Spring Water

We recently finished a pipeline project that we’ve been needing to do for several years. It is part of a ditch that irrigates a hay field.  There is a stretch that couldn’t be ditched normally because of the terrain and it goes under a corral.  Previously, the pipe was corrugated steel pipe.   

We had already replaced a few joints of steel pipe.  It has been years since that was done.  Since then, the old pipe had continued to deteriorate.  It had large holes from rusting out and I sometimes had problems getting enough water to the field. We were planning to replace the old pipe with new plastic pipe this fall, but with spring getting a late start, we decided to go ahead and do it now while we had time.

Dad started by tearing out all the old pipe. He then dug a trench putting the new pipe about three feet underground. The new plastic pipe needs to be kept out of the sunlight and needs cover so that if it is driven on it won’t break.  Since we were going deeper than the old pipe was, we had to come back up to get to the ditch again.  This made it so that water would sit in the bottom of the dip and could freeze in the winter. So we had to place a drain that can be opened in the fall.

It took a few days to get it done, but once the pipe was put together Dad covered it up and It is ready for water.   I’m excited to have plenty of water to irrigate with.  We don’t need it yet, though.  We have been getting showers here so hopefully I won’t have to worry about irrigating for a while.  

I hope you all had a Happy Easter!

by Brandon Greet