Gophers and Drip Irrigation — Why Drip Systems Are Especially Vulnerable

Drip irrigation has become the dominant irrigation method for Southern California landscaping over the past two decades — efficient, water-wise, and effective for established plantings. Gophers damage drip systems far more frequently than spray irrigation systems, and the damage pattern is specific and predictable. Understanding why drip tubing is particularly vulnerable helps homeowners catch damage early and motivates prompt gopher treatment to protect irrigation investments.

Why Drip Systems Are More Vulnerable Than Spray Systems

The answer is depth. Drip tubing — both the main supply lines and the smaller-diameter emitter tubing running to individual plants — is installed at or just below the soil surface, typically 2-6 inches deep in most residential installations. This is exactly the depth range where gopher feeding tunnels run. A gopher tunneling through the root zone of a planting bed at 4-6 inches depth will encounter and sever drip tubing as a routine part of its normal foraging activity.

Spray irrigation heads and their supply lines, by contrast, run deeper to avoid interference with cultivation and to protect the system — main lines are typically 8-18 inches deep, well below most drip tubing depth. Gophers occasionally sever spray system laterals but do so far less frequently than drip tubing simply because the piping is not in the same zone where gophers typically forage.

The Damage Pattern

Gopher damage to drip tubing is typically a clean bite through the tube at a point where the gopher's tunnel crosses the tubing path. The gopher is not specifically targeting the irrigation system — it encounters the tubing while tunneling and bites through it as an obstacle in its path or because the tubing's smell or texture triggers investigation. Multiple cuts in the same area indicate a gopher has been active in that planting bed for an extended period and has repeatedly encountered and severed the tubing network.

The consequence of a severed drip line depends on where in the system the cut occurs. A cut in a main supply line stops water delivery to everything downstream. A cut in a small-diameter emitter line affects only the individual emitter. Either way, affected plants begin showing drought stress within days of the irrigation disruption, and the damage may not be obviously attributed to gophers if mound activity in the area is not noticed.

Detecting Drip Damage from Gophers

Plants showing drought stress despite running irrigation cycles, wet spots on the soil surface indicating a break in a pressurized line, or dry zones in an otherwise uniformly irrigated bed all indicate possible drip line damage. If you also have gopher mound activity in the area, the connection is likely. Excavating along the tubing path near active mound areas will reveal cut locations.

Repair and Prevention

Drip line repairs are straightforward — barbed couplings reconnect severed tubing quickly. However, repairing tubing without treating the gopher results in the repaired lines being severed again, sometimes within days. Always treat the gopher before repairing the irrigation system. After treatment is confirmed complete, repair all cut sections and consider running a full irrigation cycle to verify system integrity before covering the soil.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if gophers cut my drip line vs. other damage?

Gopher cuts are typically clean bites through the tubing at a single point, often found near active mound areas. UV degradation and mechanical damage look different — cracking along the tube length, splitting at fittings, or crushing from foot traffic.

Should I repair the drip lines before or after gopher treatment?

After. Repairing before treatment results in the new repair being severed by the same gopher. Confirm treatment is complete before investing in irrigation repair.

Is there a way to protect drip lines from gophers?

Installing drip tubing in conduit or armored tubing in high-pressure areas is possible but impractical for most installations. The most effective protection is prompt gopher treatment when mound activity appears in or near planted areas with drip systems.

Call 909-599-4711 — treat the gopher first, then repair the irrigation. We serve all of Southern California.