Past slides have been a result of irrigation, but until the ground is stable, a thorough report won't be available, Pack said.

Natural streams also are common in the area. One small stream that neighbors say ran throughout the year between the house that collapsed and another house that was severely damaged was running heavier and muddier than usual earlier Saturday, said neighbor Doug Roos.

"Someone must not have been checking the canal. Any simple farmer would have seen something had changed dramatically," he said.

Roos believes the section of the canal must have been deteriorating for some time.

Nielsen said there is no public oversight of the canal that broke because it runs through private property and numerous water rights are held along its path. Yet, he said, the department often works with the canal company to make repairs.

The responsibility of inspecting the canals falls to Mike Jones, the water master for the Logan Northern Irrigation Co., which operates the Logan-Hyde Park-Smithfield Canal, Nielsen said.

There are about 17 canals in the Logan area that are privately owned and operated by local irrigation companies, Nielsen said.

"From my standpoint, the water master is on the canal on a regular basis — I would say daily if not weekly, and we would expect to hear from him if there (were) issues he felt needed resolved," Nielsen said Sunday.

Nielsen acknowledged that three complaints had been received from residents saying that drainage systems along Canyon Road weren't working properly.

But city workers only investigated the problems along the roadway, which is their jurisdiction.

After completing their investigation, crews that responded to the initial call surveyed the streams in question, yet because they were unable to contact residents, the issue was never resolved, he said.

"We have some water issues every year, but we responded to the issues we could deal with," Nielsen said. "Concerns from residents regarded Canyon Road drainage systems … We did not have any indication that the canal was an issue. Can't say if drains were an issue."

e-mail: preavy@desnews.com; cnorlen@desnews.com