The news says there are investigating for the cause of this embankment failure.
When I was a kid, I use to ride ditch. Ditch Riding is setting and controlling the flow, and the level, of irrigation canals. The canal level provides the head for gravity irrigation. It must be maintained, or a few dozen very angry farmers and ranchers will be hunting you down.
Every so many headgates, a check would be installed, where removable planks could adjust level with different flow rates. And trash to be caught and cleared.
One of the most important duties was to inspect the outer bank every day. Looking for traces of water leakage.
From the rats. Muskrats, gophers and other varmints love to house in canal banks. If and when a leak starts, if it’s not plugged, the embankment will fail in short order. And when the rat hole floods, the rat starts a new hole.
This is when the riding stops and the digging begins. A trenching parallel with canal until water is found. Then back fill the trench. This usually takes care of it, until a new one hole is built.
I carried a pistol, other riders used rifles and shotguns. Open season on varmints. Unless you like digging trenches with a pick and shovel. Sometimes deep trenches. Lot’s of sweat. The year I left, they bought a backhoe.
I would look for rats. And hire a ditchrider. With a backhoe.
British Canal Sinkhole?
Re: British Canal Sinkhole?
