Big Stoney Creek – A network of expanding sinkholes along Big Stoney Creek continues to devour portions of Norcross Road in Giles County, Virginia, while threatening both residential water supplies and critical habitat for an endangered fish species.
During a site visit by 10 News, chunks of roadway collapsed into the void, demonstrating the active nature of these geological formations. “We don’t know how long this will last, how many days or how many sinkholes are going to open up... It’s impossible to tell,” said Giles County Administrator Chris McKlarney.
Read our original story here.
Environmental Impact Intensifies
The sinkholes have already destroyed approximately three-quarters of a mile of candy darter habitat, one of North America’s most beautiful freshwater fish species. “This is one of the only places in the world a candy darter exists,” McKlarney said. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports nearly half of the 35 known candy darter populations have vanished.
“There’s been about three-quarters of a mile of habitat that’s been lost as a result of these sinkholes because creeks literally disappeared into the sinkholes and so everything downstream has dried up,” McKlarney explained.
Unpredictable Underground Features
The geological complexity of the area poses significant challenges for repairs. “Subterranean features are very, very tricky to predict and very difficult to repair,” McKlarney said. Officials estimate repair costs could reach hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Some sinkholes have formed beneath the creek itself, temporarily draining sections of Big Stoney Creek. While recent rainfall has restored water flow, hidden sinkholes lurk beneath the rushing water, creating additional safety concerns. This has prompted county leaders to post signs along the creek warning anyone who may be fishing or wading in the water to the underground holes.
“Stoney Creek has sunk downstream of this location for as long as I can remember,” McKlarney noted. “The question is, if you repair this one today, do you have another one open up in another spot tomorrow? And where do you stop? When do you try to stop this natural process?”
Local resident Terry Speckmeier, who has lost access to household water due to the sinkholes, expressed his concerns. “It’s kind of scary,” he said. “I’d just like to have clean water.”
Read more of his story here.
Path Forward
County officials have met with the Department of Wildlife Resources to discuss solutions that would address both infrastructure repairs and habitat preservation. However, the dynamic nature of the karst terrain suggests this will remain an ongoing challenge for the community.
10 News will continue to follow this developing story.