An irrigation trench is a shallow excavation in the ground where irrigation pipes are laid to deliver water to the root zone of crops. Trenches for irrigation systems are typically 4–12 inches deep, but may need to be as deep as 18 inches in areas where the ground freezes.
The trench must also be deep enough to allow the sprinklers to retract underground to prevent breakage from lawn machines. Dig the trench by hand or rent a trencher (a real timesaver).
