Jack Blake wants to dig a big pond, drill a 4" water well to fill it and sell frac water.

Any advice?

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Jack,

I think it would be much more feasible to build a dam in the correct location and let rainwater fill it up. It would be much more economical to build a much larger pond. The next question would be if you are in an area that would need water for multiple frac jobs in a workable perimeter around your pond. If you use a water well to fill it up, you are still depleting the drinking water aquifer.

Jack Blake says thanks for all for all the input everyone!  If anyone has more, I will be pleased to hear it. I need to reread the thread and do more cyphering.  

Jack does have a small dam in the proper location where the natural topography drains about 5 acres of rainwater, but needs to make the dam bigger and dig deeper and further out. There are natural v'S that drain surface water to the pond naturally.  There will be some rainwater that will flow into the pond, but not enough for the great big honking pond Jack envisions. The current pond has not had water run over and out of the spillway in three years so I need another source to fill it besides surface water.

If Jack does the 4" well he sure doesn't want to adversly affect the aquifer.

Jack is in an area with multiple frac jobs in the area. They either now have or will have a well in every nearby section.  This means multiple frac jobs in the coming years.

Jack thinks the Bossier Shale is also present in the area based on his research.  This could mean even more frac jobs.

Sold the right for a 5 acre pond to be dug on property owned  in Bienville Parish, they're going to truck the water in. Won't affect the aquifer, supposedly.  Signed a 5 year lease, they will either leave it there when finished or return land to original state or as close as possible.
Who did you sell to?  I have been thinking about doing the same thing.  My land is located in Logansport, LA.  I have 53 acres.
It was company named Smith Entergy, located in Ruston.  Sure they are representing Questar, understand they're drilling or have drilled 2 wells.  Young fellow representing Smith approached my brother and I about the pond and a ROW.
Jack, check this site for info about the aquifer-   http://www.spartaaquifer.com/

 

Speed of Groundwater Movement Through the Sparta Aquifer

Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality researchers estimated 53.2 years as the typical time of travel for one mile in the Sparta, that is, 99.3 feet per year..

 

I wonder how many gallons Jack could pump before having to wait years for his well to refill?

A Lot

 

Graphics Packaging uses 10 million gallons per day.

West Monroe pupms 3 mgd

Ruston 3-4 mgd

 

Although thie aquifer is in trouble. levels are dropping about 1-3 feet a year in some places.

Jack,  I do have a few comments and I speak from my 30 years experience as an engineering geologist with USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (formerly Soil Conservation Service) working in 7 states from North Carolina to Arizona. During that time I evaluated several thousand damsites for geologic suitability. Before undertaking the construction it is most inportant to know the types of soil and/or rock you will encounter. Some soils are nearly impervious and others will leak so badly that it can't be filled without taking measures, usually quite costly, to seal the reservoir. I have been called upon by numerous landowners to help them seal reservoirs which leaked excessively. Properly installed seepage measures can be expensive.

Surprises during construction can be very costly.

 

Before planning to fill reservoir by pumping groundwater you need to determine cost to drill, complete, and operate the well.

Good Luck.   I had thought of doing the same thing, but my land is outside limits of Haynesville Shale  production so I have to be happy with Smackover Lime and Haynesville Sand.

You should be able to get some engineering, soils, and geologic assistance from your local NRCS office. That may be very limitted due to budget constraints.

           

I aint got enough water to grow grass.  Dry as hell here, fish caughing up dust, need rain bad.

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