Through all civilizations, water has been the foundation. The earliest recording of controlling water flow is “About 6000 to 7000 years ago” (Angelakis, pg.19), no wonder why “water witching” (water divining or dowsing) is a common topic; it is a life or death situation. Usually food can be created or found as long as the water source is present.
Water witching (divining or dowsing) is using “a forked stick, rod, or pendulum to locate underground water” (deming pg.450). This began thousands of years ago, but has not been taught in formal education and no one really knows where it originates from. Some people reference the story of Moses in Numbers 20:11, “And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also”. Although water witching usually requires digging a well, it seems to be a similar idea. In Europe it is claimed that “German miners were imported into England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and brought the practice… with them”(deming pg.450).
Years ago, water was the foundation of civilization, those civilizations still present and usually the large cities. Now as humanity spreads across the land, water is more of a marketable value; this is why the “price per-acre, was much less than the going rate” said Jim Hackard (Kinkead pg.260). One example of modern day water witching is Jim Hackard. When people found out Jim had a talent, they would have him help them find water, one of them a physician who “gave [him] a case of wine” (Kinkead pg.261) as a thank you since Jim would not accept payment. Although Jim did not want water dowsing to work, people were grateful for his ability and it always worked.
This research has helped me to understand more in depth how important water is, especially for farmers in the west where water sources more often than not are below the surface. Much of the west is arid and relies on underground water to survive. The importance of water can never be overestimated, especially when striving to keep dairy cows hydrated, when they drink roughly 40 gallons per day. Water is the foundation of life.
Works Cited:
Angelakis, Andreas N. “Evolution of Water Supply Through the Millennia.” Water Intelligence Online, vol. 11, Apr. 2012, doi:10.2166/9781780401041.
Deming, David. “Water Witching and Dowsing1.” National Groundwater Association, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 13 Dec. 2005, ngwa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1745-6584.2002.tb02525.x.
Kinkead, Joyce A., et al. Farm: a Multimodal Reader. Fountainhead Press, 2016. (pg 260-262)
Cows: Quality of their 70% 