Cost of Running a deeper irrigation well

[Anonymous]

Howdy,

We were thinking of putting in some improved grass and alfalfa for a little drought protection. We have located a used 1/4 mile Zimmatic sprinkler system and were thinking of breaking out about 125 ac of rangeland. The wells in the area pump about 850-1100 gpm, but are 900-1200 ft deep, with static water level of 200-300 ft. Back home, we pumped 150 gpm wells at a 300 ft depth using a 15hp electric motor. I was wandering the approximate cost of pumping water from this 1000' depth and the size of motor that would be needed. Any help is appreciated...I need to find out if this will be cost effective to water improved grass. Thanks

 

[dun]

Howdy,

We were thinking of putting in some improved grass and alfalfa for a little drought protection. We have located a used 1/4 mile Zimmatic sprinkler system and were thinking of breaking out about 125 ac of rangeland. The wells in the area pump about 850-1100 gpm, but are 900-1200 ft deep, with static water level of 200-300 ft. Back home, we pumped 150 gpm wells at a 300 ft depth using a 15hp electric motor. I was wandering the approximate cost of pumping water from this 1000' depth and the size of motor that would be needed. Any help is appreciated...I need to find out if this will be cost effective to water improved grass. Thanks

For the volume and pressure required for most irrigation systems and the depth you're talking about you might want to look into 440 volt pumps.

dun

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Agree with Dun on the 440 Volt, 3 Phase power. Also consider using a diesel engine unit. The depth you're talking about...where are you located? Wells in our Texas Panhandle region are not that deep.

Figure cost of well per foot, cased and piped. Plus cost of pump unit (well driller will have "head" info on size of pump needed. Pump sizes are figured in "feet of head". One foot elevation = 2.41 feet of head. Translates as depth of pump to ground level = feet of head.

 

[Anonymous]

Running Arrow:

Yep, I currently live in the panhandle, over by Tulia, my dad and I run momma cows on pasture and graze-out wheat. Our wells are typically 250-360 ft deep, but I was looking at a place in NM to go in with my uncle. He said its similar to the well depths found out near Pecos and Van Horn TX. Wells are already cased and have everything but the motor. (definantly considering the diesel, thats what the neighbors use who have 500 + gpm wells) however, I was just wandering what the cost is to run one of these deep wells, like how much it would cost per acre foot of water.

 

[J Baxter]

A lot of the rice wells in my part of the country have been drilled to this depth. I've heard cost of anywhere between 50 and 100k. It is just like paying for the farm all over again.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Running Arrow:

Yep, I currently live in the panhandle, over by Tulia, my dad and I run momma cows on pasture and graze-out wheat. Our wells are typically 250-360 ft deep, but I was looking at a place in NM to go in with my uncle. He said its similar to the well depths found out near Pecos and Van Horn TX. Wells are already cased and have everything but the motor. (definantly considering the diesel, thats what the neighbors use who have 500 + gpm wells) however, I was just wandering what the cost is to run one of these deep wells, like how much it would cost per acre foot of water.

As a retired landscape irrigation contractor I developed several manuals for such things including some pumping applications. Anyway, 1 acre foot of water is 325,851 gals. At 226 GPM in 24 hours, you have about 1 acre foot of water.

In the Wellington, TX area, we have a 80 GPM well at about 70 foot depth. Using a 5 HP submersible, 220V. We run 2 to 10 sprinkler heads at a time and when its hot and dry, probably pump at 25,000 gal a day max. Our electric bill on separate well meter usually $30 to 50. a month.

Cost to pump water:

I have several formulas for electricity, gas, and diesel motors. Too detailed to list here.

Bottomline: Motor & pump size and efficiency rating, GPM discharge, etc. Amount of pressure you need at ground level. Less pressure needed, smaller pump size needed. Water level in hole to ground level is in feet (plus feet below water to pump or bailer location). A 300 foot well would have approx. "300 feet of head" and a pump would need to be large enough to produce 300+ feet of head to generate 1+ PSI at ground level. This "in hole head" is the amount of effort the pump has to make to get water to surface. Etc. Etc.

E-mail me if interested in more information that I can't post here, per rules.

Bill