Shallow well poor recovery rate

[chwkrx7]

We have a 1977 built home that is supplied water from a shallow well adjacent to a large pond. The pond appears (as I've been told) to be spring-fed as the water level seems steady even when it hasn't rained for weeks. The "well" is a vertical corrugated pipe, about three feet across and 15 feet deep, with a 240V submersible pump suspended near the bottom, about 80 feet from the pond. It looks like the ground from the pond to the well was dug up many years ago, as there is a slight dip in it

We bought in summer of 2021 and first ran out of water that winter. I augered a hole in the pond ice and found lots of water, so I used a pump to fill the well back up. We had to do that three times that winter and twice last winter. We didn't have a problem those first two summers. However, this year we've had it twice now that the well ran dry, despite the pond water level still being high. Last night it ran out again, and the well only recovered 5" from midnight to 8 am this morning.

I suspect over the years that either the "channel" from the pond to the well, or the bottom of the well itself has become plugged up with sediment/leaves/debris. I'm not sure how the water "enters" the pipe either.

I could maybe try filling the well right to the top and maintaining the water level there for several days to try "backflush" it, but I'm not sure how effective that would be given that normal water level in the well is usually only about 3' from the top anyway. I'm looking for any ides to improve this situation. Thanks!

 

[Valveman]

It sounds like your well is just a vertical cistern being fed from the pond. There is probably a horizontal French drain with gravel from the well to the pond. Organic material will eventually clog a French drain and no water can get through. You will have the same problem with a pipe from the pond to the well. But you will be able to install a screen on the inlet of the pipe. It will need periodic or continual cleaning, but the pipe won't clog up.

Another option is to just throw the submersible well pump out in the pond. It will need a flow inducer sleeve with a screen on the bottom, but can be floated a few feet below surface or skidded in on a sled, trailer, in in a piece of PVC casing that will hold it off the bottom.

The pump will be fine laying on its side, and there is even a way to tap the line and make a permanent backflush for the screen on the pump. Will just need to bury the 80' of pipe and wire deep enough not to freeze.

 

[Valveman]

Here is a quick drawing of how to keep the screen on the well pump clean.

 

[RS]

I hope you don't drink the water from this system without treating it!

 

[chwkrx7]

It sounds like your well is just a vertical cistern being fed from the pond. There is probably a horizontal French drain with gravel from the well to the pond. Organic material will eventually clog a French drain and no water can get through. You will have the same problem with a pipe from the pond to the well. But you will be able to install a screen on the inlet of the pipe. It will need periodic or continual cleaning, but the pipe won't clog up.

Another option is to just throw the submersible well pump out in the pond. It will need a flow inducer sleeve with a screen on the bottom, but can be floated a few feet below surface or skidded in on a sled, trailer, in in a piece of PVC casing that will hold it off the bottom.

The pump will be fine laying on its side, and there is even a way to tap the line and make a permanent backflush for the screen on the pump. Will just need to bury the 80' of pipe and wire deep enough not to freeze.

I think you're right about the french drain part. If this is original to the house, and I have no reason to think it isn't, it's 46 years old now and probable needs to be redone. I think I'd rather redo the french drain than just throw a pump in the pond as that way the ground can still filter the water a little bit?

I really like your idea for keeping a pump inlet clear, I'll have to remember that one. Thanks a bunch for help!

I hope you don't drink the water from this system without treating it!

Yeah it goes through a pre-filter that gets changed every 3 months, sediment filter (4 months), carbon block filter (4 months), UV filter (yearly) and then softener first. It has been tested by the lab as being safe to drink, but we still have a water cooler with 5 gallon jugs that we use for drinking water anyway.