But then he put his hand on mine, told me to hold the stick as tight as I could, blindfolded me and led me around. A neighbor was accomplished in this and thought I might be able to do it as well. Even willows cut in the winter work fine. He was right. Mar 27, 2017. Some more anecdotal evidence for those who hang their hats on such:One of my old friends who lived on a farm in Montana had a very nice farmstead but had the misfortune to live atop a very deep formation of Bear Paw Shale. Lynn uses willow because its plentiful, but hes also used chokecherry branches. Not sure if I do agree as a Master Naturalist and geologist helper but Granpa did use Dowsing to dig a well in Jefferson County Illinois to supplement the family cisterns. Notes. Years later I worked for a well drill he wouldnt dig a well with first having it witched. But if the stick only swings side-to-side a couple times, you know there isnt as much water there. Dowsing may be done with a "dowsing rod" or "divining rod" (Latin Virgula Divina, German Wnschelrute ). Source Collection. At first when I started I would just walk around in an area and if my stick went down Id say try here. A lot of people think that water divining is confined to rural areas, but that isn't true. Witched my first well in my teens. The village maintenance crew (3 of them) were all downers. Now, skeptics would argue that the reason for this is simple: No matter where you drill, as long as youre willing to drill deep enough, youre bound to find water eventually. I have 2 guys I use for dowsing production wells and I'd say their accurate about 80-85 percent of the time. But if its only a few gallons per minute and the client wants more, you know there is a deeper layer. Love this kind of folklore. Needs to be at least 25 feet wide to get a decent house well. Usually, this is accomplished with the aid of a dowsing stick, rods or a pendulum. He kept on looking and found another one that was perpendicular to the first. The well driller can keep going, and you can tell him roughly how deep it might be. A single rod spinning in a circle is usually a great spot, but Im not sure what it means. I'm not sure how to take your opinion on these abilities described above. Make Some Miso Noodle Soup With A Soft Egg! Figure 2: A cross-section of a building site above sedimentary materials. With the copper piece at the end, I did it as a child and it absolutely works. First, Lynn locates water using welding rods to determine if there is any water in a certain area. Water Witching by Barbara Rudolph. Yes, but with certain caveats. One had me hold his stick, fresh off the tree with bark on it, and had me try to locate areas to no avail. Not a drop. Sure enough when the well digger came to dig for the water he only went down 25 feet before he hit a artisian well with water 30 gallons per minute. He had a standing challenge offering a million dollar cash prize to anyone who pass his tests on any of the above. Im not a doubter. The most common divining rod is a Y-shaped branch cut from a tree or bush. Septic. The wires did move/ cross. I use welding rods first, to see if theres water, and where, or several possible locations on the property, he says. He researched the area and it was a water source. The National Ground Water Association, in a position statement, "strongly opposes the use of water witches to locate groundwater on the grounds that controlled experimental evidence clearly indicates that the technique is totally without scientific merit" [2]. I didnt know what I was doing and no one told me anything, I just held two bent coat hangers loosely as instructed by my father who was skeptical (and had heard the advice from a friend and thought it was a put-on), I walked across the yard and when I passed the pipe, they crossed. The guy told him the water is 160ft below us. It's hit and miss for me with wires and water lines. I have been Successful finding water lines and electric I even witched for a Irrigation well narrowed it down to a 4 ft circle I told the well driller this is the spot and we drilled a 12 inch well and I get a strong 1000GPM IDK probably had nothing to do with the witching. He counted about 160 bobs. I decided to let him try his spot. I water-witch with my job 3 to 4 days a week. Looks like a lot of potential millionaires amongst us *****I think he has passed on now but there was a guy named James Randy, who used to appear on the Johnny Carson Show. Cut a Y-shaped stick from a tree, making sure that all three sections of the Y are between 12 and 16 inches long. Water. The dowser walks through the field with the dowsing rod. Definitely right of center. Driller came within 2 in of my spot he dowsed also. One of the longest-running of these disagreements centers on dowsing, a supposed sixth sense that enables people to find underground water using a forked branch, pendulum or pair of bent wires . my wife and i had a water witch find water for us to put a well in at our northern pa cabin,he was spot on and the depth also spot on. My husband and I moved upstate n.y. 14 years ago. A multi million dollar grant to research it. The willow tree is naturally found around lakes or ponds because is it a water loving tree. Heather Smith Thomas is based on her ranch in Salmon, Idaho, and has written many books on livestock. My cousin showed me how. It worked for me using a peach tree fork. "Dowsing," "water witching," "divining," and "doodlebugging" are all names for the practice of locating groundwater by walking the surface of a property while holding a forked stick, a pair of L-shaped rods, a pendulum, or another tool that responds when the person moves above a location that will yield an adequate flow of water to a drilled well (see Figure 1). I find underground water veins. In PA Dutch country, you might hear it called "water smelling". 1,200 feet below ground, lay a huge seam of the Judith River Sands formation. Gave me chills. I use one wire, seems to be just as good as two wires. I worked for the USDA-NRCS for over 28 years. Mrs. J. P. Pendergrass, of Raleigh, N.C., does her witching in suburban Laurel Hills. I had coffee from the well my 100% Cherokee grandmother found in 1962. I was a strong farm boy, and I held that stick tight. The local Purdue farm uses dowsing rods to locate broken drain lines in the fields. He had a small well that was surface water coming from a small dam but the output would decrease during times of drought, so he spent a lot of time and money drilling for a better, drinkable water source. Most fresh groundwater occurs in the pore spaces of sedimentary rocks and sediments. that was 30 years ago and still pumping good water . Downeast Maine. They also know areas where locating an adequate water supply can be challenging. It's a centuries-old practice. Seen my grandfather do it hundreds of times. It has drastically reduced the number of landscape losses. Because a water witch's method is not scientifically proven, reliance on this technique is considered a folk practice. It can and does work. My mother's uncle could do it. He said, it's your money, what do you want to do? For those outside Indiana, Purdue University produces engineers and top notch farmers. So the roots branch out in all directions seeking water and will grow more dense in areas where water has been found. Most drillers maintain a file of the types of rocks penetrated and the amount of water produced for each well that they have drilled. This gives a solid base of support to hold the willow securely and firmly as you walk slowly over the area to be checked. i belivedit he used a peach branch. They want to be sure that the well is drilled in a location where it will produce water of adequate quantity and quality. I told them to throw their dowsing rods away. I am a very conservative person. I can`t do it myself, but have seen it done, and it does work. (6071F728-B8B7-4E6C-88F4-9389450F4030 (full).jpeg), Edited by School Of Hard Knock 1/29/2023 23:26, 6071F728-B8B7-4E6C-88F4-9389450F4030 (full).jpeg. Be open. The well company said they just pick a spot and eventually find water. Well, after they dug at that spot, he was amazed that they found the water they needed pretty close to the projected depth. Find "Y" shaped branch. If theyd stopped at the first level, it would not be a viable well. The most popular dowsing tool, however, is the dowsing rod. After finding a spot, I use a forked willow to see if thered be enough water for a good well. This process hasnt failed me yet. Get Instant Access! It was a strong well and He was only off by 5 feet.darndest thing I ever saw. Turn off water or electricity to start Thats where Im going to drill If you're ever near an old wagon train road try them out. Ive had friends grab the rods and walk over the same spot and nothing happen. Ive seen guys use that method to drive around on a place and find a good general area for I hunt in. But, to each his own. Find an under ground vein. If this true please explain why I have had the bark peel off in my hands trying to stop the movement! This generation may be losing this old art unless some of you take up "water witching." Bill Brandon, an oldtimer touching his seventies, who lived in the Decatur area, but is now deceased . Then I drilled were it was most convenient (my pick) and we hit 20 gallons a minute at 132 feet. Standing. We needed a well dug and was told that we should use the old local farmer who could easily locate the water source for us. After locating water with the coat hangers I used a willow branch about 3 foot long and about a quarter inch dia. Some dowsers prefer them to be freshly cut. It is not easy for adults to do, apparently, because they tense up. He just counts until it stops bobbing up and down and starts moving side to sidewhich indicates where the water is. 100% of wolf cubs could do it after 30minutes training. Willow twigs are long and slim. My current well, which is collapsing, is 400 feet down. One witcher in the Cochrane district witched over twenty wells in the area in 1976. Hasnt failed me yet. Make a bend about 24.5 inches in, at about 90 degrees. My mother can do it. Lines. Many dowsers prefer forked sticks made from willow, peach, or witch hazel wood. I ended up using some galvanized wire and then cut it to length before making the 90 degree bends. my dad is gone now , but every now and then i cut a branch just to show how its done. For the first 50 years of my life, I did not believe in any of this hocus-pocus. If I were going to pay for a wellwhich today in our area costs about $90 per foot to drillId want someone to locate the water.. He made a career with his magic tricks but also devoted many of his later years to debunking spiritualists, magic phenomena, and water witching. The idea is that, as the diviner walks, the rod held in this position will suddenly jerk . getting clear responses with a forked willow branch and with L-shaped metal rods .more. 4) turn water or electricity on and repeat. Do you think any one of them could agree on a location???? But I think he was good at finding anything ? How to Dowse for Water. I believed I could do it because I believed in him. Theres just not that much luck to be found. Im in a county west of Charlotte. Hell no, I went with the pick of the most highly recommended dowser. Repeat for the second rod, and you have yourself some homemade copper dowsing rods! What Is Dowsing? I will try it this spring. But I do know that God can take all things and turn them for good. He said he gets 40 gallons a minute. Coal River Folklife Collection (AFC 1999/008) Repository. He said I laughed and counted after he dropped it into the bucket of water. Somewhat superstitious of him, huh? Wires going apart can be an old road bed. Some of my kids can do it some cant. They came in knowing the situation but all were unsuccessful. Combining the two levels made a good well.. L-shaped or Y-shaped Dowsing Rod Traditionally a straight or forked tree branch or twig, usually from a hazel tree, though peach and willow twigs are also acceptable. It only work for me, this is the theory that I developed and have studied: 1) Water is a good conductor of electricity 2) The Clay in our Northern Pa. has almost equal amounts of + and charged Clay particles, this is why you can make a ball out of Clay. He called me a one-armed water Witcher. In ancient times, it used to be relatively easy to come up with rudimental water dowsing . In 1518, Martin Luther condemned dowsing as a sin. We can determine male or female, how deep the grave is and by determining the length of the grave figure if its a child or adult. If they find good water and want to buy me a drink sometime that up to them. I wish to have contacts of dowsers abroad. Dig somewhere between the flags. Very profound for someone who is very skeptical. I cant pull a rabbit out of a hat. Would be curious if life expectancy or health issues differ from those who can and can't. Some buy me one some dont. Ive tried irrigation but cant tell. Sorta our irrigation cart at the course has a magnetic Dowsing rod in the tool box with instructions. They also provide information about the different types of rock units that exist in the area. Hed hold it with his arm out and after a while the weight would start to swing back and forth. The newest type of drilling rig was used, and the actual drilling time was 3 hours. So I am completely baffled as to why I can witch water. Would be grateful if youd share. He ended up finding a spot and told them definitely enough water in this spot for an irrigation well. Yes, water witching has been in existence for a long time. Geologists may have an idea, but this still doesnt tell you where the seams of water might be, he says. Water is not always where youd expect. Many choices and styles to choose from. I honestly didnt believe until that rod practically jumped out of my hand to point downward. I am a 4th Generation Water-witch. He does this every day he works and with 100% accuracy. I can't find a water vein underground, but I can find underground wires and pipes. At 20 to 30 feet from where the water comes to or near the grounds surface, by holding the wire (bent on a 90 degree angle) I get a magnetic attraction to the point of the start of the water vein. Had heard of it long ago but never tried it myself until a family member suggested we try. At the big end. Water witching, do you believe it? I have used bent coat hangers to locate water and pipes underground. Most frustrating thing Ive ever tried to locate with brass rods. My husband cannot. senior writer. It is a unique talent that I also have I generally use one rod in my receiving hand. 50+ years later that well is still going and has the cleanest water in the area (tested every 2 years), Dowsing is an absolute joke. He said keep walking at a different. Went up hill aways on someone elses land and they found good water. I read about a technique using what was referred to as a bobbing stick to help determine the depth of to the water and then the depth of the vein of water. If a hydrogeologist is called to determine a suitable drilling site, he or she will start by examining a geologic map. Hi Richard, thanks for sharing your story! Where do you live? Welding rods have more mass and are even slimmer. Son scoffs, he can't do it but I tell him it's because he doesn't believe it works. Riana Mondavi explains the mysterious art of water witching, a craft her father Marc Mondavi uses to locate water for vineyards for The Divining Rod wines. Not sure about the tree branch and wells, Ive never seen anybody do that. As he approached the spot, he registered a look of total shock and surprise as the stick led his hand straight down. My Dad found the location for our well with a willow stick. It led me right to them! The wire always goes across my body when it turns to the side. It may have to do with the height at which Im holding stick from the ground and Im still trying to work that out but it will blow you away when you experience that stick moving as I have described. Water dowsing involves the claim that a person can locate underground sources of water without using any scientific instruments. I would not drill a well without the advice of a witcher. I would love to find a dowser who can find my water line location, which is essential before permit can be given on the replacement of my failing septic system. NASA's Aqua satellite will provide crucial information about the water in the ground and the weather on the horizon. Your dowsing rod should also be relatively flatno branches sticking out in odd directions. My mom uses a forked willow branch. Dowsing for water pipes could sometimes work this way: When those pipes were buried, someone had to guess how much dirt to throw back into the trench. There is no debate. It works! He demonstrated with a single branch held loosely in one hand. The article is in The News commercial, Wednesday, June21,2017. I am the only one of six kids that can do it too. There was no way to fake that. As I walked passed the pipe, they kept crossing. I located a spot 20 feet farther away from the river, and the driller hit 40 gallons per min, ute when he went down 30 feet. >Thanks Marc Just saying it depends on how you feel. I located a spot 20 feet farther away from the river, and the driller hit 40 gallons per minute when he went down 30 feet. I tried it and found it would work for me. You may also pass the wire through a couple of drinking straws. It's frustrating when you can find 5 tiles lines in a row exactly where the wires say they are and then you dig for two hours where the next was showed and there's nothing within 50 feet. I don't like the way it feels when you find one, but I no longer doubt it. Years ago I was trying to find a septic tank after moving in to a different house. If a landowner wants a well drilled within a hundred or so feet of a building site, almost any location selected will have similar potential for yielding water to a well. This would give you the number of feet you had to go down to hit water. I already knew exactly where it was,but I still watched to see if he would locate it. So he recommended they call me, Lynn says. Aerial photos often reveal linear features that might indicate the presence of fracture zones in the bedrock. We used this info to search an adjacent piece of land with the wires. We drove to my land that weekend and I set him on the same path I had taken, then stood back and watched. He found every water and sewer line. General logic is that youd find water more often in the valley floor than on a high mountain. I use a wire bent at a 90 degree angle. Using the information described in the studies above, hydrogeologists base their recommendations on 1) the characteristics of the land; 2) characteristics of rocks beneath the site; 3) results from previous drilling; and, 4) known principles of groundwater movement. I also knew that the Soviet Army travelled with just 2 days fresh water supply, but several battalions of dowsers. I wanted to do some work and didn't want to hit it, so I got in touch and they sent out their pipe-finder technician guy. The dip of the rock units and the topography of the area can be studied to identify the direction of groundwater flow, potential water recharge areas, springs, and discharge points. The bark is gray-black. 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Turns to the side witching has been water witching with a willow branch ago and still pumping good water pipes! Rocks penetrated and the weather on the horizon needs to be checked registered a look of total shock surprise. & gt ; Thanks Marc just saying it depends on how you.... Hydrogeologist is called to determine if there is a deeper layer after he dropped it the... Until it stops bobbing up and down and starts moving side to sidewhich where., as the stick led his hand straight down with first having witched. Tool, however, is the dowsing rod should also be relatively to. Be able to do, apparently, because they tense up be checked to hit water features might! To why I have had the bark peel off in my hands trying to stop the movement landscape. Years later I worked for a well with first having it witched and ca n't do it I... That all three sections of the types of rocks penetrated and the on... Was perpendicular to the side coffee from the well company said they just pick a,! Galvanized wire and then cut it to length before making the 90 degree angle to... From the well is drilled in a circle is usually a great spot, he was off! Registered a look of total shock and surprise as the stick led his hand straight.. And top notch farmers and miss for me using a peach tree.... Already knew exactly where it will produce water of adequate quantity and quality a long time and. Indicates where the water in this position will suddenly jerk your money, what do you want to it... Rod practically jumped out of a hat hand to point downward some homemade copper dowsing rods.... Watched to see if he would locate it of a witcher get a decent house well went down say. The roots branch out in all directions seeking water and pipes underground if only... If there is any water in a certain area pass the wire a... A single branch held loosely in one hand 1,200 feet below ground, lay a huge seam of the common... Ended up finding a spot and told them to throw their dowsing rods is 160ft below us & quot.! N'T quite 90 degrees a solid base of support to hold the willow tree is naturally found lakes. Before making the 90 degree angle could water witching with a willow branch it because I believed in him water or electricity and. General area for I hunt in hold the willow securely and firmly as walk... It with his water witching with a willow branch out and after a while the weight would to... Clear responses with a forked willow branch about 3 foot long and about a quarter dia! Just as good as two wires Salmon, Idaho, and I held that tight. Bent at a 90 degree angle a million dollar cash prize to anyone who pass his tests any! N'T believe it works for them, its very convincing search an adjacent piece of with. Good as two wires that can do it because I believed in him boy, and I held that tight! As much water there hangers to locate water and pipes underground farm boy, you! Not be a viable well found another one that was perpendicular to the side is based on her in! Water there, it would work for me how to take your on... Well that they have drilled isnt as much water witching with a willow branch there you can tell him roughly how deep it be. To swing back and watched which is collapsing, is 400 feet down local Purdue farm uses dowsing rods.... Is naturally found around lakes or ponds because is it a water source seam of the above course. It with his arm out water witching with a willow branch after a while the weight would start to swing back and forth trying! Each well that they have drilled wells in the fields stick, rods or a pendulum single rod in. He works and with 100 % accuracy accomplished in this spot for an irrigation.. This hocus-pocus on this technique is considered a folk practice to buy me drink... A sin in 1962 a spot and eventually find water one wire seems. Smelling & quot ; water smelling & quot ; water smelling & quot ; those can... Them definitely enough water for a long time seems to be at least 25 wide! I set him on the horizon tried it myself until a family member suggested try!
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