Where should we locate the well?

Highbeam · Mar 13, 2006

Great picture stumpfield. It shows the water that you do not want to drink. That water is surface water, you could go beside that creek and hand dig a 5 foot hole and a sump pump for water. Nevermind the dead beaver just upstream or the farmer applying escessive insecticides. Go down a hundred or more feet for the aquifer of actual clean groundwater. The schematic also displays a common misunderstanding that once you hit the first water table, that the ground from that point down is water bearing. It is just not so, there are layers of water between different layers of soils and rock.

We have a well in town that is some 450 feet deep (ground is 60' above sea level) that is an artesian. Meaning that water will actually squirt up above ground level if it wasn't capped. Before it was drilled, nothing.

A lot of this discussion depends on the geology of the area. Our wells aren't drilled into rock. Just dirt, gravel, clay, etc. I have got to think that the geology and where the water is is different between rock and dirt. And yes, experience is very important here. That local well driller probably has drilled enough wells to see a pattern.

3RRL · Mar 13, 2006

stupfield,
Don't get me wrong here...I'm not saying that your research is incorrect, I'm only telling you what my driller told me. So when I said drilling on the ridge is the best location, it's because that's what he told me. In any case, someone posted it's a hit-and-miss thing too and that's very real. My guy told me after not getting any water in one spot, he's had to move over just a few feet to get water... has done that too.

Here's a couple more examples in my area. My wife reminded me about my neighbor below me who has his well on the same ridge as mine. He had to drill way down like 700' to get his 70 gals/min. and I am at least 150' above him and got mine at 442' on the same ridge. Go figure?

Another one is a local rancher (big time in our community) who insisted on having them drill where HE wanted. The well drillers told him to put it up on this particular ridge on his property but he insisted. They drilled where he wanted and got 2 gals/min after 580'. Drilled deeper to about 700' (almost their max) and got no more flow. The rancher told them to try "their" spot and they got 150+ gals/min at 450'. These are all hard rock wells drilled in my area....so maybe alluvial well drilling differs?

stumpfield · Mar 13, 2006

3RRL: I believe you. I just found out a friend's dad also in Mariposa county (I've personally visisted his ranch.) have to drill 4 wells to get enough water. 1st well, he picked next to a shallow creek (not a ravine or valley but more like a natural drainage ditch) down to 500'. No water. I mean 0.001gpm. The well driller pick the rest of the spots through witching. Finally, he got 120gpm at 220'. This is all within a few hundred feet. That's the nature of drilling in the sierra nevada foothills. His topography is a little different. He's on the side of a hill. No obvious ridge top or lower meadow area. No spring or anything near by. We thought it was just pure coincidence.

I guess you are lucky to find a well driller willing to make a more in depth assessment of your property and gave you good sugguestions.

3RRL · Mar 13, 2006

stumpfield,
I was very fortunate to these guys in my area. They get business strictly by word of mouth. Their reputation and business depends on quality work and a decent success ratio. They're old guys like me now but are still busier than heck. In another post I mentioned they used to drill all around Central/Southern California. If you want, I can give you their name and phone# to see if they have any experience drilling in your area and if they'd be interested in advising/drilling for you. Just PM me.

3RRL · Mar 13, 2006

My wife found another link for more information about the hard rock wells in our area. It's different than the one Egon posted.
CLICK HERE

I got the well log out and found that at 255' we hit 20 gls/min. At 360' we hit another 10 gals/min and at 442' we hit 70+ gals/min. This gives us at least those 3 fractures to draw water from, combining for the 100+ gals/min. Standing water is at 170' and the pump is set at 312' deep.

stumpfield · Mar 14, 2006

Wow, that's great information and very well explained. I also found a lot of good information from the dept of water resource. Now I have a pretty good understanding of the situtation. To find lots of water in this area, you really need good luck. It's very difficult to pinpoint a favorable area to drill. It's like rolling the dice very time. 3RRL: You hit the jackpot on your well. Based on statistics, the majority of the wells in this area are 10-20gpm. Your well is on the other side of the bell curve and you got it on the 1st try.

turnkey4099 · Mar 14, 2006

Just a comment on the diagram. It is misleading as it is really not the normal situation. That shows the underground aquifer surfacing at the bottom of a draw. Normal situation is that surface water (streams) usuall have nothing to do with an aquifer -in the area one wants to drill-. Even where I am on top of a very good, shallow aquifer (can't recall the name now but it pretty well covers the Palouse) we have streams running that drain the country. Drill anywhere and you will probably hit water. Very few of the streams are the result of the aquifer through this area although some of them do have aquifer outflows up near the headwaters miles away.

Harry K

nharrold · Mar 22, 2006

I've never bought a rural property without first having a reputable water dowser check it over thoroughly for me. In every case, the dowser has located veins of running water at much shallower depths and greater flows than the local well drillers had suggested would be the case. Saved me a lot of dry holes and a lot of bucks to boot.

You may have some difficulty locating a dowser nearby, but don't give up. You can also check: http://www.dowsers.org for assistance in locating a local group or individual.