Karst, like coastal erosion, landslides, radon, mine subsidence, and earthquakes, is a geologic hazard that Ohioans must live with. As with any geologic hazard, however, the risks to property and health from living on karst can be greatly reduced by using common sense and maintaining a sense of respect for both the power and vulnerability of the environment. Here are a few key points to consider when living on karst.

• Herbicides, insecticides, and fertilizers entering sinkholes are conducted rapidly into the ground-water system with little or no soil filtration. In order to protect ground-water resources from contamination, farmers, lawn-care providers, and residential property owners should not apply agricultural or horticultural chemicals within 100 feet of sinkholes.
   
• Septic systems, animal feedlots, manure lagoons, and other potential sources of bacterial contamination should not be located near sinkholes.
   
• Buffer or filter strips of grass, or other noncrop vegetation that does not require fertilization, should be planted around sinkholes to reduce the amount of coarse-grained sediment and other contamination being carried into them.
   
• Sinkholes should never be used to dispose of trash, appliances, furniture, automobiles, tires, used motor oil, fuels, chemicals, paints, solvents or other waste products. Homeowners acquiring property that has waste-filled sinkholes should consider removing this litter. Local public health departments and county extension offices should be contacted for information on removing litter from sinkholes and possible sources of financial assistance for sinkhole clean-up.
   
• Sinkholes are part of the natural drainage system of an area, and ill-considered backfilling or sealing can result in serious flooding of adjacent land. Structures built on top of improperly backfilled sinkholes are highly vulnerable to catastrophic foundation failure when plugging methods fail. For these reasons, stabilization, sealing, or backfilling of sinkholes should always be performed under the oversight of an engineering geologist or foundation engineer who is experienced in sinkhole repair.