OT : Cistern Well (little long)

About 6 years ago I started using the well to water my trees using a sprinker pump. The well would be full (unless it was a wet season and then it would be trickling over) and I could pump for at least 3 hrs with a 1 1/2 inch pump and the well would refill each day. This spring we received 11 inches of rain in a couple days and I think it washed about 4 inches of our lovely black clay into the well. Now the well is only 14' deep and only fills up with about 7' of water. I think this 4 inches of sticky clay plugged up the spring.

The Question - -
How do I clean out this mud? I've rented a diaphram pump and pumped the well dry while trying to stir up the clay. I've also tried to use an old hand driven 6 inch well drilling bit to dig out the mud - both with little success. Short of pushing "oops" one of my brothers in to the well with a rope and bucket - does any one have any ideas?

Thanks in advance,
Randy

I tried the 2 inch diaphram pump, but I couldn't get the clay loosened up enough. I need to try the pressure washer idea.

I also agree that you'd think that after 60 years this would have happened before and it took care of it's self over time. And maybe it's just that the water table is low this year because of the drought.

The question of curbing the well to prevent this from happening again - the top of the well is about 2' above the ground and I couldn't have built a high enough wall to stop the water when it rained the 11 inches. The neighbors pond actully backed up over my well - just too much water.

Thanks again,
Randy

Then a slurry pump or vaccumn. To pull the stuff out while it is still all stirred up.

This is based on liquid manure handling equipment. Same type of opperation on all the hog & dairy lagoons.

Also septic tanks are cleaned the same way. Agitate first, then pump/suck out.

Now, I'd not want to use any of _that_ equipment on my well.... ;) But, if you can find some clean equipment... ;)

Are you going to curb around the well to prevent this from happening again?

--->Paul

You need to use a 2" or larger trash pump. A trash pump will handle small rocks without damage. The process is just like drilling a well bore.

You need the mix the mud with water to where it can be pumped in to settling pond#1 where the trash falls out of suspension and the water runs into settling pond#2.

Pond#1 settles out the large trash, rocks, etc;
Pond#2 settles out the finer clays and sands to where the water is cleaner and reusable.

Water for cistern slurry mixing is taken from pond#2.

Too thick of slurry and your hose/pump plugs. Too thin and your wasting time.

You may need to use a wand on a pressure pump to bust up the clay. Take a 1/2" pipe with a 90� eL, ball valve, garden hose bib, then conntect to a 35psi plus water pressure then jab the pipe into the clay to break it up.

This wand also works well for locating underground pipes and tanks.

T_Bone

If the well is 60 years old, it would seem that a lot of silt washed down the well in that length of time...hard to believe one rain completely ruined it.

Just a guess...

Tim