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Saturday, December 8, 2012

Waterless In Iowa

It finally happened.

Mother Nature got the upper hand on my well.

The well did me proud.
She stayed pumping out the water throughout the long, hot, dry, dry, dry summer.
Did I mention dry?

But, the fall rains never came.
It's December and not so much as a snowflake to be seen.

My well just couldn't take it anyway.
She fell victim to chronic dryness last eve about 11 o'clock.

There is no large amounts of precip. in the foreseeable future.
I have no idea if or when she will ever fill back up.

Next course of action to is make some calls.
Hook up to rural water or maybe have water hauled and dumped in the well.
Or, go without water until who knows when.

Yay for chemically treated water!
Yay for paying a monthly water bill!
Yay for borrowing money from my inlaws to get rural water!

And there is the waiting until we can get water hauled or water hooked up.

Is it too much to hope that Jasper County, Iowa get buttloads of rain overnight to fill up my well?
Maybe we should all have a blogosphere rain dance.
But, than it might rain everywhere and not everywhere needs it.

Send rain requests to Mother Nature?

I don't know.
I am out of ideas.

18 comments:

  1. Gosh, Ruth, this sounds bad...I've just jumped up and did a serious little rain dance with special attention to "where" I'm sending my requested rain.

    I hope you get some soon. I can't imagine how frustrating this must be...I'm going to do several dances. Of course Wee Dog looked at me with that "okay, what's got into your jeans" look as she spreads out in front of the fireplace.

    Good luck, Ruth...my fingers are crossed that you get rain...before Christmas! Hugs, Jenny

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    1. Thanks, Jenny. I appreciate it.
      We never really realize life's "little" conveniences until they are gone.

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    2. You've got that right, Ruth. And water is one of those conveniences that is far from "little" - I really couldn't fathom life without it.

      Is it also that your well might need to be deeper...I'm not really sure how wells work...might be post worthy to explain the way your well works - I would find it quite interesting to read about.

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    3. The well is about 40 feet deep. It's not considered deep, but it is a lot deeper than some. I've known people to have wells only a foot down. That's weird to me, but most people dug til they struck water and stopped.
      I am somewhat lucky in that there are underground springs located all over my property. One of those is what feeds my well.
      I will give a thought to a post on it. :)

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  2. Ruth--isn't it amazing how little rain we've gotten this year? It's kinda unsettling. I think if we actually get a blizzard this winter no one will complain since we all know how badly we need rain in Iowa. Supposed to get a sprinkling today but not expecting much. Hope your well fills up quickly and your problem is solved.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sue, I know. I have never seen it like this. I know there was a drought in the early 80s, but I think we still had more rain.
      I heard a tenth of a inch here. I hope for more.
      All the rivers are so low. Up in Ames, the bed is dry.

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  3. Dear Ruth,
    I share your concern, completely. I moved back to the ranch this summer and was going to sell a house in Bozeman and another in Helena. The one in Bz is sold and good riddance. The day before I was to list the house in Helena, one of my wells went dry at the ranch and about 5 of my neighbors were dry. I cancelled listing the house in town. I keep a separate weather journal and we had one rainfall all summer and 2 light smatterings of snow last winter.

    My kids were begging me to live in town during the winter so I respected their wishes and am back in town with the poison city water but it's WATER.
    Surprisingly we've had 2 good-size snow falls so far.

    We are so dependent on water. Food we can scrounge somewhere, but water is the most important. I'll keep you and your area in my thoughts and prayers. I heard that MN was supposed to get 6 in. of snow this weekend. Did any of that reach you?
    Love and peace

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    Replies
    1. Manzanita, It is raining/snowing right now. Most of it was supposed to stay up north and where I am 1/10". Maybe it will come farther south.
      Lots of people don't seem to care about rain or snow, but with water ways drying up, I don't understand where they think they are going to get water.
      You are right. Water is water.

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  4. In my development, we are connected to public water. I remember a few years ago when folks wells dried up around here and many of those folks were forced to connect to public water because the health dept went out and condemned wells forcing no other option on folks. :/ Will definitely keep you in my thoughts and prayers and hoping for the rains or snows to come your way!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks,Gossip_Grl. I worry that one day, the health dept. here will do something like that.

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  5. Sorry, Ruth. I can't imagine the hardship. You remind us to appreciate those basic luxuries/necessities.

    I hope this all good works out at minimum cost (financially, healthwise, and emotionally).

    xoRobyn

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    Replies
    1. Robyn, we'll make it. We always do.
      The cheapest and what I'd like is not the best way. Since the well wall is brick,we were told dumping a bunch of water in could cave it in.

      Delete
  6. Oh how I wish that I could send you some water. We have had more than our share of rains here in New York. Sometimes things that nature does, do not add up.

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    1. Munir, It always seems like one area gets too much and another area not enough.

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  7. I can't imagine, Ruth, having never had a well. Hope a spring pops up!

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    Replies
    1. Gail, I love well water. Lots of people around here still have them.
      Thanks!

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  8. A hard decision to make, because the well should eventually fill up again. Living off the land is a tough business at times. Best wishes at whatever you decide.

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    Replies
    1. Yvonne, enough came in today so when my husband flushed the toilet some water actually trickled into the tank so we didn't have to pour any in.
      Tomorrow the plan is to make several phone calls and then make a decision.

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Thanks for commenting.