Just before midnight on Saturday, water breached a portion of the Alkali Siphon South of Aronson Avenue.  The irrigation canal dumped a large amount of water in the Alkali Creek neighborhood on Sunday morning after that section of the waterway was compromised.  The earth under the canal washed away and the concrete base of the waterway fell apart, leaving a 25-foot-deep crater on the side of the hill.

 

No homes were reported flooded, according to superintendent Allan Workman of Billings Bench Water Association.  Workman said the canal runs 63 miles from Laurel to northeast of Shepherd and serves about 1,600 farmers and ranchers.  Water to the canal was blocked off at about 2 a.m. Sunday but water continued to flow on Sunday afternoon while the 25 miles of canal drained.  Crews will assess the damage when water levels drop.  The Bench Water Association board of directors met Sunday afternoon.

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