Manawatu Herald. "THURSDAY, DEC. 22, 1892. Artesian Water Supply.

Manawatu Herald, 22 December 1892, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. "THURSDAY, DEC. 22, 1892. Artesian Water Supply.

Mr Lord, the artesian well-sinker has had a fair experience of the strata lying under all that area of country between Foxton and Motoa known as the Motoa swamp. We firo indebted to him for much in formation as to the depth of the different wells sunk, and the flow obtained from each, and from which we arrive at certain conclusions which are, to say the least, very puzzling. It may be accepted as without doubt that the water ob tamed in each well we shall mention has been got in the one shingle strata, the early approach to the strata and the shingle obtained in it, being in every case alike. It would have been imagined that the height of the flow of one well should, therefore have been the same as the height of every other, but it is not so by a long way. The strata, as we hope to be able to show satisfactorily directly, appears to fall at an angle ot some nine feet to the mile from the river bank at Motoa towards the sea by Foxton, but though the height of the flow at Motoa, is some 12 feet, being nearest to the head of the underground supply, it is also, contr.irily to accepted notions, also the strongest in height above ground, though Mr Smith's house, Mr Thynne's house, and the well site at the -.venue bridge in town are about on a level. It would have appeared reasonable to expect that having the given point (Mr Smith's house) at Motoa, with a rise of 12 feet of water, that anyone reaching the same strata, with land on the same level, should fairly expect to get a similar flow, but it has not so turned out. Evidently the different wells do not flow to the one fixed height though fed by the one head. Why is this ?

We. do not undertake to explain, being searchers after knowledge, but to help other seekers we give the following useful information, which if plotted to scale roughly, will be seen to bear out our opening statement as to the decided dip of the water strata to seaward. The well at Mr Smith's hou-e is 147 feet deep and to the top of the flow is 159, being 12 feet of water out of ground. A well, No 5 on the Motoa estate, is 144 feet deep and has a flow of 164 feet, the water rising 20 feet ; and the wel , No. 7 on the same, estate, is down 167 feet and the water only rises to the surface ; Mr Thynne's well is down 180 feet but the water only rises to within 8 feet of the surface ; Mr Satherley's well is 168 feet and has a flow of 175 feet ; the ivenne well was down nearly 200 feet when the water rose to within four feet of the surface If the strata is the same, there is an unmistakable drop between Smith's and the Avenue of 49 feet, and as the distance is under 5 miles we may say it averages some 10 feet a mi c. The flow nearer the town should, therefore be the strongest. If the water does rise to a level, the difference between . the two points as shown by the flow would be 87 fe?t. We have put those facts so that all the information on so interesting a sub ject as artesian water may be placad before our readers, not because we

can a.ssi'Jt in any ohh^r Way in solving the riddlo-. We hasten to remark that as a fact, us shown by experience on the Motoa estate, not One wfll <?ives the same strength of flow, y(»t keeping in mind the depths we have quoted, the water has risen from the bottom of each ■well, from Smith's to the Avenue, in almost regular increasing proportions, the larger the force Which serves it* thus, Smith's Well 155) feet, No. f well 167 feet, tfhynne's well 171 feet, Satlvi-ley's well 175 feet. Avenue well 196 feet.

We give the depths of a few other wells to assist to test the peculiarity we have pointed out. No. I well on the Motoa estate, near Mukaka, depth 158 feet, flow about 178 feet ; No. 2 well, on the diagnonal drain, depth 158 feet, flow 107 feet; and Pureell's well, in the swamp, well 144 teet, flow 156 feet.