Pocket gophers are rodents that live almost entirely beneath the soil surface, constantly excavating extensive tunnel systems. Their subterranean existence causes conflict with human landscaping, agriculture, and infrastructure. These animals are generally solitary herbivores, spending their lives searching for food and shelter underground. A single gopher can maintain hundreds of feet of tunnels, quickly escalating the damage they cause for property owners.
Widespread Destruction of Plants and Crops
Pocket gophers are destructive pests primarily because their diet consists of plant roots, tubers, and bulbs found underground. They use specialized claws and powerful incisor teeth to gnaw through root systems, cutting off a plant’s access to water and nutrients. This feeding habit leads to the sudden wilting and death of seemingly healthy plants.
In ornamental gardens, this feeding can mean the loss of expensive shrubs or entire flower beds. In agricultural settings, gophers girdle the roots of young fruit trees and vines, which can kill the plant entirely or severely reduce the vigor of older specimens. Large tap-rooted plants are particularly susceptible to this underground destruction.
Field crops such as alfalfa, carrots, and potatoes suffer yield loss when gophers feed on their roots and tubers. Beyond direct consumption, burrowing activity disturbs the soil around plants, exposing roots to the air, causing them to dry out and die. This combination leads to patchy growth across a field, making mechanical harvesting difficult and reducing the overall quality of the crop.
Damage to Infrastructure and Utilities
Gophers’ persistent digging and gnawing pose a threat to man-made systems installed beneath the ground. They frequently damage irrigation infrastructure, including drip lines, buried cables, and PVC pipes, which they may chew through while excavating. This damage results in water loss, uneven irrigation, and costly repairs to complex subsurface systems.
Underground electrical cables and communication wires are vulnerable to gopher activity, as they may gnaw on the protective sheathing or insulation. Breaching these lines can lead to service interruptions, short circuits, or hazards requiring specialized and expensive fixes. The tunnels themselves can weaken the structural integrity of earthen dams and ditch banks, leading to erosion and structural failure.
The extensive network of tunnels can compromise solid structures by undermining the soil they rest on. Burrowing beneath sidewalks, driveways, and concrete slabs causes the ground to settle unevenly, leading to cracks and instability. Tunnels beneath building foundations can weaken the support base, potentially requiring significant remediation to prevent long-term damage.
Landscape Degradation and Soil Impact
The most visible sign of a gopher infestation is the characteristic mound of fresh soil pushed to the surface during excavation. These mounds are typically fan-shaped or crescent-shaped, with a soil plug sealing the opening. A single gopher can create multiple mounds per day, quickly transforming a smooth lawn into an unsightly, bumpy landscape.
These surface mounds and underlying tunnel systems create functional problems for property owners. The uneven terrain poses a tripping hazard for people and pets, and the mounds can damage lawnmower blades or agricultural equipment. The tunnel system destabilizes the soil, making the ground loose and potentially causing it to collapse underfoot.
Gopher activity negatively affects soil composition and water management across a property. Their constant digging brings less fertile subsoil to the surface, which can smother existing vegetation and reduce the quality of the topsoil. The network of tunnels can also alter natural water flow patterns, leading to increased water runoff and soil erosion, particularly on slopes.