Officials Explain How Gopher Activity Breached Levee And Flooded Homes

Four days after a breached levee at the Franklin Canal flooded several homes, some residents are still wondering how the breach was able to get so big.

The flooding happened Saturday morning at the 7000 block of Ramos Court. Several homes remain evacuated until city inspectors clear the houses of any health hazards.

Officials with the El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1 maintain the canal water leaked out because of gopher activity near the levee.

However, several residents are skeptical about that explanation.

“I’ve been in my house 53 years,” said Victor Garcia. “I know there are gophers all over the place, but the gophers make small holes. The holes aren’t that big.”

Jesus Reyes, general manager of the Water Improvement District, said he understands the skepticism surrounding the gopher explanation. However, he said most people fail to take into account the water erosion that turns a small gopher hole into a big breach.

Maintenance manager Pete Rodriguez agreed. “People ask me, ‘Was the gopher hole on steroids?’ and I go, ‘No, it’s just a small hole, but the water makes it much bigger.'”

Rodriguez said the hole had already been leaking when it was discovered by one of their workers. “He tried to stop it with a shovel, but the water was running too fast through that hole,” Rodriguez said.

Reyes said by the time the worker called for backup, it was too late to hold back the flooding into the Ramos Court homes.

Officials said it’s difficult to prevent levee breaches like Saturday’s. They said the canals already get annual maintenance and there are workers “24 hours a day, seven days a week” monitoring canals during irrigation season. Reyes said the Franklin canal underwent some maintenance about five months ago.

Officials said it would cost about $32 million to line the canal with cement, which makes it an unlikely project in the near future.

When asked whether the hole that led to the breach could have been discovered earlier, Reyes replied, “Perhaps. It was unfortunate. I mean believe me, we don’t want this kind of tragedy to happen again.”

The El Paso County Water District No. 1, a tax-funded state entity, is covering damage costs through its insurance company.