Despite what you may think, access to water is not always a third-world problem. When you don’t do your due diligence before drilling a well, you are actually risking your future access to water. Large cities and densely populated areas have piped water, but everyone else is reliant upon wells to provide them with fresh water. Groundwater often provides clean fresh water via wells, but it is very important to properly plan for such wells, in order to avoid any disaster in the future.
What Happens When a Well Runs Dry?
Groundwater is located within aquifers, below the Earth’s surface, and is an important natural resource. These aquifers are especially needed in areas, such as the arid West, which has an extremely limited supply of fresh water from any other source. The water level in a well depends upon the depth of the well, the type of aquifer that the well utilizes, the amount and rate of pumping that occurs in the aquifer, the permeability of the underground rock surrounding the well, and the amount of recharge that occurs as a result of precipitation or artificial recharge.
When one states that a well has “gone dry”, they mean that the water level has dropped below the pump intake. Just because a groundwater well has gone dry, this does not mean that it is permanent. The water level within a well that has gone dry may come back over time, as the aquifer is recharged via precipitation, or the pumping of the aquifer is lessened.
Access to Well Water During Drought
Droughts have a severe impact on the levels of water available within a well. The water levels within the aquifers that supply these wells do not stay the same for long. Any variation in weather or temperature can have an effect, including droughts and extreme rainfall. It is also important to consider, before drilling a well, how many people are going to be dependent upon it. If the well is pumped at a faster rate than the aquifer around it is recharged, the water levels in the well will begin to deplete. This often happens during drought, due to the lack of rain, however, it is an important consideration to keep in mind before drilling. The water level within a well can also deplete as a result of the other wells in the area withdrawing too much water. This is why it is important to locate groundwater and get an estimate of the depth and yield in the location before you drill a well.
American Water Surveyors
American Water Surveyors use the best state-of-the-art technologies in order to find groundwater depth, yields, and suitability before you partake in any costly well drilling. Choosing an affordable groundwater survey will not only lessen costs, but will also take the guesswork out of drilling for water. Depending on antiquated techniques, such as drilling experimental wells or divining water sources, is very dangerous Since you have no concept of the yield available to you, during an emergency, you will risk pumping the groundwater surrounding you to the point of near depletion.
We have completed over 575 ground water surveys in 20 different states. It is very simple; at American Water Surveyors, we find water, guaranteed. Be prepared in the event of an emergency, and do not let the fear of having your well run dry destroy your peace of mind. Visit us online, call us at 1-877-SEISMO1 (734-7661), or email us at [email protected] today to find out more information.
