Imperial Valley Press

Water Rips Thru Highline Break
50 on Emergency Crew Close Gap in All Night Battle Against Torrent as Washout Threatens Main Supply Canal

An emergency crew of 50 men Tuesday morning closed a 25 by 35 foot break in the East Highline canal after an all night battle.

Water was running through the East Highline at the rate of 1,000 second feet, Joe Snyder, of the operation and maintenance division, said.

If a patrolman had not seen the break just as it happened, Snyder said, the whole canal would have been endangered and water soon might have been out of control. "A few minutes delay in catching the break," Snyder said, "and it is possible the canal would have washed out."

The emergency crew and the required equipment were rushed to the scene, sand filled sacks were dumped rapidly into the break which was 35 feet wide and 25 feet long, and bulldozers did their work.

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Water Rips Thru Highline Break

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The break was closed in 11 hours. Because of the break, Snyder said, it was necessary to lower the water level in the East Highline canal.

Water was down to approximately half capacity all night and service was interrupted for approximately 12 hours.

Clear water caused the canal bottom to drop, resulting in water seepage in the cut-off walls of the head gate structure, Snyder said. It will be necessary to build a new structure and make other repairs. The loss had not been estimated Tuesday.

No damage was done private property and comparatively little to district property, Snyder said.