Cavechat.org

I know I've seen this information somewhere, but I can't seem to find it.... I'm trying to find a couple of examples of caves that flow beneath rivers. I already know about the ones in Florida, but I'm looking for other examples, preferably ones that are mentioned in journal articles, as I'd like to cite the sources.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Jason Gulley

Around my area, some people call streams and creeks "rivers." Are you referring to any moving body of water, or specifically those that are classified as rivers?

Also, are you talking about rivers that flow over top of a cave, or those that flow into a cave?

Finally, you said "caves that flow." Does the cave have to have water in it?

Northern Alabama has examples of caves under rivers. Dry Creek Cave is one to describe a cave that is normally flooded, but in periods of drought becomes enterable. Up near Estill Fork is another cave in a stream bed. In a karst region such as northern Alabama (and Texas in the Edwards Aquifer) it is not unusual to see dry stream beds that can become raging torrents in minutes.

Is this what you are looking for?

Thanks for the suggestions thus far! I have a vague recollection of reading about/hearing about an air-filled cave passage that went beneath a permanent river somewhere in Europe (England maybe).... I'm mostly interested in cave passages (air-filled or water-filled) that cross underneath permanent rivers.

If you include creeks, Hallidays Deep Cave has an air-filled passage that runs under Baker Creek on the Great Basin National Park in Nevada. There is a small water cascade when passing under the creek, but the passage is definitely air-filled.

Arrrg!! I obviously meant Systems Key Cave instead of Hallidays Deep Cave, and commented by Andy Armstrong below. (Edit of August 3)

Systems Key Cave in Great Basin NP also goes under Baker Creek. It is an air-filled passage. The roof is leaky at this point in the cave, and a small (2ft.) waterfall comes in from the wall.

There are lots of water-filled caves beneath active rivers. But there are a surprising number of air-filled caves beneath rivers too. I can think of one we did on the Nomash River on Vancouver Island; the entrance was right beside the river, and it dropped down then crossed beneath the river - in fact took a very small bit of water off the river and passed it thru the cave, a stream beneath the river. We explored it, but quickly, because even a half-inch rise in surface river levels would have sumped the cave beneath completely.

Creekside Pot entrance to Glory 'ole, also in on Vancouver Island, is located immdiately adjacent to a creek and would take a lot of that creek when it rose.

Doolin Cave System in Ireland runs beneath an active stream, and some water leaks into the cave from above. Some day the entire creek will punch into the cave, I guess.

Caledonia Cave in the Caribou Mountains of BC has a stream running overtop, which hooks back and then runs into the entrance. We diverted the thing away from the entrance to facilitate exploration, but it still runs on the surface overtop the cave.

I guess in a sense all caves are located beneath temporary surface waters, whenever it rains up top.

The Omega folks (in Virginia) dye traced under the South Fork of the Powell River at Cracker Neck. Wil Orndorff or someone with the VSS would likely have details.

Contact info for Wil at the bottom of this page: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_her ... home.shtml

Found the paper here:

http://www.caves.org/pub/journal/PDF/v7 ... 03-168.pdf

Good luck.

There is a long standing legend about a cave that runs under the Rio Grande River in Santa Elena Canyon in the big bend region of Texas...

Surprise cave , Sullivan county ny: cave under river

What about places where piracy occurs? Like the Black Hole on the Elk River in WV or where Big Springs Fork is swallowed by a hole that goes into Sharps Cave.

There's at least one spring on the Current River, MO, that get at least some of its flow from some kind of conduit that passes under the Current River-

http://www.mospeleo.org/ozark_caving/springs/round.htm

It was easy to remember, because my cat Rounder came from the Round Spring campground.

Looking at the maps in the WVASS book on Buckeye Creek, the entire drainage of Culverson Creek Cave passes directly underneath the Buckeye Creek basin, though I don't know if any dry passage has ever been found beyond Culverson's terminal sump.

Thanks for all the help so far. These have been great. If anyone thinks of any more, please feel free to post the info (especially if it includes a reference I can cite).

I apologize for the lack of replies earlier - I've been on fieldwork in Alaska.