Rubes by Leigh Rubin for October 05, 2021

He forgot his crown, too.

Simplistic, though often close enough to true. FREE water flows downhill, but underground water may be constrained in various ways.

It is likely that they would have to drill farther down to be able to reach the water table (where the ground would be saturated with water) from the top of the hill as compared to the bottom.

So why put a well there? 1) The difference (depth to drill) may not have been very significant (it may have been a very low hill.), 2) visibility of the location, 3) hardness of the ground, and 4) a lack of tree roots to deal with.

It says they went up a hill, it does not say they went to the top. Many mountain springs and streams originate from part way up the slope.

She should just crown him. They both went up the hill and took a tumble. Finally, Water/After? I don’t see the rhyme there. My version, which makes much more sense…

Jack and Jill went up the hill

to fetch a pail of water

Jack fell down and broke his crown

and Jill thought they not otter.

Jack was pushed.

That’s all well and good but don’t bucket the system.

I think he was just Jackin Jill around!!

Wells should always be uphill from possible sources of contamination and pollution.

Interesting replies from some people who know a lot more than I do about wells… Enjoy coming to the comics for learning.

The water table doesn’t always have even legs.

Sure.. but the dude that dug the well did know that the creek was full of farm runoff and a bit of distance was a good thing.

The aquifer may very well be closer to the surface and/or more abundant at a higher elevation than a lower one. Keep in mind that when deciding where to drill, your options are limited by the bounds of your property, where the house and septic (unless sewered) might be located, etc. I’ve seen wells that needed to go 300, 400, or 500 feet before hitting water and may have eventually required fracking to get flow. The next lot over may have hit a gusher at 120 feet even though it’s elevation is slightly higher. My well is exactly 120 feet deep and my neighbor’s well is about 75 yards away, about the same elevation but is about 210 feet. Get a forked stick and make a guess.

Actually is mountainous areas well sites are often found (by witching) nearer the tops of ridges rather than at the bases.

Do hydrologists have wet dreams?

Stop thinking about it, or it’ll break your crown!

Isn’t it amazing what the mind can deliver, when stimulated.?

This well brought to you by the Well Diggers of America Union (we pick spots on hill tops because we charge by the foot)

It’s not strictly true. In areas (like the Appalachians) where there are strata of sandstone alternating with shale, the wells are commonly up the hill. The shale erodes much more easily, so the valleys are mostly shale. Shale also makes lousy aquifers, because it’s not permeable. Sandstone on the other hand makes good aquifers. People may live in the valleys, but they have to sink their wells uphill where the sandstone is.

This well was specifically meant to break crowns.

They seldom are.

Illustrators generally show a well. That not what it says. If I’m going uphill for water I’m thinking glacial spring, but then I grew up in Colorado.

I dont remeber a well in the ryme? love the comic though!

Actually, with the way the underground rocks run, some wells actually ARE on a hill.

The water source may go into the ground high up on a mountain and follow the cracks, etc to the base. But then the crack goes back up some before it opens back out at the top of a smaller hilltop and the water runs out from that opening.

And who said anything about a well?