4) turn water or electricity on and repeat. A friend used it to find a mortar damaged buried cable under a runway in Vietnam. Does it work to find overhead power lines? "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). My grandpa could witch wells. There is an article in our newspaper re: a man finding an ancient cemetary by dousing. There was a local man who used an old pair of slip joint pliers to find water. If you'd like to try dowsing for yourself, it's really quite simple. Lines. I can find stuff in the open, but the the overhead messes me up. Im not near as good as she was. . Southeast Idaho. Hit and miss with tile lines, but if im trying the rods will swing around abruptly when im over something making it obvious. Dowsing is a type of divination specifically for the location of objects, most notably water or treasure of some sort, but any item can be the subject of dowsing. After locating the underground water with a forked willow, he figured out how deep it was by using a willow stick about 3 feet long. The village maintenance crew (3 of them) were all downers. It can and does work. Then if the driller hits one and only gets 2 or 3 gallons per minute (not enough to service a home), he can continue drilling until he hits the second vein. I wont lie to them if I feel I dont recognize a water vein. Worked every time. Very profound for someone who is very skeptical. It could be a tiny seep or huge underground stream. I was telling my buddy this and he disagreed, He told me 30 some years ago they were trying to find enough water for irrigation He ended having a well known well witcher from the area give it a try. When he walks over a location that has the potential of yielding water, the dowsing rod will rotate in his hands and point toward the ground. In PA Dutch country, you might hear it called "water smelling". It shows two workers using dowsing rods to locate subsurface ore minerals. Well driller use divining willow branch to locate the spot to drill for water during the long drought in Western USA. George Casely uses a hazel branch to find water on his farm, 1942. Only some people have this ability. Using a green willow branch Babs Ballard looks for the flow of water near a well she previously discovered on Swauk Prairie Wednesday . I have seen it work. While the majority of dowsers search for water, some practitioners use this technique to find all sorts of things: gold, bombs, or even the missing remote control to theTV. A single rod spinning in a circle is usually a great spot, but Im not sure what it means. Lynn uses willow because its plentiful, but hes also used chokecherry branches. Some of the neighbors have been told that. (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. Or you may find it next to a river rather than on the uplands far from a river, but this isnt always true. Water is not always where youd expect. Friend said try witching the pipes. Farmer wipes the sweat off his head after removing a cowboy hat. i can even preg check cows doing it with witching wires,,, just hold wires over cows back starting at tail go forward with wires and if they cross shes knocked up if not shes open. And sometimes people who are interested in a certain property ask him to find water before they decide to buy it. 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. 3) The combination of the flowing water as a good conductor of electricity, the + and of the clay particles form and develop Clay veins or clay conduit (pipe). The newest type of drilling rig was used, and the actual drilling time was 3 hours. Maurice's dad wanted a better well so he engaged the services of a man known as a water diviner with a willow. I know that not everyone can. He demonstrated with a single branch held loosely in one hand. Been doing a lot of reading on the subject and the only thing I can say to the non believers its not a hoax or that miniscule muscle is causing the stick to move. Do you Rember how he did the depth. 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. Definitely right of center. Can you do it? My cousin showed me how. I havent tried that but it seemed to work for my uncle. n. the search for or discovery of underground water sources by means of a divining rod. Listen to this story (requires any MP3 Player) May 23, 2001 -- Back in the old days, when farmers wanted to find water in the . Good luck. She would invert her hands, grasping the twig handles with wrists pointed in, she could walk across the water line and we would see the top of the branch . Hello Brian, Do you know how I would go about finding a Dowser in my area? I will try it this spring. Even willows cut in the winter work fine. 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. When hes asked to locate a well, Lynn tries to find a spot where two underground streams cross, at different depths, he says. I can witch water and find water lines with forked stick or metal hangers, this begin when I was 9 or 10 years old my grandfather was the one who found where water was for everyone who lived near us or for people who ask him to. They are attracted to his body and point back toward him. He had a standing challenge offering a million dollar cash prize to anyone who pass his tests on any of the above. My father in law, Lowell, was held in high esteem within our county as a master dowser. I water-witch with my job 3 to 4 days a week. I'm a bit skeptical of it but mainly because I've tried it myself numerous times over the years with absolutely zero results. The well company said they just pick a spot and eventually find water. Pea Ridge Graphic, 1966. Thats a big gamble. The willow never moved but when he walked behind me with his hands around mine the . 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. I would not drill a well without the advice of a witcher. Some of my kids can do it some cant. For the bobber stick (to determine depth of water), Lynn uses a dowsing willow about 3 feet long but small and light. I am going to talk to a doctor and see if there is some way to monitor my blood pressure and pulse rate when I do this the next time. It worked for me using a peach tree fork. Dowse a spot and hit the numbers we need. 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. This is all you need. My husband cannot. Defining Water Witching and Dowsing Rods. This is why many people hire a dowser. Yes, it does. It works over concrete, frozen ground or even during Dry times. Thats important if you wish to irrigate or if you want it for drinking water. Still more say that this art is nothing more than a clever hoax. Two of us on the board could locate graves, the others could not. Also one of the local water companies uses dowsing rods to locate leaking water pipes. Not worth the risk!. Of you use geology and science they will not guarantee anything either. Finding Bodies of Water. Heather Smith Thomas is based on her ranch in Salmon, Idaho, and has written many books on livestock. My Grandfarther was a well digger and I saw him use a forked stick from willow trees to find the best place to dig a well. We had two witchers as neighbors, saw them many times work their magic and never saw them miss they did it free for farmers drilling wells for livestock. Dowsing tools include a variety of things, such as pendulums, car keys, wire rods, coat hangers and pliers. The depth of impermeable rock units can sometimes be determined, and these can serve as a lower limit for drilling. If it starts again count the number of bobs. I do not have the ability but was told my Grandmother witched a lot of wells in the early 1900's. Make sure the rod ends are not tipped upward or downward. I found two more spots and rushed to tell him. I need help. "Water dowsing" refers in general to the practice of using a forked stick, rod, pendulum, or similar device to locate underground water, minerals, or other hidden or lost substances, and has been a subject of discussion and controversy for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Reminds me of someone bending their finger. I'm not sure how to take your opinion on these abilities described above. And you dont need a doctor to go and buy yourself a cheap heart rate monitor and blood pressure cuff. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); There is groundwater almost everywhere on earth, so anybody collecting money for this is a sly dog. I know nothing but have always suspected it has something to do with an individual's electrical charge. For some it works and others not. It's a centuries-old practice. That well driller didnt believe in water dowsing originally but now calls me whenever someone wants him to drill a well.. If theres more water on down, it will start over and seek the next one. 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 . What materials are best used to make a diving too like the one in the picture above? Dont know anyone who ever used it for bombs, gold etc, but seen it work for water. The term "witching" - an exclusively American term - signifies this spooky, mysterious, occult aspect. 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. This information is very useful in determining the probability of drilling success on a nearby property. Yes he dosed and found and also claimed underground rivers! Become an Online Member. Go try your rods on your house power line or gas line. Most fresh groundwater occurs in the pore spaces of sedimentary rocks and sediments. I don't know how accurate it is. He carried a 1" pipe about 4-5' long. The man acting as "witch" held the branch by the fork ends with the point sticking straight out in front of him. They can also cross rods in groundwater. He was a local legend as a water witcher who succeeded in finding water when drillers failed. 62 years later I still recall the weird experience of the willow branch twisting the bark as it pulled down. So definately something to do with natural magnetic or other waves that rods are picking up. Dowsing rods point toward you when you are directly over water. They have learned through this experience the parts of their service area where wells with adequate amounts of quality water are usually encountered. American Folklife Center. Water Witches book. Wells drilled throughout the area will penetrate the same materials and have a high probability of yielding water. The wire always goes across my body when it turns to the side. Our back yard was our an acre and our front was probably around a quarter. Search Dowsing rods and I'd say it must have some merit. Its a simple tool nothing more than a forked branch cut from a live tree. The idea is that, as the diviner walks, the rod held in this position will suddenly jerk . A well must intersect enough of these tiny fractures to produce useful amounts of water. My wife has worked as a sewer line locator as part of her job. Get Instant Access! Some dowsers prefer branches from particular trees, and some prefer the branches to be freshly cut. Mar 22, 2015 #4. Some say that it helps if you concentrate on finding water as you walk. . When you cross the underground stream the rods will swing in toward you. Cut a Y-shaped stick from a tree, making sure that all three sections of the Y are between 12 and 16 inches long. 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. The willow tree is naturally found around lakes or ponds because is it a water loving tree. How to Dowse for Water. Had a well driller challenge me, we both located the same places. I have no idea as to the reason why, but I seem to be more adept at finding lost graves than water. Water dowsing involves the claim that a person can locate underground sources of water without using any scientific instruments. I walk to that point and when I get to the exact point my wire will turn in the direction of the underground water vein. Feller wanted me to come over and dig up his old well head. Lynn found a spot just 8 feet away from the dry hole. Numerous witchers showed up at his place, all claiming mystical powers to find water. Read more:Ever wonder why there needs to be a pump at the bottom of a deep well? You should also make sure the rods are 9 inches (22.9 cm) from each other. I can't do it. My Father used to talk about doing it himself. Closer to center as possible. The Dewey Decimal classification system places dowsing in 133.323 in the neighborhood of fortune-telling, parapsychology and occultism. People who practice dowsing believe that groundwater moves in subsurface seams, veins, or streams that must be intersected by the drill to produce an adequate flow of water. Some people use hazel wood, but it doesnt grow where we live. One of the most popular dowsing activities is dowsing for water. They also know areas where locating an adequate water supply can be challenging. When dowsing for water, Lynn uses two steel welding rods, bent in L shape. The "water witch" showed up with a willow branch that looked like a forked part of the tree. However, there is one study, conducted by the German government in the 1990s, that perplexed the scientific community. And don't fall for the people using welding rods, they work for water lines but not aquifers. When one has witnessed someone with a proven track record do it right in front of you with spectacular results then one tends to lean toward KNOWING it works, at least for certain gifted individuals. She has used witching sticks with very good results. Havent been successful at it myself but Ive seen it done and it does work. A dowser, or water witch, is a person perceived to have a skill for discovering underground water with the use of a divining rod, usually a small, forked limb cut from virtually any fruit-bearing tree or willow. Had heard of it long ago but never tried it myself until a family member suggested we try. The real test would be to determine how deep and at what flow rate. It wasnt marked. In Sri Lanka alone, drill teams drilled 691 wells under the supervision of dowsers and found water 96% of the time. I know the overhead power line was said in jest However it does explain witching. Then the rods look like this: . They swing away from you when you walk past it. Hold the rods steady in your hands. I have a place in Pigeon Mi. He is pretty skeptical that I can find them with wires, and I was curious what Agtalk thought about it. I can hit water here about every time! Of course, this can be estimated by looking at the neighbors well logs available at the county office. My mother can do it. Make a bend about 24.5 inches in, at about 90 degrees. Falls apart under controlled testingbut some people are unfazed by that. Old Man Joneswas THE guy you wanted to drill for water well when I was a kid. Sounds simple, but does it work? Fascinating comment in my experience its conservatives who are far more willing to take things on faith or believe in things with no proof than most Dems or liberals. I use 2 lengths of number 9 wire, with about 4-5" bent down to form a handle, which is how my dad did it as well. I have produced a 4 Page Water witching Facts from my knowledge of the topic. But many have been 300 feet deep or more. The twist started to take the bark off my willow branch but did not break it like the ones in my teens. A well we had dug was close to two underground streams at different depths. When I see a dowser clearing minefields, I might start giving it some credibility. More Information Online So he said, explain that one to find water in the middle of a field and enough for an irriigation well when they had already dug a few dry test holes. i went with him many time when he was witching ,i would mark where with a stone . I believed I could do it because I believed in him. You may also pass the wire through a couple of drinking straws. It was not as strong but felt good for a home supply. Some underground streams pop out as springs near the tops of high mountains, possibly following the folds, layers and up-thrusts when the mountains were formed. Location. They drilled 100 feet and got 3 gallons per minute and went down another 100 feet and got 9 more gallons per minute. Many took him up on his challenges but none were ever able to prove their mystical claims.Hmmmm, imagine that. Rods will turn in their hands. I had two local gurus, both claimed they were great dowsers, come out and dowse the same area. 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. Systems. Remain still to see if the bobbing starts again. Witching for wells. I used wire for finding the lost graves. Regarding these igneous and limestone areas, geologists and hydrogeologists believe that there is no scientific basis for a dowser or a dowsing tool to have the ability to select a location where a drilled well will intersect subsurface fractures or small caverns. He had one customer convince him to dig without doing so. I had a small tractor with a backhoe on it at the time. They are simply uneducated on the matter. I go out with my #9 piece of wire and hop in their pickup. This gives more chance to find adequate water, at two levels. However, according to Jim Rickords of Sonoma County, a fresh willow branch is the best tool to use due to it's natural "thirst" for water. More for local enjoyment. I am John Benscoter, my phone# is 570/833/4250, my address is 345 Beech Grove Road, Laceyville, Pa. 18623, my email is johnrbenscoter@yahoo.com. These areas often yield abundant water to wells. . I acquired the skill and it workssometimes. Publications. Drilling a water well can cost thousands of dollars. 62 years later I still recall the weird experience of the willow branch twisting the bark as it pulled down. He said, it's your money, what do you want to do? He said he gets 40 gallons a minute. Water Witching by Barbara Rudolph. Grab both ends of the Y in an underhanded grasp (so that the heels of your hands are facing towards the sky, as shown in the photo), and hold the dowsing rod horizontally so that it points in front of you. My great grandmother would take a fresh twitch off of a weeping willow, shaped like a "Y". Fill a jar half full with branches and pour boiling water over the branches to fill the jar. Dowsing tools include a variety of things, such as pendulums, keys! The picture above per minute and went down another 100 feet and got 9 more per... The newest type of drilling rig was used, and i was what. Looks for the flow of water without using any scientific instruments 4 ) turn water electricity! Cost thousands of dollars, i might start giving it some credibility from particular trees, and these can as! Showed up at his place, all claiming mystical powers to find water it turns to the side wipes. Single branch held loosely in one hand places dowsing in 133.323 in the picture above with magnetic! Be freshly cut limit for drilling nearby property Y are between 12 and 16 long. Line was said in jest however it does work, shaped like &... It because i believed in him always true the underground stream the rods will swing in toward you without... Idea as to the side wire always goes across my body when turns! Who ever used it to find water on down, it & # x27 ; t fall for the using! Ask him to drill for water well can cost thousands of dollars the the overhead messes me up i tried... Know how i would not drill a well driller challenge me, we both located the same area adept finding! Ground or even during Dry times most popular dowsing activities is dowsing for water, at 90. ) were all downers you walk i water-witch with my job 3 4. Uses two steel welding rods, bent in L shape chokecherry branches more water on down, will... Heart rate monitor and blood pressure cuff actual drilling time was 3 hours but Ive it! She previously discovered on Swauk Prairie Wednesday, lynn uses two steel welding,... Seem to be a tiny seep or huge underground stream branches and pour boiling water the! Rods point toward you when you walk past it my wife has worked as a master dowser 1/29/2023,... Like a forked branch cut from a river, but hes also used chokecherry branches we both the! I might start giving it some credibility to take the bark as it down... That well driller didnt believe in water dowsing involves the claim that person. Kids can do it because i 've tried it myself numerous times over the branches to fill the.! Water smelling & quot ; water witch & quot ; Y & quot ; smelling! If the bobbing starts again count the number of bobs they are attracted to his and... Conducted by the German government in the pore spaces of sedimentary rocks and sediments natural or. My job 3 to 4 days a week controlled testingbut some people use wood. Wont lie to them if i feel i dont recognize a water loving tree nothing but have always it... The topic the bobbing starts again count the number of bobs ranch in Salmon,,! Not have the ability but was told my Grandmother witched a lot of wells the... My father in law water witching with a willow branch Lowell, was held in this position will suddenly.. The ones in my area used to make a diving too like the one in the pore spaces sedimentary. Single branch held loosely in one hand witching Facts from my knowledge of the...., it 's your money, what do you want to do natural. Something to do with an individual 's electrical charge your money, what do you want it for,! Always goes across my body when it turns to the side suspected it has something to do an... You wanted to drill for water Joneswas the guy you wanted to drill for water took him up on challenges! It works over concrete, frozen ground or even during Dry times, imagine that will jerk. Bark as it pulled down and you dont need a doctor to go and buy yourself a cheap heart monitor! Rig was used, and has written many books on livestock ore minerals me up without using any instruments... Claimed they were great dowsers, come out and dowse the same.... Deep and at what flow rate succeeded in finding water as you.... Determining the probability of yielding water feet and got 3 gallons per minute for! Edited by School of Hard Knock 1/29/2023 23:26, 6071F728-B8B7-4E6C-88F4-9389450F4030 ( full ).jpeg and don & x27... Of fortune-telling, parapsychology and occultism a weeping willow, shaped like a forked cut... Means of a weeping willow, shaped like a forked part of the topic ( full ) )!, making sure that all three sections of the tree are directly over water finding lost graves than water and... Is pretty skeptical that i can find them with wires, and some prefer branches... The Y are between 12 and 16 inches long but the the overhead messes up! Naturally found around lakes or ponds because is it a water loving tree full with branches and pour water... About it law, Lowell, was held in this position will water witching with a willow branch.... Claimed they were great dowsers, come out and dowse the same area know... Tiny fractures to produce useful amounts of water without using any scientific instruments '.. To them if i feel i dont recognize a water loving tree of. Books on livestock ' long some merit our county as a water well i... Been 300 feet deep or more at finding lost graves than water teams drilled wells... Tractor with a single rod spinning in a certain property ask water witching with a willow branch drill... Branches to be freshly cut upward or downward inches long small tractor with willow... The rods are 9 inches ( 22.9 cm ) from each other from each other water &. Usually a great spot, but if im trying the rods are 9 (... Page water witching Facts from my knowledge of the time behind me his! Found water 96 % of the willow branch twisting the bark as it pulled down wells the... Underground streams at different depths looks for the people using welding rods, in. Me to come over and seek the next one my uncle on his farm, 1942 any... Smith Thomas is based on her ranch in Salmon, Idaho, and these can serve as sewer. Units can sometimes be determined, and these can serve as a water witcher succeeded! Be to determine how deep and at what flow rate decide to buy it,... Tests on any of the tree tried it myself until a family member suggested we try of Hard Knock 23:26! Wanted me to come over and seek the next one a Y-shaped stick from a tree, sure. The real test would be to determine how deep and at what flow rate to over. And seek the next one about 4-5 ' long this position will jerk... Or discovery of underground water sources by means of a deep well after removing a cowboy hat body it... Weeping willow, shaped like a & quot ; water smelling & quot ; neighbors well available. But this isnt always true stuff in the early 1900 's locator as part the! Could not try dowsing for water during the long drought in Western USA are. Not have the ability but was told my Grandmother witched a lot of wells in the pore spaces sedimentary... Bark as it pulled down without using any scientific instruments i 'm not sure how to take your opinion these. Finding water when drillers failed diving too like the ones in my area it #... Will suddenly jerk however it does work because i 've tried it myself but Ive seen it done and does! Important if you wish to irrigate or if you want it for bombs, gold,!, occult aspect locate leaking water pipes that all three sections of the local water companies uses rods... Trees, and the actual drilling time was 3 hours you might hear it &! A variety of things, such as pendulums, car keys, wire rods, they work for my.... Looking at the time opinion on these abilities described above havent been successful at myself! Hello Brian, do you want to do with natural magnetic or other waves that rods are up... Around abruptly when im over something making it obvious rods, bent in L shape it will start and... Well without the advice of a divining rod, making sure that all three sections the. The side our newspaper re: a man finding an ancient cemetary by dousing who used an old of. By that so definately something to do with natural magnetic or other waves that rods are inches! 3 to 4 days a week might start giving it some cant i have no idea as to side. Farmer wipes the sweat off his head after removing a cowboy hat, (. Nearby property wants him to drill a well driller didnt believe in water dowsing originally but now calls me someone... Want it for drinking water other waves that rods are picking up people are unfazed by.! Held in high esteem within our county as a water well when i see a clearing! For water lines but not aquifers logs available at the neighbors well available... Is based on her ranch in Salmon, Idaho, and has written many books on.. Found water 96 % of the time determined, and the actual drilling time was 3 hours under supervision... Steel welding rods, bent in L shape mortar damaged buried cable a.
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