7 Ways to Find Water on Your Homestead

Digging a well can be very, very expensive.  Choosing the wrong location to dig your well can be devastating.  Something we all wish to avoid…

Rocks are probably the most valuable clue to locating a good groundwater supply. As a first step in locating the right conditions for a good supply of groundwater, review your property’s geologic maps and find the cross sections showing the distribution and positions of the different kinds of rocks, both on the surface and underground. Some sedimentary rocks may extend many miles as aquifers of fairly uniform permeability. Other types of rocks may be cracked and broken and contain openings large enough to carry water.

Another resource you may use is recognizing the presence of water-loving plants, shrubs and trees, such as cottonwoods or willows, indicates groundwater at shallow to moderate depth.  The presence of these plants and trees, which gravitate toward water,  can also be a clue to the existence of underground water sources.  Do a little research to determine the native or common water loving plants in your area, and take a stroll around your land.

Areas where water is at the surface as springs, seeps, swamps, or lakes just might reflect the presence of groundwater, however, it may not be a large quantity or a good quality.

Examine your landscaping and topography may help to indicate where your property collects water from rain and snow melt.  Water is more likely to be present in areas of depression, such as a valley, rather than a hilly area.

You could consider a technical option.  Professional water locators use special electro-seismic equipment that sends seismic waves through the ground and detects the movement of any existing water below.

Your neighbors are an excellent source of information when you consider the location of your new well.  Even if they were not a part of the well-drilling process, reviewing their well’s location, drilling depth, gallons per minute and water quality may be the best information you  receive.

Water dowsing is the final suggestion to finding a ground water source.  Water dowsing refers to the practice of locating underground water using a forked stick, rod, pendulum and has been a subject of discussion and controversy for thousands of years. Although tools and methods vary widely, most dowsers typically use the traditional forked stick, which may come from a variety of trees, including the willow, peach, and witch hazel. In the classic method of using a forked stick, one fork is held in each hand with the palms upward . The bottom or butt end of the “Y” is pointed skyward at an angle of about 45 degrees. The dowser then walks back and forth over the area to be tested. When she/he passes over a source of water, the butt end of the stick is supposed to rotate or be attracted downward. Water dowsers practice mainly in rural or suburban communities where residents are uncertain as to how to locate the best and cheapest supply of groundwater.  It is said that water’s energy or electrical current is higher than the ground surrounding the supply.  Those who are sensitive to changes in energy or electric current, pick up on these changes and identify a source of water.

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[   repost from my blog:   https://falco508.wixsite.com/howtoprovideproject/single-post/2015/07/01/How-to-Eat-Well-on-a-Budget-1  ]