In some situations, exclusion may be practical to prevent gopher damage. The fence should be buried at least 18 inches below the soil surface. Buried utility cables or irrigation pipes can be protected by enclosing them in various materials that resist gopher gnawing. Although the plant is poisonous, there is no information indicating it is effective in repelling or controlling gophers. Further, it may become a problem weed, and it reportedly killed some children who ate buds from it.
Crop rotation can reduce food resources and thus, pocket gopher populations.
For alfalfa fields that are past peak production and infested with pocket gophers, it is advisable to plant row crops for one to three years to reduce food resources. Some varieties of alfalfa that have fibrous root systems may be less susceptible to gopher damage than tap-rooted varieties. Where available, flood irrigation can be used to move pocket gophers out of fields and make soils unsuitable for gopher activity. Pocket gophers are interesting animals. We offer advice on how to reduce damage caused by gophers but it is important to recognize advantages of having pocket gophers present.