Sunday, Aug. 17, 2008

Canal break puts 2,000 on water rotation

By Joe Chapman, Herald staff writer

About 2,000 Kennewick Irrigation District customers in south Richland and West Richland could be on rotating water supply through Wednesday as construction crews work to rebuild a canal levee that ruptured.

The irrigation district pumped water into the canal at two points below the break Saturday to restore some water supply to customers down line. KID will pay for the additional water, which was provided by developer/farmer Thayne Wiser and Badger Mountain Irrigation District.

Although the added water wouldn't be enough to restore full capacity for everyone, it will keep customers supplied on a rotating basis as the canal system's ponds drain and refill, said Harry Fox, operations superintendent. At least half should have water at any given point, he said.

"We've got to play a little hopscotch and go where it looks like it's needed the most," Fox said.

After Monday morning, customers can go to the KID website, www.kid .org, for updated information about the availability of water. Until then, they will need to check their systems to see if they have irrigation water.

"If they've got pressure, use it," Fox said, although he also encouraged customers to use only what they need to get by.

The canal could be rebuilt and provide full service to everyone by late Tuesday or early Wednesday, Fox said. His estimate included the 24 to 36 hours it will take to refill the canal once the repairs are done, he said.

KID hired Ray Poland & Sons Inc. to do the repairs, because the contractor can do it faster than the district, Fox said.

The break in the Badger East Canal happened after 4 p.m. Friday, when the earthen levee, weakened by burrowing gophers, gave way. The break occurred near the spot where the same canal broke in July 2007.

Both times, residents on Kase Boulevard were in the path of the water.

On Saturday, the water was gone, but deposits of silt and debris were scattered on the street, in drainage ditches, on driveways and in yards.

KID paid for a street-sweeper to clean the road, and Deputy Manager Margo Hines went door-to-door talking to homeowners.

The irrigation district will pay for landscaping to help restore yards, and insurance representatives planned to be on hand today to take information, she said.

Most of the homeowners reported only having debris in their yards, she said.

But homeowner Mike Case said he was worried his house's foundation and septic system may have been damaged.

On Friday, his house was surrounded by water, and water got into the crawl space beneath it. He said it was similar to a year ago, except the water didn't get as high under the house.

"It's frustrating," Case said. "You look at it, and go, it's an inconvenience. But when it happens twice, you start to think maybe there's something wrong with the way KID's operating.

"It's like winning the lottery twice, but in reverse."

Fox said he couldn't promise the canal wouldn't break there again.

"I hope never," he said. "It's something we're going to have to work on with our board of directors, the funding, to see what we can do to make a safer canal."

The problem is a result of development expanding into areas that used to be strictly agricultural, Fox said. When a canal floods a hay field, it's not as big a problem as when it floods a residential neighborhood, he said.