Saturday, September 23, 2006

Do you believe in witching wells?

So its back to a plan where a well digger will dig a shallow well. I have been told to get a well witcher to locate where the water well should be dug. Frankly, this sounds like so much geo-mental hoooey to me so I pressured a believer who is also a scientist to give me the scientific, geological underpinnings. But there aren't any. Apparently you are just supposed to believe. That brings out my skepticism.

So help me believe. I want to believe.

Today I'll be relentless in the pursuit of wood, water and helpers. Maybe set up a work weekend in 2 weeks. Doesn't October 7th sound nice to be up in the hills?

Chigger bites are what happens when you don't use bug spray and you get into a nest of them, Poor sonny.

7 comments:

Troy Farwell said...

It defies understanding, but that how both my parents and grandparents found their wells when I was young.
I, being an engineer, would try to find a more quantitive method...

StuccoHouse said...

Our family used a well witcher sucessfully for our cabin well. My dad blogged about his experience in his blog DeerTracks&Trails last year some time - you might take a peek.

Unknown said...

that looks seriously painful

Greg said...

I can’t help you believe, because I too think it’s so much geo-mental hoooey. I visited a small remote cabin last summer that used a small spring and a large tank to supply water to the cabin. The area was off-the-grid and running water was the only modern convenience in the cabin. The tank was on the hill above the cabin and it was filled with water from the spring. Then through the magic of gravity there was water pressure to the cabin. Not a lot of pressure but it seemed fine to me.

Anonymous said...

Hello, I just came across your blog. My husband's grandma was a douser (is that how you spell it?). Her husband had such faith in her abilities that he sited a house on a piece of land based on where she said the water was--without digging first to confirm.

AFTER the foundation was poured he dug the well and sure enough, there was the water right where she said it was.

Does this prove an extrasensory ability? No. But it's kinda cool. Go for it.

John said...

I don't have any personal experience with it, but my in-laws do. My mother-in-law and her parents both used a well-witcher to find their wells. They hit water the first time and the wells are still running strong (though the drought has been hard on them).

Dumbluck or witchcraft? Either way, it seems to have worked.

Neighmond said...

Speaking from the other side of the fence, I can add something here. I have divined several pipes, springs, wells, etc. but I am nowhere near as accurate as a good engineer. I have a hit rate of about seventy-five to eighty per cent, which means there is between a one-in-four and one-in-five chance you won't find water.

The real difference between an engineer and I is that an engineer makes this their living, and charges for their expertise; and I do it as a favor, and if water is struck tell them to give me what is fair (which has gotten me everything from cash to livestock to help tinning a roof.)

Whatever it's worth, some divine with a hazel fork or some type, and I use a pair of cold iron rods, bent at one end. I walk slowly, holding a rod in each hand so it is free to swivel at the point where it is bent. When the rods cross water is present (ideally!) It takes several passes and a sort of triangulation to see if it is worth chasing after.

I haven't a clew as to how it works-it'll rat out a sewer or water pipe as well, and I have good reason to believe it could locate graves. I do know that a damp, warm day will make divining impossible, snow is about as bad, and no matter what you hear the rods don't tell how deep it is!

Offered up as it's worth,

Chaz