Hi NE.KS [sorry, can't risk, "Hi Handsome" if I want to retain the shred of credibility I have on the forum]
I think it would be useful to contact neighbors and ask them what their experiencs are with well performance and who they used to punch their wells. Then, I'd call the well drillers and get their opinions on water availability. Seems a good place to start. I realize some areas differ greatly in groundwater availability...but if you go deep enough, I think generally there's more water to target.
In SE NE we average 29" of precipitation annually. So, the standard formula is it requires 33 acres of watershed to manage a 1 acre pond. That's a very rough rule, obviously, as pond depth, what the watershed vegetation consists of, etc. My point is, for a .5 acre pond, if our stats are similar, you'd need 17-20 acres of watershed to keep water levels managed.
I don't think dropping $10k on a 5 GPM well is necessarily a great idea - but again I'd spend some time researching with neighbors and local well drillers to get a better idea of what you're dealing with.
If you can access 15-20 GPM that, IMO, would be worth the effort of punching a well. Again, that's just how passionate I am about my ponds...not the right answer for everyone.
Yeah, the "Hi Handsome" thing has gotten a couple guys in trouble on PB! LOL
I appreciate your input. A well has been on my radar for many years & I've actually gone as far as contacting the only local driller. He's been around a long time & didn't seem to be interested in answering my questions. Guess maybe I should give him another chance. Don't have any close neighbors with a well, to my knowledge....
Using your formula, I doubt I have enough watershed, however I have a creek that runs in through the spillway. Problem is, it only runs during runoff rain, but carries a lot of water when it runs.
My 6A is in the hills above the Kansas River & I have groundwater very close to the surface (vegetation is always green in these areas), but I don't have any idea how much...
Yeah, DW might frown om my retired azz (she works) drilling a $10K dry hole....
Couple pic of creek running through spillway....
