Six months before rushing water ripped a huge hole in a channel that drains a Northern California reservoir, state inspectors said the concrete spillway was sound. Earlier inspection reports offer potential clues, including cracks on the spillway surface that could either be cosmetic or indicate deeper problems. In recent years, construction crews patched cracks — including in the area where water burrowed a huge pit last week. "We don't have details on the repairs, but they put cement into the cracks and troweled it over," Bea said. A water resources department spokesman said it was normal for maintenance crews to be troubleshooting cracks in the channel during dry summer months.

Source: ABC News February 15, 2017 07:41 UTC