Whats your thoughts on finding a water source

[Henro]

Like Allan W, stick dowsing has never worked for me. what does work for me is #8 steel fence wire or #8 copper wire (old powerline wire) when looking for underground pipes and cables.

Funny you should mention this. Does not work for everyone, but it does for some. I usually use copper wire or old coat hanger wire.

I do this occasionally, but not enough to remember to use it when I need to! Last time was a couple years ago when I wanted to locate the sewer line cleanout, last one before the pipe entered the main. I knew about where I put my line, and knew I tied to the 6" line the sewer people provided. Also knew where the main line ran, since there are several manholes on my property.

I was able to find the pipe that came from the main line using the two wire method. Found it at a couple points and painted a yellow line between the points and extended it for a bit.

Found the line coming down from the house (not marked but I roughly knew where I put it) and after marking a couple points, drew another yellow line and extended it to where it crossed the first line.

Was expecting to have to scratch the surface for a while with my backhoe, to find the concrete block I used to cover the cleanout. Believe it or not, the first scrape at the intersecting point of the yellow lines, with the backhoe (about 24 inches long), turned up the concrete block, with the cleanout under it.

Plastic pipe. The two wire method finds plastic as well as metal pipes. It will also sense overhead wires, but this does little to prove anything...

Would I try to win that million bucks? Of course not. I would be too nervous and would fail. But without pressure it does work, too frequently to be just chance. BUT it does not work for everybody. For fun I sometimes if I think of it ask a visitor to try it. Some have pretty good results, others nothing. This only happens once in a while, like when I read a thread where it is mentioned, and get curious...

 

[MossRoad]

Oh good grief.

:laughing:

It would fail because it's bunk. It's right up there with voodoo, witch doctors, magic spells, bigfoot, etc....

 

[Jstpssng]

Oh good grief.

:laughing:

It would fail because it's bunk. It's right up there with voodoo, witch doctors, magic spells, bigfoot, etc....

I would agree with you 100%... if I hadn't seen it work too many times. Try spending time with somebody who claims they can do it, before totally ruling it out.

 

[PILOON]

Oh good grief.

:laughing:

It would fail because it's bunk. It's right up there with voodoo, witch doctors, magic spells, bigfoot, etc....

LOL, with U there.

Dowse with osier or copper over a bucket of water and let me know.
OK, if U have the shakes the twig might droop down.

 

[Cougsfan]

Oh good grief.

:laughing:

It would fail because it's bunk. It's right up there with voodoo, witch doctors, magic spells, bigfoot, etc....

I find this humorous. At one time I agreed with you. I don't have much faith in stuff that doesn't have a scientific basis. What has changed my mind is that I have successfully found underground water lines using this method. I had no clue as to even the approximate location. I did it under the premise that it sure wouldn't hurt to try and I had every expectation for it to fail. So I still don't believe in voodoo, which doctors, magic spells, bigfoot, etc. I also believe that not everyone can do it. I'm not even sure I could do it again. But there are definitely some things in this world that appear to go beyond pure blind luck that we can't explain.

 

[MossRoad]

Dowsing has never been proven to be more accurate than chance.

Read up on it. Go to the section on studies. Dozens of studies have been done on it. None showed anything more than the same rate as chance.

Dowsing - Wikipedia

If anyone could actually do it repeatedly under controlled conditions, you wouldn't see these guys from the utility locator companies walking around with expensive magnetometers; they'd all be using forked sticks or bent wire.

Bunk, bunk, bunk. No offense meant, but it's bunk.

 

[MossRoad]

Chihuahuas have healing powers

Despite medical research that says otherwise, some people believe that Chihuahuas have healing powers, including the power to cure asthma in children by transferring the disease to themselves. According to Snopes.com, this myth may have origins in the Aztec belief that dogs like the Techichi would absorb a human's sins while escorting him to the afterlife. This fabled ability to "absorb" something from a person may be why some still believe that the Chihuahua can cure health issues. Also, since asthma often subsides as children age and since Chihuahuas often live 10 to 15 years, the "cure" could be attributed to the dog.

 

[/pine]

I would agree with you 100%... if I hadn't seen it work too many times. Try spending time with somebody who claims they can do it, before totally ruling it out.

do some reading on "ideomotor movements"....it the same thing that makes people actually believe a ouija board cup moves...

 

[dodge man]

I am a land surveyor and have done a lot of surveying for engineering projects and I firmly believe people can locate underground utilities without hi tech modern equipment. Matter of fact I can do it. Sometimes it is just low spots in a yard that would indicate a sewer service. Sometimes it is more obvious such as a water shut off or a manhole. I do not believe in dowsing or other such stuff but I also realize other people do. The first time I saw it done I thought the guy was messing with me, playing a joke on the college boy. People believe what they want.

 

[Gem99ultra]

do some reading on "ideomotor movements"....it the same thing that makes people actually believe a ouija board cup moves...

Dang it! Now here we go on a tributary topic. Are you implying that a Ouija board does NOT work? Oh... this stuff make my head hurt.

 

[MossRoad]

 

[/pine]

Dang it! Now here we go on a tributary topic. Are you implying that a Ouija board does NOT work? Oh... this stuff make my head hurt.

If you actually believe a ouija board works you have a much bigger problem with gullibility than a headache...!

 

[Jstpssng]

If you actually believe a ouija board works you have a much bigger problem with gullibility than a headache...!

Next you'll be telling us that Santa Claus isn't real.

 

[MossRoad]

I know Santa is real because when my wife was a kid she saw him doing shots with her father in the kitchen.

 

[Jstpssng]

I know he's real because my parents were sending all of their money to the credit card companies and couldn't afford to buy all of the presents that we got. :laughing:
(Not true. We never went all out for Christmas, and they didn't spend money that they didn't have.)

 

[PILOON]

Technically speaking we know the water table here is at 400 ft.
Many wells confirm that.
However I know of 3 properties that have great water at about 50 ft.
Next, in my home after 24 years I have water in my sump that I never had previously and I am sure that it is pure usable consumable water.
Must add however that we are lakeside and have multiple springs that feed the lake.
In my case I am sure that when I built that I actually cut off a surface spring that flowed into the lake and with time it simply re routed itself into my sump.

As to dowsing, well good luck. but the do U still believe in Santa Claus?
I'll bet many well diggers will suggest a dowser that for a fee will locate U a water source but I'd look for another driller, one that really knows where the local water table is.
Shucks lots of gov't sites have all that info on line, not rocket science nowdays.

 

[Alan W.]

Ouija Boards are magic and have powers that cant be explained.

There has to be some transcendental, fourth dimension, conscious penetrating, mystical, unicorn riding, telepathic brain connection.

Otherwise there is no explanation as to why the ouija thingy has the exact same knowledge as the ones holding the pointer thingy.

Spooky huh. Kinda boggles the mind.

 

[/pine]

Ouija Boards are magic and have powers that cant be explained.

There has to be some transcendental, fourth dimension, conscious penetrating, mystical, unicorn riding, telepathic brain connection.

Otherwise there is no explanation as to why the ouija thingy has the exact same knowledge as the ones holding the pointer thingy.

Spooky huh. Kinda boggles the mind.

Not to mention the mindless...!

 

[stuckmotor]

Some of the people born under my Zodiac sign are practical minded and don't believe in water witching, little green men, or Zodiac signs.
Trees might help with a shallow well. For a deep well, I think I'd find a convenient place for a pump house and drill there.

 

[hunt4570]

Technically speaking we know the water table here is at 400 ft.
Many wells confirm that.
However I know of 3 properties that have great water at about 50 ft.
Next, in my home after 24 years I have water in my sump that I never had previously and I am sure that it is pure usable consumable water.
Must add however that we are lakeside and have multiple springs that feed the lake.
In my case I am sure that when I built that I actually cut off a surface spring that flowed into the lake and with time it simply re routed itself into my sump.

As to dowsing, well good luck. but the do U still believe in Santa Claus?
I'll bet many well diggers will suggest a dowser that for a fee will locate U a water source but I'd look for another driller, one that really knows where the local water table is.
Shucks lots of gov't sites have all that info on line, not rocket science nowdays.

My water table is right about 50 feet, I know this because I've pulled my well three times till we decided to replace the wire feeding the pump! The pump is 120 feet deep and the water level is at 50.

I have a couple ponds also and several springs feeding them so lots of water around here..