- This is it, right here.
See this little drip, drip, drip?
- Okay.
- And listen for just a second.
This is what has created this.
(music)
This little bit of water is the key ingredient
for creating some amazing places
that are right beneath our feet.
We know about the paths that make for our landscapes
with rivers and streams,
but how about the pathways that water carves underground.
We don't often see those hidden places.
I'm John and I'm a big fan of caves.
- And I'm Amtchat Edwards.
I could talk shop about freshwater, trails, and trees,
but I'm learning about caves.
I work for the U.S. Forest Service
which stewards 193 million acres of national forests
and grasslands throughout the nation,
including thousands of caves and springs.
These are all public lands so if you think about it,
I work for you.
Now during this program we'll be exploring some caves
in Ozark-St. Francis National Forest in northern Arkansas,
and taking a look at some other caves around the country.
- We're going to learn about how caves and karsts
are pathways that connect us,
as well as plants, animals, and water,
to the world below.
- Wait, caves and karsts?
I know what a cave is, but what about karsts?
- It's a landscape defined by caves, springs,
sinkholes and disappearing streams,
just like that one.
You see how this tiny trickle goes into these rocks
and just disappears?
Like many places in the United States,
this area is formed of limestone rock,
and here is a map showing where to find
caves and karsts across the country.
If you're interested in caves like me,
then there's probably one not too far from where you live
that you could visit.
The National Cave Association also has many great maps
of where to find caves near you.
- Hey, here's some folks going by right now.
- Well they're going on a wild cave tour
which means they'll get to crawl around
and get a close look at the caverns.
Caves are so much fun to explore.
- Yeah, they're going to go underground?
Like under all these big rocks?
Yeah, I'm going to have to take your word
on that about being fun.
But how about you tell me why should care about caves.
- Well knowing about caves and karsts
is important for many reasons.
Groundwater connects springs, wells,
and other drinking water sources for people and wildlife,
so we need to know about the geology of cave systems.
Caves support unique biological communities,
they provide information about human history,
and many people find that caving is really interesting.
- Yeah, I'm getting excited
about learning more.
- Alright, so let's go check in
with a couple of scientists, right?
Because they're going to talk to us a little bit more
about why caves are such an important resource.
Let's go meet Fernando Hernandez.
He's one of our rockstar scientists.
Because he's a geologist, rock-star.
Alright, pardon the dad joke.
Can you just tell us a little bit
about the geology of this area?
- Yeah, of course.
The story about this area
and many areas with limestone rock
started millions and millions of years ago.
Shallow seas once covered this area
and the shells from critters in these shallow seas
drifted to the bottom,
then mixed with mud and organic matter
that gradually compressed into layers of limestone.
Then, over more millions of years,
water flowed through the limestone to carve out caves.
We've got a team of geologists and hydrologists here today
studying how the water and air
that we see, feel, and use on the surface,
creates these fascinating places down below.
As you mentioned, water is the critical ingredient
that creates these features and connects to everything.
You should go and talk to Johanna Kovarik.
She's the cave and karsts coordinator
of the U.S. Forest Service.
See you guys inside the cave.
- Hey Johanna.
- Hey Amtchat.
- Please tell me what's going on,
because you're dressed like a canary in a mineshaft.
Should I be concerned?
- No, you should not be concerned.
- So what do you have there?
- This is the dye,
we're going to put it in the water.
Go ahead.
One way to study where the water goes underground
is to put non-harmful dye into the water.
This shows us where the water goes
and where it flows underground.
- So why do we need to know exactly where the water goes?
- By understanding where the groundwater flows
we can help to protect its cleanliness
not only for ourselves, but also for the environment.
We can understand how karst features on the surface
are connected with the world beneath our feet.
- Oh I can't wait to see where that dye shows up.
- Yeah, me too.
Thanks Johanna.
- You're welcome.