Where should I have the survey completed on my property?

In most cases, the property owner tells us the general area that they would like to have their well, which is where we complete the survey. If you are unsure of approximately where you would like your well drilled or there are a number of dry or poor performing wells in the area then you have a few options to narrow the search for the right place to complete the survey. One option is to have National Groundwater Surveyors® complete an extended sounding profile survey (soundings completed in a line but separated by approximately 300 feet) completely across your property which will help us located some good areas to focus on with a more detailed close sounding profile survey. Another option is to have a study of the existing wells in the area, which may help find a pattern common to the good wells. A final option is to have fracture tracing (used primarily in areas with bedrock near the surface) completed on your property.

How many soundings will I need on my property?

Every property varies and some properties need many more soundings than others but as a general rule we recommend a minimum of 4 to 8 soundings for residential clients and 8 to 12 or more soundings for agricultural or land development and sometimes in residential areas where obtaining water is known to be difficult. We also recommend that the soundings be completed in a profile(line) or an organized pattern of some kind. The number of soundings needed to locate a usable water source will vary by area.

Can you tell me anything while at my property?

The data collected on a subject property requires numerous hours of processing and research to ensure that the most accurate estimations are made by our field surveyors. The signal that is collected in the field does have some obvious signs that can indicate water but, depth and yield estimations can only be made after the data is properly processed. We avoid any type of field interpretation to prevent mistakes.

How will my well driller find water?

Until now there were very few accurate and affordable options to locate wells. The two most common options are either picking a spot or well witching. Most well drillers will not suggest where to drill a well because of the potential liability involved. National Groundwater Surveyors® will survey your property and provide a printed report containing approximate water depth, water quality, and approximate flow rate.

Will I have to drill more than one well to find water?

Although having to drill more than one well to find usable water does not happen every time, it does happen and when it does, it often more than doubles the original estimated cost of the well! We can help prevent the need for drilling more than one well by giving you a report on what your underground water source(s) looks like.

Should I hire a dowser to tell me where to drill?

Well witching or dowsing has been around for a long time and on the surface appears to work. It is important to remember that there is no scientific evidence to prove that well witching works any better than just picking a spot to drill a well. National Groundwater Surveyors® can successfully locate a good well site and show the estimated depth to water and expected yield with scientific accuracy by using seismoelectic technology developed by Groundflow Ltd.

How will I know how much my well will cost to drill?

Unless you call National Groundwater Surveyors®, you may not know until you get the BILL from your well driller.