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1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Thanksgiving forecast: brrrr ... Tests show progress toward lifting of Dungeness closure ... Woman suspected in month-long ID theft run ... Thanksgiving forecast: brrrr ... Tests show progress toward lifting of Dungeness closure ... Woman suspected in month-long ID theft run ... Well-used or overused? As some wells go dry in the Rogue Valley, experts wonder if water needs are exceeding the supply or if the area's geological complexities are more at fault As some wells in the Rogue Valley start drying up at the end of summer, officials are warning that increasing demand for water could leave more rural landowners high and dry. Comment By Damian Mann MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Posted Sep. 6, 2008 at 12:01 AM Updated Sep 6, 2008 at 1:29 AM By Damian Mann Posted Sep. 6, 2008 at 12:01 AM Updated Sep 6, 2008 at 1:29 AM Contributors --> to well problems New wells might disrupt water flowing into neighbors' wells. Some wells go dry toward the end of summer because of lack of rain. Certain areas of the cou... » Read more X Contributors to well problems New wells might disrupt water flowing into neighbors' wells. Some wells go dry toward the end of summer because of lack of rain. Certain areas of the county, such as Shady Cove and Sams Valley, have had well problems for years. Old wells sometimes seal up with silt or have other problems because they weren't built to modern standards. Families use more water than is available underground. Pump tip: When work is being done on the well, install a pump tube or measuring tube, the Oregon Water Resources Department recommends. The tube allows you to measure the water level in the well without pulling the pump. The department recommends checking the water level in the spring, both when the pump is off and when the pump is on. » Social News As some wells in the Rogue Valley start drying up at the end of summer, officials are warning that increasing demand for water could leave more rural landowners high and dry. County Commissioner C.W. Smith, who has had his own well problems in the past, said he's hoping to start a well study to get a better understanding of the region's underground water supply and educate landowners before they drill. "At least we should be able to tell them, 'If you build there, you are on your own,' " he said. Smith and other local officials took part in an Oregon Water Resources Commission symposium in August to discuss water trends and the future needs of Southern Oregon. They worry that water is being drawn out faster than it's being recharged in some parts of the valley, and that the average depth of wells is increasing. Water quality problems also are popping up in streams and wells, which sometimes can have high arsenic levels. They're concerned that irrigation water will face shortages in dry years. "We need to spend more time educating people on how to use water," Smith said. Ultimately, the strain on some local aquifers could make it difficult to put in a well, which could hurt some rural economies, Smith said. "If you can't get the water, a lot of people won't build on the property," he said. In the world of wells, though, even the experts say it is difficult to predict the impacts on local wells as the population grows. "The geology in this region is convoluted," said Travis Kelly, southwest regional state well inspector for the Oregon Water Resources Department. "It's not quite clear what is happening." He said there are a lot of reasons why a well could go dry that don't necessarily mean the groundwater has been depleted. Some areas, such as Sams Valley, Shady Cove or parts of rural Eagle Point, have been plagued with well problems for years. At this time of year, when spring rains are a distant memory, some wells go dry because there has been nothing to replenish them all summer, Kelly said. Sometimes new family members will move into a house, pushing up the need for water, he said. Silt can fill up old wells, sealing off the fractures that let water in. There are other factors that influence the depth of wells. "The standard method of drilling wells has changed over time," said Kelly. "It's a lot easier to drill faster and deeper." The geology from area to area varies so much that it is difficult to pinpoint why a particular well went dry, he said. In the Salinas Valley in California, there is one large aquifer, which makes it easy to determine how much water might be available for a well. But that's not the case in Jackson County and most of Southern Oregon, Kelly said. He said much of the area is made up of fractured rock that allows for a good well in one location but a bad one a few feet away. He said there is not enough information to adequately determine what is happening to wells in Southern Oregon. Doug Woodcock, manager of the groundwater section for the water resources department, said many of Jackson County's wells rely on water from low-yield bedrock, requiring storage tanks. Woodcock said there has been a trend to punch in deeper wells and new wells, but he said there is a lack of data to show what effect this is having on other wells or the groundwater supply. "Anytime you're putting wells near each other, you are promoting that potential for interference between wells," he said. Based on the general geology of the area, Woodcock said most of the water found in wells comes in the first 100 or 200 feet. Beyond that, the probability of finding a greater quantity of water goes down, he said. In the future, climate changes and the installation of more wells as the county grows could affect water supplies in rural areas, he said. Well drillers have their own philosophies and opinions about wells. Brad Milkowski, owner of Gribble Well Drilling Inc., said looking for water underground is like gambling, although he said many in the business are pretty familiar with rock formations in certain areas and have some idea what they might find. "It's usually a big guess," said Milkowski. "It's also a little voodoo by a well dowser." A lack of water isn't always the driving force behind deeper wells, he said. He believes some well drillers bore deeper than necessary, while some customers insist on deeper wells even though it doesn't always produce more water. Milkowski said that in the last couple of years he has been drilling shallower wells. He said there are some areas of the county that have historically produced poor wells, which only has been worsened by increased drilling as more homes are built. One such area is north of Jacksonville toward Old Military Road, he said. "It's taxing the water in that region more than others," he said. In general, well drilling is down because of the economy, but Milkowski said he is noticing a new trend. "People are buying up more hard-luck pieces of land," he said. These properties sometimes have as many as five dry wells, but the price for the land was so cheap the owner figured it would be worth it to spend a little money looking for water. He's also seen customers build huge three-story houses with extensive landscaping and fencing. They call him in at the last minute to punch in a well. "I tell them, 'Did you notice none of your neighbors has a good well?' " he said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476 or [email protected]. By Damian Mann MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Posted Sep. 6, 2008 at 12:01 AM Updated Sep 6, 2008 at 1:29 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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