How to find water on the site: the best folk and professional methods. Where and how to look for water for a well on the site? How to find a vein of water for a well
Knowing a few simple methods and signs, everyone can find water in their personal plot. At the very least, it is quite possible to find out where it is closest to the surface.
Where is the water?
Before you go looking for water, you need to know the principles by which its underground accumulations are formed.
Typically, water can be found in layers of sand sandwiched between waterproof layers of soil. It could be clay or stone. In nature, as a rule, there are no strictly horizontal lines. Therefore, the waterproof layers are located at a slope. In some places, depressions form where moisture collects. These depressions in the waterproof layer can be of different sizes. Accordingly, the amount of water collected will also differ. In some cases they form underground lakes, in others entire streams - rivers. At great depths, underground seas can also be found.
Water can lie at different depths. From 2 to 5 meters there is high water. These are lenses filled with melt or rain water. During the dry season, when there is no recharge from precipitation, the water disappears and reappears only with the onset of the rainy season. For this reason, perched water is considered an unreliable source for water supply.
Continental sands lie deeper. The thickness of this layer can reach impressive sizes. Accordingly, they can accumulate and at the same time filter millions of tons of life-giving moisture. This is just a more suitable option for us.
How to find water on site for a well or well?
In fact, there are many ways in which you can determine how close to the surface water is. In this article we will look at some of them.
1. According to the terrain. First of all, it is worth checking the existing natural depressions of the relief - basins, depressions and ravines. As a rule, impermeable horizons follow the surface topography. It is worth remembering that the internal structure of hills and hills may be different. There may not be water on the slopes or the amount may be insufficient.
2. Moisture-loving plants. Willow, birch, spruce and alder cannot live without water. Among the herbs, we can mention coltsfoot, sedge, gooseberry, etc. They grow naturally where their roots can reach a deep water source. Of course, you shouldn’t look for water near a birch tree planted in the city square. After all, it is regularly watered by city services.
There is an opinion that willows planted in a ring can raise the groundwater level and form springs.
Pine has long roots. It draws moisture from great depths. In addition, as a rule, it grows on sandy soils, where there is enough condensation.
3. Biometric method. If there are bodies of water nearby (rivers, lakes, ponds) or your neighbors have wells and boreholes, then you can determine how deep the water lies using a barometer.
The principle of operation is extremely simple. With a 13 meter difference in height, the pressure will drop by 1 mmHg.
To use this method, you need to take an aneroid barometer, come to the shore of a reservoir and measure the air pressure. Then immediately go to the location of the proposed well and measure the pressure there. With a pressure difference of 0.5 mm on the barometer, water can be found by going 6 or 7 meters deep.
4. Fog. After a hot day in the summer, in the evening or at dawn, you can observe the area where you want to build a well. Fog will form over water-filled soil. The thicker and more extensive it is, the more moisture is contained near the surface. It’s good when the fog rises in clouds or in the form of a column. This is evidence that there is water, it is close and there is a lot of it.
5. Animal behavior. In hot weather, animals try to find coolness. You can watch your pets. For example, dogs look for damp, secluded corners. If your pet has a favorite place where he experiences the heat, lying on the ground, then it is likely that active evaporation of moisture occurs in this place. By the way, this is precisely the reason why dogs love to lie on flower beds and lawns. The coolness emanating from the moisture-saturated greenery helps them survive the heat.
In some cases, it is worth taking a closer look at your pets’ favorite vacation spots. Check them against other signs. And it may well turn out that your four-legged friend has found the best place for you for a well.
6. Silica gel. This is a material that consists of balls that can actively absorb moisture from the environment. We take 1-2 liters of this substance, dry it in the oven and pour it into a clay pot. The walls of the pot should be without glaze. Place the vessel on the scales and record the weight. The more accurate the measurements, the better.
Then you need to wrap the pot of silica gel in a thick cloth. You can take non-woven material and wrap the vessel in it in several layers. We bury the wrapped and prepared pot 50 cm in the place of the future well. A day later, we take out the container with silica gel and weigh it again. The more water the silica gel has absorbed, the closer it is and the larger it is.
You can take several containers and place them in different places. This way you can more accurately find out where the optimal location for the well is.
If silica gel is not at hand, then you can use ordinary brick made from red clay as a moisture-absorbing material. In this case, each brick is weighed individually, and the scale readings are recorded. By comparing the results of weighing before and after burial, we can tell whether there is water and where it is closer to the surface.
7. Exploration drilling. Perhaps this method has the highest effectiveness. In this case, you can do all the work yourself.
Take a garden drill. Even a homemade one will do. The handle is extended to the required length, and an exploration well is drilled 6-10 meters deep.
When the drill reaches the aquifer, it will be obvious by the damp soil brought to the surface. In this case, drilling is stopped.
What to choose: a well or a borehole?
When making a choice, you need to take into account that the well and the well have approximately the same service life, which is more than a dozen years with proper care and respect.
The deeper the water is, the more advisable it is to drill a well. Rocky soil can make drilling difficult. Wells can be installed up to 10 - 15 meters. If the water lies deeper, it is easier to drill a well.
Sanitary requirements
When constructing wells and boreholes, sanitary distances must be observed. They should not be located closer than 25 meters from bathhouses, septic tanks, garbage heaps and composters, as well as any other objects that may pollute groundwater.
You also need to make sure that melt and rainwater do not get into the well and well. Surface water is drained on slopes.
The water intake hole is securely closed with a lid, which is opened only when necessary. The source must be protected from all kinds of contamination.
Exploration manual drilling. Video
There are several ways to find water and correctly determine the optimal location for a well or for a well of any type in a garden plot. To correctly find the aquifer in the soil, both technical and time-tested folk remedies are used.
At what depth can drinking water be found?
The most dense and slightly permeable layers, which are contained in the summer cottage, alternate with loose and porous soil. A horizontally located waterproof layer, which is located at a sufficient depth, directly underground - an aquifer, composed of fatty clay, and the main aquifer with the accumulation of water in a usable quantity is located slightly lower.
To choose the optimal depth at which suitable groundwater flows and to correctly search for an aquifer, you need to take into account some natural factors, since there are many aquifers, and their depth, quantity and fullness directly depend on the characteristics of the geological structure:
- groundwater lies above an aquitard located close to the surface;
- above individual aquitards, perched water can accumulate, on which it is best to dig Abyssinian wells;
- in the central part of our country, groundwater is most often located with a depth of 5-40 m;
- groundwater is most often of low quality and is characterized as unsuitable for food purposes;
- between the aquitards, at a depth of 15-60 m, there is an interstratal water aquifer with fairly high quality characteristics and slight seasonal fluctuations in filling;
- The main type of interstratal water is represented by artesian water-saturated layers at a depth of 50 meters and is characterized by a constant filling level and high quality.
Of course, the highest quality drinking water can be obtained from the purest artesian sources, but when digging such sources one must count on high financial costs. Groundwater, especially high water, is not the best source of water supply, therefore, in order to improve the organoleptic properties of such water, it will be necessary to use a filtration system.
It is also important to remember that the maximum depth of a well made of concrete rings is approximately fifty meters, since with large values the structure may become jammed by large soil stones. Thus, the optimal depth of the water supply source can be determined taking into account the technical capabilities, soil structure and qualifications of the work performer.
How to find water on a site using frames (video)
The best ways to find water in your garden
To search for a place to build a water-bearing source with your own hands, you don’t need a lot of experience. In this case, a folk method or simple technical devices made independently can come to the rescue.
How to search for water using copper wire
With the help of copper wire, water-bearing veins are searched quite often. Such a dowsing frame is an L-shaped bent wire with sides measuring 25 and 15 cm. For free rotation in the hand, the short ends of the wire must be inserted into wooden tubes. When located above the aquifer, the frames rotated 180 degrees close, which allows not only to determine the location of groundwater, but also its boundaries.
Plant Tips
In the presence of close water, the vegetation has a brighter color and a richer appearance. The main natural landmarks are willow, willow and wild sorrel, which most often grow above the water vein. You can also assume the depth of the aquifer from the following vegetation:
- cattail - up to a meter;
- sandy reed and black poplar - up to three meters;
- sucker and reed - up to three to five meters;
- wormwood paniculata - up to seven meters;
- whose brilliant one is up to eight meters.
- naked licorice, sand wormwood and yellow alfalfa - up to ten meters.
Uses of willow vine
The water finder should hold the ends of the slingshot with his index fingers under the branches. In the process of slowly walking around the area, the upper part of the slingshot barely tilts down or rises a few millimeters up, which indicates the presence of an underground water vein.
Exploration drilling
Ground water exploration is one of the most promising methods for obtaining reliable information about the presence of an aquifer. Exploration drilling is carried out using compact drilling rigs or using a hand drill. Among other things, it is possible to preserve landscape coverage and, in the shortest possible time, obtain data not only on the depth of water, but also to study the structure of the soil at the location of the planned water supply source.
Observations of weather and animal behavior
A thirsty horse kicks its hoof, and a dog digs the ground above a water source with its paws. A hen will not lay eggs in damp places, but a goose looks for damp places to lay eggs. Also, the presence of high-lying water can be indicated by accumulations of mosquitoes and midges after sunset, thick fog and very heavy morning dew both on the grass and on objects.
Finding water for a well (video)
How to determine water quality
The soil and groundwater in our country are contaminated in large quantities with waste, which cannot but negatively affect the quality of water extracted from wells and wells. To protect your health, it is necessary to check the liquid from the water supply source. . At home, testing a sample taken is performed as follows:
- heat a liter of water to a temperature of 20 o C and check for the absence of taste and odor;
- if there is no unpleasant odor, the liquid is heated to 60 o C, after which a test similar to the first test is carried out.
- clean, odorless and tasteless water should not have even slight staining or cloudiness, and a drop of water applied to the glass after drying should not leave streaks;
- The degree of hardness is checked by boiling water and assessing the amount of sediment. The presence of a dark gray color of sediment indicates an excess amount of iron oxides in the water. The presence of a light yellow precipitate allows us to conclude that there is a significant amount of calcium salts and various oxides.
If there are the slightest deviations from the norm, then it is advisable to order a chemical, bacteriological and microbiological examination of the sample in the laboratory. It is important to note that samples obtained from groundwater are slightly cloudy, which is due to saturation with iron oxide and salts. Transparency indicators in laboratory conditions are determined by a colorimeter.
Criteria for choosing a site for drilling a well and digging a well when several sources are detected
In the Moscow region, publicly available water supplies are at the level of the first limestone. As a rule, in the southeast the layer lies at a depth of 30-70 meters, and in the north and northwest it is already within 70-100 m. If a well is drilled on the “second limestone”, then, most likely, After inspection, the well will be plugged, and a fairly large fine will be imposed on the owner, since such sources of water supply require the preparation of special documents.
To obtain high-quality drinking water in large volumes, it is necessary to draw up a package of documentation and coordinate actions with Rospotrebnadzor and other organizations:
- applying to the regional Ministry of Natural Resources to consider the possibility of drilling an artesian well;
- visit to the site of the proposed drilling by a commission, which includes hydrogeologists and representatives of Rospotrebnadzor;
- if there is a positive answer in the conclusion, a license is issued in accordance with the law “On Subsoil” in the presence of a certificate of the right to use the land plot, a cadastral plan and a master plan for subsequent development, identifying the location of the proposed source of water supply and sanitary protection zone.
To obtain a license, you need to agree on the balance of water consumption and wastewater disposal in the regional water department, as well as the sanitary and epidemiological conclusion of Rospotrebnadzor, after which a well design contract is drawn up, which is transferred to the SES. If the package of documents is collected correctly, the drilling license can be obtained within three months. After drilling, you will need to issue a passport for the water supply source based on state acceptance permits and state geological examination.
dachadecor.ru
How to determine underground water
If you are thinking about how to find water underground, start by studying the nearest area, analyze how water flows in neighboring areas. More often, water flows along one line between wells or wells of neighbors. A couple of meters away from this line - and there is less water or a worse taste.
Method 1
The most effective method is to drill test wells in several places. You can drill with an ordinary garden or homemade drill to a depth of 6-10 meters. After analyzing the soil layers, humidity, depth of groundwater and the quality of the water itself, you can decide on a place to drill a well. If there are no tools for drilling a well, use another method.
Method 2
This method requires some kind of desiccant that can absorb moisture and accumulate it, for example, silica gel or red brick.
The lycagel is pre-dried in the oven and placed in a clay pot that is not covered with glaze. The pot is buried in the place where it is planned to drill a well or dig a well, having first weighed it and wrapped it in several layers of dense fabric. Bury to a depth of about 0.5 meters. After 24 hours, the container is removed and re-weighed (preferably on a pharmacy scale). The heavier the pot becomes, the more water there is in that area. You can make several of these containers at the same time to determine the search location, and then re-dive to check the exact location for drilling. If you use bricks instead of silica gel, then each one must be weighed before and after burial. Record the results and analyze where the water is closest.
Method 3
This method has been used for a long time and quite successfully, although it is not scientifically substantiated. How does this happen? Find two copper wires with a diameter of 3 mm and a length of 50 cm. Each of them is bent at an angle of 90⁰. Take one wire in each hand and hold it by the short part so that the long part is parallel to the ground and the short part rotates freely in the fist. Then they walk slowly with their hands out in front of them and watch the movement of the copper wires. They will spin randomly, sometimes intersecting. In the place where the wires intersect and return to such a position as magnetized, this is where water passes underground. So you can try to drill here. If there is no copper wire, ordinary steel wire will do.
Method 4
You can search for water using one frame. In this case, you should walk with one frame, observing its movement. In the place where the water is, the frame will spin.
This method of searching for water has existed for a long time. A person who knew how to find water underground in the described way was called a “dowser,” since previously a curved vine in the form of a slingshot was used instead of wire. Previously, it was believed that in order to find water, it was not enough to simply learn to walk with a vine; the “dowser” must have a special gift to feel it. It is better to take a test for “sensitivity” to water in advance: take a wire and walk along a bridge over a stream or river. Sensitive people will only feel the water when approaching the stream, less sensitive closer to the middle, and others will not feel it at all.
Nature's clues
Our ancestors shared their knowledge of how to find water underground. They successfully used their observations and hints from nature.
Observe the plants in summer. The greener the plants, the more likely it is that water is passing close by. Fruit trees such as cherry and apple trees get sick in places where there is water underground, while alder and willow, on the contrary, grow well.
See how the fog spreads over the ground early in the morning or late in the evening in summer. Fog is denser in places where there is more moisture, which evaporates and cools faster.
It has long been known that on hot days dogs dig the ground where there is water, and cats like to lie right where water veins pass.
Geese lay eggs above the intersection of water veins, but chickens, on the contrary, will not lay eggs there.
Red ants sense water very well and build their anthills away from water veins.
Columns of mosquitoes hover over damp places in the evening.
You can find the place where water is underground using a bunch of salt. It becomes moist even in dry weather, and an overturned jar is always covered with dew. More dew will fall where the water is closer to the ground.
It is important to consider that there is no one universal and 100% effective way to search for water underground, so it is better to use several at once.
semidelov.ru
www.forumhouse.ru
How to find water underground
First of all, be sure to determine the location of the water key. Finding quality water is a responsible and not easy task. So how to find water on the site with your own hands? Let's find out...
Before you start searching for a place for a water intake point, you should carefully examine all readily available information about groundwater in the area and study hydrogeological maps.
From among the underground stone and clay layers, reservoirs of various widths arise from a cubic meter up to 10 cubic meters. They have every chance of being both vertical and horizontal. Sometimes such hydrophytic lenses bend. 
Determination of groundwater movement
The so-called perched waters are located nearby on the soil plane. These are not very large underground reservoirs that fill when snow melts and precipitation. If the weather is dry outside for a long time, they will soon dry out, and the quality of such water is very low, since various types of blockages enter it from the surface. As a result, it is not recommended to use such water as a main spring. The best option is to use it for technical needs.
Extremely successful for extracting drinking water are deep aquifers that contain the maximum amount of pure and high-quality water. They are located at a depth of more than 5-7 meters, the water is very well filtered before entering these “lakes”.
Getting it to such a depth is not easy, and is undoubtedly not profitable financially, but the quality of the water is worth it. It is necessary to take into account that in one area the water well can be thin, and in another it can increase to large volumes.
How to find water with your own hands
Very easy. The most famous and well-known method is the use of aluminum frames. They sense magnetic fluctuations in the area well.
And water has a significant effect on the magnetic background. In order to find water with the support of aluminum frames, you need to carry out similar actions.
Take 2 pieces of thick aluminum wire and drive them fifteen cm apart until the immediate corner is removed. Cut fragments from the viburnum trunk along the length of the handles and remove the core. Insert the wire into the tubes so that it can scroll freely. Holding these well-known devices in your outstretched arms, walk around the area. During the period of movement, the edges of the wire must be moved in different directions.
If water underground appears on the right or left, then these two boundaries will turn in the required direction. And if the water-bearing well is in front of you, the edges of the wire will close. In order to be convinced of your own find, walk over the found water several times, but moving along a different line of movement. If everything happens again, then it is allowed to dig a well in the current area.
Technology for finding water using vines
Our ancestors understood this very well! For this purpose, they used an ordinary willow rod. There was also a similar activity - dowsing. Willow senses liquid and nature has endowed it with the ability to reach for water. It is not difficult to carry out such searches personally. 
To do this you should: Mark a willow branch with 2 branches coming out of 1 trunk and dry it at room temperature. Take the edges of the branches in your hands and spread them apart so that the angle between them is approximately one hundred and fifty degrees. The outcome of a single barrel must look a little upward, and the muscles of the arms must be strained. With this device you need to walk around the area.
Where there is a water-bearing well, the branch of the vine will fall down without much difficulty.
Ancient method with clay pots
This is also an extremely old and classic way of searching for water. To do this, in order to clearly establish the zones where water occurs, the villages used earthenware. Before this necessary task, the pot was perfectly dried in the sun. In the area of the planned well, the dried product was placed in an inverted form. If there was actually water deep under the soil, then the pot would become very sweaty inside.
Current owners also use this technology, however, in a slightly improved version. A certain amount of silica gel is poured into the pot. It is also dried before use. The pot with the filling is weighed and placed in the water search area. To increase the likelihood of a positive ending, several such pots are placed throughout the entire area. After time, the pots are weighed: where it is heaviest, that’s where it is necessary to dig a well or borehole. Instead of silica gel, it is allowed to use small pieces of typical brick.
Indicator plants
According to numerous representatives of the plant world, it is possible to absolutely clearly establish the zones where water occurs, including the depth of its location. This is due to the fact that different plants have different root lengths and consume water at a specified depth. If in your place there is a thicket of wild rosemary, woodlice, and the like, then in these places the water comes quite close to the plane of the ground. A birch tree with a disproportionate crown and a twisted trunk also indicates excessive dampness. But pines and other coniferous trees do not prefer water.
Service Animals
Your pets will give you a hint on how to find water in a well site. Since time immemorial, peasants have noticed that in a place where dogs or horses begin to dig into mother earth, there is a high chance of finding water. Chickens do not lay eggs when the area is damp, and geese, like waterfowl, will rather build a nest over the site of the future well. Ants do not prefer “watery” areas. If in the evening you notice a column of midges or mosquitoes over a certain area, you can look for some water here.
Salt and brick
Let's look at how to find water in a country house using typical kitchen salt and building bricks. It is necessary to choose a hot period when the ground is completely dry. Pour pre-dried salt or crushed scarlet brick into an unpainted gray clay pot. We weigh the container together with its contents. We wrap the pot in gauze or agrofibre and immerse it in the soil to a depth of half a meter. A day later, we buy our own homemade apparatus and weigh it again. If the difference in weight is quite significant, then water is not far away.
Fog
In those places where there is a light smoke in the early morning in the summer, or rather, groundwater lies nearby. The thicker the fog, the higher the water underground. You only need to look at the fog that is standing in the area without moving.
domsdelat.ru
- Where is water most often found?
- Willow frame (dowsing)
- How to look for water correctly
Where is water most often found?
In cross-section, the soil looks like a layer cake consisting of different rocks. Between them in the aquifers lie water deposits, the location of which has its own gradation:
- groundwater (upper water) – depth 4-5 m;
- ground – 8-10 m;
- interstratal waters – from 10 to 100 m;
- artesian waters - over 100 m (their occurrence cannot be determined by household methods).
To detect groundwater, you can use the clues that nature itself gives us. The terrain on which the site is located often suggests the presence or absence of water underground. A negative answer is given by the following features:
- hilly terrain, the site is located on a hill or on the left (steep) bank of the river;
- nearby there are powerful artesian springs, ponds or springs, as well as powerful water intake points;
- the settlement is located next to a mining quarry.
Beech or acacia groves do not increase the chances of success. But if bird cherry, rosemary, a lot of blackberries or lingonberries grow in abundance, it’s worth trying your luck.
If the plot has recently been acquired or the issue of purchase is just being decided, there is no centralized water supply or well on the plot you like, which means you need to get to know the neighbors. When questioning, they clarify the presence of wells or Abyssinian wells, the depth of the water, and whether there have been cases where the source “goes away” after a short period of operation.
If all hydraulic structures are located at approximately the same depth, you can count on success in finding water in your own area.
IMPORTANT TO KNOW: A swamp nearby is a sure sign of the presence of groundwater, which is of poor quality. Possible yellowish color of water due to impurities of iron and manganese, a specific musty odor due to the high content of hydrogen sulfide.
Main types of frames for searching for water
A recognized folk method of independently searching for a source is the use of dowsing frames. It is believed that they respond to changes in the biofield. The mediator between the frame and the potential water deposit is a person who meditatively focuses on the desired object - water, ore, etc.
The method has no scientific confirmation. However, all kinds of experiments confirm its relative effectiveness. The results of studies conducted using various methods vary from 13-15% to 80%.
Willow frame (dowsing)
Among the “getters” of water, a popular method is using a frame made of willow vine. The research was given a special term – dowsing. How to make a frame for searching underground water? The bottom line is this:
- a fork-shaped frame is made from wicker;
- take the device by the ends and slowly walk around the area where you need to find the source;
- in the place where the boundaries of various structures are located underground, the frame will begin to deviate. The greater the deviation, the higher the chances of success.
At the same time, one cannot be completely sure that, for example, clay and water met at a point. These can be two soil-forming rocks - a layer of chernozem and clay.
Dowsing wire frame
Wire frames made of any metal are also used for searches - copper, aluminum, steel and even welding electrodes are suitable. Proceed as follows:
- the wire is bent at a right angle in a ratio of 1:3;
- a shorter section (conventional handle) is placed in any cone-shaped object, the diameter of which slightly exceeds the cross-section of the wire;
- another frame is made in the same way;
- they take the wire locator in both hands and begin searching - they slowly move around the area and react to the places where the frame begins to rotate - hypothetically there is water there.
IMPORTANT TO KNOW: Among dowsers, it is believed that it is best to build a well at the intersection of two aquifers (underground streams).
How to look for water correctly
In addition to folk methods, there are scientifically proven ways to search for underground sources. The electrical resistance method is considered quite effective. Using special equipment, data on the resistivity of each soil layer is collected and then analyzed. If all kinds of communications are located nearby - engineering, railway, pipelines run, the results may be distorted.
A proven method is exploratory auger drilling based on the hydrogeological directory of the area. On the one hand, this is an additional burden on the budget, on the other hand, it is an opportunity to make sure that it makes sense to start constructing a well or borehole. In addition, water samples can be sent to a laboratory, where their quality and composition will be determined.
Video: how to find water on a site using dowsing method
Video: review of searching for water on the site with frames
The surest way to find water and meet the needs of the household for many years is to contact specialists in the field of hydrogeology and construction of hydraulic structures. Professionals will not guess with frames and coffee grounds, but will carry out a complex of surveys, as a result of which, if water is detected, a well or a well will certainly appear on the site. High-quality exploration combined with competent execution of work on the construction of a hydraulic structure will definitely solve the problem of water supply to the estate and the surrounding area.
Owners of private houses and summer cottages have a valuable opportunity to take water from a natural source, a well or a well, and not from a water supply. We have all been aware of the benefits of clean natural water since childhood. In addition, water intake is simply necessary for watering crops and ornamental plants in the garden. The article will discuss how to find water on your site for a well or well.
Types of groundwater
First, it’s worth understanding what kind of water is in the layers of the earth and how it differs. Types of groundwater are distinguished primarily by the depth of their occurrence.
- Surface waters (upper water). The depth of occurrence is on average from 1 to 5 meters. Due to its shallow depth, such water is not sufficiently purified and is therefore unsuitable for drinking. Verkhodka is used for technical needs or for watering crops on the site. The main source of this water is precipitation, so the amount of moisture and water in the surface layers is very dependent on weather conditions. During prolonged drought, the surface water layer can be significantly depleted.
- Groundwater. They lie below the surface, at a depth of 5 to 40 meters. This water layer is located mainly between sedimentary rocks, and therefore is much less dependent on the amount of precipitation and temperature changes. Due to this, during the hot season there is no significant depletion of water reserves.
- Artesian water. This type has a great depth. Often artesian water can be found at a depth of 100 meters. However, in some cases it becomes necessary to significantly deepen the well, up to 1 thousand meters. These waters are well purified because they undergo natural filtration through many layers of soil before accumulating at depth. Numerous analyzes and examinations have shown the presence of large amounts of minerals in such water. Artesian wells have pressure.
- Interstratal waters. They lie between two waterproof layers, for example, between layers of clay. Are suitable for drinking. Interstratal waters are cleaner than groundwater, but the well or well must be quite deep.
Types of water intakes
Depending on the required volumes of use or consumption, various types of water sources can be built on the site. But the choice will also depend on the depth at which water was found.
Kopanka
The simplest and most accessible source for construction is an ordinary dig. It is like a natural container for collecting surface water. A hole is dug in the ground, the walls of which are not protected by anything, and the bottom, if necessary, is lined with polyethylene or other waterproof material.
If there is a layer of clay at the bottom of the recess, you can do without lining.
The operating principle of this “water collector” is very simple. Surface water (if present on the territory) naturally seeps through the walls of the dug hole and accumulates at the bottom. In this way you can easily obtain water for irrigation. In addition, any summer resident can make such a source with his own hands, using only one shovel.
The only drawback is that the degree of filling with water will greatly depend on weather conditions. And in the event of a prolonged drought, surface waters dry up completely.
Well
A well is much more complex in terms of construction. Under the most favorable conditions, the depth of such structures can be from 3 to 5 meters. But even excavating a shallow well requires the use of technology. In some cases, groundwater lies quite deep; it is necessary to dig to a depth of over 30 meters.
The walls of the well are reinforced with concrete rings to avoid soil shedding.
If water is collected manually, a wooden box with a crane or a round bobbin for winding a chain is installed on the surface of the well. A more convenient option is to install a stationary pump and extract water by pumping.
Well
Wells are drilled to extract water at great depths. This is advisable if highly purified water with mineral properties is needed. Drilling a well on a site also has to be resorted to in the absence of water in the upper layers of the soil.
To carry out the process, a special drilling rig is required. Before drilling begins, hydrological exploration is carried out to accurately determine the location. Well drilling work is very expensive.
Search for water locations
There are several basic techniques and methods for finding the location of water supplies.
Vegetation
Take a close look at the vegetation that is on the territory. The presence of a fairly abundant amount of surface and shallow groundwater can most likely be indicated by the following types of plants and shrubs: lingonberries, blackberries, bird cherry, buckthorn, bearberry, wild rosemary.
But birch trees are also very moisture-loving. A powerful, healthy and well-developed birch tree on the site indicates sufficient moisture in the soil layers within a radius of 5-7 meters from the tree.
Neighbours
Do not hesitate to consult with the owners of neighboring properties. Ask them about how and in what quantities they obtain water, how clean it is and whether it is suitable for drinking. You can also find out about the depth of wells and boreholes.
Empty can method
Several cans are dug into the ground, neck down. The burial depth is about 5 cm. The more cans are dug in, the more territory can be checked for the presence of groundwater. It is recommended to dig in the jars at a distance of about 50 cm from each other.
Upside down containers should be left overnight. During this time, some moisture will precipitate on the inner walls of the vessels. The place where the jar with the largest amount of liquid and moisture on the walls was found is richest in underground water.
Dowsing method
Despite the fact that it was used by our ancestors, it is considered non-traditional. Although its reliability is quite high.
In the old days, a branch of a vine was used for this method of searching for water. The branch, bent at an angle close to a straight line, was held in the hand parallel to the surface of the earth. In this position, the searcher walked through the area. In those places where underground waters lay, the vine began to spontaneously turn in the hand.
Later it was noticed that aluminum also has similar sensitivity properties. By analogy with a vine branch, a thin aluminum rod is bent at a right angle and lightly clamped in the fist with the short end. In the place where the device begins to turn from side to side, there are water reserves.
Fog watching
The thickest and lowest fog forms over areas with abundant groundwater.
Measuring the difference in atmospheric pressure using a barometer
It is necessary to measure the atmospheric pressure above the surface of any nearby body of water and remember the result. Then the pressure level at the site of digging a well or drilling a well is measured. The difference between the atmospheric pressure above the surface of the reservoir and the pressure indicators on the site will indicate the depth of the water in a particular place.
For example, above the water the pressure indicator was 750 mm, and in the area it was 749.5 mm. Subtract from the larger figure and get 0.5 mm. Next, we calculate the depth at the rate of 1 mm equals 10-12 m. Therefore, in our case, 0.5 mm will equal 5-6 meters.
Moisture-absorbing materials
You can use various materials that absorb water: salt, silica gel or broken bricks are suitable. The selected substance is well dried in the sun or in a preheated oven to remove moisture from it. Then it must be placed in a fabric bag and weighed.
Bags of moisture-absorbing material should be buried about a meter deep in the expected water locations. After a day, the bags need to be dug up and weighed. Adsorbents will actively absorb moisture from the soil within a few hours, thereby adding weight. The bag that has gained the most weight will indicate the place where water reserves are found in large quantities.
Animals
But pets can also provide some assistance in finding water resources on the site. On very hot summer days, dogs sometimes try to dig up the ground with their paws in those places where they feel the closest contact with moisture.
Chickens, on the other hand, prefer to lay eggs in dry places. If the chicken coop or nest is built on soil with a high groundwater content, the chickens can persistently lay eggs anywhere but there. Not knowing this feature, some farmers are perplexed for a long time and cannot find the reason for this behavior.
Small flies in the evening hours before sunset accumulate over places with high humidity.
If the soil is pitted with mouse holes, it means that the place is very dry. Mice avoid areas with water deposits and high humidity.
Red ants, although a nuisance on the site, can provide clues regarding groundwater. They never build their anthills on wet soils.
Exploration drilling
This method is quite expensive, but 100% accurate. For exploratory drilling, a small diameter well is made. With its help, the composition of the soil and the depth of the first layer of water are studied. It is also possible to take water samples for analysis.
This method shows the feasibility of expensive drilling of a permanent production well, as well as digging a well in a specific location.
All the described methods are designed for use in the warm season and are unsuitable for searching for water deposits in winter under snow.
A plot of land far from civilization can give you both unforgettable natural beauty and everyday problems due to the lack of centralized water supply systems nearby. The solution to this problem will be to drill a water well or build a well. However, before starting the construction of a hydraulic structure, it is necessary to correctly determine the location for its construction. Finding an underground water source can be done in different ways. In our article we will look at how to find water for a well using traditional methods.
Before you start searching for underground water, it is worth understanding the features and types of water horizons. Underground moisture that enters the ground as a result of precipitation filtration accumulates in aquifers. There can be several types depending on the depth of occurrence. Moreover, they differ not only in the depth of their location, but also in the quality and composition of the water. Water accumulated between waterproof layers of rock (clay, stone) can form entire underground reservoirs.
Each aquifer is not strictly horizontal. It can bend and refract to form entire water lenses. The volume of water in these lenses can vary from a couple of cubic meters to several tens of cubic kilometers.
There are several types of groundwater:
- Closest to the earth's surface (2-3 m) is a layer called “upper water”. The filling of this horizon occurs as a result of melting snow and precipitation. During a drought, the water in these horizons may disappear altogether. Since various pollutants from the surface of the earth easily enter this layer, the quality of this water is the lowest. It is recommended to use such water on the site only for technical needs and watering the garden.
- The next layer is deep groundwater. This layer is located at a depth of more than 5-7 m. Before entering this horizon, the water is well filtered, so such a source on the site can be used for drinking and domestic needs.
- Artesian water is considered the most valuable and high quality. This layer is located at a depth of more than 50 m. In most cases, such waters are saturated with minerals and salts. Drilling a deep well is expensive, but if there is such a horizon on your site, then building an artesian well is worth it, because it is the cleanest and highest quality water.
It is important to know: when searching for water in an area, it is worth understanding that in one place the aquifer can be very thin, and in another it will expand to its maximum size.
In addition, groundwater can be divided into two types:
- Non-pressure. These are horizons located close to the earth's surface. As a rule, after drilling a well or constructing a well, the water level in the hydraulic structure is at the same level as in the aquifer before opening the layer.
- Pressure. Such waters are usually found at considerable depth. They are sandwiched between two waterproof rocks of stone or clay. When the aquifer is opened during drilling, water rises into the well and will be above the horizon level. Sometimes such pressure water can gush out of a well. This variety includes artesian horizons.
Finding water
To determine the location of drilling a water well, you can use different methods:
- Test drilling is the most accurate professional method of finding water, but it is not cheap.
- The search for water is done using a willow vine or an aluminum frame.
- You can find a water vein on the site by analyzing the vegetation.
- You can also find out where to look for water by the behavior of animals.
- There are also simple folk methods for determining the location of aquifer veins.
At all times, people have wondered how to find water for a well or a mine well, so they came up with simple ways to find underground sources.
Clay pots
Searching for water can be done using pottery. First, the pots must be thoroughly dried in the sun. Then, early in the morning, several pots are placed on the site upside down. The next day, in the morning, check the amount of condensation in each pot. The more condensate accumulates, the closer to the earth's surface the groundwater is located.
Important: this method can only be used in summer. Instead of clay pots, you can use regular glass liter jars.
Brick or salt
Searching for water using this method can only be done on dry land, so it is worth choosing a period without rain. After this, you need to take broken brick or ordinary salt and pour it into an unglazed clay pot. Each pot must be weighed and the results recorded. After this, the container with salt or brick is wrapped in gauze and buried in the area at a shallow depth (0.5 m). The next day we dig up the pots and weigh them. We compare the results with previous data. The pot closest to the aquifer will gain the most weight. It is worth drilling a well in this place.
Tip: instead of salt and brick, you can use well-dried silica gel to fill the pot.
Indicator plants
You can determine the location for drilling a well by looking at the vegetation on the site. Many plants grow well in places where groundwater is closest to the earth's surface. Such plants include the following specimens: blackberry, buckthorn, lingonberry, bearberry, wild rosemary, bird cherry, macaroon.
In places with high humidity, the birch will have an uneven, asymmetrical crown and an uneven, twisted trunk. If there are a lot of pines, acacias and other conifers growing on the site, then you should not rely on the proximity of water in the ground. On the contrary, willow, bird cherry and alder choose places with close groundwater. In this case, the crown of the tree will tilt towards the water vein.
If the fruits of apple and cherry trees often rot, the trees get sick and feel unwell, in this place there is an underground water horizon located not far from the earth’s surface.
Animal behavior and signs
You can determine the location of nearby water by the behavior of animals:
- Dogs and horses in the heat begin to dig in the place where groundwater comes closest to the surface.
- Cats like to sleep in the place where the soil is most saturated with moisture, but dogs, on the contrary, will avoid these places.
- Chickens choose dry places to lay eggs, but geese do the opposite.
- Red ants try to build their homes away from groundwater.
- In the evening on a hot day, moisture evaporates from the ground. In the place where the underground horizons come closest to the surface, heaps of midges will circle. Also in such places low fog forms in the evenings.
In summer, the proximity of water can be judged by the following signs:
- It is best if the fog rises in a column or swirls over the same place. However, he will not stand in one place. This indicates not only the proximity of water, but also its abundance.
- Field mice will not build burrows in places where the soil is saturated with moisture. In this case, they will prefer to make burrows in trees or bushes than in the field.
- You are unlikely to find water on steep river banks or at higher elevations.
- If there are quarries, water intake structures or wells nearby, then most likely the groundwater level will be lowered.
- Most often, water can be found in lowlands or depressions.
Advice: do not look for water where swamps have been drained, or near low banks. In these places, groundwater is oversaturated with iron and manganese.
Vine and frame
Searching for water using an aluminum frame proceeds in the following sequence:
- Take two pieces of aluminum wire. The length of each should be 40 cm. The third part of the segment should be bent at a right angle.
- Now you need to find two hollow tubes. The wire inserted into them should rotate easily around its axis. For these purposes, you can use an elderberry branch with the core removed.
- We take the tubes with the wire inserted in both hands and begin to walk around the area. The long ends of the wires should not be crossed. If, as you move around the site in a certain place, the ends of the wires cross, it means that there is an aquifer passing through there.
- Also, the wires can turn towards the water vein.
- If you find such a place, you should go through it again only in a different direction. If the crossing occurs again, it means that a well needs to be drilled here.
Search using a vine do this:
- You need to select a vine branch in the form of a double fork. The branches should diverge at an angle of 150 degrees.
- The willow branch is thoroughly dried.
- Now you should take the branch by the two ends so that the double section is raised above the ground.
- When walking around an area with such a branch, you should pay attention to the places where the rod bends towards the ground. Most likely, in this place there is an underground water horizon close to the surface.
Attention: for greater reliability, the method with the vine should be repeated three times: in the morning, at lunch and in the evening.
Installing your own water source in a suburban area will significantly increase the level of comfort. Agree, bringing sufficient quantities of water to the dacha is an expensive undertaking, especially since some areas are significantly removed from the city. Have you decided to build a water intake, but don’t know how to find water for the well?
We will help you understand the intricacies of the search - the article describes various methods and methods that are in demand among owners of suburban areas. There are also video recommendations and colorful photos that clearly demonstrate the material presented.
There is water underground, but it is not so easy to find. You can, of course, dig a hole at random in the hope of accidentally stumbling upon an aquifer, but the result will most likely be disappointing.
Meanwhile, it happens that if you had not missed by literally two meters, the desired goal would have been achieved. After all, water in the ground is located between layers of soil, which it is not able to erode due to its water-resistant composition, which is based on clay and rocks.
Clay layers alternate with sandy layers, gravel and pebble deposits. They contain clean water. It is precisely this aquifer that those who decide to dig a well on their site need to get to.
Aquifers lie unevenly and their location is not so easy to detect, but those who are going to build a well need such information
It should be taken into account that the aquifer is not the same in geometric parameters throughout its entire length. Somewhere the sand layer becomes thinner, and in other places it becomes wider and deeper.
The waterproof layer is also not the same: in one place it is horizontal, and in another it can bend or even bend. The largest volumes of water-saturated sand are stored in places where the waterproof layer is bent.
The influence of burial depth on water quality
If you dig a well in the exact place where the water is located, the aquifer can be found even just two or two and a half meters from the earth's surface. Knowledgeable people call this water layer perchal water and do not use it for drinking.
Proximity to the surface is not a good sign, because water has accumulated due to melting snow, infiltration of rain streams and water from nearby reservoirs. The quality of the water in it leaves much to be desired, because there is a high probability of sewerage and other dirt seeping through.
In addition, the surface of such water is usually unstable. A well with perched water can completely dry up during the summer heat and fill up during the season of melting snow or prolonged autumn rains.
This means that water supply sources fed by perched water will also be empty, and summer residents will be left without water in the hot summer, when it is especially needed. Under such circumstances, it is better to forget about plans for the harvest. After all, no water is expected in the well until late autumn.
Therefore, we will look for deeper water. Experts believe that high-quality water is not so deep, only 15 meters from the soil level. In the sands, where the water is clean and tasty. The sand layer in which water is “stored” is a natural filter. By passing moisture through itself, it cleanses it of residual dirt and harmful elements.
If you are interested in installing a personal water source at your summer cottage, it is worth comparing the arguments in favor of the device, as well as learning about their disadvantages. We invite you to read the comparative review.
Observation when searching
The ability to take note of everything and analyze the information collected has never been superfluous. It was in this way that our ancestors, who were not yet armed with the achievements of science and technology, found water. What facts and natural phenomena will help us in our search for water?
Observation #1 - summer fogs
Fogs may appear in the area during the warm season. This natural phenomenon happens either in the early morning or late in the evening. If you observe fog in your area, pay attention to its density: it will be highest in the place where the water is closest to the soil surface.
If early in the morning you see fog in your garden, swirling or concentrated in one of its corners, then you can say with confidence that there is water in your area
The cause of such fog is the evaporation of water that is located underground. It will not stay in one place like ordinary fog. Moisture vapor may swirl or travel very low to the ground.
Observation #2 - animal behavior
By observing the behavior of domestic and wild animals and birds, we can obtain all the necessary information:
- Dog. A dog is a man’s friend and will definitely help him in finding water for a well. In the heat, dogs are always looking for an opportunity to cool their body, so they dig holes where it is cooler. These are exactly the places we are looking for.
- Horse. When thirsty, a horse hits its hoof in a place where there is water underground.
- Harvest mouse. But mice love where it is dry. They will never make their nests near places of high humidity. It’s better to climb a tree or some building that rises above the ground level.
- Domestic bird. Chickens do not lay eggs where it is wet, but geese, on the contrary, choose places where underground aquifers intersect for their nests.
Even midges feel the proximity of water. If we look at its behavior at dusk, when the summer heat has already subsided, we will see columns of insects circling in the air precisely over those places where it is coolest - where there is what we need underground.
Dogs, like people, have difficulty withstanding heat and drought. They try to get to the coolest layers of soil, which are located just above the aquifer.
In a place unwittingly indicated to us by representatives of the animal world, we can safely strike to obtain water for watering the garden and for maintaining the territory.
Observation #3 - types of growing plants
Who would know about the presence or absence of water on the site, if not the plants? It is not surprising that they are used as indicators. If blackberries, buckthorn, lingonberries, bearberry, bird cherry, wood lice and wild rosemary are doing well on your site, then it makes sense to look for an aquifer - it is definitely present.
Take a closer look at the birch: its modest growth and gnarled trunk with curvatures indicate the presence of a nearby watercourse. Coniferous trees also prefer to grow where it is dry.
By the way, the presence of nearby groundwater is not always a benefit for gardeners. After all, cherries and apples prefer moderate humidity: their waterlogging can provoke tree diseases and fruit rotting.
Observation #4 - help from friends and neighbors
If your property is part of a gardening society or you have neighbors nearby, be sure to talk to them. As a rule, they have already solved the problems that you are struggling with today. If there is an operating well or well on their site, then you will have water too.
It is worth asking your neighbors at what depth the water is in their source and whether the level is stable. In this way, it is easiest and easiest to collect information and plan work on. For private owners, surveying the owners of adjacent plots is the only expedient way to obtain hydrogeological data.
You should always maintain friendly relations with your neighbors: they will be the first to come to your aid, and if something happens, they will protect your property from thieves
Try to find out not only the current state of the local water intake, but also fluctuations in water levels throughout the year, as well as the composition of the water. Agree that it is not very pleasant to find your site flooded with flood waters in the spring. Receive vital information in a timely manner.
Practical Search Techniques
When the observation stage is already over, and the neighbor said that he bought the plot already with a well, the time comes for a practical search for water layers using standard or non-standard methods.
Method #1 - using glass containers
Finding the right number of glass jars of the same size is not a problem for those who occasionally do home canning. If you don’t have cans, buy them; the summer resident will definitely need them sooner or later.
The contents of ordinary glass jars will eloquently tell you where exactly the aquifer may be located: look for the container with the highest concentration of condensate
Throughout the entire area, you need to dig glass jars of the same size, bottom up, to a depth of at least 5 cm. The duration of the experiment is a day. The next morning, before the sun rises, you can dig out and turn over the dishes.
We are interested in those jars that contain condensate. There is more of it in banks located above aquifers.
Method #2 - use of hygroscopic material
It is known that salt is hygroscopic, that is, it can absorb moisture even from the air. Red brick, crushed into powder, has the same properties. Silica gel is another material that is perfect for our purposes.
To conduct the experiment, we will need several clay pots that are not covered with glaze. Choose a day when there has been no rain for a long time and we hope that it won’t rain in the next 24 hours.
You need pots like these, not coated inside or outside with glaze, because they “breathe” well and are able to let water vapors in.
We pour the material into the pots and weigh the resulting “devices”. It is better to number the pots and write down the data obtained. We wrap each pot in non-woven material and bury it at a depth of half a meter in the ground in different places on the site.
A day later we dig up the bookmarks and re-weigh them. The heavier the pot and its contents become, the closer to the place where it was laid the aquifer is located.
Almost scientific methods of dowsing
Despite all the skepticism of professional drillers, dowsing is still used to this day and gives good results. Let's look at two ways to search for water this way.
No. 1 - aluminum electrodes and wire
For this experiment we will need two pieces of aluminum wire 40 cm long. We bend 10 cm on each piece at a right angle for the handles. For the remaining 25 cm, you will need a hollow tube, such as elderberry, with the core removed.
We insert the wire into the elderberry tubes so that it can rotate freely inside the channel. By the way, instead of elderberry you can use viburnum, willow or hazel.
Usually those who do dowsing professionally use rather complex frameworks, which we don’t need, especially since the principle of operation and the result will be the same
We take one tube in each hand so that their ends point in opposite directions. We walk along the site in the direction from north to south. Elbows should be pressed to the body. The frame, not tightly clenched in the fists, serves as an extension of the hand.
In the place where there is a water-bearing vein, the wires will turn around and converge towards the middle. It is possible that the water may be to your right or left, then both tubes will “look” in this direction.
When you pass the aquifer, the tubes will again turn in different directions. To make sure that you have not made a mistake, walk again over the place where the tubes meet. This time in a direction perpendicular to the previous one (from east to west). If the closure is repeated, the right place has been found and this is where the well should be dug.
No. 2 - willow vine at the heart of the search
We need a willow on which there is a branch that seems to be split into two parts, forming an angle of 150 degrees (approximately) with each other. This is actually a ready-made “frame” - the main tool that we will use. But the frame cannot be used immediately. Be patient and let the wood dry first.
People have been involved in dowsing since ancient times. We shouldn’t abandon this method either, especially since it is quite effective.
The finished frame is taken at the ends of the branches so that the “beak” located in the middle looks up. With this vine you need to slowly walk around the entire area. Above the location of the aquifer, the vine will “bite”, that is, the middle part of the frame will be directed downward.
Not every person knows how to handle a vine correctly, so dowsing is the destiny of a few. For those who are ready to test themselves, we remind you that the most accurate values can be obtained using the frame:
- in the morning from 6 to 7 o'clock;
- after lunch from 4 to 5 o'clock;
- in the evening from 8 to 9 o'clock;
- at night from 12 to 1 o'clock.
Such research brings results. But the water found may turn out to be high water or underground utilities passing under the site and collecting condensate.
Finding water by drilling
The final result can be obtained by exploratory drilling. He will put an end to all your doubts. To drill a well you will need a garden drill. Since we have already discussed the merits of water located dangerously close to the earth's surface, we will have to drill to a depth of at least 6 meters.
The only way to make sure that we have found the right place that we spent so much effort searching for is to drill into the soil and underlying layers of soil to see what is there
Let's say an aquifer is found. But, before you start digging the long-awaited well, you need to make sure that you have found water of good quality. To do this, send it to the sanitary and epidemiological station to study the composition and degree of contamination. Also
Using it, we will obtain the following information:
- thickness of the soil on the site;
- quantity and quality of detected water;
- depth of the aquifer;
- location of quicksand, stone blocks and slabs;
- the approximate amount we will need to build a well.
It is not at all a fact that the place you are scouting will be conveniently located relative to the proposed buildings on your site, but sometimes the owners are lucky.
Finding the right place five meters from your home is considered a great success. In this case, when installing an independent water supply system with automatic water supply, the section of pipes laid in the ground will be minimal. This means it will require less investment.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Watch the video below, it will introduce you to dowsing methods. You will see the practical application of the dowsing method. Geologists do not recommend using this method, considering it pseudoscientific. If the method itself is controversial, then the manipulations with the ring that you see in this video are more than questionable.
In our article, dowsing is mentioned solely for the purpose of providing the most complete information about all methods of searching for water that are actually used in practice.
The next video will present the principle of studying soils and their condition using drilling methods. This video clearly demonstrates the work of reconnaissance digging using a probe (bailer). This is a rather labor-intensive process that is difficult to perform alone, without using either a tripod or a gate.
In addition, there is a real danger of the well collapsing if casing is not used to secure it.
If you are looking for water for a well, you need to have an understanding of aquifers, how they are located underground and the influence of water depth on its quality characteristics.
Be observant during your search. Observe plants, natural phenomena and animals. Their behavior will help you determine if there is water in your area.
Folk means of finding water, as well as information received from neighbors, will also not be superfluous. In addition, they search for water using the dowsing method. The drilling method is considered the most effective, although labor-intensive. Armed with the information you have received, you can begin your search. If there is water in your area, you will definitely find it.
Please write comments in the block below. Please ask questions if you have any questions while reading the information we provide. Tell us and site visitors about your own experience in determining the location for a well on a suburban area.