Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1908-02-28
FREEZING OF WELLS.
Reason Why the Deep Ones Cause
More Trouble Than Shallow Ones.

Throughout many of the northern
states the freezing Of wells and pumps
causes much trouble, and the greatest
difficulty is experienced in keeping
some of the wells open for use during
the winter. Strangely enough, the
shallow, open wells give less trouble
than the deeper, drilled or double
tubed driven wells, in which the inner
or pump tube is carried below the out
er casing The determination of the
cause of the freezing and of means
for its prevention is Of SO great prac-
teal Importance that a study of the
subject has been made by one of the
biologists of the United States geolog-
ical survey.
The freezing of wells Is practically
confined to districts where the air tenn
peratures frequently go considerably
below zero and where the materials
penetrated are either porous or con-
tain actual openings and passages
through which the air can circulate.
A recent investigation of the wells of
Maine, large number of which are in
SA&hAbOy oldICS anu OJuCI
close-grained rocks, discovered no in
stances of deep freezing. In Mime
sofa, North Dakota and Nebraska, on
the other hand, large numbers of wells
penetrating porous deposits or cav
ernous limestones, freeze every win
ter. In Wisconsin and Michigan
freezing, though less common, occa-
sionally occurs, and also in Iowa, Mis-
souri,, Kentucky and Indiana.
Many of the simpler devices adopted
to prevent freezing are complete fail
ures, while others are partially sue
cessful. The inherent difficulty lies
in the construction of the we'll. The
following suggestions are made by the
geologist:
In open wells, where air obtains &C.
cess through the soil and at the juno
ton of curb and cover, a cement
cover should be tightly fitted to the
curb, and the curb itself should be
coated with cement for some distance
below the surface.
In drilled or double-tubed driven
wells the current of cold air drawn in
at periods of high barometer between
the outer and inner casing near the
surface and passing out in a porous
bed at the bottom above the water
level will cause freezing If the water
is pumped so that it stands in the
inner tube above the lower end of the
outer casing; and a long-continued
current of such cold air may cause
freezing of the ground water about
and in the well tube For this condi.
ton, says the Farmers Voice, it is sug.
gested that the space between the out.
er and inner tube near the surface be
packed with some impervious mate.
rial. A filling of cement resting on an
improvised plug is probably the most
effective. The homemade rag pack.
ing sometimes used Is too porous to
serve the purpose.
The same treatment is suggested
for wells with leaky castings, for driv.
en- wells passing through rocks porous
enough to permit the passage of large
currents of chilled air during periods
OF high barometer, and for wells in
which the outer casing ends in some
cavern or open passage; that is, the
space between the well tube and the
pump tube near the surface should be
tightly plugged with impervious ma.
terial. About some wells the ground
crevices through which the air circu.
lates are so numerous that immunity
from freezing can be obtained only
by plugging the space about the pump
tube from top to bottom with cement.
a ROCK SIN