Discovering Water: How to Successfully Find a Water Well on Your Property.

Okay, here’s my blog post about finding a water well on my property, written in a conversational, first-person style:

So, I recently decided I wanted to be more self-sufficient. First step? Getting my own water source. I live out in the sticks a bit, so a well seemed like the way to go. But where to even start looking for a good spot? Here’s how I tackled it.

Discovering Water: How to Successfully Find a Water Well on Your Property.

Recon Mission: Checking the Lay of the Land

First thing I did was just walk around my property. I mean, really walk it. I grabbed a notebook and a pen, and started making notes.

Low Spots: I looked for any areas where water naturally seemed to collect after it rained. Depressions, little valleys, that kind of thing. Water likes to go downhill, duh.
Vegetation Changes: I paid close attention to the plants. Were there patches where things were way greener and lusher than everywhere else? That could be a sign of extra moisture in the ground.
Existing Wells Nearby: I talked to my neighbors. A few of them already had wells, so I asked them where theirs were located, how deep they were, and if they had any issues. This gave me a general idea of the water situation in my area.

Getting Down to Business: Dowsing (Yeah, Really!)

Okay, I know, dowsing sounds a little…out there. But I figured, what the heck? I grabbed a couple of metal coat hangers, straightened them out, and bent them into L-shapes. I held one in each hand, loosely, with the long ends pointing forward.

Then, I just started walking. Slowly. The idea is that if you pass over an underground water source, the rods are supposed to cross. I walked back and forth across the areas that seemed promising based on my earlier observations.

And guess what? In a couple of spots, the rods actually did cross! It felt kinda weird, I’m not gonna lie. But it gave me a few specific locations to focus on.