# Uncovered an old dry well -- what to do with it?



## dave11 (Oct 10, 2011)

While digging in a neglected bed on my property, I uncovered what appears to be an old dry well. It's about 4 feet deep, and 2 feet around, and the lid has rusted away. I nearly fell into it. It is empty, with gravel at the bottom, and a 3 inch clay pipe entering it from the nearby property line. The walls are corrugated steel, with some holes made in spots around them. 

The clay pipe is open as far as I can probe. The well seems preserved, except for the lid, but can't tell how long ago any water was actually in it. It is dry now but there's been no rain for a week or more.

My first thought was to fill it with gravel, so no one could ever fall into it, lid or not, but then it seemed to me that whoever designed it wanted it to be empty, I assume to handle more water. 

Would it be best just to cover it with a lid, and replace the soil, or would it make sense to leave some sort of access to it? I believe modern codes would require some sort of marking, and inspection lid, though that only makes sense I guess, especially if it still needs to be functional.

Anyone else ever dealt with this?


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## jimbom (Oct 10, 2011)

Since the well is clean, surface water must not be involved.  That generally carries debris.  If it seems of no use, filling it with gravel is a reversible choice.  You could remove the gravel in the future if necessary.

Definitely find a lid.  I had to fix a septic tank lid last year.  Just bought two bags of crete mix and found a simple form.  Threw in a little scrap steel since it was in the VFW parking lot and placed the concrete.  My form was an old plastic tub that happened to be the correct diameter for a tight fit.  You can make a square lid and not use steel.  I covered the fresh concrete with water and let it cure two weeks before moving it.  If you do the same, the tensile strength will be approximately 400 psi.  That should should support garden traffic.  If you have any old steel, throw it in the bottom of the form for a little more tensile strength.

In our state, only wells that have the potential to contaminate drinking water aquifers must be treated in any special way.  No jurisdiction I can think of would regulate a four foot deep void on private property providing it is covered and safe.  

Before you do anything, check for buried treasure :exclaim:


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## billb3 (Oct 10, 2011)

I found a dry well on one corner of my house.

I guess when they replaced the round downspouts from the cedar gutters with aluminum gutters and rectangle downspouts it was easier to just block it off and use a tile for a splash block.


If it's not  being used I'd get rid of it. If it is just a 55 gallon drum ( or half of one) the walls are likely rusting and ready to collapse, too.


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## dave11 (Oct 10, 2011)

JimboM said:
			
		

> Since the well is clean, surface water must not be involved.  That generally carries debris.  If it seems of no use, filling it with gravel is a reversible choice.  You could remove the gravel in the future if necessary.
> 
> Definitely find a lid.  I had to fix a septic tank lid last year.  Just bought two bags of crete mix and found a simple form.  Threw in a little scrap steel since it was in the VFW parking lot and placed the concrete.  My form was an old plastic tub that happened to be the correct diameter for a tight fit.  You can make a square lid and not use steel.  I covered the fresh concrete with water and let it cure two weeks before moving it.  If you do the same, the tensile strength will be approximately 400 psi.  That should should support garden traffic.  If you have any old steel, throw it in the bottom of the form for a little more tensile strength.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the idea about making my own lid. I was wondering if I'd need to go looking for an old manhole cover. Reinforced concrete sounds better.

The well must have been for rainwater removal, based on where it is, and the clay pipe entering at the top. I suspect the clay pipe drained a french drain, which after 40-60 years, isn't likely to be working.

But just in case, I'll leave the inside of the well empty, and seal it with a concrete lid.


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## semipro (Oct 10, 2011)

It would be a great place to send excess water from gutters, basement drains, french drains, etc. 

In most states, holes in the ground, like old wells, are sealed with concrete or Bentonite (a clay that expands when water is added).  The problem with filling with gravel or leaving open is that surface water contamination may be allowed to find its way into groundwater and maybe drinking water wells.


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