Calling in the Contractors

3 Ways to Judge the Level of Water in an Aquifer Before Bore Drilling

2 October 2018 by Frank Elliott

Bore drilling is one of the most efficient ways to get supplementary water for domestic and construction purposes. The experts access water in the aquifer, which means that ideally when the levels are high, the bore will never run dry. Therefore, this implies that before the bore is drilled, experts must perform tests to make sure that the water table contains good levels of groundwater. Here, are the techniques used to determine the perfect location to drill a bore.

1. Following Geological clues

The rocks offer the most valuable clues when it comes to bore drilling. To determine the location and distribution of water, geologists use maps and cross sections which show the distribution of rocks. A few sedimentary rocks usually extend for many miles as aquifers with good permeability. On the other hand, there are other rock types which are at times broken enough to allow water to pass through them. It's the role of the geologist to use the rock structure to figure out where the water will be.

2. Clues from existing wells

The other clue used by geologists to determine possible places to bore water are existing water wells. They will get data from the drilling of the wells to assess the depth of the wells, the volume of the water in them, and how pumping water will affect its levels in a certain area. They may also perform chemical analysis of the water taken from the other wells to determine if it is suitable for drinking and other forms of domestic consumption. When these tests indicate that a certain area may be unsuitable for drilling, they start assessing a new location.

3. The water dowsing technique

Dowsing is an old and still effective method of determining the level of water in a well. The technique involves the use of a forked stick, a pendulum, and a rod to locate underground water. When the basic forked stick is used, the stick is held in each hand with the forked side facing up. The bottom is pointed at a 45-degree angle, the dowser then walks around the area to be tested, and when they reach a water source, the butt end of the stick rotates downward. 

While the success of the dowsing technique does not have a lot of supporting scientific evidence, it is safe to say that with guidance from a geologist and hydrologist, locating groundwater for water bores will be straightforward. 

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