What Does Double Ditching Mean for the Landowner?
As a landowner, you likely want to preserve the value and productivity of your land even though an easement may cross your property. If you’re negotiating a pipeline easement, you should consider requiring the pipeline construction company to use double ditching when laying the pipe. Texas Condemnation Rights Attorney Philip Hundl explains in this video.
Your attorney can help you get this done. If you need help negotiating this provision or any other aspect of your easement agreement, please call our office at 1-800-929-1725.
Summary of the What’s Double Ditching in an Easement Agreement Video
– – All right, we’re here at the FM 1301, looking at the staging of the pipeline, the Florida Gas Transmission line. They’ve moved over the topsoil, about a foot and a half of it, to one side to commence the double ditching.
Once they dig the ditch, they’ll lay pipe, and then put that same subsoil on top of the pipe and then the topsoil on top. So that’ll be the double ditching that they do.
As a landowner with cropland or pasture, you want to bargain for double ditching to be included in the easement agreement. If it’s not, the pipeline construction contractor will likely mix your topsoil with the subsoil, and your pasture and cropland will be damaged for many years to come.
If you have questions about double ditching or any aspect of negotiating your easement agreement, please call our office at 800-929-1725 for an appointment with Attorney Philip Hundl.
Mr. Hundl is a partner with the law firm of Wadler, Perches, Hundl and Kerlick and he represents landowners in eminent domain and condemnation proceedings in Fort Bend County, Wharton County and other areas of South Texas. The firm has offices in Richmond and Fulshear in Fort Bend County and in Wharton and El Campo in Wharton County.
Articles Related to Easement Provisions
- Landowner Rights in Property Condemnation
- Access Easements for Pipeline Construction
- Importance of Easement Provisions to Ranching
- Texas Pipeline Easement Agreement Issues
- Breach of an Easement Agreement