What to Do with a Natural Spring on Your Property

A natural underground spring is a fantastic resource for any homeowner—but what do you do if you have a natural spring on your property? Well water is a great alternative to city water: Not only is spring water free, but underground springs don't have the pesticides, bacteria, lead, copper, and other toxins you might find in tap water.

But how do you know if you even have an underground spring on your property? And once you find one, how do you tap into it? This guide provides a basic breakdown of what you need to know about underground springs.

What Is a Natural Spring?

A natural spring is an area where a build-up of pressure pushes the groundwater above the surface. Some springs are small, puddle-like formations that flow slowly, while others are large enough to swim in and have roaring water all around. Springs have long been used for many practical purposes, especially to produce drinking water, energy, and irrigation systems.

How to Tell If You Have a Natural Spring on Your Property 

Some of the tell-tale signs that you have an underground spring are an unusual amount of vegetation growth in one spot, a convergence of animal tracks, lots of insects, and areas that are persistently muddy or wet. All of these signs indicate that there is some unknown source of water in that area.

However, the existence of water doesn’t necessarily indicate a spring. Sometimes a rainstorm may collect in one area resulting in standing water. If this area eventually dries up given enough time, it’s probably not a spring. 

How to Find a Natural Spring on Your Property

If you suspect you have an underground spring, grab a shovel and start investigating. Look for wet spots and use your shovel to remove a small amount of the muddy soil. Watch to see if water seeps back into that spot. If it does, that's a surefire sign you have an underground spring.

Watching animal and insect activity is another good way to find a spring. They tend to converge on sources of water. Be careful when you investigate: It's a favorite habitat for snakes.

One last thing you can do is to check to see if you have any pipes in the area that may be leaking and causing the unexplained water source. If you can rule that out, you probably have a spring.

How to Develop and Tap Into a Natural Spring

What do you do if you have a natural spring on your property? Take full advantage of it! The first step you would take to tap into a natural spring is to clear the site of vegetation and anything else hindering access to it. You'll want to expose the source of the spring fully. 

You may want to find a well pump professional in your area to do the work, as the source may be deep underground.

The next step is to lay down a layer of gravel at the head of the spring and then place a pipe to receive the water. More pipes are laid and then attached to a tank. If the water source is higher than the tank you're attaching it to, you can rely on gravity to do the work for you, but if not, you will need a sump pump to move the water to the tank.

Using a Natural Spring as a Water Source 

Generally, natural springs are best as a backup water source because you don't know their output; they may not provide enough water to meet your needs. Also, it may not provide the same flow year-round—it may gush during the summer but slow to a trickle during winter.

However, if you are confident that the amount of water the spring provides year-round is enough for your home, you can absolutely use it as a primary water source and establish a well and septic system. The cost to drill a well is $5,500 on average, but it may be worth it in the long run.

How to Stop a Water Spring in Your Yard 

Of course, not everyone wants a spring muddying up their yard or potentially even threatening the foundation of their home. While it's unlikely you'll be able to eliminate the source of the water itself, you can take some steps to divert or redirect it.

This will be a much more difficult job because you're trying to divert the entire flow of water instead of just tapping into it. You'll need to dig what is known as a French drain, which is when you dig a trench and then fill it with gravel or rock around a pipe to redirect the water to a different part of the property.

To do that, you'll need to first call the utility company before you dig so they can mark any utility lines in the area. Then you'll need a powered trencher, a trenching shovel, a perforated drain pipe, and gravel or rock. 

Obviously, most homeowners don't have these materials or the experience to do the work, so you're probably best off contacting a French drain company in your area to provide a quote.

Reasons to Stop a Natural Spring in Your Yard 

While springs provide many wonderful benefits, there are a few reasons homeowners may want to divert or stop a natural spring.

• Flooding: It can be a nuisance if your property is regularly wet and marshy due to spring water. Too much runoff creates an unpleasant yard and can harm the house.

• Contaminated water: Spring water can easily become contaminated by waste, sewage, pesticides, fertilizer, or nearby livestock.

• Lack of use: Some homeowners may simply not use their access to a natural spring, preferring other water sources.

Stopping a Spring Yourself vs. Hiring a Pro

The most effective ways to divert standing water or construct a drainage system involve machinery, expertise, and time that most homeowners don’t have. It’s best to hire an expert for the job, even if it comes at an added price.

Cost to Hire Pro 

Installing a French drain costs the average homeowner $5,000. However, the price can range from a few hundred up to $15,000, depending on the drain size and materials used.

Dry wells, a potential alternative to a French drain, collect excess water and evenly distribute it throughout the soil to prevent flooding. The dry well installation costs range from $1,000 to $5,000, or just under $3,000 on average.

D.P. Taylor contributed to this article.