Well Digging (Part 2)

          There was actually a step one for me that preceded the call to the ag extension, and that was to “witch” for water (also known as water dowsing; I blogged on this about a month ago if you care to scroll back. It involves having a person gifted in this art to come to your place with a “Y”-shaped branch (we used willow and peach) and scope about for water. As I wrote about earlier, I had 2 separate “dowsers” to witch my land; both routed to the same place (unbeknownst to the other) which to me, was a good sign. For the record, not everyone believes in this. Many drillers do not. Mine does. It was important to me to have an open minded driller, as for me, I wanted all the help I could get, as missing when you dig can get costly.  All of this to say, this was optional, but to me, given my garden is working thanks to almanacs and signs and other things I can’t see, I’m a believer that greater forces are at work here and am all for using them every chance I get.)

            Which brings me to step 3 (1) being call your local ag extension; (2) being dowsing, or vice versa)…Step (3) Would be apply for help if you qualify and start educating yourself as to the process. (To help you out, here’s a link to the info and a handy, dandy little guide (scroll to TN Healthy Well Manual on what you’re looking at. Just go to: http://www.state.tn.us/environment/water/water-supply_well-water.shtml )

Next up, (4) “Hire a well-digger." Once you’ve made the ag extension call, you’ll be given a list of licensed well-diggers. The link above will provide you the same. A flat-out internet search without the ag office’s help will likely net you a partial list if any as the folks I’ve met who do this for a living aren’t necessarily big internet users, if you know what I mean. This is a rugged, old-school skill; yes, it involves some more modern equipment (in the old days, they did it by hand—yikes!) But it is still a licensed profession, no different than plumbing or contracting, so you want to do your homework. For the record, my well-digger is a third generation, old school digger whose family started digging back in 1934, and whose son is training under him. We had to wait a few weeks on a part to come in, but given his background and the stories he shared, I was sold. I’m sure I’ll be writing more about him along the way.)

            Having interviewed several, let me help you with the questions, most important one being,  “How much does it cost?” (Answer: prices vary, but you’re basically charged by the foot, with the first 21 feet adding a mandatory casing that’s designed to seal out the dirty water. Yes, this basically doubles your per foot charge for those first 21 feet, but you gotta have it. Goal here is to hit water early. Being charged by the foot, the deeper you go, the more you’re charged AND you’re charged if you miss entirely, which is why I wanted the dowsers to test things first. The ag office also provided me a geological survey offering “best guestimates” as to where the underground currents might cross. Having qualified for the program, my funding is aided up to 200 feet.  Anything beyond that (including any misses) and it’s straight out of pocket…in other words, “This is not a cheap date.” (Per foot charges can range $11 - $14 in this region. West of the state, I’m told it costs a bit more. Keep in mind, Tennessee is pretty much sitting on a bed of limestone, so getting beneath it all can get costly.)

            Other questions are guestimates at best: “How deep do you recommend?” “Is deeper better/cleaner/more sustainable?” From this point, you start to hear stories from other well-digging attempts, the likes of which could keep you on the front porch in a rocker drinking sweet tea for days. Bottom line; everyone’s land is different. Well diggers today have to file with the state for every well they dig and every one they miss (relatively new; in the olden days, these weren’t documented, but now that they are, it helps to plot on a map where your neighbors’ wells are and where they missed, just to give you an idea of what’s going on underneath the surface of the earth that we can’t see).

            It was also important to me to know if my well-digger cared if I brought a water witcher on the scene. (Some believe in them; some don’t.) Bottom line: it’s my dollar. I can do what I want. But for the sake of “everybody on the same page” I wanted a digger who didn’t poo-poo the idea, and fortunately, my digger did not. Matter of fact, he had quite a bit to share about the legend of 7^th sons of 7^th sons who are reportedly gifted diviners—the kinds of stories you can only get from guys who’ve who've lived it and are still around to tell the tale.

            With decision made for my man, next up was a $75 check to the state to file to dig. From this point, it was in Mr. Digger’s hands; my job was to to watch the weather and have my spot marked and ready. Meanwhile, as a safety measure I was advised to call Tennessee’s 811 (which is the “call before you dig” number, alerting those who have lines to your house…gas, electric, cable, septic, that you’re about to be digging up some earth so as to not create havoc by accidentally cutting into something. 48 hours from that call, and you’ll have a series of brightly colored lines and “x’s” all over your yard. (Blue for water; red for electric; green for septic; orange for cable..My yard looks like the circus came to town and drug the clowns off by their faces.) In addition to “It’s the law,”  you want to do this. When a 6 ton machine starts to digging up your front yard, you want to know for sure you’ve covered all bases. What’s more, the call is free and they call the utility companies for you. They’ve got 48 hours from the time you make the call to get it done. Trust me. You want to know where everything is before cutting your diggers loose.

            The main other condition I faced was not drilling within 100 feet of my critters. Not a problem, but there are a series of requirements as to what you can’t dig (with proximities to property lines, sewage/septic tanks, etc). Again, these are all outlined in the link above.

            Next up: watch the weather and get ready to roll up your sleeves. I’ve got about a billion more questions. The camera and Go_Pro batteries are fully charged and ready to go.