Canal breach shuts down water deliveries for Mitchell, Gering Irrigation Districts

Officials say it will take a number of days before repairs can be made to an irrigation canal southwest of Morrill. Manager Pete Unrein with the Mitchell Irrigation District tells KNEB News they were notified of a breach undercutting the canal bank around 6 a.m. Wednesday morning, likely caused by an animal that had burrowed into the bank. Unrein says workers tried to reduce the flow and make immediate repairs to keep the canal in service, but the rush of cavitating water eroded the dirt faster than equipment could arrive at the scene and rebuild the bank, forcing a shutdown of the entire canal. The closure also impacts irrigators in the Gering Irrigation District. He says several days of dry, warmer weather is needed to stablize the ground so heavy equipment can come in and rebuild the canal bank so water deliveries can resume, with no immediate eta for completion of the repairs.