MA VT Flatlander
5 year old buck +
I dug this hole 3 weeks ago It is about 4' long x 2' wide and around 18"-20" deep. How deep would in need to be, to make a shallow well to be able to pump water to my camp? 
Water Hole
- Thread starter MA VT Flatlander
- Start date
Jim Timber
5 year old buck +
Is this where the water table is, or is this a rain filled puddle?
You'd want a sand point well at the minimum if you were going to drink it. The soil acts like a filter of surface contaminants.
You'd want a sand point well at the minimum if you were going to drink it. The soil acts like a filter of surface contaminants.
MA VT Flatlander
5 year old buck +
That is a spring. There is water perculating out of the ground. That water is crystal clear. Not sure how a sand point works lots of stones and rocks there.
Jim Timber
5 year old buck +
Stone and rocks are ok with a driven point. You usually break them as you pound it from what I've read. As long as it's not bedrock, you're good.
If you know, or have reason to believe where the spring is coming in, you could drive a test point 5' down and see if you can hit it up stream from the watering hole you posted. I'd want it 50'+ laterally from that hole just to keep the chance of surface contamination down. Birds, mice, deer, coon, and every other critter in nature all poop wherever, and I wouldn't want that to infiltrate my water source if I could avoid it. You might need more distance yet. The well code probably specifies distance from a septic drain field, and that's the spec I'd go with. Crystal clear doesn't mean clean by any stretch. You'll want to get it tested before you use it, or before trying to do more than get a source of irrigation water.
If you know, or have reason to believe where the spring is coming in, you could drive a test point 5' down and see if you can hit it up stream from the watering hole you posted. I'd want it 50'+ laterally from that hole just to keep the chance of surface contamination down. Birds, mice, deer, coon, and every other critter in nature all poop wherever, and I wouldn't want that to infiltrate my water source if I could avoid it. You might need more distance yet. The well code probably specifies distance from a septic drain field, and that's the spec I'd go with. Crystal clear doesn't mean clean by any stretch. You'll want to get it tested before you use it, or before trying to do more than get a source of irrigation water.
MA VT Flatlander
5 year old buck +
Thanks for the info.
Jim Timber
5 year old buck +
Plain color (no patterns) plastic kiddie pools are on sale for 6 or 7 bucks at menards this week.
Steve Bartylla
5 year old buck +
I've tried kiddie pools a couple times over the years. I'm sure they're not all created equal, but they haven't lasted long for me. They all had holes from hooves in under a year.
Jim Timber
5 year old buck +
Wally world's offerings have proven to be rather durable. I have one in my garden site (it's just a cut clearing with some clover now) that's been in full sun for 3 years now, and it's going strong. Then I got this one last year from a neighbor who found it in their yard after a big wind storm and no one claimed it. It spent the winter with ice in it (just like my other one always has), then I dropped a tree on it when clearing for my road. That tree was removed a month ago and there's no holes. The pool is destined for the apple orchard, and I'll probably move it this weekend when I start getting the firewood and other logs out of there (assuming the access is dry enough now).
Jim Timber
5 year old buck +
It didn't hold much water with all that wood in it. :)
MA VT Flatlander
5 year old buck +
Visitor at the water hole.
