Karst Hazard Mitigation
Environmental hazards occur in every environment and ecosystem in the world by natural processes, as well as human-induced processes. Subsidence, sinkhole flooding, groundwater contamination, and radon gas are just a handfull of hazards found in karst regions of the world. Hazard prevention and mitigation are essential to areas succeptible to any environmental hazard. Mitigation efforts include: impact avoidance, minimization, and enhancement.
Aerial view of a sinkhole formed in the jungles of Belize, South America (www.channel5belize.com/ sinkhole/welcome.html)
The application of BMPs (Best Mangement Practices) can result in poitive results. In karst areas, agricultural and ecological researchers have designed BMPs to reduce amounts of runoff such as diverting runoff from designated buffer zones composed of flora, adjacent to sinkholes and streams, through the construction of holding ponds. BMPs are expensive and labor intensive. Due to the high cost, many farmers rely on governmental aid to acquire them. There are many publications dealing with BMPs (http://cwx.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/nebel2/medialib/update13.html, 2004).
Water diversion BMP in Florida, reduction in groundwater contamination.
Here are some links to websites containing information and services dealing with Best Management Practices:
Storm Water BMPs- http://www.autorecyc.org/docs/govt/stormwater.html
Environmental BMPs- http://www.feric.ca/en/ed/html/bmp.htm
Agricultural Pesticide BMPs- http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/water/g1182.htm
