Artesian well construction details to avoid problems with frost or freezing of the flowing artesian well overflow handling piping.

This article series describes types of artesian wells, how flowing artesian wells are constructed, how water flow from the artesian well is controlled, special artesian well parts like the well spool, and we discuss special problems for artesian wells and the property around them when there is a leak in the well casing.

Frost & Ice Protection for Flowing Artesian Wells

Well casing and caps must be made and installed to withstand cold temperatures and possible freezing.

There are specialized construction techniques and devices that are used when constructing a well in flowing conditions to control the free flow of groundwater from the well..- Ontario DEQ cited below.

In our article ARTESIAN WELLS, WELL SPOOLS we describe various types of well spools used to keep artesian wells from overflowing in freezing & non-freezing climates

Here we add detail about methods used to prevent flowing artesian wells from freezing and to assure that overflow control drainage does not itself freeze around the well.

[Click to enlarge any image]

Method 1: flowing artesian well spool to push water below the frost line

A "flowing artesian well" is one in which pressure from within the aquifer will, left alone, actually push water right up the well casing and out of its top.

In a freezing climate, a well spool seal is used inside the well piping to seal the well casing in wells at which the static head of water level in the well casing rises above the frost level.

If your well needs or hopefully already incorporates a well spool, that means that left alone water would rise in the well casing above the frost level in your area, risking well damage.

Without this component the upper well casing could be split by freezing water.

[Click to enlarge any image]

Our above, shows a low-pressure well spool using a clamp-on pitless adapter in a design suitable for artesian wells whose head pressure is equal to or less than 5 psi (a head of 11.5 ft.) - adapted from and courtesy of the Michigan DEP cited at the end of this article.

In non-freezing climates the well spool is not needed; instead the well installer relies on the well cap installed at the top of the well casing to keep the artesian well from overflowing.

The Michigan DEP points out that

... uncontrolled discharge of ground water from flowing wells can cause flooding of the well site and adjacent properties and damage to nearby structures. [8]

Method 2: flowing artesian well frost-proof overflow discharge drain

An alternative to using a well spool to "cap" or withstand the pressure within an artesian well involves uses a combination of flowing artesian well water pressure delivery piping at sufficient water pressure to supply the building combined with a drain system that allows excess water to drain to an approved location without creating excessive pressure inside the well casing and piping system.

In the illustration, adapted from the MI DEP source cited below, a large diameter drain used to carry flowing artesian well excess discharge to a safe surface location.

The drain line is taken to a location that avoids problematic wet or soggy areas around the well.

The gate valve in this illustration is used to drain off excessive pressure or flow from an artesian well casing or bore.

The valve is left open (normally left with handle removed) and a screened outlet to protect against drawing contaminants in through the faucet mouth.

The air gap prevents a cross connection with the buried drain line used to carry excess water to a ditch, river, pond, or the surface.

Watch out: where a gate valve is used, the excess artesian well flow discharge is permitted with written permission from a local health department official and is not expected to be constant.

If your flowing artesian well excess water pressure and flow are constant a gate valve may not permit sufficient flow through the valve - a larger one may be needed to permit sufficient flow volume and to maintain a flow rate that prevents freezing.

Watch out: the note in the illustration suggesting "DRAIN TO DITCH LAKE RIVER POND OR SURFACE" needs to be understood to include the air gap shown in the illustration. Never pipe a hard-connected flowing artesian well drain line from the well to beneath the surface of a ditch, lake, river, or pond.

Making that mistake, technically a cross-connection, risks back-contamination of the artesian well water during periods when the artesian well's own supply pressure falls or stops temporarily.

Question: water runs slowly over well casing - shallow sand point / driven point well?

2018/12/16 Anonymous said:

I have an old well at my cabin in Northern Michigan. The place was built in 1980 so well is that old too.

I believe it is a shallow sand point well. The problem I have is water slowly runs over well casing and the pump kicks on periodically when no water is being used.

The place isn't that big so I know no water is being used. It may go hours and not kick on and then it may kick on a couples times in a short time span.

Purely random. I'm attaching a picture of the well casing as I have searched online many times and have not seen any quite like it.

I had a well guy look at it a number of years ago and he said to smack the rod with a hammer to re-seat valve.

I have done that several times but didn't make a difference. Afraid to smack it too hard because I don't understand how this rod works. Do you have any ideas how this well configured? Also, if you move the rod to center of casing, the flow increases.

With cap off, the flow practically stop. This has been going on for years now but is getting worse. Water is good (had tested this year) and hate to spend the money on a new well as I’m not here much. - anonymous by private email

Reply:

It would be unusual but not impossible for a driven point or "sand well" to function as artesian well - sending water up out of the casing when the casing is opened as in your photos.

That's conflicting with the well pump running intermittently for no apparent reason.

There is in my experience always a leak somewhere if that's happening - allowing water to flow back out of the building water supply system piping and pressure tank and either out at a leak or back down into the well.

A guess: is your building including its water piping higher than the well? If so, water leaking back from the building might indeed come out at the well pipe top when you open it.

Reader follow-up:

The cap is only held on by three set screws, it does not seal. This water freezes in the winter and sometimes pushes this cap off. Also, the pump and pressure tank are about 45" below top of casing.

Still want to know how the foot valve is attached to the rod (I assume it is) and where the water line attaches to/in the casing.

There is 2" galvanised pipe going from pump, thru foundation to the well.

Right now, I have the cap cocked a little so it isn't touching the rod and the water flow has stopped. Any more advise would be greatly appreciated.

Reply:

if it's an Artesian well it won't have a foot valve and the freezing problem is the reason that people usually insert a well spool deep enough in the world to be below the frost line.

I want to add that it may not be a true Artesian well in that it may not always deliver sufficient water volume and flow rate year round; that's why someone would have had a pump installed.

Also take a look at the information

at DRIVEN POINT WELLS

Question: how do I drain off my artesian well overflow while avoiding a freeze-problem?

2018/02/13 jd2cyl said:

I recently moved into a home that the water source is from an artesian well.

We were told that the well has 5 lbs pressure before the pump. I

have noticed 2 other locations on the property with wet spots, is there a way to bury a pipe to control the direction of discharge to dry the surface ground up?

I do have enough slope to divert the water, I'd just like to have the source area surface dryer. With cold weather the discharge from these locations has now frozen.

This question and reply were posted originally

at ARTESIAN WELLS, WELL SPOOLS - home

Reply:

JD

Protecting an Artesian Well Overflow from Freezing

I commented earlier that I'm familiar with the problem and I'm concerned as well that flowing water in a pipe above the frost line is likely to freeze and very cold weather.

In my own experience it's slow flowing water down any frost-exposed drain that will freeze pretty quickly in cold weather. Fast flowing water is more freeze resistant, but as we saw in this winter (2018-2019) in very cold conditions even Niagara Falls can freeze-up.

The Michigan DEQ's flowing well handbook (live link in the references at the end of my article above) discusses the artesian well freeze-up problem.

VENTING OF CASING for Flowing Artesian Wells

R 325.1637(1) of the well code requires a casing vent if the pumping rate of the permanent pump exceeds the well flow rate.

However, due to problems associated with the snifter valves used to vent flowing wells, the venting requirements are no longer enforced on flowing wells. Snifter valves used on flowing well pitless adapter spools are prone to failure due to hard water encrustation or scaling. F

Failure of the snifter valve can result in the leakage of water above the spool and above the frost line.

Consequently, freezing and damage to the upper casing can occur.

Water discharging out of a casing vent or between the casing and the well cap are indicators that the flow control mechanism within the casing is malfunctioning.

Where freezing conditions may occur, the wellhead of the new flowing artesian well should be covered, insulated and heated, where necessary, to prevent damage of the flow control device leading to an uncontrolled flow situation. Problems associated with snifter valve leakage outweigh the benefits of venting.

Unfortunately MI doesn't say more about freeze protection, though one would infer from their "approved" drawing (excerpted below) that a combination of large pipe diameter, air gap, adequate slope,

AND taking care that the discharge point of the overflow is not under-water in a lake or stream (that risks back-contamination of your drinking water) can avoid freezing.

Flowing artesian well freeze problems are likely to increase, especially as climate change is bringing more weather extremes such as the 2019 fragmentation and southern dip of the polar air mass.

The Flowing Artesian Well Guide published by BC (also cite below) simply suggests:

Where freezing conditions may occur, the wellhead of the new flowing artesian well should be covered, insulated and heated, where necessary, to prevent damage of the flow control device leading to an uncontrolled flow situation.  

Depending on the pressures your well develops a well packer from Well Busters or equivalent may serve your needs.

See that Canadian company's contact information in the references at the end of the article above.

Active Heat Source to Prevent Drainage System Freezing

Working with a fellow engineer Stu Tucker many years ago at Lake George NY he designed and we implemented some freeze-proofing methods both to permit drawing water from the lake when the lake top was frozen (and water lines above the frost line) and methods for keeping the septic drainfield working.

The latter design was complex but worked well when it's necessary to keep a shallow buried drain system from freezing. The implementation could also work for an artesian well overflow frost-proofing design.

A heating line was run in the trench right along the drain line. In Stu's design we hooked up a tiny electric water heater, circulator pump, so that hot, anti-freeze-protected water could circulate through a loop of small diameter plastic tubing in the drain line trench around the drain pipe.

A temperature activated switch turns on a circulator to circulate hot water through the heating tubing loop system.

The trench around the buried drain was lined and capped with 2" solid foam insulation, then buried.

Method 3: Special Well Packers offer Freeze Protection for Artesian Wells

Well Busters Co. (Canada), cited below, provides flowing well packer system that can cope with at least some freezing conditions. Here is what the company says at their website, cited just below:

Excerpts: Flowing Well Packer Available from 4″ to 8″

Flowing wells have long been a problem for well drillers and home owners alike. This may cause massive amounts of water waste that result in water damage and impact our precious resources.

Well and pump problems can be avoided in areas where freezing occurs. Well Busters manufactures a device called the Flowing Well Packer that allows drillers, pump installers and home owners to prevent the discharge of water from their flowing well.

The Flowing Well Packer is a specially engineered product that works by shutting off the well below frost level. All metal parts are stainless steel for corrosion resistance and long life.

The Flowing Well Packer comes in sizes fitting 8″, 6 1/4″, 6″, 5″ and 4″ diameters.

WHAT IT DOES

Creates a vaccuum seal below frost level that allows air flow

Withstands water pressures up to 12psi (6″—12psi)(5″—30psi)

Protects our groundwater resources by preventing leakage in and out of the well

HOW DOES IT WORK?

It works by lowering the tightening rod down into the well head just above the pitless adapter and squeezing the medical grade rubber against the interior well casing.

If necessary, the packer can be equipped with liquid strain relief fittings to seal submersible pump wires that also aid the ease of the packer installation.

Once installed, an air vaccuum release allows air to enter and escape the well, but does not allow water through. See image slider to the right for a visual explanation.

Source: Wellbusters, Flowing Well Packer, Wellbusters Co., Belleville, Ontario, Canada, Tel: 1.866.968.1474 Fax: 1.613.968.1477 Email: info@wellbusters.com, product description copied 2019/02/14 original source: http://www.wellbusters.com/?page_id=159

Permission to reproduce the above requested 2019/02/14 - Ed.

Method 4: Temperature-Operated Variable Speed Pumps to Freeze Protect Artesian Well

Some variable speed pumps all have a built-in freeze protection feature that use temperature sensor built into the pump to activate pump when its temperature approaches freezing, keeping the pump on until its internal temperature rises.

This freeze protection might be useful on a flowing artesian well system in normally-warm climates where freezing temperatures are unusual and their duration brief.

Method 5: Frost Free Hydrants to Drain Artesian Wells

For artesian wells that need only periodic temporary drainage of excess water pressure it may be possible to install and use a frost-free hydrant.

Watch out: However you will need to allow the hydrant to empty across an air gap and into a sufficiently large, sloped drain to carry excess water to a suitable disposal location.

Don't try simply draining through a garden hose - the hose is likely to freeze

Don't try connecting the yard hydrant directly to a drain line - this risk back contamination of your well

Shown here: the Campbell cast-iron yard hydrant whose inlet extends below ground and below the frost line.

This yard hydrant and similar models made by other manufacturers are available at plumbing suppliers and building supply stores.

The Campbell yard hydrant illustrated is listed for sale at Ace Hardware stores and is also available from online vendors.

 

Method 6: Insulated Well Piping & Casings to Prevent Artesian Well Frost Damage?

Some sources we reviewed in researching for this article recommend protecting outdoor (and indoor) water pipes and even well heads and casings from freeze damage by adding insulation.

Really? Well yes, sort-of. Insulating water supply piping, well heads, casings, etc. can prevent freezing during a short term cold snap.

However in some weather conditions such as frequent temperature swings that dip into freezing temperatures, insulated components can also miss the opportunity to warm up during periods of temperature rise.

In my OPINION and experience, even well-insulated water-carrying components will freeze when exposed to prolonged and very cold conditions. In those circumstances, insulation alone is unlikely to avoid frost damage and the addition of a heat source may be needed.

See also WINTERIZE A BUILDING - home

Flowing Artesian Well Freeze-Protection References

• Aller, Linda, Truman W. Bennett, Glen Hackett, Rebvecca J. Petty, Jay H. Lehr, Helen Sedoris, David M. Nielsen, Jane E. Denne, HANDBOOK of SUGGESTED PRACTICES for the DESIGN and INSTALLATION of GROUND WATER MONITORING WELLS [PDF] (1991), EPA160014-8910345 Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory
  Office of Research and Development U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Las Vegas, Nevada 89193-3478
• Baker Manufacturing, 133 Enterprise St., Evansville WI, Tel: 800-356-5130, website: www.baker-mfg.com, web search 6/27/12, original source: http://www.baker-mfg.com/domestic_new/domestic_pitless_units /PITLESS%20UNITS%20FOR%20FLOWING%20WELLS.pdf
• Bethke, Craig M., Xiang Zhao, and Thomas Torgersen. "Groundwater flow and the 4He distribution in the Great Artesian Basin of Australia." Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 104, no. B6 (1999): 12999-13011.
• BC, FLOWING ARTESIAN WELLS [PDF] British Columbia Ministry of Environment,, retrieved 2019/02/13 original source: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wsd/plan_protect_sustain/groundwater/flowing_artesian_wells.pdf
• BCGWA, FLOWING ARTESIAN WATER WELL CONTROL METHODS [PDF] BCBWA, British Columbia Ground Water Association, retrieved 2021/02/04, original source: https://www.bcgwa.org/flowing-artesian-water-well-control-methods/
• Filler, Dennis M., and Rorik Peterson. "Cryogenic Freezeback of Uncontrolled Artesian Wells in Permafrost." Journal of Cold Regions Engineering 27, no. 2 (2013): 55-66.
• Hopkins, David Moody. Permafrost and ground water in Alaska. US Government Printing Office, 1955.
• Linell, Kenneth A. "Risk of uncontrolled flow from wells through permafrost." In North American Contribution. Second International Conference on Permafrost, pp. 462-468. National Academy of Sciences Washington, DC, 1973.
• [8] MI DEQ, FLOWING WELL CONSTRUCTION HANDBOOK [PDF] (2005) Michigan Department of Water Environmental Quality Water Bureau (DEQ), Drinking Water & Environmental Health Section, Well Construction Unit,web search 6/27/12, original source: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/deq-wb-dwehs-wcu-flowwellhandbook_221323_7.pdf .
• MI DEQ, PROBLEM WELLS - Flowing Artesian Well Control, [PDF] Michigan DEQ, retrieved 2019/01/14, original source: https://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/deq-wb-dwehs-gwwfwim-section16_183043_7.pdf
• Ontario,EE, Water Supply Wells: Requirements and Best Practices 12. Flowing Wells, Chapter 12. Flowing Wells [PDF] retrieved 2019/02/14 original source: https://www.ontario.ca/document/water-supply-wells-requirements-and-best-practices/flowing-wells
• US EPA, MANUAL of WATER WELL CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES [PDF] EPA 570/9-75-001, retrieved 2019/01/14, original source: https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi/2000J6P4.PDF?Dockey=2000J6P4.PDF
• US EPA, GROUND WATER RULE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS GUIDANCE MANUAL [PDF] U.S. Epa, retrieved 2019/01/14, original source: https://www.env.nm.gov/dwb/regulations/documents/guide_gwr_correctiveaction.pdf
• NH DES, BEDROCK ARTESIAN WELL DESIGN [PDF] New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, retrieved 20198/02/13 original source: https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pip/factsheets/dwgb/documents/dwgb-1-2.pdf
• US CPSC New Electric Heat Tapes Help Prevent Fires," US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) #00936
• Wellbusters, Flowing Well Packer, Wellbusters Co., Belleville, Ontario, Canada, Tel: 1.866.968.1474 Fax: 1.613.968.1477 Email: info@wellbusters.com
  
  Prodcts to vent artesian wells while preventing artesian well overflow freeze damage, retrieved 2019/02/13 original source: http://www.wellbusters.com/?page_id=159
• Wisconsin DNR, FLOWING ARTESIAN WELL HOMEOWNER FAQs [PDF] Wisconsin DNR, 101 S Webster Street, PO Box 7921, Madison WI 53707-7921 USA Tel: 1-888-936-7463, retrieved 2019/0214 original source https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Wells/documents/FlowingWellFAQhomeowners.pdf

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

Question: water gushes from well top, problems & risks of freezing at the well casing of an artesian well

I am having a serious issue with my well. (I attached 5 pics of the situation).

I Googled well issues to try and find information. I read several articles. None were any help, until I came across yours. Yours hit upon the issue I am having and it was very insightful. (Therefore, this email for addition thoughts from you)

https://inspectapedia.com/water/Artesian-Well-Freeze-Protection.php

Ten years ago, we had a well-digger put in a well for us. Everything was ok for the first winter. The following spring water started spewing up all around the ground by the casing.

The well-digger came back and installed a plastic pipe to the top of the casing and ran it on top of the ground to about 100 feet away from the house and it simply discharges there.

Since then and nearly continuously non-stop 24/7 for all these years the water discharges at that end. (Very rarely, will no water come out)

In our house, we have never had a shortage of water at all - always a good force of pressure too.

Two winters ago, the pipe froze up somewhere between where it discharges and where it connects to the top of the casing.

I disconnected it at the casing. Water immediately gushed out the connection non-stop. I then put another pipe onto the connection and hence the water spewed out the other end about 50 feet away from the house.

This past winter no issues with freezing.

This week, the water started seeping up through the ground and all over the place just like two winters ago. I disconnected the frozen pipe (the picture shows the frozen ice candles after I let the pipe fall to the ground), and lol n behold no water came out of the connection at the top of the casing...but it is still seeping up around the ground.

This brings me to now:

1) Is it possible the top two feet of the casing has frozen?

2) Is it possible there is not enough water/or pressure down below the earth to force the water to the top of the casing and out the connection...but only enough to gently seep up through the surrounding area of ground? (The sinks and tubs have just as much water and pressure as any other time of the year(s) LOTS.

3) Do casings freeze?, and if so, should I box-in the top of the casing and to melt the ice inside the top of the casing?

4) Why in your estimation, is water seeping up around the ground in the first place, I mean isn't that action extremely unusual?

I should mention that when the well-digger dug this well, he struck a fairly good water vein at about 50 feet, but he said he would like to get even more gallons per minute ...and so he continued drilling to 100 feet deep and struck another good vein of water.

Is that the reason we are having this issue - because the well-digger cracked through a second vein further down - and one of those 2 veins is causing this seepage to the surface?

Any possible advice or help you can give would be greatly appreciated, as right now...my big concern is trying to get the excess water from the casing and into the pipe and away from the house...as it's possible a sinkhole could develop around the well and even the house which is only like 15 feet away from the well.

Sincerely, Anonymous by private email 2021/02/03

PS: I talked to the three well-diggers in this area two winters ago, and believe it or not - neither of them could give me any reasons or solutions for this issue.

Moderator reply:

1) Is it possible the top two feet of the casing has frozen?

Yes a well casing filled with water above the frost line can freeze.

2) Is it possible there is not enough water/or pressure down below the earth to force the water to the top of the casing and out the connection...but only enough to gently seep up through the surrounding area of ground? (The sinks and tubs have just as much water and pressure as any other time of the year(s) LOTS.

Yes in that the flow rates through piping vs ground frac-openings varies by many features including variations in pressure, overburden earth load, etc.

3) Do casings freeze?, and if so, should I box-in the top of the casing and to melt the ice inside the top of the casing?

See #1 above. If the only problem were freezing at the well casing top you could enclose and heat it; but it seem you still need to control the flow up around the casing through the ground.

4) Why in your estimation, is water seeping up around the ground in the first place

It is common for artesian well water to seep up through ground fissures - see the frac-damage-leak discussion I'll excerpt below.

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For wells that are not leaking around the casing, I'd start by asking the well installer why we don't have a well spool or seal far-enough down in the well that water doesn't push up so high in the ground as to freeze inside the casing - as can otherwise happen in an artesian well.

With that spool in place if the well pipe between casing and house is below frost line you ought to have continued water supply.

Let me know what you're told and we'll continue from there.

Reader follow-up:

I don't even know if the top of the inside of the casing is frozen or not, nor if there is a spool in the casing or not. Even if a spool is inside ...I don't think that would alleviate the issue. A spool would prevent water from getting to the top of the casing.

I want the water to get up to the top of the casing and out through my overflow pipe leading away from the house. ...as opposed to it coming up though one of the two veins terminating onto the ground surface all around the well.

The underground water pipe that connects the casing below ground is at a 6 feet depth all the ways under and into the house crawl space, and considerably below the frost depth in this area. If the digger had (or did) put a spool inside, it would have been above that 6-foot mark which would not prevent water a hundred feet down from getting up and through the surrounding surface area. Is that correct?

Thanks for your prompt reply. Any additional help of why you think this all happened is greatly appreciated.

Moderator reply: how to handle the frac-out leak problem at artesian wells

I agree that we don't want artesian well water short-circuiting and exiting the well casing underground where it can lead to erosion and other problems;
And I'm now informed that the building water supply line isn't freezing nor at risk;

In setting a well casing for any borehole the usual practice is to drill down to bedrock, pump a sealant grout around the casing, and seal it thus to the rock below;

The purpose of the well-spool is to keep the water level in the well casing below the frost line.

Where there are frac-out leaks the experts pose some means to control those, by adding overburden or by directing runoff away from areas where it may cause harm such as un-wanted erosion.

For an artesian well, if water is finding another path - a vein as you put it - up to the surface such that it needs to be controlled, I agree that a well spool in the casing is irrelevant. Other sources refer to your "vein leaks" as a "frac-out" leak.

This source discusses the frac-out leak problem:

FLOWING ARTESIAN WATER WELL CONTROL METHODS [PDF] BCBWA, British Columbia Ground Water Association, https://www.bcgwa.org/flowing-artesian-water-well-control-methods/

also at https://inspectapedia.com/water/Flowing-Artesian-Well-Control-Methods-BCBWA.pdf

Excerpt:
Flowing artesian wells are generally controlled by the use of a sealed surface casing and the use of control valves on the production casing. As seen in the Figure 1, the use of multiple pressure relief fittings may be required to gain control of a flowing well. With these fittings, cement grout can be pumped between the production and surface casing against the artesian flow that may be moving upward toward the surface.

Some knowledge of the artesian pressure and artesian formation depth(s) is required, so that when pumping the grout, one does not overpressure the confining formation and cause a condition known as a “Frac- Out”. A Frac-Out (also known as hydraulic fracture) may occur close to the well or at some distance away, and may result in artesian flows coming to surface in unexpected locations.

A commonly used “rule of thumb” calculation for confining ground weight could be: 1 ft. of overburden material will hold back approximately 1 psi of formation pressure.

Example of pressure in an artesian condition: Artesian flow encountered at 100 ft. below ground elevation, artesian pressure measured at 10 psi at surface. The weight of the water column is 100ft / 2.41 ft/psi = 43.29 psi. The weight of the ground is about 100psi. Ground weight minus column weight is 56.71 psi. Ground pumping pressures nearing 56 psi have the potential of causing a Frac-Out condition.

Grout can be pumped from 10+ psi to 70 psi (safety factor) to fill voids between the production casing and the ground formations and to seal the annulus between the production casing and surface casing.

The rate at which an artesian formation will accept grout will vary due to the available porosity of the geological unit. For example, coarse, clean gravels will accept pumped fluids at a faster rate than fine grained sand because of the pore capacity.

Reader follow-up:

Regarding: 4) Why in your estimation, is water seeping up around the ground in the first place, I mean isn't that action extremely unusual?

I should mention that when the well-digger dug this well, he struck a fairly good water vein at about 50 feet, but he said he would like to get even more gallons per minute ...and so he continued drilling to 100 feet deep and struck another good vein of water.

Is that the reason we are having this issue, because the well-digger cracked through a second vein further down ...and one of those 2 veins is causing this seepage to the surface.

Moderator reply: probability of a frac-out leak when drilling an artesian well?

I am not an expert on this so what I offer is best-guess; but from what I've read there is always a risk of hitting a vein and thus creating a frac-out leak, and other than having had experience with soil conditions in the immediate neighborhood, it seems to me that a well driller can't predict when and where and to what severity such leaks will be encountered.

I suppose that IF the driller has frequently hit frac-out leaks when drilling wells in your neighbourhood, then perhaps she might have warned you of that possibility, noting that should such problems occur the cost of the well installation will increase by whatever measures are needed to control the leak.

Certainly there are some expensive research studies such as for drilling the (dreaded) Keystone pipeline installation in which various engineering experts and hydrologists have documented underground soil and rock properties including fractures and fissures; but such studies are surely never part of a typical residential water well installation plan.

In sum, in my opinion it'd be a mistake to fault the well driller for encountering a buried surprise.

Artesian Well Leakage & Drilling Frac-Out Leak Research

• Abdul Khader, M. H., and D. Ramadurgaiah. "Unsteady flow to a nonpenetrating artesian well." Groundwater 14, no. 4 (1976): 200-204.
• Avci, Cem B. "Evaluation of flow leakage through abandoned wells and boreholes." Water Resources Research 30, no. 9 (1994): 2565-2578.
• Boggess, Durward H. The Effects of Plugging a Deep Artesian Well on the Concentration of Chloride in Water in the Water-table Aquifer at Highland Estates, Lee County, Florida. No. 73003. US Geological Survey, Water Resources Division, 1973.
• County, Valley, Missouri River Alluviumb MT Valley, NA Hells Creek, and Fox Hillsc MT McCone. "3.3. 1 Environmental Setting 3.3. 1.1 Groundwater Water Quality." at https://2012-keystonepipeline-xl.state.gov/documents/organization/182017.pdf
• Environment Canada. "Groundwater—Nature's Hidden Treasure." Water Encyclopedia 5 (2005): 599-605.
• Funk, Gunther, William A. McClenaghan, and Cyril Holland. "Water wells and ground water supplies in Ontario." (1980).
  Abstract:
  
  This publication is intended as a guide for existing or potential users of ground-water supplies. Included is basic information on factors which affect the occurrence, the quantity and the quality of ground water, a synopsis on well construction, and a discussion of common problems associated with wells and water-supply systems. In addition, the existing Ontario Water Well Regulations are discussed with respect to the well owner and the water-well contractor.
  
  It should be stressed that this guide is not intended as a manual on well construction nor a manual on pump installation since both of these operations require considerable background training and experience.
• Jacob, Co E. "Radial flow in a leaky artesian aquifer." Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union 27, no. 2 (1946): 198-208.
• Livingston, Penn P., and George Burke Maxey. Underground leakage from artesian wells in the Flowell Area, near Fillmore, Utah. No. 1. Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, 1944. USGS.
  Abstract:
  Some of the artesian wells in the Flowell area have a continuous flow of water up around the outside of the casing, others seem to be in this condition only when they are capped and have no surface flow from the casing.
  
  During recent years a few of the well casings have been perforated at several depths in an effort to increase the flow. Some of the wells flowed less after they were perforated than they did before. These observations led to the belief that there might be a large amount of leakage underground from the wells and that the drop of artesian pressure during the last 15 years might be caused in part by this underground waste.
  
  This survey of underground leakage was made with the deepwell meter during the period April 13 to May 24, 1943. In addition to the well exploration with the meter, measurements were made of the flow of each well, the diameter of the casing, and the height to which the artesian water 5 surface would rise, either above or below the land surface when the well was not discharging.
• Meinzer, Oscar Edward. "Compressibility and elasticity of artesian aquifers." Economic geology 23, no. 3 (1928): 263-291.
• Redfern, W. B. "Municipal Ground Water Supplies of Ontario." Journal (American Water Works Association) 27, no. 11 (1935): 1533-1546.
• Skuce, M., F. J. Longstaffe, T. R. Carter, and J. Potter. "Isotopic fingerprinting of groundwaters in southwestern Ontario: Applications to abandoned well remediation." Applied Geochemistry 58 (2015): 1-13.
• Velderman, Berend-Jan. Groundwater recharge and contamination: Sensitivity analysis for carbonate aquifers in south-eastern Ontario. The Jock River Basin study. University of Ottawa (Canada), 1994.
• Walton, W.C., 1960. Leaky artesian aquifer conditions in Illinois. Illinois State Water Survey.
  Abstract:
  Leaky artesian conditions exist in many parts of Illinois where aquifers are overlain by deposits or confining beds which impede or retard the vertical movement of ground water. Under leaky artesian conditions, the cone of depression developed by a pumping well is influenced by the vertical permeability of the confining bed in addition to the hydraulic properties and geohydrologic boundaries of the aquifer.
  
  The vertical permeability of a confining bed often can be determined from the results of pumping tests by using the nonsteady-state leaky artesian aquifer equation derived by Hantush and Jacob (1955). A time-drawdown type curve method for analyzing pumping test data under nonsteady-state conditions is described in detail. A distancedrawdown type curve method for analyzing pumping test data under steady-state conditions devised by Jacob (1946) is also described.
  
  These two methods are applied to available pumping test data for Illinois. The results of a test made near the village of Dieterich in Effingham County are presented to illustrate the analysis of data. A summary of the leaky artesian test data collected to date indicates that the vertical permeability of glacial drift deposits in the southern half of Illinois ranges between 0.08 and 1.6 gallons per day (gpd) per square foot.
  
  Effects of leakage closely resemble the effects of a recharge boundary if the effects of partial penetration are excluded. The data for the Dieterich pumping test are used to show that recognition of leaky artesian conditions is critically important in predicting the water supply potential of wells and aquifers.
  
  A form of Darcy’s law is applied to data on the piezometric surface of the Cambrian-Ordovician Aquifer to determine the order of magnitude of the vertical permeability of the Maquoketa Formation. The Maquoketa Formation has a maximum thickness of about 250 feet, consists largely of beds of dolomitic shale, and confines water in the Cambrian-Ordovician Aquifer under artesian pressure.
  
  The Cambrian-Ordovician Aquifer is encountered at an average depth of 500 feet below the surface at Chicago, has an average thickness of 1000 feet, consists mainly of beds of sandstone and dolomite, and is the most highly developed source of large ground-water supplies in northeastern Illinois. Computations indicate that the average vertical permeability of the Maquoketa Formation in northeastern Illinois is about 0.00005 gpd per square foot.
  
  Leakage in 1958 through the Maquoketa Formation in northeastern Illinois is estimated to be about 8,400,000 gpd or about 11 per cent of the water pumped from deep wells.
• Zupeng, Huang, and Lu Baosen Wang Chuanxian. "TREATMENT OF LEAKAGE OF ARTESIAN WELL AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF HYDRODYNAMIC PARAMETERS." Earthquake (1994).
  Description:
  
  This paper introduced the technique of treating leakage of artesian wells and the results of experiments on hydrodynamic parameters. Taking the Su No. 18 well as example, borehole leak detector was used for determination of leakage position. The method of treating leakage consists in placing a casing with smaller radius into the well and grunting in the annuls. These techniques achieved good results.
  
  A series of observational experiments on the hydrodynamic parameters were made by using various sectional areas of discharge pipes. The results of the experiments were analyzed and functional relations between the parameters were derived, both were in good agreement.
  

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