DITCH CLEANING 101

What is my responsibility to maintain on the lateral?

Property owners in Idaho are responsible to keep the irrigation ditches and boxes on their properties free of debris, vegetation, or tree roots that could impair the flow of water downstream.  

Here is a checklist for you to follow to insure your ditches are clear and your neighbors get their water too:

Step 1

Remove any leaves, trash, or other loose debris from any ditch, grate, or box on your property.

Step 2

Remove any rocks or loose gravel from the ditch, pipe, or box. Remove tree roots growing into the ditch.

Step 3

Pull, mow, burn, or dig out any plants growing inside the ditch and trim any bushes or trees growing over or into the ditch or over the easement, impeding access to the ditch. 

NOTE: DO NOT use Roundup or other chemical weed killers as they can be flushed downstream in the water as well as destroy the vegetation that holds the ditch embankments in place.

Step 4

Dig out any areas of the ditch that have become filled in with dirt, shore up areas where the sides may have fallen in to avoid flooding.

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have further questions on how to properly maintain your ditches, pipes, and boxes.