How to recognize a hole in the ground

I saw a suspicious area on the edge of a cornfield. I got out of my car to look, and immediately realized it was a sinkhole, even before I saw it. How did I recognize it? First, I saw the flies. I don't understand that, because once I was battered by the stench, I could not understand how I smelled nothing as I got out of the car. This might be a good sinkhole to use in my investigation of ground-water flow in this area, but there is something aesthetically unappealing about pumping water into a sinkhole with a ripe dead cow barely covered over in it. I guess many people still do not understand where their drinking water comes from (on-site wells in this area) and find it easiest to dispose of trash and dead animals in ready-made holes. This seems to be standard practice in many karst areas. This farmer is lucky--his house is upgradient. His downgradient neighbors are not as lucky.

Keep an eye on ground water

National Ground-Water Awareness Week continues...


Where is the water? How much is there? The starting point for answering these questions and others is establishing sites where ground-water levels are monitored, such as the observation well pictured above. Water levels rise and fall in response to precipitation or pumping (and sometimes other factors such as evaporation and uptake by vegetation). An observation-well network allows spatial and temporal characterization of water-level elevations. This information is useful to all kinds of agencies and scientists for a variety of purposes. These purposes include assessing aquifer extent, regional effects of pumping, resource management, and for understanding aquifer properties and ground-water behavior. Ground-water levels vary, so a network may be used to determine the range of normal conditions as well as departures from normal due to drought or withdrawals.

Ground-Water Awareness Week begins today

I'd like you to give some thought to an under-appreciated resource in celebration of Ground-Water Awareness Week. People with wells having low or marginal yields supplying their daily needs are keenly aware of ground water, but many others seem to have adopted the "out of sight, out of mind" point of view. After all, surface-water reservoirs are easy to see, and often serve multiple purposes including fishing, boating, and flood control.

Not only is ground water often ignored, but many people who do give it some thought commonly misunderstand it. The Dover, Pennsylvania, school board and Intelligent Design Creationism affair received a lot of coverage in the local papers. The papers tended to do a pretty good job presenting the issues. Unfortunately, several times they have missed opportunities to educate their readers in certain other matters, including occurrence and movement of ground-water.

One of the local papers did a story on dowsing, apparently impressed with this supernatural method of ground-water location. I did not agree that we needed a "Shucks, ain't we a quaint bunch of hillbillies" story in the paper, and sent a letter to the editor to say so. My letter also queried whether the "reporter" (one Robert Reilly) checked if the dowser in the story was a licensed professional geologist, a requirement for engaging in the practice of geology, which includes exploration for ground water.

The gentleman in the lower photo has also engaged in exploration for ground water. Like the Intelligent Design proponents, he has argued that his method is "scientific"--not by publishing results of a study in a peer-reviewed journal, but by writing a letter to the editor that contained as much geologic misinformation as any Creationist argument, ending with the assertion "Thank God for a rotating earth. As long as tides ebb and flow, there should be no depletion of underground, potable water supply." Well, at least his theory is amenable to testing, even if it is a load of cobblers.

See also Professor Pupdog's take on dowsing from a few years back. Since Pupdog mentioned the classic movie, I've placed a shot of Dave (Michael Landon), the albino in God's Little Acre, at the top of this post. As Pluto (Buddy Hackett) explained, it's not magic, it's science; albinos can see right through the Earth, "like looking through a glass of water." His explanation is just as convincing as the many explanations given by dowsing believers.

Ground-Water Awareness Week 11-17 March

Sure, I can give this event a plug. People growing up in urban areas may not give much thought to the source of their water, other than that it's provided by the water company. But in many areas homes are supplied by their own individual wells, and for some of these people the reliability of their water supply is a very serious issue. The National Ground Water Association is sponsoring a week to encourage people to be more aware of this resource and is providing tips and information on ground-water conservation.

From the NGWA:

Ground Water and Wells: America's Lifeline

If you have a household water well, you depend on ground water for your water supply. If you don't have a water well, you still depend on ground water in many ways.

Whether you are a well owner or not, here are some things you should know about ground water from the National Ground Water Association.

Ground water makes up more than 90 percent of the available fresh water in the world. Because it is so widespread, nearly half of Americans rely on ground water, either from private wells ore community water systems. Not only that, ground water supplies 58 billion gallons a day of water for agricultural irrigation. It also feeds 492 billion gallons a day to surface water bodies such as rivers, lakes and streams.

If you own a well, get an annual well maintenance check and water test. Private well owners are responsible for making sure their water supply is safe, so regular maintenance and water testing for nitrates and anything else of local concern is important.

If you don't own a well, you still have a responsibility to protect ground water. Improper storage or disposal of hazardous household substances can pollute ground water. These include herbicides and pesticides, antifreeze, fertilizer, paint and paint thinner, oil and chemicals. What you dump on the ground, pour down the drain or throw in the trash could end up in the ground water. Store hazardous household substances in secure places using proper containers. If possible, dispose of such substances at hazardous waste drop-off sites.

Use water wisely, whether you own a well or not. There is no shortage of ground water nationally, but demand on a local or regional basis can create water scarcity. It only makes sense not to waste water. Consider:

• Fixing leaky toilets or faucets to save thousands of gallons of water a year.
• Using water efficient appliances
• Using low-flow shower heads
• Watering the lawn or garden, not the sidewalk or street.
• Running the dishwasher only when it's full.

You can probably think of dozens of other ways to conserve water.

Learn about well maintenance, water testing, ground water protection and conservation by talking with a qualified ground water professional or going to the National Ground Water Association Web site, Wellowner.org at www.wellowner.org.