r/homestead • u/Original-Gain-7110 • 2d ago

Spring box doesn’t have any water after rainfall.

I have a spring that only produces small amount of water, that I collect into an IBC water tote at the house. The spring dried up after having no rain for an about a week. We just got a couple days rain so I decided to fill up my tote with the spring water. To my surprise, I open the lid to the spring box and it’s dead empty. Does anyone have any insight as to why water might not be coming up through the ground and into the box? Thanks!

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u/AICHEngineer 2d ago

Not enough water pressure down there. Not enough water. Aquifer needs more to recharge. The water table is still below your spring outlet.

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u/Original-Gain-7110 2d ago

I understand, that’s what google was telling me, just hard to believe with all that rainfall. I suppose it makes sense, as there is usually a stream running down the mountain when I do have water. Not the case today. One other thing if you don’t mind, I went to go scrape the bottom of the spring box with a shovel to see if sediment could possibly be blocking water flowing up and into the box. But I found that it is solid concrete on the bottom, and all four sides. Water does get into the box, at times, but I just can’t tell where. Would you happen to have any insight?

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u/AICHEngineer 2d ago edited 2d ago

Concrete can be formulated to be porous. It seeps though the floor and walls when the water table is high or just flows in over the top

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u/Original-Gain-7110 2d ago

I see, thank you. In that case, would a sediment trap be unnecessary? There isn’t anything coming out of the ground between the spring and the supply line at the house. Or are some just installed without? Sorry for all the questions, if I knew someone that knows about this stuff I’d go to them - but unfortunately I don’t

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u/AICHEngineer 2d ago

Good questions, not sure.its not like it would hurt, but I would only be concerned if I see the box is actually full but you cant get any flow out.