Dowsing, the use of 2 stick or a forked "Y" stick is considered by many people to be the best indicator of water. The dowser, or receptive person using the sticks, can sense or "feel" underground water through the sticks. In actuality, all the "detecting" or sensing water is done by the dowser and the stick or sticks are not a necessity.

Many people feel dowsing is fake or made up, something like a magic trick. I prefer to see it as some people have a specific talent as we all have "gifts". The percentage of people that can effectively sense underground water streams is quite low.

I have had the favorable experience of watching a "water witcher" at work. She was very adept at finding water completely unseen. I lived on a dry south facing hillside, scorched by the sun's heat. Dry as a bone. The only visible water was a river at the valley bottom, 2 1/2 miles away. I was approximately 300 yards higher than that river valley bottom.

One late spring, as a favor to me, Sheila (her real name) offered to "witch" for water. She selected a Y shaped willow branch and started walking. It took her about 3 hours to find 4 potential good spots, 1 which was considered exceptional. I trusted her judgment and paid a water well driller drill in the location she recommended.

The drilled hole was dry to 180 feet, but finally at about 190 - 195 feet they hit water. A whole 1/3 gallon per minute - terrible. There was nothing that could be done except to continue drilling. Around 220 feet the flow rate increased to 12 gallons per minute - nice! I had them over drill to 240 feet. When the operation was finished the flow was 18 gallons per minute - exceptional! The final rock that was pulled out of the hole was worn smooth and showed that they had hit an underground river. Both volume of water and the flow rate brought the static resting height of the well to 68 feet.

With the right person as a water witcher or dowser, you will find underground streams or water. Having them supply a list of happy, previous customers is a good place to start.

The other water detection method is using a geological survey. This is a map of proved and proposed "water areas" underground. If there are existing wells in the survey map area, they will show along with the production quantities listed.

Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages. Either way offer no guarantee of finding water. Ultimately you will be the judge.

There are a lot of underground water streams in North America. Locating them can be challenging, but when you hit a good water flow there is nothing more satisfying than clean pure water from your well.

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