Towards the beginning of this week, we had ran into the problem of not having enough water go down the ditch to run the lines we need at all parts of the ranch. This drew concern, because we were seeding this week and needed to irrigate our testing field Friday. So Aj and I’s task was to help Austin and his crew to clear out all debris and  break down anything that was restricting the water flow from coming down stream. While cleaning out the ditch and collecting all kinds of debris, I had a came up with a list of things to note when you are using a ditch to receive your water:

1. It is important to do your “spring cleaning” before you have water in the ditch. This helps, because you start out the season with no bumps before you start needing the water and it allows you to keep up with blockages.

   

2.  If you can, burning the ditch and spraying it before the water comes in is very helpful. This way you have a clean shot to look at the water and be able to identify problems and limits the weeds that can pull from your current.
3. Talk with neighbors that may also use the ditch and build a plan as to how to maintain the ditch better and keep it going for all to enjoy.
4. Listening is your best tool when dealing with ditches. If you hear the sound of water, there is a pretty good chance that there is a blockage somewhere.
5. Maintaining the structure and embankments of the ditch are very important to consider, because if they aren’t maintained, you loose water speed, debris get caught easier, and water flooding are more likely.
6. It’s always good to keep an eye out for what your PSI and the amount of water your pump can take so you know the accurate amount of water you should be pushing down and you don’t go over you water right.