How to Locate Ground Water
People often take for granted the availability of water as a natural resource which is why being able to locate ground water is so important. Largely a geological job, locating ground water depends on recognizing the formation of rock structures, identifying water-loving plants and examining well records. Once you discover a spot likely to have ground water the depth and yield of the ground water must be determined. The field of hydrology is important in making sure that water as a natural resource never becomes scarce.
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Things You'll Need
- Book for recognizing different types of rocks
- Book for recognizing different types of plants
- Well location list
Instructions
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Survey the area under valleys. As the United States Geological Survey (USGS) says on its website, "conditions for large quantities of shallow groundwater are more favorable under valleys than under hills."
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Identify water-loving plants in the area. Water-loving plants such as cottonwoods or willows often indicate the presence of ground water in the area.
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Survey the area for visible water such as rivers, lakes and springs. The presence of these often indicates a strong source of ground water in the area.
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Examine large rock formations in the area. According to USGS.gov, "Some sedimentary rocks may extend many miles as aquifers of fairly uniform permeability. Other types of rocks may be cracked and broken and contain openings large enough to carry water." Being able to recognize these traits in rocks will aid in the location of ground water.
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Check the well records in the area. See Resources section for a well record finder. You can also check with the USGS for well records. Presence of a well in the area is often indicative of presence of ground water in the area.
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Tips & Warnings
Find information about the land where you are trying to locate ground water. You can run into trouble if the area is public, private or government-owned land. Check with your local Chamber of Commerce or with the USGS.
Many of the tools for extracting and measuring ground water are not available to the general public. You may also require zoning permits and paperwork to be able to search for ground water and for extracting it.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit well image by Tomasz Plawski from Fotolia.com
