MAITLAND, Fla. – Efforts to evaluate the stability of a significant sinkhole in Maitland have not yielded positive results, according to a representative from Orange County Public Works. The sinkhole, which emerged on Friday, has disrupted traffic on Wymore Road and heightened concerns among local residents about the safety of the area’s road infrastructure.
Darrell Moody, the spokesperson for Orange County Public Works, explained to News 6 that on Monday, crews attempted to assess the sinkhole’s stability by pumping over 20,000 gallons of water into it. The goal was to observe whether the water would be retained, which would suggest stability.
Manoj Chopra, a civil engineering professor at the University of Central Florida, elaborated on this approach. “By introducing water into the sinkhole before using grout or other stabilizing materials, we aim to determine if the sinkhole is continuing to expand,” he said.
However, shortly after speaking with Chopra, Moody reported that all the water had drained away, indicating that the ground beneath remains unstable and has yet to stabilize.
Chopra further emphasized, “The entire formation and stabilization of a sinkhole fundamentally depend on water dynamics.”
“The entire sinkhole process is water-driven,” Chopra said.
Chopra explained that both drought conditions and heavy rain can contribute to a sinkhole opening.
“When it’s a drought, the water naturally is dropping,” Chopra explained. “And if it’s naturally dropping, you now have a drier area, and that water again is being pushed down.”
Moody told News 6 that crews will likely continue to try to fill the hole with water Tuesday to once again test its stability.
