Repair a leaking headgate on a Live Oak-area irrigation ditch

Small irrigation ditches feeding garden and orchard plots around Live Oak lose real water through worn wooden or metal headgates that no longer seat tight, wasting water that Sutter County's dry summers make precious. A hand repair reseats the gate and stops the daily leak. Standard: USDA NRCS irrigation ditch maintenance guidance + SDG 6 Proof: Photo of repaired headgate and leak-free flow test Method (USDA NRCS irrigation ditch maintenance guidance + SDG 6): 1. Shut the upstream flow or wait for a low-flow window before starting. 2. Clear sediment and debris from around the headgate frame. 3. Inspect the gate seal and tighten or shim the frame so it seats flush. 4. Replace any worn gasket material with new weatherproof seal strip. 5. Reopen flow and check for remaining leakage at the seams. 6. Photograph the repaired headgate with flow restored. Done when: Photo of repaired headgate and leak-free flow test

Where

Irrigation ditch headgate near Live Oak, CA 95953

Pay

$280 proposed

This packet is not funded yet, so this figure is a proposed price and not money waiting in escrow. If a buyer funds it, approved proof settles that price onchain. If nobody funds it, approved proof earns provable credit toward the work instead of cash. You see which before you claim, never after.

Proof

Photo of repaired headgate and leak-free flow test

This is exactly what gets it approved. Nothing settles without it.

Level

intermediate

Open until

2026-09-18

How this work is done

A documented method, so this packet comes out the same whoever does it. Typically 60–120 minutes. Method of record: Mobile Irrigation Lab catch-can distribution-uniformity audit

Bring

• matched catch cans (or cups)
• measuring cylinder / ruler
• pressure gauge
• stopwatch
• GPS phone
• camera
• data sheet

Steps

1. 1. Confirm the site/zone; record GPS; identify the system type (sprinkler / drip / micro).
2. 2. Sprinkler zones: lay catch cans on a grid across the zone, run the zone a fixed time, and measure the water depth in each can.
3. 3. Compute distribution uniformity (low-quarter DU) from the catch-can depths.
4. 4. Drip/micro zones: measure emitter flow at several points (fill a container over a fixed time) and inspect for clogs and leaks.
5. 5. Read operating pressure at the zone; note leaks, broken/misaligned heads, and overspray onto pavement.
6. 6. Review the run schedule against plant/soil need (over/under-watering, runoff).
7. 7. Rank fixes (head repair, pressure regulation, schedule change) by water savings; record DU/emitter flow, pressure, leaks, schedule note, photos; sign.

If it does not match the plan

• Low-quarter DU < 0.65 (sprinkler) -> flag poor uniformity for repair/redesign.
• Visible runoff or overspray onto pavement -> flag schedule/head correction.
• Emitter clogging or line leaks (drip) -> flag maintenance.
• Broken/misaligned head -> flag for repair. Documentation only; no repairs by surveyor.

What counts as done

• Distribution uniformity (or drip emitter-flow) recorded
• Operating pressure recorded
• Broken/leaking components + overspray noted
• Schedule-vs-need note + ranked fixes + GPS + photos

Proof is measured against these, not judged by taste.