NGWA was featured in a New York Times story on July 17 regarding a reported increase in the practice of water dowsing/water witching taking place in California due to extended drought.
Water dowsing, also known as water witching, is a method of using a forked stick, rod, pendulum, or similar device to locate groundwater. NGWA has long been opposed to the practice — citing the technique is totally without scientific merit.
Within the article, NGWA Scientist and Engineer Section Director Timothy Parker, PG, CEG, CHG, of Sacramento, California, cites that hydrogeologists and water well contractors use a combination of satellite imagery, geology, and drilling data to assess water accessibility and resources, “compared to dowsing, which is a person with a stick.”
While the article reports that much of the increase in hiring water witches to locate groundwater is due to severe drought and tightening water regulations, NGWA still warns that the practice is a risky proposition to those who hire water witches.
From the article:
“There are economic issues, personal beliefs and desperation factors going into the decision to try dowsing,” Ben Frech, a spokesman for the National Ground Water Association, said in an email. While the group understood that despair could lead to “exploring all options,” ultimately, he said, the method was a waste of time and money.”
Click here to read the article.