CARLSBAD — City Council approved a Declaration of Emergency after another sinkhole was found in Carlsbad last month, adding to an existing problem that seems to have been caused by the heavy rains this winter.

The new sinkhole, found March 1 in the backyard of a home on Cameo Road, was too close for comfort for a neighboring residence. The 6-foot-by-10-foot hole was about 3 feet deep and revealed a separated storm drain. City workers determined that the damage extended to El Camino Real.

Work is now under way to remove and replace the damaged storm drain pipeline, located within an 8-foot easement, with an estimated repair cost of $250,000.

In January, another large sinkhole took out the driveway to an RV storage facility in the Calaveras Hills area. Repairs continue on that site off Tamarack Avenue east of El Camino Real. Employees of the Carlsbad Municipal Water District discovered the 70-foot sinkhole on Jan. 7 after they noticed a problem with water pressure in the area.

“We’re really not sure what caused the sinkhole,” said Mark Stone, general manager of the Carlsbad Municipal Water District. “But as a result, it broke our water line.”

Stone said it is possible the heavy rains prior to the collapse had eroded the embankment, and when it gave way it took the line with it.

Stone said the problem was discovered right away by monitors in place to do just that. The Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system, or SCADA, is a computerized system that provides, “watchful eyes,” Stone said.

The Declaration of Emergency for the two sinkholes allowed repair work to begin sooner, Stone said. Otherwise, he said the city would have needed to take bids on the projects, and then get council approval prior to beginning work, which would have delayed repairs.