Sinkhole risk in Cumberland County, TN: Mostly deep or small

Mostly deep or small

Some soluble rock, mostly deeply buried or in a small share of the county.

On soluble rock: 3%
At or near the surface: 3%
Buried under cover: 0%

The next step for one property

Sinkholes are uncommon here; watch for new depressions after heavy rain or leaking pipes.

That works out to roughly 18 of Cumberland County's 681 square miles on soluble rock, 18 of them with the rock at or near the surface. With about 65,618 residents (96 per square mile), homes are spread across towns and farmland, and a mapped unit may or may not reach the developed parts. The figures come from 302 map points about 1.5 miles apart, so a pocket smaller than that can be missed or overstated.

Two things to read before deciding: how these percentages are measured, and the warning signs that apply anywhere.

Counties around Cumberland County

The nearest county rated sinkhole country is White County, TN, about 26 miles west, close enough that the same rock may run under the county line. None of the 6 closest counties land in the same band, so Cumberland County stands out from its surroundings.

Morgan County, TN 24 mi northeast · under 1% at surface
Rhea County, TN 24 mi south · 47% at surface
White County, TN 26 mi west · 74% at surface
Roane County, TN 27 mi east · 74% at surface
Bledsoe County, TN 27 mi southwest · 25% at surface
Fentress County, TN 29 mi north · 15% at surface

What Cumberland County is built on

The largest mapped soluble unit here is the Bangor Limestone and Hartselle Formation (limestone), Mississippian in age, covering about 1% of the county. Next is the Bigby-Cannon Limestone and Hermitage Formation at under 1%.

Against the rest of Tennessee

Cumberland County ranks 77 of 95 in Tennessee for soluble rock at the surface, and sits above 59% of US counties on that measure.