At around 10:45 p.m., scouring by the turbulent water, and pressure from the massive buildup, caused a large culvert to fail.   At the time of the flood, the culvert was a 12' X 14' concrete tunnel which ran beneath the railroad bed.   A   36" concrete pipe had been laid-in at ground level, and dirt had been compacted around it to fill the entire underpass.   In flood situations, the arrangement was designed to lead some of the excess water underground, in a southeastward direction where it would rejoin Spring Creek near College Avenue . . .

    This photo shows the culvert at 9:00 a.m. on the morning of 29 July 1997.   The compacted dirt had all been washed away, and the pipe broken into parts.   A section of the concrete pipe can be seen to the right.

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