The Citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1903-1912, 1912-08-24
ERECTING A PUMPING STATION
More Certain to obtain Good Water
Supply In Valley Than on the
Mesas or Piateaus.


ried out regarding the installation OF
a pumping plant. the source Of supply.
the ground-water. must be thoroughly
investigated as to quantity and quail
lily. II Is impossible to lay down hard
and fast rules regarding the occur,
renee Of underground waters which
will apply to all sections alike.
Naturally. we should be more certain
of obtaining water In valley, having
large drainage area and through
which flows perennial stream, than
on the mesas or plateaus near the
base Of mountain range. writes II.
l.. Bixey in the Denver Field and
Farm. The supply Is not found at a
uniform depth in any section, the
depth often varying within radius
Of two or three hundred feet. After
dtilling a we'll It may be found that
the flow is inadequate to supply the
required needs. Another well may
be put down distance Of 1000 feet
or even less and be found to yield an
abundant supply. The topography OF
the country and geological formations
VI the sub-strata have great deal
to do with the occurrence of ground
at economical depths. In a section
where II is proposed to institute pump
Ing for irrigation II is wise to hire
professional well driver and have him
put down a test well of the size
thought TO be suited to the needs OF
irrlgation-from six inches to twelve
inches. Several interested persons
should bear the expense Of such
well. each paying his pro rata. As
the well IL put down, a log Of the
various depths should be carefully
kept. taking samples at every foot to
determine the character of the vari-
Gus materials encountered. Thus
when the well Is completed or drilled
to a satisfactory depth II will be
known at what depth or depths the
water was found and the character OF
the strata. II the water-bearing STRAIT
um is found in good gravel form fif'
teen to twenty feet in depth, very
favorable conditions obtain and good
flow OF water is almost invariably as
sured. Under such conditions, good
flow being certain. the well may be
operated as a community proposition
or the various interests may be pur-
chased by one person. the well thus
becoming his sole property. II the
well is a failure. those interested may
consider that the money was well
spent and that considerable money
has been saved. Some one may say
at this point: Suppose that water
were encountered only at great depth,
then the well would be useless, as
there is a limiting depth beyond which
1t Is Improbable and impracticable
to pump" This is all very true and
the Importance Of sinking the well
before investing in expensive machin-
cry is the more strongly emphasized
by this query. In many sections II
Is unnecessary to sink test wells, as
successful pumping plants are already
In operation. In many Of our noun
tain valleys there seems to be an I'M
derground water supply sufficient for
almost any number Of pumping plants.
Some wells yield more than others, as
the gravel strata are found at varying
depths and character. The greatest
difficulty encountered Is in the han.
ding the quicksand. Where the
quicksand occurs with coarse gravel
good we'll is almost always certain.
as the quicksand can be pumped from
the gravel. leaving open spaces In
the gravel through which the water
will flow more rapidly. giving the well
larger supply than when there Is
only quicksand. One should not de-
sire too coarse a gravel, as difficulty
Is found in sinking the casing or re.
moving large boulders from the well.
In case the first stratum OF water.
bearing gravel encountered does not
give large enough flow. the well will
either have to be enlarged or sunk
deeper with the view to striking the
second or third stratum. Water found
at lower depths will often rise. thus
adding to the total supply OF the we'll
and giving the desired amount. Where
two or three strata are encountered.
perforated sections of pipe. preferably
standard well strainer Of the same
diameter as the standard well casing,
are inserted between couplings and
lowered to their respective depths.
The first casing put down when the
well is drilled is then pulled up. leav.
ing the strainers exposed and free
from dirt and sand. II Is not good
practice to have the strainer OF the
same length as the depth OF the
water-bearing stratum. as the water
levsl is generally down by the pump,
so that the strainer may not be uti.
LIKING Its full length or II may destroy
the suction OF the pump TO a certain
extent. In which case the efficiency
OF the pumping plant will be lowered
As an example II may be said that
for a gravel bed twenty feet In depth
a twelve.foot strainer should be used
or even less. and the strainer extend.
ed to the bottom Of the bed so that
there will be depth of gravel above
the top OF the strainer One OF the
best strainers In use In this section
is the Porcher strainer, which works
admirably and should be used where
the depth is notfoo great In the