So we found out we have a ntural spring about 30 ft from the house...

[MorelCabin]

Wow! I am really happy about that...If I do things right, I could be the only person in the city with free water to garden with! But does anyone know how to pipe and cap a spring for use? Do I just start digging until I find a good flow and stick a pipe in? Do I put gravel around this pipe for drainage? If it turns out to be a bubbling spring how to I "turn it off" when not required so it doesn't keep my yard all swampy? Can I put a hand pump on it? It is in the perfect place too...right by where I want to put in a vegie garden! Whoo-hooo!
The most amazing part of this is that when the builder started building I asked him if they ever come apon natural springs in the area, or any development area for that matter...he said very rarely, he never has. I prayed that there would be a spring on my lot (just so it would be a little more SS in case TSHTF...and God answered my prayer...the neighbor next door pointed it out to me the other day when I was there! An answer to prayer for sure!! God really HAS put His Blessing on that place!
Anybody know what I should do with it?

 

[big brown horse]

That is wonderful news!!!!! How exciting!!!

 

[MorelCabin]

Yes, and I really want to keep it non electric...haha I just found my trading commodity should the SHTF...water...you can live without alot of things, but you can't live with out water for long! And most city people have no clue how to find water in the ground, or (as in MY case...) get it out when they do...

 

[big brown horse]

Did you ever see the Milagro Beanfield War? (Great movie!!) Anyway, I seem to remember they irrigated the crops manually with little wooden dams etc. I'm so excited for you!! I can't wait to see what you come up with.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Sweet!
Found a link for you, I hope this helps. These setups appear to be completely non-electric. They don't cover how to move it where you want it though.

You could pump it manually up from the main catch point to a small cistern (100-200 gallon) so you could get gravity flow.

http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/programs/extension/publicat/wqwm/ag473-15.html

 

[sylvie]

I have 7 natural springs on my property. None of them are Artesian gushers. No matter what we do, they will never become gushers. They all flow on top of a shale ledge, covered by more shale and topped with the soil layer. Essentially they would be considered seeps. I have a small creek that has never gone dry, records date back to the 1940's. At some place they must be fed by a break in the high residing aquifer.

One spring had been developed into a shallow well. They backtracked 12 feet from where the spring emerged, dug and lined a well. They filled in the outlet with clay to cap.

We have another spring coming out of the shale on a near vertical slope. That one could take a horizontal well point with no pump needed. Problem with points into rock is that they aren't hard enough to withstand pounding into rock. We haven't developed that one because we can't get drilling equipment into the steep ravine. I think a tamp could be rammed in between the layers to make room for a pipe. Some people concrete around the pipe to seal.

Our pond has one in its base. The springs lower than the pond cannot be developed because it would contaminate them by sharing the same source. We had a well guy out here who explained that.

To make a shallow well(25-40') dig a larger than necessary hole. Install well tiles or rock, surround with a layer of sand, then gravel, then backfill with soil.

Are you on the Canadian Shield? If so that is hard rock and would not take a drive able point.

 

[MorelCabin]

Awesome Link! I think I have a better idea of what to do now...my yard is all rocky and going uphill...the spring is at the bottom of this and then the house, then it goes further down hill to the street...so I think I can figure out how to deal with it now! Thanks Noobie! I have been looking for an explaination of this and this page is perfect! Whoo hoo we just might have pure and natural water! Can't wait to get it tested and find out if it is potable!
Now I am really looking forward to spring! Right now this 'spring' is simply forming a small skating rink in my back yard. Can't wait to do wome digging and find out how much water we really have flowing!
I am sooo excited!

 

[sylvie]

Noobie-great illustrations!
I have seen that first illustration in action. It is on the Sharon Conglomerate, a sandstone sponge more or less, and it tends to also be an extraordinary natural filter.

 

[MorelCabin]

Are you on the Canadian Shield? If so that is hard rock and would not take a drive able point.

Yes we are on the Canadian sheild, but there are many areas where there are clefts in the rock...on the property there are many clefts so hopefully we can do something...if not, maybe we can get ahold of a drill...it can't be that far down if it is collecting on the surface. I believe God gave this to me as a gift, so it won't be hard to get it working

 

[sylvie]

I think that is so exciting! Let us know how it goes. Maybe an article for the forum front page!