Water - liquid gold
| Water
Warriors
I think it was
the second year we were here. We got up to get ready to go
conquer the world, but first things first... a hot shower..
Oops... no water.
That was
the beginning of a three day saga. At the time we didn't have a
lot of cash, so a neighbor offered to help us "pull our
well" and fix the problem. Our paperwork said our well was
over 600' deep... quite the "pull".
The good news
was, it was only half of that, the bad news was, the people who
sank the well got taken to the cleaners since they paid by how
deep it was.
As our good
neighbor Bob and a couple other neighbors worked day and night,
we began taking showers at the neighbors. We were also filling
up 5 gallon water containers for cooking and dishes.
Three days later,
when the pump was finally exposed, we found a broken wire. For
safety's sake we took the pump in to be tested while it was out,
but the broken wire was the only problem.
The torque from
when the pump turns on and off had simply broken it off.
You have to
remember that when the water's out, you'll either pay heartily
to get it fixed, or work your tail off to do it yourself. |
Well?
Many country properties are served by
wells instead of a community water system. As you might imagine,
there are pluses and minuses to the having your own well.
The pluses, in my opinion, far out weigh
the minuses. The pluses being:
-
there are
no chemicals in the water for "purification"
-
you're not
paying a water district every time you turn the water on (but you
are paying for electricity to pump it!)
-
you can use
as much as you have (be cautious during droughts)
-
you're not
tied to an infrastructure that may not be in your best interest long
term.
menu
Storage Depending on your well production, you may
want to invest in a large storage tank. Our well produces only 12
gallons per minute which is fine for household use and some irrigation
during non-drought years. When we moved here though, we were in year 4
of a 5 year drought and the well barely supplied enough water for
household use. A large storage tank is on our "wish" list as
it will allow more irrigation, better fire protection, and more security
in drought years. Our neighbor, however, is on an aquifer that
produces 75 gallons per minute. They have plenty of water as needed in
good rain years or not.
Droughts -- they come when they want (not necessarily when
you're prepared) and if we're lucky they'll only last a year or two.
However, there have been many that have lasted several years in this
area, and so a good water supply is necessary and more storage can
become more vital during those times.
menu Pollution -- Make
sure your septic system meets current county guidelines. Older systems
could have been put in before the county standards were so stringent and
may lead to unhealthy drinking water. The basic issue... your well
should be uphill from your septic system. In any event, it's good to
have your well water tested every few years to make sure you don't have
some contaminate running into it that you're unaware of. And, if you're
buying a new property, put in a contingency clause regarding the
potability of the well water. The University of California's IPM Online site offers extensive information on specific pests and pest management.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's "Healthy Lawn, Healthy Environment" booklet and other information can be found at
www.epa.gov/pesticides. Chemical
pollution from pesticides & herbicides.
BUY
INSECTS that kill garden pests
and you won't have to expose
yourself, your kids or your pets to deadly chemicals!
menu Floods &
Prevention
Sometimes we get too much water and if you're
living on or near a stream, flash floods can be a problem. Here's what
we've found works as well as anything. Walk the entire creek bed
and remove obstructions. Back when cattle roamed the entire area, many
ranchers cut the big oak trees so they wouldn't take the water from the
streams and ponds. Now, these old trunks break loose in heavy rains and
wash down stream to lodge in places that can cause a dam and flooding.
We've learned to walk the creek bed every year and remove things that
could cause floods the following wet season. Even so, nature has a way
of fooling us anyway so almost every winter at least one trunk must be
removed in the middle of the rainy season. Ditches have also been cut
strategically to direct run off away from areas that can cause major
damage. Just remember, the problem's yours -- you must
either do the work or hire it done out of your own pocket. There's not a
county service or government agency to step in and handle the problem. menu Other
subjects to be addressed soon...
Watershed Issues
You
cannot dam a creek - you cannot alter a watershed
Ag Neighbors Ponds & Streams ------- All
photos on this site are copyrighted. Many are available to purchase,
however, at www.19thCentury.us
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