Basalt firefighters clear plugged culvert

BASALT ” A culvert on the edge of the Summit Vista subdivision was plugged by debris early Wednesday morning, and water began overflowing before firefighters solved the problem.

The Basalt Fire Department was called to the scene on Parkside Lane at about 1 a.m., according to Fire Chief Scott Thompson. An irrigation ditch was overflowing because of the plugged culvert, he said.

The ditch operator had closed the gate, but about 4 inches of water was flowing over the road and making its way into the garage of one home.

The fire department borrowed special equipment, used to maintain ditches, from the Crawford family of El Jebel to clear the culvert. Thompson said firefighters had to step into about 4 feet of water and insert a spinning nozzle with a chain into the culvert.

The problem was solved without flooding affecting any homes, Thompson said. Firefighters cleared the scene by about 2:30 a.m.