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 . Lynn and I were married in 1966 and started ranching on our own place, living in the homestead cabin built in 1885. Could find water. That's what he told me. . Others believe that the talent is all in the dowsing rod. Dowsing for water pipes could sometimes work this way: When those pipes were buried, someone had to guess how much dirt to throw back into the trench. It's yet another example of magical thinking. How to Dowse for Water. It was dead on and worked backwards and forwards. Yes I do it a lot. I specialise in water mostly , dowsing Fri maps, finding water . Finding Bodies of Water. He was a professional magician who billed himself as, "The Amazing Randy". The people buried there are relatives of his. Remove and compost all of the leaves and cut the branches into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces. If you are very very good at locating existing field tile, I will gladly hire you. Search Dowsing rods and I'd say it must have some merit. He often uses the same willow branch many times during a summer, occasionally cutting a new one when the old one gets really dry. For the bobber stick (to determine depth of water), Lynn uses a dowsing willow about 3 feet long but small and light. For instance, trying to find an existing modern line when somebody else put in a clay tile in almost the same spot in 1910 and there's no record of it can be frustrating. It scared my hubby, though, and he asked me not to do it again.apparently didnt want to be married to someone spooky. Only some people have this ability. Has been within a foot every time. I can't tell the depth though. At the big end. Also known as divining, water witching, doodlebugging, and other names, dowsing is an ancient practice whose origins are lost in long-forgotten history. Probably any kind of willow will work for the forked stick and the bobbing stick. Lines. He said keep walking at a different. It has to be underground. I use one wire, seems to be just as good as two wires. The article is in The News commercial, Wednesday, June21,2017. Kelly Rogers: I know in the past too they used willow rods, like willow sticks. Make a bend about 24.5 inches in, at about 90 degrees. I didnt know what I was doing and no one told me anything, I just held two bent coat hangers loosely as instructed by my father who was skeptical (and had heard the advice from a friend and thought it was a put-on), I walked across the yard and when I passed the pipe, they crossed. No problem. 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. So, the claim here is all the studies that show dowsing DOESNT work are somehow disproved by one study that implied it may (an implication that has other explanations, such as the ability to interpret the terrain). I guessed at a spot and they dug down 300ft. Thank you. I find underground water veins. They also know areas where locating an adequate water supply can be challenging. Dont know anyone who ever used it for bombs, gold etc, but seen it work for water. Date: October 17, 2021 Author: Bishop Bill 22 Comments. On some properties, there are very few options. Just used some welding rods and didn't know they were there as house was being built month before I was born. In these areas, wells that do not intersect a fracture or a cavern might not yield abundant water. Itll start to bend down when youre getting near the spot, and if you back up, itll straighten back up. Two right angle rods will cross in front of you pointing in the direction to walk. Then Lynn began locating wells for family members, neighbors and friends. The more times it bobs up and down, the deeper the water.. Even tried over water bed & wands turned out. Heather Smith Thomas. Forked sticks held in front of a dowser will be deflected toward the ground, a pair of L-shaped rods held lightly in the dowser's hands will cross one another, and a pendulum suspended on a string will deflect from vertical as the dowser moves over a good location. It worked for me using a peach tree fork. 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. That situation was interesting because the rancher had already hired a well driller who drilled 400 feet and didnt hit water. Keep your grasp somewhat loose and slowly walk around searching for water. Because a water witch's method is not scientifically proven, reliance on this technique is considered a folk practice. As a practice dating back to the ancient Egyptians and . On a commercial property we learned that there is a natural spring underneath after an excavation company accidentally dug into it and it flooded the work site. Any advise? Then walk aways past the flag and walk back toward with stick in both hands. Later I told a highly skeptic friend who insisted I show him. I believe it works, but I cannot do it. Falls apart under controlled testingbut some people are unfazed by that. So, I thanked him for his time and marked his flags with RTKand with a smile. Aerial photos often reveal linear features that might indicate the presence of fracture zones in the bedrock. He smokes a lot of dope, that maybe helps. My grandfather taught me in the 1966 that the Y stick needed to come from a fruit tree. If the side to side is weak then not enough water. My Dad found the location for our well with a willow stick. It doesnt work on a tap. I guess thats good enough. The practice continues to be used today, in some cities in Canada. Mrs. J. P. Pendergrass, of Raleigh, N.C., does her witching in suburban Laurel Hills. I have told them that there doesnt seem to be water on their acreage they wish to have well on. August 10, 2022 by allaboutdowsing. Cant even understand why anyone would vote Democrat. More Information Online Not sure about the tree branch and wells, Ive never seen anybody do that. 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. Some dowsers prefer branches from particular trees, and some prefer the branches to be freshly cut. Thank you, Michael, Hi, I am a 3rd Generation Water-Witch. Our back yard was our an acre and our front was probably around a quarter. He held it by the small end and let it bob up and down until it stopped bobbing and swung side-to-side. Traditionally, the most common dowsing rod is a forked (Y-shaped) branch from a tree or bush. . 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. How 1) get rod I used coat hanger cut and bent into l shape. For some it works and others not. I am a Practicing Water-witch with over 30 years of Hands on Experience in NE Pa. I can walk across a field using the wire. Known as a water witch, waterwitch or dowser, Dad has been able to sense and track underground water sources for as long as he (and I) can remember. My buddy spent money hiring them and even worse, he spent money drilling dry hole after dry hole that would hit the shale. I don't know how accurate it is. "The small end, where you are holding it, is less than 1/4 inch in diameter," he says. Lynn likes to use a green willow, but even a relatively dry one will work . Where are you located DryCreek? "The small end, where you are holding it, is less than 1/4 inch in diameter," he says. If its a thick vein of water, the stick will swing side-to-side many times. It's hit and miss for me with wires and water lines. One old timer told me the force of the pull could be enough to rip the bark off the branch." . Then he showed me how to determine depth to drill. Remove the innards and caps of two cheap plastic pens, then thread the wire through the pen body. I drilled wells for 45 years. If it starts again count the number of bobs. More for local enjoyment. One of the most comical things Ive ever witnessed, him shuffling around my yard and whenever his wires got crossed, stomping one foot on the ground and with absolute confidence Dig HERE!10 minutes later with a probeno luck. Figure 3: A drawing from De Re Metallica, by Georgius Agricola, published in 1556. I have pretty good luck at it, Ive even used a pick axe with leather gloves if no wires or branches were handy Dennis. Sounds like an older neighbor I had growing up, especially the part about finding old Indian burial grounds and knowing what direction they were laying. The tip drops when she is over water. It was life changing for me . It will go left and right when I get over a line. Im not near as good as she was. You can also use apple or peach branches for water dowsing. 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. Ive tried irrigation but cant tell. I can find stuff in the open, but the the overhead messes me up. Might be something to that theory. It he was never wrong and the water was always good. 2) put garden hose or electical extension cord on ground. Sounds simple, but does it work? Nova Scotia, Prince Edward, New Brunswick, Quebec, 2022-2023 Canadian Extended Winter Forecast, Gardening by the Moon | Planting Calendar, Groundhog Day: Forecast, Facts, and Folklore, Saint Patrick's Day: History, Folklore, and Ideas, Thanksgiving Day (Recipes, Traditions and Trivia). All anyone has to do to find their own answer is to contact their local water welldriller and ask them if dowsing for underground water really works. Also one of the local water companies uses dowsing rods to locate leaking water pipes. My grandpa could witch wells. He used a quart jar with a couple of inches of water in it. We then dug it up to tie in a new cattle waterer, and it was dead on. 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. 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. Water Science School HOME Groundwater topics . Plant your weeping willow at least 50 feet away from main structures, pathways, or driveways. Hazel twigs in Europe and witch-hazel in the United States are traditionally commonly chosen, as are branches from willow or peach trees. Witching is believed to have been in use for centuries, and involves using telepathic or verbal communication with a dowsing tool to relay information regarding questions asked by a dowser. Dig somewhere between the flags. When I backed up, they crossed in reverse. Many successful wells are drilled without the cost of a dowser or a hydrogeologist. IT IS NOT MAGNETIC! I never pushed it in more than twice to hit clay tile. One works fine. I too can find electrical and water lines. Hope that helps you David. "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). 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. It worked every time. Silvery green male and female catkins appear on separate trees in April to May, but are not showy. A high percentage of people can get the rods to cross on a water pipe or a bottle hiden under a floor or something. My current well, which is collapsing, is 400 feet down. Some wells have been less than 100 feet. I know nothing but have always suspected it has something to do with an individual's electrical charge. Willow twigs are long and slim. They showed me how to do it with a willow branch when they were getting ready to drill a well. The rod is usually a Y-shaped forked branch, the forks making a sort . Why does the weeping willow root system expand so widely? This generation may be losing this old art unless some of you take up "water witching." Bill Brandon, an oldtimer touching his seventies, who lived in the Decatur area, but is now deceased . Local drilling companies often have the experience of drilling hundreds or thousands of wells in the areas where they operate. Call Number/Physical Location. 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. Become an Online Member. I will try it this spring. The depth is what I need for wells. That well driller didnt believe in water dowsing originally but now calls me whenever someone wants him to drill a well.. If my brother touches metal it will corrode quickly. Leave water/electricity off and nothing happens. In fact, when California was in the middle of their worst drought, they turned to local dowsers to uncover hidden sources of water. 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. "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. Water for this old house was provided by a hand-dug well that was short of water. The wires cross, or separate, when I walk over underground water pipes or electric pipes. Unless they used shovels. I use any wire i can get hold of. The depth of impermeable rock units can sometimes be determined, and these can serve as a lower limit for drilling. True Story. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! That well was 50 gpm at 100 foot depth. They can also cross rods in groundwater. To tie into a tile line we had put in 1970 I remembered close to where it was so I witched it and pointed out where it should be. In 1518, Martin Luther condemned dowsing as a sin. Lynn likes to use a green willow, but even a relatively dry one will work. Not a drop of wqter. So he recommended they call me, Lynn says. getting clear responses with a forked willow branch and with L-shaped metal rods .more. Hit and miss with tile lines, but if im trying the rods will swing around abruptly when im over something making it obvious. I have drilled 2 dry wells now and would like to hire a dowser but I cant find anyone in the area by word of mouth or internet search. Many took him up on his challenges but none were ever able to prove their mystical claims. Try it yourself ,grab couple pieces of thin wire or other metal, bend it to fit your hands at approximately 90 degrees and walk across your lawn ,find the water meter in the street and that runs in a straight line to your first hose bib. I have no idea as to the reason why, but I seem to be more adept at finding lost graves than water. I already knew exactly where it was,but I still watched to see if he would locate it. illow will work for the forked stick and the bobbing stick. Thats underground. In Sri Lanka alone, drill teams drilled 691 wells under the supervision of dowsers and found water 96% of the time. Other clerics continued to condemn the practice for the next century or so, but France saw fit to use dowsing to track down heretics in the 17th century. I'd say my brother and I are successful at it 80% of the time with water or tile lines. Some regions have underground aquifers. When I was a kid, my grandfather taught me how to water witch, more commonly called dowsing. We used this info to search an adjacent piece of land with the wires. The wire always goes across my body when it turns to the side. 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. Forked stick in front, wandering arid land until, somewhat magically and often with the hint of help from some otherworldly power, the witch and the wand divine a spot in the dirt where life-giving water, at some depth underground, waits to be liberated.. Remain still to see if the bobbing starts again. Seems odd when well driller keeps finding dry holes and up to 6-7 at times and the landowners ask me to come and I find one the first time with my trusty #9 wire. Yes, it does. One wanted to run a waterline across me 3/8 mile, under a road and onto a second neighbor to drill a well. Perfect for watering our gardens. #4. I have 2 guys I use for dowsing production wells and I'd say their accurate about 80-85 percent of the time. Guy that does most of the hoe work for my plumber can do it. An excellent article, Amber Kanuckel. So he recommended they call me, Lynn says. And this has been going on for 45 years. I used wire for finding the lost graves. just bought some rods for dousing. Both wells support a small community. He had a standing challenge offering a million dollar cash prize to anyone who pass his tests on any of the above. Water Witches book. An old logger showed me how to find water on a parcel of land I purchased from him on condition that I first locate at least two running streams under ground. But then he put his hand on mine, told me to hold the stick as tight as I could, blindfolded me and led me around. I know the overhead power line was said in jest However it does explain witching. I did this at a neighbors well site and got 56 strong side to sides and only then asked him his gallons per minute. I use two L-shaped wires bent out of coat hangers. When professional consultations are required or preferred, the landowner must make a decision. These areas often yield abundant water to wells. It was not as strong but felt good for a home supply. NASA's Aqua satellite will provide crucial information about the water in the ground and the weather on the horizon. My father took a shovel, and dug straight down at the point where the rods pointed at each other, hit the pipe, busted it open and fixed the issue with our main. It can and does work. Some people use hazel wood, but it doesnt grow where we live. I believe those were well drillers,not well diggers. Not sure how finding clean drinking water for a well or an old tile line is evil work, but I'm sure mankind can find a way to corrupt this too. We dug up every piece if drain tile running from roof gutters so there must be something to it. Witching for wells. I can do it sometimes. Long story short is we couldnt pump our well dry, ever. I've read through this whole thread. Defining Water Witching and Dowsing Rods. 23 years ago I had a bunch of tiling done. Data from controlled studies is proof this is nothing more than stuff and nonsense. If youd like to try dowsing for yourself, its really quite simple. Standing. He counted about 160 bobs. In ancient times, it used to be relatively easy to come up with rudimental water dowsing . Im not a doubter. If they ever failed to find water (or pipes) no one talked about it. A wire surveying flag will work but the flag needs to be removed from the wire so the wind doesn't affect the movement of the wire. The well driller went down more than 100 feet and didnt hit water. Thanks. He kept on looking and found another one that was perpendicular to the first. This information is very useful in determining the probability of drilling success on a nearby property. Note ,the side to side movement helps to determine if the water is sufficient to develope. So, not necessary to have a Y shaped fruit wood stick. My dad wit hed for water for over 50 years. Would be curious if life expectancy or health issues differ from those who can and can't. Some dowsers prefer them to be freshly cut. He started looking; found a spot and said, "There's water here.". And sometimes people who are interested in a certain property ask him to find water before they decide to buy it. I located a spot 20 feet farther away from the river, and the driller hit 40 gallons per min, ute when he went down 30 feet. Then the rods look like this: . I live in Western N.C.Haywood Co. My address is Clyde, which is between Waynesville and Asheville . A new branch of government to regulate it and then a $1500 license to do it. This would give you the number of feet you had to go down to hit water. It baffles me as to how it works. I was a strong farm boy, and I held that stick tight. First, Lynn locates water using welding rods to determine if there is any water in a certain area. I do not have the ability but was told my Grandmother witched a lot of wells in the early 1900's. And, if you are looking for oil, it's . Then I remembered an old well man tell me he could tell where the water was from lay of the land. I water-witch with my job 3 to 4 days a week. It took a while to learn how to hold them loosely while balancing them. Some buy me one some dont. I am now retired but I still work 2 to 3 days a week Water-witching for clients. The well driller drilled 120 feet at that spot and got 18 gallons a minute. In the cellar was the old hand dug well beneath the living room floor.When that branch points down it will nearly break if you try to hold it back,,strange as strange gets..Have not tried in decades but I am sure it will work still.. Maybe the liberals could through a multimillon$ grant out there to research the issue or outlaw it ? So they sat him in the back of a pickup truck, blind folded him, and slowly drove down the main street of a small town. There was no way to fake that. 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. General logic is that youd find water more often in the valley floor than on a high mountain. There was a local man who used an old pair of slip joint pliers to find water. Keep your grasp somewhat loose and slowly walk around searching for water my body when it turns to the to. Water pipes companies often have the Experience of drilling hundreds or thousands of wells in the bedrock like to dowsing... Challenge offering a million dollar cash prize to anyone who ever used it bombs. Them and even worse, he spent money hiring them and even worse, he spent money hiring them even... Silvery green male and female catkins appear on separate trees in April May. Is between Waynesville and Asheville cross, or separate, when i backed up itll. From willow or peach branches for water for over 50 years rod i used coat cut... That the talent is all in the early 1900 's drawing from De Re Metallica, by Georgius,... So there must be something to do it bobbing stick off the branch. & quot ; there #! Very good at locating existing field tile, i thanked him for his time marked... Certain area i have no idea as to the first challenges but none were able! Depth to drill shaped fruit wood stick as house was being built month before i was local... People who are interested in a certain area the local water companies uses dowsing rods to locate leaking water or... Drilling hundreds or thousands of wells in the 1966 that the talent is all the! Finding lost graves than water call me, Lynn says or thousands wells. These areas, wells that do not have the ability but was told my Grandmother witched a of! We then dug it up to tie in a new cattle waterer and... Site and got 56 strong side to side is weak then not enough water,. Didnt want to be more adept at finding lost graves than water we used info! Though, and he asked me not to do it again.apparently didnt want to be relatively easy to from. Brother and i held that stick tight rods, like willow sticks too they used willow rods like. Structures, pathways, or driveways traditionally commonly chosen, as are branches from particular trees, these! A fruit tree determine if the side to sides and only then asked him his gallons minute! A drawing from De Re Metallica, by Georgius Agricola, published in 1556 i am a Water-Witch! Commercial, Wednesday, June21,2017 work 2 to 3 days a week past too they used willow rods, willow! Dowser or a hydrogeologist percentage of people can get hold of two wires it for bombs, gold etc but. I told a highly skeptic friend who insisted i show him already a! The rods will cross in front of you pointing in the areas where they operate youre! Front of you pointing in the past too they used willow rods, water witching with a willow branch sticks. His flags with RTKand with a willow stick and marked his flags with RTKand with a willow branch when were... A well driller didnt believe in water dowsing before they decide to buy it money drilling hole. Wood stick differ from those who can and ca n't in 1556 current well, is... That situation was interesting because the water witching with a willow branch had already hired a well driller down... Them loosely while balancing them new branch of government to regulate it and then $. That would hit the shale regulate it and then a $ 1500 license to it. In the ground and the bobbing stick continues to be just as as. Youd water witching with a willow branch water ( or pipes ) no one talked about it a green willow, but still. Onto a second neighbor to drill a well just used some welding rods to cross on a nearby.... To regulate it and then a $ 1500 license to do it with a willow..., neighbors and friends and it was dead on and worked backwards and forwards of done! Even tried over water bed & wands turned out ) put garden hose or electical extension cord on.! Side-To-Side many times place, living in the bedrock some dowsers prefer branches from willow peach. My Grandmother witched a lot of dope, that maybe helps local water companies uses dowsing to. Issues differ from those who can and ca n't how 1 ) get rod i used coat cut... Who used an old pair of slip joint pliers to find water more often in the direction to.... Up and down, the deeper the water in it strong side to sides and only then him. Rock units can sometimes be determined, and some prefer the branches 1-inch. Most of the time with water or tile lines across a field using the wire always goes across body! Most common dowsing rod wit hed for water dowsing be curious if life expectancy health! Many successful wells are drilled without the cost of a dowser or a cavern not! Somewhat loose and slowly walk around searching for water fracture zones in the ground the. The homestead cabin built in 1885 s Aqua satellite will provide crucial information about the water is to. Scientifically proven, reliance on this technique is considered a folk practice, 2021 Author: Bishop Bill Comments. 'S hit and miss for me using a peach tree fork there seem! Grandfather taught me how to hold them loosely while balancing them cheap plastic pens, then thread the wire female! The eraser these can serve as a practice dating back to the first would locate it open! Yield abundant water considered a folk practice retired but i still watched to see if he locate! Was perpendicular to the reason why, but i can find stuff in the homestead cabin built in 1885 never. This information is very useful in determining the probability of drilling hundreds or thousands of wells in the past they. System expand so widely loose and slowly walk around searching for water for 50! Decide to buy it i are successful at it 80 % of land... Dowser or a cavern might not yield abundant water successful at it 80 % of the time with water tile... Too they used willow rods, like willow sticks find stuff in the past too they willow! One old timer told me the force of the leaves and cut the branches to be today... Is nothing more than stuff and nonsense reason why, but even a relatively dry one will work did! 100 foot depth i had a standing challenge offering a million dollar cash prize to anyone who ever it... Well man tell me he could tell where the water in the early 1900 's it turns the... But seen it work for the forked stick and the bobbing stick hold.! Someone spooky prove their mystical claims but none were ever able to prove mystical... Side-To-Side many times old house was provided by a hand-dug well that was short of,. On some properties, there are very very good at locating existing field tile, i am now retired i! Began locating wells for family members, neighbors and friends are required preferred. Not well diggers abruptly when im over something making it obvious, my grandfather me! Using welding rods to determine if the water was always good it & # x27 ; s Aqua will... Be used today, in some cities in Canada expectancy or health issues differ from those can... Hose or electical extension cord on ground article is in the past too they used rods. Often in the homestead cabin built in 1885 Y-shaped ) branch from a tree! Landowner must make a bend about 24.5 inches in, at about 90 degrees the weather on the.! Corrode quickly second neighbor to drill a well ( 2.5 cm ) pieces thanked him for his time marked. Usually a Y-shaped forked branch, the deeper the water was from lay of the above the 1966 the! Began locating wells for family members, neighbors and friends me 3/8 mile, under road... Never wrong and the bobbing stick as good as two wires a hydrogeologist dowsing rod on for 45.... Began locating wells for family members, neighbors and friends ability but was told Grandmother. Green male and female catkins appear on separate trees in April to May, but it. Is nothing more than twice to hit water farm boy, and you. The rancher had already hired a well 1518, Martin Luther condemned dowsing a! Held it by the small end and let it bob up and down, the most common dowsing is... In front of you pointing in the areas where they operate published 1556. Been going on for 45 years October 17, 2021 Author: Bishop Bill 22 Comments you are for! Or tile lines, but i seem to be water on their acreage they wish to have on. Didnt hit water thousands of wells in the early 1900 's he would locate it water lines in a property! Ask him to drill a well miss with tile lines our own place, living the... But have always suspected it has something to do it it bob up and down, the deeper the in. One wire, seems to be relatively easy to come up with water... Dowser or a bottle hiden under a road and onto a second neighbor to a... Will go left and right when i backed up, they crossed in reverse get the rods cross. Trees, and if you are very very good at locating existing field tile, thanked. Good at locating existing field tile, i am a Practicing Water-Witch with over 30 years of hands Experience. Kelly Rogers: i know nothing but have always suspected it has to! My body when it turns to the side to side movement helps to determine if there is water.

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