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Utility Locating Before Digging

Buried power, gas, water, communication and pipeline lines cross many farms. Before you dig a post hole, trench or pond, find out what is underground.

Why locate utilities before digging?

Lines can lie in unexpected places and at unexpected depths, and old lines may not appear on any drawing. Striking one can cause electrical shock, fires, explosions, injuries and long outages for the farm and neighbors.

Digging includes more than trenching. Fence posts, tile installation, pond work, grading, deep tillage, drilling and tree planting can all reach buried lines. Pipelines that cross farmland may carry products that are hazardous, and pipeline operators generally have rules about work near their rights-of-way. Contact them before any deep tillage, grading or construction near a marker.

How does the process work?

In most areas, a one-call service takes your request, notifies utility owners and arranges for lines to be marked. The details differ by state, including how early you must call, what the markings mean and who is responsible.

Do not rely on memory. Search for your state's official one-call information or ask your county, utility or Extension office. Ask your utility or the official one-call site for the correct way to make a request where you live.

What should I do before calling?

Plan exactly where you will dig, and mark the area according to the service's instructions. Know what kind of work you will do, and be ready to describe it clearly.

Tell anyone working with you, including contractors and renters, that the call has been made and that no digging starts until the marks are in place. Keep a record of the request. Share the results with everyone involved, and make sure the marks stay visible. If rain, snow or traffic wipes them out, ask for them to be re-marked before you dig.

• Mark the planned dig area as instructed
• Call or submit the request well in advance
• Wait for all utility responses
• Learn what each mark and color means from the official source
• Keep confirmation records handy

What are the limits of the markings?

Markings show approximate paths, not exact positions, and may not include private lines such as those running to barns, wells, irrigation or yard lights. Those private lines are often the farm owner's responsibility.

Ask a licensed electrician, plumber or contractor how to find private lines. Review old plans and ask neighbors or prior owners, and treat any unmarked line you find as live. Hand digging near marked lines may be advised, and the official source will say how close is too close. Do not assume that a machine can safely work right over a mark.

What if I hit a line?

Danger: if you strike a power line or any utility, stay away from the equipment and anything touching it. Do not touch the equipment, a wet surface or the ground near it, and keep others away.

Call 911 and the utility. If you smell gas, leave the area and call from a safe place. Do not try to fix, cap or cover a damaged line. This article does not give emergency procedures beyond calling 911; follow instructions from responders. Report any damage, even if it seems minor, because a nicked line can fail later. Utilities need to know and can check the line.

Do overhead lines matter too?

Yes. Equipment, augers, irrigation pipe, ladders and raised loads can contact overhead lines. Look up before any work, and check with the utility about safe working distances rather than estimating.

Do not move equipment under lines without checking clearances, and do not try to trim trees near power lines yourself. Ask the utility or a qualified arborist. Drivers and operators of tall machines should know where overhead lines cross the farm and should be reminded each season, especially at harvest, when people are tired.

How do I make this a habit?

Make the call part of any project checklist and teach everyone that no one digs without the marks. Review after each project and note what worked.

Keep a map of private lines and update it when new work is done. Share it with future owners and contractors. Teach younger workers the full reason behind the rule, not only the rule. Keep your confirmation numbers and photographs of the marks in a project folder, and review them with the crew on the morning the digging starts.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Farm Safety Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.