Does the well flow rate (GPM) vary during the year?

[HollyAR75]

I have a 210' deep low yielding well. Well company said it was 1/4 to 1/3 gpm. We use cisterns for storage and are very conservative with usage so we mostly do fine with it. However that flow rate was measured during early November of a very dry season. I've wondered if the flow rate increases during the months when the water table is higher. Has anyone ever compared flow rates of their well at different times of the year? If so, is there a difference or does it stay the same?

 

[Valveman]

Some wells are effected by the seasons or droughts and some are not. If the water table is higher I would expect the flow rate could be increased. At least you will have more water stored in the well even if the recovery rate doesn't change.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

You could start logging the current to the pump after the pump starts and water is pumping. For a given voltage applied, the current will be less as the water table falls.

There are devices that can monitor the current and shut down the pump for a programmable amount of recovery time if the water runs dry. With such a device, you could use the level of the water in the cistern to tell you what degree of water rationing is needed.

 

[Blue Oak]

I get a lot more out of my well this time of year compared to Nov.

 

[HollyAR75]

I get a lot more out of my well this time of year compared to Nov.

Any idea how much more? How deep is your well?

 

[HollyAR75]

You could start logging the current to the pump after the pump starts and water is pumping. For a given voltage applied, the current will be less as the water table falls.

There are devices that can monitor the current and shut down the pump for a programmable amount of recovery time if the water runs dry. With such a device, you could use the level of the water in the cistern to tell you what degree of water rationing is needed.

Since my pump is working off the float switch to the underground cistern, I don't really know when it's running so that would be hard to do. Judging by our water usage, probably only every other day or so.

 

[Blue Oak]

Any idea how much more? How deep is your well?

Hard to say. The well is probably 400 to 500 feet deep and I'd guess I get 2 to 4 times the production in the spring as in the late fall. It really depends on whether we're currently in a drought- which we are.

 

[JoeJee]

I have a 210' deep low yielding well. Well company said it was 1/4 to 1/3 gpm. We use cisterns for storage and are very conservative with usage so we mostly do fine with it. However that flow rate was measured during early November of a very dry season. I've wondered if the flow rate increases during the months when the water table is higher. Has anyone ever compared flow rates of their well at different times of the year? If so, is there a difference or does it stay the same?

I have a 210' deep low yielding well. Well company said it was 1/4 to 1/3 gpm. We use cisterns for storage and are very conservative with usage so we mostly do fine with it. However that flow rate was measured during early November of a very dry season. I've wondered if the flow rate increases during the months when the water table is higher. Has anyone ever compared flow rates of their well at different times of the year? If so, is there a difference or does it stay the same?

What part of Arkansas are you in? I can remember living in a small town outside of Fayetteville and we had terrible water and flow/capacity. I don’t know anything about the well other than my father had a tank installed in the ground b/c we would always run out and have to reset the pump.

my current house doesn’t run out (found out when the yard hydrant broke during the night) and has mostly good water. All my neighbors seem to have great water supply as well minus some with iron/sulfur. We don’t notice any difference in flow rate based on time of year.

 

[HollyAR75]

What part of Arkansas are you in? I can remember living in a small town outside of Fayetteville and we had terrible water and flow/capacity. I don’t know anything about the well other than my father had a tank installed in the ground b/c we would always run out and have to reset the pump.

my current house doesn’t run out (found out when the yard hydrant broke during the night) and has mostly good water. All my neighbors seem to have great water supply as well minus some with iron/sulfur. We don’t notice any difference in flow rate based on time of year.

I'm in north/northwest AR, east of Fayetteville in Newton County. Wells here can be sketchy and many are very deep. Mine is considered very shallow for the area. I know of people who have wells 900-1350' deep.