused it or not, but at this point in time I'm going to say it didn't unless somebody can prove otherwise to me."
The geologist suggests filling the hole with gravel to level the area, and Barrett sent a letter to the county asking for help.
"Putting gravel in a sinkhole that's an underground stream to me would be a tremendous liability for the county," Clinard says. "We're not going to put our trucks anywhere close to that sinkhole, and we're not going to put anything in that sinkhole."
Barrett wants to work with the county and the city to avoid another collapse, while protecting Springtown's namesake.
"The responsibility lies somewhere, either with Benton County or the town or both," she says. "We need to find a way to remedy the sinkhole, and have to work together."
