I was definitely remiss is labeling all the properties up-ditch from us as needing attention.  As my good friend Marcie pointed out, she and her husband have been conscientious about keeping their ditch cleaned out since they moved in a year ago. 

At least I certainly hope she's still a good friend 

after being quite unjustly lumped in with less responsible property owners!

As she reminded me:

We have had our Concrete Ditch Cleaned and the side ground sprayed.  We got the stupid letter, not dated from the ditch master, after we spent a large amount of money to make our ditch perfect.  Some of us are trying very hard to be good citizens.  You should not say all up ditch people are bad.  Shame on you.  Now we know that if we ignore at some point we will be fined and the ditch master will clean for us.  I am thinking that might be a good deal, and probably cost way less then we are spending now.  I am hating this stupid Irrigation system.

I can certainly understand her feelings about "hating the stupid irrigation system."  We have also hated it at times, having had our own trials and tribulations with the system over the years!  (Who can forget the dead cat experience?)  But at least we (unlike Marcie and Mike) are also reaping its benefits! 

In any event, I should not have included ALL our-upditch neighbors in my rant!