Missouri Department of Natural Resources responds to assist city with sinkhole

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, JUNE 13, 2026 - The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has mobilized assistance from its Missouri Geological Survey in response to a sinkhole that opened near I-70 and the Dome in St. Louis today. The large sinkhole is located at the end of an exit ramp off of 1-70.

“We’re sending Fletcher Bone, an environmental program specialist with our Missouri Geological Survey to assist the city in evaluating the sinkhole, “ said MoDNR Director Kurt Schaefer. “It’s important for us to be proactive and respond quickly when Missouri communities need assistance.

Bone was MoDNR’s 2025 Team Member of the Year for his assistance to the community of Fair Play with potential issues related to its wastewater treatment facility. His work helped the city make informed decisions about how to best proceed with infrastructure improvements.

MoDNR has identified approximately 16,000 sinkholes in Missouri, although many more exist that have not been reported or documented. The largest known sinkhole in Missouri encompasses approximately 700 acres in western Boone County, southeast of where Interstate 70 crosses the Missouri River. While records are not kept about depth, we know some are greater than 100 feet deep.

Team members with MoDNR’s Missouri Geological Survey investigate the state’s geology, providing geologic and hydrologic information and expertise to aid economic development, infrastructure considerations and environmental decision-making regarding site remediation, contaminant migration, subsurface investigations and geologic hazards.