Gated Irrigation 

  Polyethylene Gated Pipe Irrigation Systems

I took the above photo of a modern “gated pipe irrigation system” being used on a high altitude ranch on the West slope of Colorado last weekend. This new gated polyethylene pipe replaced older aluminum gated pipe which was being stored elsewhere on the property. It can also be used to replace earthen ditches, eliminating ditch leakage. The system is set up by delivering water into the pipe using a concrete box containing a tight screen or filter which keeps debris out of the water entering the pipe. Pipes may range from four inches to 15 inches in diameter. Every two feet, the pipe has a plastic slide, or “gate” that can be opened or closed using an irrigating “shovel”. Each gate opening is a rectangle that is a few inches wide. This is a form of flood irrigation, or gravity irrigation. There are NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) government programs available to help pay to upgrade older ditch systems to this more efficient method