Water well drilling has become increasingly popular among farmers, homeowners and land developers because of its endless supply of impurity-free water — useful for drinking, bathing, cooking and irrigation. While there are many elements to consider before drilling a water well, determining the location of the well is the fundamental starting point for many well owners.
Traditional methods of locating groundwater include dowsing or water witching. Dating back 8,000 years ago, dowsing requires a dowsing stick or rod used by the dowser to locate water. The technique itself is not foolproof because it relies on a psychic connection between the water and the dowser. The dowsing stick is thought to vibrate in reaction to a groundwater supply. This approach is nonsensical when there are other logical and proven methods of finding groundwater prior to water well drilling.
Today there is an effective and scientifically proven approach to locating groundwater, referred to as seismoelectrics. A cost-conscious way of locating a well site, seismoelectrics uses a survey instrument that detects signals generated by the passage of seismic waves through soil and sediment. Not only does it locate well water, but it also estimates water depth, quality, thickness and yield. The depth is recorded where the signals originate. Quality is assessed through relationships between the underground signal, amplitude and permeability. The signal strength, power line noise field strength, antenna impedance, rejection ratio, input impedance of the detector, source coupling, receiver coupling, and detector input noise all reveal characteristics of seismoelectrical data and can be beneficial for establishing a water well drilling site.
The benefits of seismoelectrical technology outweigh other forms of well-locating techniques. Beyond locating well water, seismoelectric effects provide detailed information about groundwater, such as the fluid saturation, pore fluid type and permeability of ground. Compared to nuclear magnetic resonance technology (NMR), a spectroscopic technique used by scientists to elucidate chemical structure and molecular dynamics, seismoelectrical is less expensive and more accurate in its estimations. The information derived from seismoelectric technology helps during drilling because it provides data about how deep to drill, the geology of the area and the best equipment for drilling. It prevents homeowners from drilling dry or low yield water well, which can be an expensive mistake to undo. Seismoelectrical surveying companies include a comprehensive report, outlining the data collected from the survey and because of the efficiency of the technology, they can survey up to twenty sites in a day.
Before drilling a water well on land, it’s important to find a drilling location that will produce a high quality water yield. To achieve this, seismoelectric technologies map the land surface to find an area rich in fresh groundwater. In addition to water abundance, water-surveying technologies also provide information about the water’s quality. If you are interested in well planning or locating assistance, our company offers leading edge technology to detect groundwater prior to drilling. Not only will it save you time and resources, but because we are paid by results, you are guaranteed to receive an accurate report summarizing groundwater yield, quality and drill location.
