Since Modesto Irrigation Director Larry Byrd voted to squash an investigation into himself last month, some, including experts, have wondered how he was allowed to do that. … In September, MID launched an investigation after Byrd was publicly accused of either stealing or misusing the district’s canal water. The investigation found that Byrd’s previous answers to some of the accusations against him were impossible. However, the report, scientific and data-reliant, failed to clearly implicate Byrd. But had Byrd recused himself, the investigation would have continued.