Witchers, Diviners and Dowsers

Superstition vs Science? Finding Groundwater Through a Forked Stick or with 21st Century Technology

For thousands of years, water witchers, diviners, and dowsers have employed various tools, such as forked sticks, rods, and pendulums, to locate groundwater. The stick or rod would twist or bend when the witcher moved over a groundwater location. This age-old practice has been attributed to principles like “empathy” or “attraction and repulsion.” While dowsing has been used to find not only water but also gold, silver, oil, and even predict the sex of unborn children, its effectiveness has been a subject of debate. Modern science and innovation, however, offer precise methods for locating groundwater, transforming this once uncertain process into a reliable and accurate scientific operation. This article explores the shift from superstition to science in the search for groundwater and the potential of Deep Seated Water as an abundant and uncontaminated resource.

Locating Groundwater: From Superstition to Science

According to a Water Dowsing report by the US Geological Survey (USGS), “The natural explanation of “successful” water dowsing is that in many areas underground water is so prevalent close to the land surface that it would be hard to drill a well and not find water. In a region of adequate rainfall and favorable geology, it is difficult not to drill and find water!” However, in arid regions, determining the depth, quantity, and quality of water through dowsing becomes significantly more difficult, if not impossible. With the financial implications of drilling a dry well and the increasing demand for water resources, farmers, ranchers, developers, and entire communities seek more reliable methods.

Enter Science and Innovation in the 21st Century

Finding groundwater can now be a precise scientific operation rather than a gamble. Using a combination of geologic, hydrologic data sets, plus satellite imagery and underground survey instrumentation, a company like AquaterreX can pinpoint groundwater, including depth, flow rate, and whether the water is fresh or saline. 3D models can be created and precise readings can pinpoint a location for a well with near-100% accuracy.

The Challenge of Water Availability

Contrary to popular belief, there is an abundance of fresh water on Earth. With the aid of new technologies and best management practices, it is possible to meet the planet’s water needs sustainably.

The US National Groundwater Association estimates there are 6,000 years of freshwater supply in the upper two kilometers of the earth’s crust Nature Geoscience article. AquaterreX has developed the ability to locate and economically bring to the surface these previously untapped water resources.

Deep Seated Water: An Alternative and Clean Source

Deep Seated Water (DSW), is groundwater, typically sourced from deep aquifers that are located lower than shallow aquifers. Such deep aquifers are supplied not only from local catchment basins but also by subsurface inflows across basin boundaries. Deep Seated Water also encompasses water created at the mantle level of the Earth under extreme heat and pressure. Contamination does not occur in these deep water aquifers as modern pollution has not reached these deeper levels. And the best news is that this water is accessible and plentiful.

The Missing Piece: Deep Seated Water

Deep Seated Water is the Missing Piece that can solve the water crisis puzzle – contamination, drought, scarcity. Many water strategies focus on conservation, rather than additional supply. Other solutions such as desalination and wastewater treatment are potential answers for some, but they also come with trade-offs such as high cost, high energy usage, long planning periods, and toxic waste. Deep Seated Water is located almost everywhere on the planet, and it can be added to the mix of solutions as a supplemental freshwater source that is not subject to contamination, is fast and easy to implement and is economical and scalable. And, tapping Deep Seated Water allows both surface water and shallow aquifer sources to recharge, making the total system more environmentally sustainable.

Solving the Water Problem

Fresh water challenges are prevalent worldwide, demanding a comprehensive exploration of all potential solutions. It is time to consider all of the alternatives and solutions at our disposal. Science and technology are advancing to the point where we can make a difference quickly, if we just resolve to do it.

About AquaterreX

AquaterreX (www.AquaterreX.com) is a global environmental services organization with a mission to broadly implement effective water and food security solutions. The name AquaterreX comes from the Latin, aqua (water) and French, terre (earth, land) which is a derivative of the Latin, terra, and “X” for exploration. Thus, AquaterreX encompasses water and land solutions for the planet.