8.7 Water Witching

If there is to be section on water witching (or dowsing), it seems appropriate to be placed in this chapter since many well drillers and property owners use this service prior to drilling. There are individuals who claim to have incredible success rates and must therefore have certain divining powers. It seems appropriate that the author make a few observations that represent his opinion.

The technique involves using welding rods (coat hangers or whatever) approximately 15 to 8 in. (38 to 46 cm) long bent approximately 2 in. down on one end. Forked hickory or willow sticks are also often used. The short lengths of the welding rods are held loosely in the hands while the long ends are allowed to rotate freely. In the case of the sticks, the two forked ends are held in the hands while the single end protrudes outward. The author's understanding is that when "water" is encountered the rods turn inward or outward and the hickory stick points downward. This has been used by many people to locate septic tanks or buried pipes on properties. There are mixed reviews on this process compared to technical methods (Mellet 2000). Some individuals use this for locating water on properties for a fee. The author is often asked by students and others what he thinks about this. A fairly complete history on this topic is found in U.S. Geological Water Supply Paper Number 416.

Almost anywhere on the surface of the earth one...