DETECTING UNDERGROUND WATER BY DOWSING

A cross-section of a building site above sedimentary materials. The blue line marks the subsurface location of the water table. Wells drilled throughout the area will penetrate the same materials and have a high probability of yielding water.

Dowsing as a Method of Finding Underground Water

Many people believe that dowsing is a valid method for finding groundwater, but most geologists and hydrologists disapprove of the practice.

What Is Dowsing?

 

“Dowsing,” “water witching,” “divining,” and “doodlebugging” are all names for the practice of locating groundwater by walking the surface of a property while holding a forked stick, a pair of L-shaped rods, a pendulum, or another tool that responds when the person moves above a location that will yield an adequate flow of water to a drilled well.

People who practice dowsing believe that groundwater moves in subsurface seams, veins, or streams that must be intersected by the drill to produce an adequate flow of water. They believe that locations where this water is present are surrounded by forces that will produce a response in their tools. Forked sticks held in front of a dowser will be deflected toward the ground, a pair of L-shaped rods held lightly in the dowser's hands will cross one another, and a pendulum suspended on a string will deflect from vertical as the dowser moves over a good location. 

Video: How to detect underground water by dowsing

Why Do Landowners Hire Dowsers?

 

Drilling a water well can cost thousands of dollars. It is a major investment that many landowners are hesitant to make without professional consultation. They want to be sure that the well is drilled in a location where it will produce water of adequate quantity and quality. This is why many people hire a dowser. They want to drill a successful well, close to their house, where the cost of installing water lines and an electrical conduit will be minimal and where a drilling rig can be easily driven. 

What Do Hydrogeologists Think of Dowsing?

 

Although some dowsers have a record of regularly producing good results, the United States Geological Survey reports that most geologists and hydrogeologists disapprove of the practice of dowsing . The National Ground Water Association, in a position statement, “strongly opposes the use of water witches to locate groundwater on the grounds that controlled experimental evidence clearly indicates that the technique is totally without scientific merit”.

The Nature of Underground Water

 

Most fresh groundwater occurs in the pore spaces of sedimentary rocks and sediments. It has the ability to flow laterally through these pore spaces and establish a “water table” that is generally horizontal or slightly sloping. If a landowner wants a well drilled within a hundred or so feet of a building site, almost any location selected will have similar potential for yielding water to a well. Why? Because the same types of rocks are usually present beneath that small area. 

Locating and drilling into a good water supply can be difficult in areas underlain by igneous rocks such as granite and basalt. These rocks do not contain pore spaces through which water can flow. Instead, the water must move through very narrow fractures in the rock. A well must intersect enough of these tiny fractures to produce useful amounts of water. It can be very difficult to drill successful wells in some areas underlain by thick cavernous limestone. In these areas, wells that do not intersect a fracture or a cavern might not yield abundant water. 

Regarding these igneous and limestone areas, geologists and hydrogeologists believe that there is no scientific basis for a dowser or a dowsing tool to have the ability to select a location where a drilled well will intersect subsurface fractures or small caverns. 

How Do Hydrogeologists Locate Water?

Most successful water wells are drilled without the advice of a hydrogeologist. Local drilling companies often have the experience of drilling hundreds or thousands of wells in the areas where they operate. They have learned through this experience the parts of their service area where wells with adequate amounts of quality water are usually encountered. They also know areas where locating an adequate water supply can be challenging. 

If a hydrogeologist is called to determine a suitable drilling site, he or she will start by examining a geologic map. These maps show the types of rocks that exist below the landowner’s property and their direction of dip. They also provide information about the different types of rock units that exist in the area. Some types of rocks are known to be good producers of water, whereas others will not hold or yield useful water. 

The dip of the rock units and the topography of the area can be studied to identify the direction of groundwater flow, potential water recharge areas, springs, and discharge points. The depth of impermeable rock units can sometimes be determined, and these can serve as a lower limit for drilling. All this information allows the hydrogeologist to develop a three-dimensional model of the property that might define locations that are promising or those that should be avoided. 

The hydrogeologist will also seek information about previous wells drilled in the local area. Most drillers maintain a file of the types of rocks penetrated and the amount of water produced for each well that they have drilled. This information is very useful in determining the probability of drilling success on a nearby property. 

Hydrogeologists often examine aerial photos when siting a well in a challenging area. Aerial photos often reveal linear features that might indicate the presence of fracture zones in the bedrock. These areas often yield abundant water to wells. 

Using the information described in the studies above, hydrogeologists base their recommendations on 

1) the characteristics of the land;

 2) characteristics of rocks beneath the site;

 3) results from previous drilling; and, 

4) known principles of groundwater movement. They believe that this type of information is more useful for siting a well than how a stick, a wire, or a pendulum responds to an unknown force 

Conclusions

 

Many successful wells are drilled without the cost of a dowser or a hydrogeologist. The driller often has a lot of experience in the area being drilled and knows if the rocks in that area typically yield useful quantities of water. 

When professional consultations are required or preferred, the landowner must make a decision. Should the project costing thousands of dollars be based upon scientific information about the rocks beneath a site, their water-yielding properties, and known principles of groundwater flow; or, should it be based upon a forked stick and an unexplainable force? 

By Eng. Herman Nguki. (Irrigation& Water Resources)

WaDCo Tanzania E- Director.

Cont: 0763639101/0679639101/ ngukiherman@ymail.com

Contributor: Hobart King 

I hope you have enjoyed the lesson. Eng Nguki will soon bring to you more videos and demonstration practicals on dowsing and other issues as per for WadCo mission and vision. Welcome

References

[1] Water Dowsing: A general interest publication by the United States Geological Survey; 1988. 

[2] Water Witching: A position paper by the National Ground Water Association; August 2009. 

[3] How Do Hydrologists Locate Groundwater?: Article on the United States Geological Survey website; last updated March 2014. 

[4] Ground Water in Fractured Hard Rock: A “Water Facts” publication of the California Department of Water Resources; April 1991. 

[5] De Re Metallica: Georgius Agricola, published posthumously in Germany in 1556. 

Agricultural Pollution

Drinking polluted water  from agricultural chemicals is dangerous

Developing means of farming and agriculture is the reason humans live in the world they do today. It is a necessary means of survival, without which there would be famines all over the world. For thousands of years, agricultural was a natural process that did not harm the land it was done on. In fact, farmers were able to pass down their land for many generations and it would still be fertile as ever. However, modern agricultural practices have started the process of agricultural pollution. This process causes the degradation of the eco-system, land and environment due to the modern day by-products of agriculture.

No single cause can be attributed to the widespread agricultural pollution we face today. Agriculture is a complex activity in which the growth of crops and livestock have to be balanced perfectly. The process of agricultural pollution stems from the many stages their growth goes through.

Spray of agricultural chemicals pollute environment, surface and underground water

Causes of Agricultural Pollution

1. Pesticides and Fertilizers: 

To begin with, the earliest source of pollution has been pesticides and fertilizers. Modern day pesticides & fertilizers have to deal with the local pests that have existed for hundreds of years along with the new invasive species. And so, they are laden with chemicals that are not found in nature.

Once they has been sprayed, it does not disappear completely. Some of it mixes with the water and seeps into the ground. The rest of is absorbed by the plant itself. As a result, the local streams that are supplied water from the ground become contaminated, as do the animals that eat these crops and plants.

2. Contaminated Water: 

Contaminated water used for irrigation is one further source of pollution. Much of the water we use comes from ground water reservoirs, canals and through the rains. While plenty of it is clean and pure water, other sources are polluted with organic compounds and heavy metals. This happens due to the disposal of industrial and agricultural waste in local bodies of water.

As a result, the crops are exposed to water which has small amounts of mercury, arsenic, lead and cadmium dissolved in it. The process of agricultural pollution becomes harder to fight when such water poisons the livestock and causes crop failure.

3. Soil Erosion and Sedimentation:

 Further problems are caused by soil erosion and sedimentation. Soil is comprised of many layers and it is only the topmost layer that can support farming or grazing. Due to inefficient farming practices, this soil is left open for erosion and leads to declining fertility each year. Whether eroded by water or wind, all this soil has to be deposited somewhere or the other.

The resulting sedimentation causes soil build up in areas such as rivers, streams, ditches and surrounding fields. And so, the process of agricultural pollution prevents the natural movement of water, aquatic animals and nutrients to other fertile areas.

4. Livestock:

 In the olden days, farmers would keep as much livestock as their land could support. The cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens and other animals were fed natural diets, which was supplemented by the waste left over from the crops. As a result, the animals contributed to keeping the farm healthy as well.

As of now, livestock is grown in cramped conditions where it is fed unnatural diets and sent to slaughterhouses on a regular basis. As a result, they add to the process of agricultural pollution by way of emissions.

5. Pests and Weeds: 

Growing exotic crops and reducing the natural species in a certain area has become the norm for agriculture. However, it is simply adding to the process of agricultural pollution. With the arrival of new crops, the native population has to deal with new diseases, pests and weeds that it is not capable of fighting.

As a result, the invasive species destroy the local vegetation and wildlife, altering the eco-system permanently. This is especially the case with Genetically Modified foods, which create plant and animal species that can wipe out the existing species in a matter of years.

Frequent use of chemicals affect the land productivity

Effects of Agricultural Pollution

1. Health Related Issues: 
Agricultural pollution is the main source of pollution in water and lakes. Chemicals from fertilizers and pesticides make their way into the groundwater that end up in drinking water. Health related problems may occur as it contribute to blue baby syndrome which causes death in infants. 

2. Effect on Aquatic Animals:
 Fertilizers, manure, waste and ammonia turns into nitrate that reduces the amount of oxygen present in water which results in the death of many aquatic animals. Again, bacteria and parasites from animal wastes  can get into drinking water which can pose serious health hazards for various aquatic life and animals.

Keeping agricultural pollution in check is much harder than it seems. For the farms to become clean once again, levels of water, soil and industrial pollution have to be kept in check. Over the last decade or so, governments have become stricter about enforcing regulations. Farmers are also becoming more aware of the damage and are looking for solutions.

Many farms are moving back to traditional manure, direct irrigation from local water bodies and organic means of keeping pest populations in check. But for the process of agricultural pollution to be fully reigned in, there has to be a complete shift in the way agriculture is practiced.

Eng Herman Nguki (Irrigation and Water Resources) .WaDCo E-Director.

www.wadcotanzania.blogspot.com

Welcome to our website, ask questions you will be answered. Follow our Facebook page namely 'Water Droplet Community'
WaDCo for sustainable utilization of soil,water and environmental conservation. 

Welcom to WATER DROPLET COMMUNITY (WaDCo)

The organization deals with sensitization of community on sustainable uses of soil, water and environmental conservation. It aims to integrate engineering, science, technology and socio-cultural aspects of water uses.
The idea will save problems in Africa, in the following aspects:

01. In water supply and sanitation:

Prevention of water related diseases, preventing water loss and theft (I have done a special project on this as a fulfillment of my undergraduate degree 'BSc Irrigation & Water Resources Engineering, 2016- Sokoine University of Agriculture and noticed alarming magnitude/percentage), and water accessibility to communities.

02. Irrigated agriculture:

Provide education on Soil-water interaction in crops productivity, agricultural sustainability under water shortage conditions, proper use of billed water for household garden, solving water conflicts and advising the government on all challenge facing water and agriculture sector. Also providing education in all types of irrigation, facilities and equipments like irrigation pumps. 

03. Environmental Conservation:

Educating people on how environmental conservation relates to water availability for all uses (Irrigation, domestic and livestock feeding), global climatic changes and mitigation, integrated watersheds management.

WaDCo OBJECTIVES

01. Conduct researches with local communities so as to gather information about soil productivity, water quality and environmental pollution.
02. Conduct workshops about water related challenges for selected representatives from local groups who will in turn go to educate their fellows.
03. Make follow ups on their implementation of the solutions proposed during workshops.
04. Publish leaflets of technical and social information about soils, water and environmental conservation. 
05. Prepare technical reports to the government and stakeholders, addressing and advising on the results of the researches done to the community and the way forward. 
06. Conduct radio talks and TV shows through which the community will get information about researches and community participation on soil-water issues and environmental conservation.
07. Plan and implement projects that will use soil, water and environment friendly technology. This will save two purposes; firstly will be as fund rising strategy to the organization and secondly as a demonstration units to the trainees, where they will learn by practicing.