Following a closed session Thursday, the Marion County Board of Supervisors has released an update related to a sinkhole that has reformed south of Knoxville.

According to the release issued by Public Information Officer Emily Feagins, the sinkhole reformed at 8:10 p.m. on Monday along the 1700 Block of 135th Place in nearly the exact same spot as the first that occurred on April 12th of last year.

Since April of 2023, the road has remained closed and will continue until further notice, as Marion County continues to “investigate causation, permanent repair, and a determination that it is safe to reopen.”

The area is fenced and barricaded to restrict public access. Marion County directs the public to stay outside of the fenced area and away from private property. This area is dangerous and county officials reinforce that anyone who enters the prohibited area could be prosecuted for trespassing.

“We understand the inconvenience this is causing and the economic impact this is having on our citizens,” Feagins wrote. “However, Marion County must ensure the safety of people traveling in this area above all else.”

Throughout the last 14 months, Feagins says Marion County has worked with various Local, State, and Federal agencies, as well as private entities, regarding the cause of the sinkholes. During that process, Bruening Rock Products, Inc. submitted a plan to repair the original sinkhole to Marion County, obtained a work within the right-of-way permit, and proceeded to execute the plan.

Letter-to-Marion-County-Board-of-Supervisors-regarding-sinkhole-11-15-23“>As part of that effort, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship issued the attached letter in November of 2023 as an affirmation of their initial report from May 4, 2023.

Breuning, the owner of S&S Quarries, told KCCI-TV they still believe the sinkhole is a result of coal mining. However, an investigation last spring found that it was not an abandoned coal mine.