Farm Wells

While no longer plentiful, family farms dating back multiple generations still populate the scenic valley that I call home. From my farm, it's easy to think of a member of our farming community whose unique expertise lends itself well to the column topics I seek to cover. In each issue, I'll spotlight farming operations whose practices aren't only applicable across the country but that you can take and make use of for your own farm. - Hope Ellis-Ashburn

- Hope Ellis-Ashburn

In Groundwater Facts, The National Ground Water Association, headquartered in Westerville, Ohio, states that more than 15.9 million water wells serve all purposes in the United States. A portion of these wells, according to the U.S. Geological Society, provides about 15% of the country's population with drinking water.

Indeed, many home and farm owners up and down Tennessee's Sequatchie Valley rely on water wells to supply water for our homes, livestock and more. On my farm, I also make use of wells to supply fresh drinking water to my livestock.

For the past 20 years electrician, Jarvis Wooten of Jasper, Tennessee, has helped my family and other area families with repairing their wells. A friend who serviced wells provided Wooten with his start when he asked for his help in pulling and troubleshooting well pumps, and Wooten progressed from there. From this vantage point, he offers advice on installing, maintaining and troubleshooting wells.

Installing a Well

"The first thing people need to think about is what the well will be used for," Wooten says. "Will it be used for people, animals, irrigation or some combination of these."

Once you have determined your needs the next step is deciding on where the well be located. For example, some farmers with livestock will use a gravity-fed system with a large reservoir located at the highest elevation on their farm.

Wooten advises talking to your neighbors to see what they are doing as a good place to start. This can help you to determine where to locate your well in addition to providing you with a rough estimate as to the depth of the well you can expect to dig. Based on their experiences in your area, professional well-drilling companies can also help. If you have several to choose from in your area, which isn't always the case, shop around and get estimates to compare costs and availability before deciding which company to hire.