I Tried Dowsing To Decide Where To Dig My Well!

Advocating for the diversification of buildings, biomes, and businesses to establish sustainable legacies.

When we first started our journey of building on undeveloped land, getting a water well set up was our top priority. But before you can drill, you have to know where to put it.

There are a lot of streams running underground . . . but how do we know where they are?

Since the beginning of human settlement, people have used a technique called “witching” or “dowsing” to find underground water sources.

It involves holding two brass rods gently in your hands. As you move across the land with them facing forward, they start to cross over each other when they're above water (or even electrical, internet, or other metal lines).

I'll be honest, I was pretty skeptical of dowsing. When I built my first home in Maui, I bought some dowsing rods just to play around and see if I could scope out some “energetic” lines. I didn't really know how to use them, and gave up pretty easily.

Once the well drilling company said they were coming out to do some “witching,” I was intrigued again.

I did some quick searches online, and found some highly conflicted information (surprise, surprise, right?). Some people swore by it, but many others claimed that geology and scientific study was more reliable.

Oh well! We scheduled the consultation anyway. I figured, why not see for myself?

I half expected a hippie with a hemp headband and crystal necklace to show up, but nope! Dennis was your average guy, a blue-collar worker with years of experience in mining and drilling. He said he hadn't always used dowsing, but as he got older, he wished he would have started sooner.

He got right to work, holding the dowsing rods straight out in front of him, walking at an average pace toward our potential build site. It wasn't long before we hit something! The rods slowly started to cross, and he began counting his steps to measure the width of the underground stream. As we passed the location, the rods began to face forward again.

It was as simple as that!

He continued to walk around, mapping the direction of the underground stream. As we placed flags, marking the center of the “stream,” a clear line started to form.

Dennis had us try it (mostly so we wouldn't think he was crazy!). And sure enough, the rods worked for everyone! It was hard to deny how accurate it felt, no matter who held the brass rods.

He was also able to tell us where not to drill. In some places, the rods moved toward each other but didn't cross all the way. We learned those were underground areas of leach water over a shale shelf—not a good source of water.

Once we flagged a few good locations along the wide underground stream, we needed to know how deep we'd have to drill. The depth of a well is important, because the further you drill, the more expensive it is.

His next 'hat trick' was to estimate the depth. Again, he used a dowsing rod. In a meditative state, he pointed one down toward the flag and the rod started to bounce. Once the rod stopped, he said, “74 feet.”

I was thrilled to hear that! Being up on the ridge, we were expecting hundreds of feet.

I asked him how accurate this method was. He responded with conviction, “98%”

We'll find out if that's true when we drill the well in the coming months! Stay tuned!

P.S. If you're also excited about starting your journey of building off-grid, check out my Resilient Property Planning Workbook!

It's a 91-page workbook that covers everything I know about developing land from over a decade of experience in sustainable architecture and off-grid property management.

I'm currently running a presale, so it's $25 instead of $45 until November 1st. Get it now while the sale lasts!

YES, THIS IS FOR ME!

Ready for more resources?

Passive Heating and Cooling Checklist – A complementary guide to natural temperature regulation, offering passive design strategies for a more comfortable, energy-efficient home.

2024 Sustainable Materials Price List – A comprehensive list of sustainable products with up-to-date pricing, descriptions, and direct purchase links, so you can start pricing out materials ahead of time!

NatureAlly Professional Directory – A complementary resource connecting you to experts in ecological property development, helping you find the right professionals for your project.

DIY Interior Design Checklist – A step-by-step guide for organizing and completing interior renovation projects efficiently, with checklists and systems for streamlined execution.