With hundreds of thousands of yards of earth cut away and an opening 600 feet wide and seventy-five feet deep dug into the south face of the glacial moraine at the Cedar river reservoir, where the breaking out of the impounded waters practically wiped out the village of Edgewick early Monday morning, the waters of the huge basin continue to drain off.

The sluicing action of the break in the moraine is eating steadily back toward the reservoir, with its vast storage of water, and unless the break clogs it may yet become necessary to blast a hole through the masonry dam at the lower end to relive the preassure. City officials had not determined on this step Tuesday night, however.

In the meantime at the city hall responsibility for the action that caused the impounded waters to burst through the porous north bank of the reservoir found no claimants Tuesday.

It is generaly conceded that the the flooding of the reservoir in order to test the result of sealing operations caused the unusual leakage. J. D. Ross, superintendent of the city lighting department, announced yesterday that he had all along opposed the flooding of the basin until the sealing process had been completed and proved a success. The council, however, ordered the flooding over his veto.

When a critical situation seemed impending at the reservoir three weeks ago, the water in the impounding basin having risen to within a few feet of the spillway, Mr. Ross reported the matter to the mayor and recommended that the impounded water be released in order to prevent injury to the wooden dam and other complications. The mayor hastily called an informal meeting of such councilmen as he could find in the city hall and the matter was gone over. Mr. Ross proposed that the plug in a hole at the lower part of the dam be removed. This hole, which is eleven feet in diameter, was made two years ago and has been used as a chute for logs. The plug, consisting of heavy planks, was inserted last fall when sealing operations were in progress and the basin is filling with water.

Mr. Ross told the councilmen plainly that he feared a catastrophe unless the plug was removed, but the conference ruled against him and the flooding of the basin was continued, without any outlet at the dam below the spillway.

Mr. Ross was at the scene of the break all day Monday. From his observations at the place he believes that seepage from the reservoir had collected in a cavern or pocket in the hill. When this cavern was filled to its limit the impounded water burst through the earth and shot through the gullies in the hill whereever it could find an opening.

While Mr. Ross did not visit the scene of the break Tuesday, he received reports at his office keeping him informed as to the situation. These reports stated that the flow of water had diminished little, if any. The level of the water in the impounding basin has not been lowered, being almost up to the spillway at the last reports late Tuesday afternoon.

J. D. Blackwell, the hydraulic engineer who had charge of the sealing operations at the reservoir, is on the ground keeping in touch with conditions.

In addition to the $2,9600,00 spent by the city up to the stage of completion of the masonry dam, and the $185,129.27 spent in sealing operations, there is likewise to be included $68,716.34 for the condemnation of the town of Cedar Falls. This sum includes interest and court costs. The ordinance providing for the condemnation of the town site was passed by the council January 17, 1916.