"If this goal were not met, the contractors, in all likelihood, would he forced to suspend operations until the winter of 1933-34, when the water was again at its lowest ebb, and pay the $3,000fine for every day beyond October 1 they had to wait for the river to drop. "37 -Joseph E. Stevens "In February 1932 they had a flood come down the Colorado River. It lasted two or three days, and it flooded our tunnels, our big tunnels. We had to get the tunnels all cleaned out and pump the water out. Some of that water was too heavy to pump. There was so much mud in it that they had to haul muck in there, spray the water, and then haul the muck out again... That took several days, and it ran into probably three or four weeks before that was all cleaned out to where they could go back to their regular mining again, their drilling. "38 Neil Holmes The dam site, the suspension bridge, and the enormity of Six Companies' challenge in rousting the Colorado from its bed could all be seen from the Overlook. In order to meet government deadlines, the diversion tunnels had to be drilled and put into operation during the low water season of 1932-33. Warm rains in February 1932 sent a series of floods roaring into Black Canyon, washing out the trestle bridge, gnawing at dykes and levees, and pouring into the diversion tunnels. When the waters finally receded, clean-up began.