New-York tribune., 1907-10-14
FREEZING OF WELLS.
Preventive Ad0ice from Government
Scientists.
[From The Tribune Bureau. I


Washington, Oct. 13.-Throughout many OF the
Northern States the freezing of wells and pumps
causes much trouble, and the greatest difficulty Is
experienced in keeping some wells open for use
during the winter. Strangely enough. the shallow
open wells give less trouble than the deeper drlIeu
or double tubed driven wells, in which the inner or
pump tube is carried below the outer casing. the
determination of the of the freezing and OF
means for its prevention is of so great practicaI
Importance that study of the subject has been
made by one of the biologists OF the United States
Geological Survey
The freezing of wells is practically confined to
districts where the air temperatures frequently go
considerably below zero and where the materials
penetrated are either porous contain actual
openings and passages through which the air can
circulate. 4 recent investigation of the wells OF
Maine. large number of which are in granite
slate and other compact, close grained rock, dis
covered no instances of deep freezing In Mime
sofa, North Dakota and Nebraska, on the other
hand, large numbers of wells penetrating porous
deposits cavernous limestones freeze every WIN
ter. In Wisconsin and Michigan freezing, though
less common occasionally occurs. and also In Iowa.
Missouri, Kentucky and Indiana
Deep wells that freeze may also exhibit other
peculiar phenomena, such indraft and outdraft
OF air. producing sucking and blowing changes IN
character of water, fluctuations of water level and
In flowing wells changes in discharge.
study OF the phenomena as whole shows that
they are connected closely with barometric changes
Freezing, indraft, low water level. small discharge
and clear water are all characteristic or ciear
weather and high barometer; thawing of the well
and melting of the snow about the mouth. strong
discharge and discolored waters always accompany
low barometer The direct cause of the freezing
seems TO be an indraft of cold air at periods of
high barometer. Change of weather, reversing the
direction OF the air current, produces the thaw.
Many of the simpler devices adopted TO prevent
freezing are complete failures, while others are
partly successful. The inherent difficulty lies in the
construction the we'll The following suggestions
are made by the geolog1st:
In open wells, where air obtains access through
the soil and at the junction Of the curb and cover
a cement cover should be tightly fitted 70 the
and the curb itself should be coated with cement
for some distance below the surface
In drilled or double tpbed driven wells the current
Of cold air drawn in at periods of high barometer
between the outer and inner casing the surface
and passing out In porous bed at the bottom
above the level will cause freezing II the
water is pumped that II stands in the inner tube
above the lower end Of the outer casing. ami long
continued current of such cold air may cause froez-
ing of the ground water about and in the well tube
For this condition 1t is suggested that the space
between the outer and inner tube near the surface
b. hacked with some impervious material hlling
of cement resting improVised plug Is probably
the most effective. The home made rag packing
sometimes used is too porous to serve the purpose
The same treatment is suggested for wells with
leaI5v casings for driven wells passing through
rocks porous enough permit the passage or large
currents OF chilled air during periods OF high oaron
eter and for wells In which the outer casing ends
in some cavern open passage-that Is the space
between the well tube and the pump tube near the
surface should be plugged tightly with imPervious
material About some wells the ground crevices
through which the air circuates are so numerous
that Immunity from freezing can be obtained only
by plugging the space about the pump tube from
top bottom with cement