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Well drillers are swamped, not just from drought By DAMIAN MANN Well drillers are punching holes through Jackson County bedrock at a breakneck pace this summer as the drought, new construction and a dose of panic have primed the demand for water. "It's definitely starting out to be the busiest year since '94," said Fred Krasner, owner of Pioneer Drilling Inc. "It's been so busy this year that we just can't respond to all the calls." Krasner and a tight-knit community of well drillers are finding themselves booked up with jobs well into the end of summer and possibly fall. Because of drought conditions in which precipitation was about half of normal last winter, some wells fell to levels typically found in August back in May or June. Krasner estimates that from 1995 to 2000, about 325 to 350 well permits were issued annually, compared to the drought years in the early '90s when 400 to 500 were issued. "I would say we are going to be well above the 325 to 350," he predicted. But Krasner doesn't attribute demand solely to the drought, citing other factors such as growth in development and too many wells clustered in areas such as Shady Cove that draw levels down. "I don't think a one-year drought in Jackson County could impact wells severely," he said. But Josephine County, with more porous soil formations, could be more affected this year since many of the aquifers are recharged annually, he said. Krasner already has had an extremely busy year. "I would say I'm getting a fair amount of calls from people who say, 'Hey I'm out of water.' " Some well owners have gotten a bit edgy, assuming they're out of water when they just might have a pooped-out pump. "People's minds just kind of run away with things," said Sylvia Medina, of Medina Well Drilling Inc. "The pump should be checked first." She said that for April through June, a cursory review of her records show well drilling jobs are up compared to other years and she expects to remain busy into the fall. He said warm rains have fallen in early spring, washing the snow away. In previous years, the snowpack survived into the summer months. "You won't find three good years of snowpack since then," he said. Milkowski, who has been a well driller for 40 years, partially blames the problem on poor governmental management of the forests, allowing clear-cutting that reduces shade and allows the snow to melt faster. Water from the snowmelt mostly affects deeper wells, he said, but shallower wells have had problems as well. "We had 20-, 30- and 40-footers for years," he said. Now drillers often sink a hole 200 feet or more. Milkowski said development on the valley floor means less water percolates into the ground, causing shallower wells to dry up. "On a 300-acre subdivision covered over with asphalt, pavement, driveway and houses, very little of the water makes it into the ground," he said. "Thousands of acres are taken out every year." Water that percolated into the ground now flows into creeks, eventually making its way into the Rogue River and contaminating it from the oils and other toxins washed from the streets. Scott Coffman, owner of Rogue Valley Drilling, said keeping up with demand has been difficult. "This year is definitely booked up probably through October," he said. "It is kind of scary, to be honest with you, when you're so backed up." Coffman operates a well-drilling rig that rams its way through the bedrock, fracturing the rock formations and creating what he believes is a better well. Other well drillers commonly use rotary pumps that essentially drill through the ground. Coffman's grandfather, 79-year-old Jack Boettcher, said that when he began drilling in the '40s and '50s, the average well depth was about 60 feet. Four or five years ago, when he was still active in the business, the average plunged to 235 feet. He blames this on many factors, but primarily greater usage. Also, he said, "A good share of shallow wells are polluted because of septic systems." Most well drillers try to go down to the bedrock formations that are made up of granite, basalt or some other hard material. Eric Dittmer, assistant professor of geology at Southern Oregon University, said a major problem in assessing the drought's impact on wells is a recent ruling that allows wells to be drilled without permits. This means governmental agencies have a more difficult time tracking well levels or wells that have gone dry. Dittmer said it is likely that shallow wells of 100 feet or less could feel the impact of the drought by the end of summer. Deeper wells could be affected next year if the drought continues, he said. Ivan Gall, hydrogeologist with the Oregon Water Resources Department, said about 12 observation wells in Jackson County are lower than normal. "But it is nothing dramatic," he added. "That's what's nice about the groundwater system - it is somewhat buffered from seasonal fluctuations." But certain areas could feel the effects of the drought more rapidly than others. Wells in higher areas - the east Medford hills, an area near Emigrant Lake, the hills near Eagle Point and some areas near Beebe Road - are particularly prone to well problems. Gall agrees with well drillers that people are going deeper for water, but he attributes it to a trend wherein homeowners are able to afford a deeper and more dependable well. Also, with more people in rural areas, Gall said, "There are more straws in the same bucket of water." Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.