Abstract: On September 18, 1992, Employee #1, the water district manager, was checking for a leak in an irrigation ditch. He jumped into the approximately 8 foot deep canal with a piece of plywood to stop a leak that was thought to be caused by rodents. While under water trying to plug up the leak, Employee #1 was suddenly sucked up against a 30 inch concrete pipe inlet. The left side of his face and chest were forced up against the opening and he was unable to pull free. As a last resort he decided to go through the opening, not knowing where it came out. He emerged in a large eroded area of the ditch bank about 25 feet from where he had entered. Employee #1's ear was torn and required stitches, and he suffered abrasions to his face. Past records show that this pipe was unknown and had apparently been plugged. It is believed that when Employee #1 went through the pipe it had just opened up: The leak that had been noted was not equivalent to the volume of a 30 inch pipe.