I just bought an acre which borders on another acreage where I can pasture my horses.The property is on/near an old creekbed that does not run anymore and it sits in a valley at 800' above sea level about 2-3 miles from the base of an 8000 foot mountain.The soil is sand and silt and a kind of soft packed clay.About 1/2 mile away is a year round river which flooded the property in 2003.

Well #1 is a sandpoint about 36 feet deep and produces cold,crystal clear drinkable water without any manmade filters.It is about 200 feet from well #2 and has a drop of about 10 vertical feet over the 200 feet to well #2.

Well #2 has not been in operation since or before the flood,no one can say for sure.There is a 3/4 hp F & W centrifugal pump with a 2" line coming from a sandpoint that is about 26' + or - feet deep.I measured the depth with a garden hose so it is not totally accurate.


I got the motor running after finding out the brass impellor was bent for some reason.Runs like a dream considering it was made in 1975.

I have a feeling the well might be dry because when I first put down the hose it came up dry.The second time I sent it down I plunged it,not very hard because of the depth and 1/2 diameter of the hose,but it did come up with a loamy,milky colored liquid on about the last 2' of the hose.

I have tried to prime the 2" galvanized pipe and run it with the primed motor to no avail.Our local backhoe operator gave me a little hand pump which attaches to the 2" pipe and with a lot of effort priming the pipe,attaching the hand pump,repriming the loss,then getting it working...I managed to hand pump for 5 minutes getting a decent flow out the spout.The water got clearer as time went on,but it was still mirky.However when I stopped for 10 seconds after the 5 minutes,I lost the prime.

I am at a loss on what to do next.I already have a 6'trench,70 feet long,from the pasture fence to well#2,so I already have an expense I do not want to lose.

I imagine the foot valve at the end of the 26 feet is hooped.
Can I send down a replacement?

If not,and the static water level is lower than the 26',can I attach more lengths to the existing,starting with a foot valve in the first length and push down the whole lot farther...???

Since centrifugal pumps,I think,can only pump up to 25',will I have to get a new pump,or if there is some kind of blockage in the pipe line will the static water level rise above the 26' mark?

I know this is long winded but the admin said to give as much info as possible.Hope this helps you to help me.

Ray