A ditch rider takes care of the ditch during the irrigation season. He/She opens and closes the headgates, forks debris out of the ditch, and patches leaks. A ditch rider deals with muskrat holes, floods, irate neighbors, kids building dams, unhappy water users, and more. A calm demeanor and good problem solving skills are job prerequisites. "Ditch riders" get their name because they used to ride their horses along the ditch's length to check for problems.

Above, from left to right: Duane Meyers, Schearer Ditch; Gene Sawhill, Butte Mill Ditch; Boyd Sheets, Farmer's Ditch