One of the most troubling problems with this site is the geology. The following information was supplied by Dr. Melanie A. Mayes, a geologist and contaminant hydrologist.

Exposed sedimentary limestones, such as exist in the Thorn Grove area, often result in the development of “karst” features. Karst occurs due to the dissolution of the chemical compound (CaCO3) that is the primary component of limestone. Sandstone is, not surprisingly, composed of, sand. As we are all aware, sand does not readily dissolve. Limestone, in contrast, is a chemical precipitate. In other words, it is a salt consisting of an ionic bond between a metal ion and a carbonate ion. Like salt, limestone readily dissolves in water. In particular, limestone is especially prone to dissolve under acidic conditions. Acidic conditions are normal in eastern Tennessee, and they result from both “acid rain” (due to burning fossil fuels) and the natural process of infiltration of rainwater into the subsurface. When rainwater infiltrates through soil, it picks up dissolved CO2 from the decay of organic materials by microbes. The combination of CO2 with rainwater produces a mildly acidic solution, carbonic acid, which is the same compound that makes Coca-Cola fizzy (only without the sugar and carmel coloring). Just as Coca-Cola will dissolve the precipitates that form on the battery cables of your car, carbonic acid will dissolve limestone.

Consequently, anywhere limestone geology is exposed at the surface, dissolution will occur. Unfortunately, dissolution never occurs in an even fashion. Dissolution occurs preferentially along pre-existing planes of weakness in layered sedimentary rocks. The very obvious planes of weakness are those that occur between different sedimentary layers, so-called “bedding planes.” In eastern Tennessee, however, our rocks are folded and faulted due to the proximity of the Appalachian mountains. The mountain-building process is what gave us the Valley and Ridge topography from Kingston to the foot of the Smokies, in which there are long, parallel ridges separated by deep valleys. Folding and faulting have resulted in additional planes of weakness in the rocks, and these are very common in Eastern Tennessee. The valleys are places which have preferentially eroded, as are the “gaps” we see in the ridges.

Limestone will dissolve preferentially where there are planes of weakness, such as bedding planes, folds, and faults. Dissolution isolated to these places results in the formation of large conduits, which are the defining characteristic of karst environments. Sometimes these conduits become caves, sometimes they are sinkholes, and sometimes natural springs emerge from them. What is significant about karst hydrology for the proposed industrial park, however, is that these conduits constitute a greatly increased risk for groundwater quality, surface water quality, and the integrity of structures built upon limestone. Why? Because large conduits can move contaminants very quickly and over large distances. In addition, these conduits generally discharge into streams through springs without significantly interacting with much subsurface material. In other words, there is very little means to protect the groundwater in a karst environment. Sinkholes, for example, often provide a DIRECT connection to subsurface groundwater. The large amount of sinkholes in the very small Thorn Grove area is suggestive of a highly permeable subsurface that will readily transmit contaminants. The time for a spilled contaminant, sewage, or oil residues and salts from roads to reach the groundwater may be on the order of hours to days. In addition, large rainstorms may greatly decrease this response time.

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