When can I dig a well in the country. When to dig a well

Not sure when is the best time to dig a well? To do this, you need to study a lot of subtleties, because a specific time of the year may not be the optimal period to start this procedure.

Many owners believe that it is not necessary to make a choice of the season for arranging wells for water supply. After such negligence, almost everyone who hastened in this matter is faced with the difficulties and problems of arranging the source. What exactly can happen, and how to prevent it, we will consider in our today's publication.

Of course, the place where the future well will be located is necessarily repelled by the time of production. In some situations, the water may be close to the soil surface, while in others it may be too deep. Therefore, with the wrong choice of the time of the year, in the very near future the source will be empty, which phenomenon will be inappropriate in the midst of its use.

To prevent this from happening, you can consult with more experienced people in this matter, or read our article to the end.

Digging wells during the dry season

Each time, thinking about the need to equip a well for drinking water, it is better to focus on such a period of the year as the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. It is important to do this before the rainy season. What gives in the work this time:


Attention! If rain is predicted at the end of summer, then it is advisable to start arranging the source in advance. But remember, it must be done immediately, and not on weekends. Since every day can be decisive in achieving the desired depth.

In the summer-autumn period, there are no difficulties when digging wells or wells, so feel free to proceed with the installation.

High humidity - unfavorable season

A very unfortunate time when people decide to dig wells is in the spring. This period is characterized by an increased percentage of soil moisture, as a result of which the groundwater level rises. Here the risk of making a mistake in planning the depth of the source increases. Why is it necessary to abandon this idea.

To dig a source in the country, you can wait until May or postpone the procedures for the summer. If you urgently need to acquire a source in a sufficiently wet period, entrust the work to specialists, because only they can get into the aquifer and pass through the layers of excessively loose soil.

From this we conclude that spring is not the best period for arranging autonomous water supply at the cottage and other areas.

Sometimes summer does not please with its sunny days, but rather is accompanied by rainy weather. At this point, it is better to wait for winter, and carry out all the work at this time. It is advisable to choose a period when there is no snow or it has just fallen.

Leaving work for the winter

To most, it may seem ridiculous to dig, but we are in a hurry to convince you.


Attention! Before digging a structure in winter, it is advisable to clarify the depth of soil freezing, so that later it would be easier to carry out installation. AT winter period you can prepare the right place, and continue drilling in the spring.

What problems can lie in wait for the owners?

If it is incorrect to determine the time for digging wells with your own hands, you may encounter some difficulties:


These and many other problems can be encountered along the way, if you neglect the information listed, and choose the time at your discretion.

If the site owner plans to turn to contractors for the construction of a hydraulic structure, then the question of when it is better to dig a well becomes irrelevant.

Serious companies have specialized equipment and machinery for earthworks of varying complexity throughout the year. If you decide to dig a well with your own hands, then proper planning will help you avoid significant mistakes.

Factors affecting the start time of work

To choose the right time to start work, you need to take into account the main factors of influence - the state of the soil and groundwater.

The groundwater level can change throughout the year. The difference between low and high levels can be up to 200 cm. If groundwater has excessively saturated the soil with moisture when the owner decided to dig a well on suburban area, in this case, the risk of drying up of the aquifer increases. This means that you need to dig a well at a time when the soil contains a minimum amount of groundwater.

Soil condition. The softer the soil, the faster it can be processed. Clay soils and loams are more difficult to process in winter. For this reason, many site owners begin to dig a hydraulic structure in the warm season - in spring or summer. But it is recommended to work with sandy soils even in winter, you can get to the deep layers without the use of special equipment.

Considering the main factors, it is easy to determine that the right time to equip wells is the period of minimum saturation of the soil with moisture. In early spring, the moisture level reaches its maximum. This is due to heavy precipitation - fog, rain and snowmelt. The driest period is summer and early autumn, when the air warms up quickly, which contributes to the quality of land work.

The most unfortunate periods when digging a well is not recommended are early spring and late autumn. Holding earthworks in the off-season, it can be complicated by an increase in the level of groundwater and washing of the topsoil.

Many site owners prefer the arrangement of wells in the winter to summer digging.

Features of work in the winter

The winter season is suitable for digging. Why is digging a well in winter becoming more and more popular? The following factors influence this process:

  • groundwater level is optimal;
  • there are no problems with the involvement of laborers;
  • the cost of consumables is much lower than in the summer;
  • the site for the construction of the well has been cleared of plantings;
  • there is no need to additionally free up personal time in order to dig a well.

Although it is possible to dig a well in winter, the performer may face many problems.

The first of them is the difficulty in removing the frozen top layer of soil, the depth of which can reach 100 cm. To simplify the process of loosening and removing the rock, additional equipment can be involved. The second is the need to clear roads, the difficulty of delivering working materials and equipment at low air temperatures.

Professional teams dig only with the use of special equipment. In addition, the cost of earthworks in winter is lower than in summer, when the demand for them increases significantly.

If a decision is made to build a structure, then at what time is it better to dig a well in winter? Experts recommend carrying out work from early December to early March.

Do-it-yourself well development technology

Arrangement of a hydraulic structure is a long and responsible process that requires proper preparation. Therefore, many craftsmen are wondering when is it better to dig a well in the country?

In this case, it is worth considering not only the seasonality of the work, but also the workload of the contractor. For good work, it is better to have free time to equip the well in the allotted time.

For the construction of a structure, it is necessary to prepare a working tool, additional equipment and materials:

  • concrete well rings;
  • connecting metal brackets;
  • additional fixture;
  • gravel and crushed stone for the bottom filter;
  • cement and sand for joint mortar;
  • improvised means - a bucket, a rope, a shovel, scrap metal.

For the convenience of mounting concrete rings, you can use a hoist or hand winch.

Digging a private well is carried out in stages, all work is performed in the following order:

  1. The study of geological maps of the area to select a place for a future hydraulic structure. A similar problem can be solved on your own, using dowsing frames or any affordable way search for an aquifer.
  2. Marking on the site, taking into account the diameter of the casing from concrete rings with a margin of 15 cm.
  3. Digging a pit for a well with the installation of the first concrete ring. It should rise above the surface by 15 cm.
  4. Installation of the second ring, fixing to the first with metal brackets. Checking the correctness of the joints between the rings, which will eliminate possible distortions of the structure.
  5. Deepening the pit in a circle for subsidence of the lower structural elements under its own weight. Excess soil is removed from the central part of the well with a bucket. As the structure sags, new rings are fixed to the upper elements. The connecting joints between the rings are carefully caulked with hemp and smeared with a cement-based solution.
  6. The procedure for and installation of new rings is carried out before the appearance of an aquifer at the bottom of the structure. In this case, work is stopped, the shaft is covered with a protective cover and stands for 24 hours. When carrying out work in the winter, it is additionally carried out.
  7. The level of the aquifer is checked. The optimal value is 150 cm.
  8. The incoming water is pumped out by a deep pump, after which a bottom filter is installed - a layer of fine gravel (16 cm) and a layer of crushed stone (10 cm). This will prevent silting of the well bottom and clouding of the water.
  9. Outer layer between concrete structure and an earthen mine is covered with a sand and gravel cushion.
  10. The final stage is the arrangement and protection of the well. A clay lock around the top ring will prevent excess moisture from seeping into the well. The construction of the outer part of the structure is carried out 12 months after the excavation. During this time, the soil shrinks completely.
  11. Before operation, the well is thoroughly washed from sand and other impurities contained in the aquifer.


Arrangement of a water intake source on land plot requires financial investments, free time and practical knowledge. To get a decent result of the work carried out, you need to know exactly what time of the year it is better to dig a well and how to do it correctly.

For those who are used to checking all their affairs with the tips of the stars and planets, we give this hint: it is best to start digging a well when the Moon enters the signs of the water element. The most favorable in this regard is the time when it is in Pisces, and even growing. The rest of the advice will be purely "earthly", practical.

How to choose the time for arranging a well in a summer cottage or in a private household, and whether it is worth choosing it at all, depends on how you intend to dig this same well. If you are going to use the services of a specialized organization from beginning to end, then by a certain time the beginning of the operation "well" can not be predicted. As a rule, such organizations have powerful special equipment and experienced specialists. Therefore, if you start work at the wrong time, the technique will help to cope with the problems, and the specialist will determine how deep the well really needs to be dug, even if the “first water” appears very quickly.

Checking the place for water

It is possible to conduct exploratory drilling to determine whether the chosen place is suitable for a well to be located in any season. It will not work on your own, you need to call a specialist with a portable geological drill. Such a device can drill a well deeper than seven meters. What does it give? Exploration will not only show whether there will be water in the well, but will also indicate the composition of the soil and its bearing capacity (if this indicator is insufficient, then the rings installed in the well can simply sink into the ground). Exploration with the help of a drill can be done even in spring, even in summer, even in autumn, even in winter, and the process of building a well at a chosen place can be postponed until a favorable time.

Groundwater goes down - it's time to dig a well!

The ideal time to dig a well is the time when groundwater leaves the surface of the earth in depth. A well dug at such a time will always be full. The logic is simple: if you got to the water at a time when it was the most difficult to do it, then in more “wet” times you will even have it! If you start building a well when the waters come to the surface, there is a risk of not making it deep enough. Especially if you are new to this business. As a rule, inexperienced people believe that the work is completed when the well begins to fill with water. If they started digging when the groundwater was high, then it is likely that for about half a year such a well will simply stand without water and the work will have to be redone, deepening it, perhaps by two meters (these are the seasonal fluctuations in the water level).

Groundwater “hides” during the dry period and in winter, when frost hits. But in winter it can be difficult to dig. Despite the fact that in most of the territory of Russia in winter the ground rarely freezes deeper than 1.2 meters, you still have to spend extra effort - clearing snow, warming up the ground, it will be more difficult to deliver the right materials. Therefore, the most best time in order to dig a well, it is considered the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, before the rains begin. Groundwater already goes deep, and there are no additional difficulties in the process of digging. A good time is also considered the end of winter, before the snow melts.

By the way, if the well shaft runs through quicksand, then such a well can only be dug in winter (a period of summer drought is also suitable, but there may or may not be a drought, and winter happens every year). At other times, laying a well through a quicksand will be incredibly difficult, if not impossible.

The water content has increased - it is better not to dig!

The most unfortunate time that you can choose to build a well is early spring and the rainy period of autumn. However, if prolonged rains suddenly strike at the end of summer, this is also a signal that it is better to abandon the idea of ​​digging a well. Increasing the water content can play a trick on you and, as mentioned above, create the illusion that the well is ready, while the installation of one or two more rings is required to complete the work. About that, read here.

Go on vacation!

If you yourself decide to dig a well, then you need to consider that digging it slowly on weekends is not an option. Having started this work, you need to continue it without interruption until it is completed. Therefore, having determined what time will be the best to dig a well, time a vacation or take time off for it. Timing the process of digging a well for a vacation is risky - what if you have it for the rainy season?

Most people who have summer cottages are interested in what time of the year it is better to dig a well, what problems may arise, which should be taken into account when choosing the location of a water supply source when doing work on your own. In some cases, it becomes necessary to hire specialized teams with the appropriate equipment, although many summer residents prefer to equip water sources themselves.

What time of year is best to dig.

Factors affecting the start time of work

When determining the date for the start of work on the arrangement of a country well, the following parameters must be taken into account:

  • the presence of groundwater on the site;
  • soil condition in place.

The level of groundwater fluctuates depending on the season, and the difference between the highest and lowest points of standing liquid reaches 1.5-2 m.

If a ground water too much, then when deciding to dig wells, land owners may face a rapid drying up of the aquifer. Therefore, work on the arrangement of a well shaft is recommended to be carried out during periods when the water layer in the ground is at the lowest level.

When digging a well in summer cottages, it is better to choose those places where soft soil is available, which is easier to process. If the soil is clayey or loamy, then well shafts should be dug at the end of summer. In winter, you can freely work with sandy soil.

Most often, digging and arranging a well shaft is carried out in spring or summer. Hydrologists recommend equipping water sources at the time of the least saturation of the soil with moisture.

Early spring is not suitable for such work, because this is the period of melting snow, rain and fog, when the water level in the ground is maximum. Late autumn is also considered an unsuccessful period for digging a well.

Of all the seasons, the best time for arranging wells are dry periods - mid-summer and early autumn. At this time, the earth is very warm, and are at a minimum level.

If it is decided to carry out work in the off-season, then it may be complicated due to fluctuations in the level of groundwater. There is a danger of washing the upper layers of the earth.

Features of work in the winter

Given all the factors, most summer residents equip water sources in winter.

The following factors influence this:

  • at this time of the year, the groundwater level is minimal;
  • consumables are cheaper than in summer;
  • there is no greenery in the area where it was decided to dig a well.

The customer does not have problems with the involvement of handymen.

But there may be difficulties when digging a mine:

  1. It is difficult to remove the top of the frozen ground. The depth of the frozen ground can reach 0.9-1.2 m. To cope with such soil, you will need to negotiate with a team that has equipment for loosening and removing frozen ground.
  2. Roads need to be cleared. Delivery is difficult at this time of the year. necessary materials due to low temperatures.

Digging a well in winter.

If the owner of the cottage decided to dig a well in winter, then it is better to do this between December and March.

For construction, it is necessary to prepare the following materials:

  • concrete rings of the appropriate diameter;
  • special, steel staples;
  • fasteners.

You will need sand, gravel, cement and crushed stone. At independent work use tools such as steel crowbar, bucket, shovel and rope. To make it convenient to mount concrete rings, use a manual winch or hoist.

The place chosen for digging is marked out taking into account the diameter of the future well with a margin of 15 cm on each side. A pit for the first ring is dug in such a way that it comes out of the ground by 12-15 cm. Then the next element is added, strengthened with staples. The gradual deepening of the structure into the ground is carried out to the level of the aquifer. After that, the mine is closed with a lid, and then left for a day.

When carrying out these activities in the winter, additional insulation of the structure will be required.

The depth of the aquifer must be at least 1.5 m. A pump is installed in the well to pump out the liquid. A bottom filter is placed from a layer of crushed stone (0.1 m) and gravel (0.15 m). A sand and gravel cushion is poured between the sagging concrete rings and the earthen well. A clay castle is installed around the uppermost ring. The outer part of the structure is equipped after an annual drawdown of the entire structure.

Before operation wash the source of sand and impurities.

The arrangement of a well in a summer cottage requires good preparation and some financial costs. Proper selection of the time of work will allow a long period to operate the water source.