Farm Fields

Because they work their own land, many farmers may think they know the exact location of utility lines and how deep they are, but they do not always consider that landscaping and erosion can change the lay of the land and utility line locations. The grading of land can change, and a utility line that was installed 30 inches deep might have had the top layer of soil skimmed down 15 inches without your knowledge. When planning new deep tillage, waterway or fencing projects, consider whether these activities could require a call to 811.  

Activities such as chisel plowing, sub-soiling or ripping, drain tile excavating, terracing, digging or driving a new fence post in a new location are prime examples of excavations that require notification. Fence repair in an existing location, unless driving the post deeper, is one example of a job that does not require a call to 811.

Some utility lines such as electric, telephone and cable TV terminate at the farmhouse or other structure, but other utility lines may terminate at a service entrance near the street, point of attachment on a utility pole or other location. For example, an underground gas line can terminate at a meter along the front road of the farm property. Either way, some utility companies only mark their underground lines up to the termination point, point of attachment or service entrance — not all the way to the farmhouse or other structure.