The Wall Street Journal - August 3, 2007

George Dunfield, chief of the professional-standards unit at the California Board of Geologists and Geophysicists, says many witchers are frauds who swindle customers.  But water witchers, he says, are protected by the First Amendment.  Mr. Dunfield says by hiring a witcher, consumers are essentially signing onto a religious doctrine "like voodoo" and the state can do little to protect  them.  He says there have been a  growing number of complaints recently from people who say they paid witchers to find water and were led to dry wells.

Enforcement officers from the California Geologist's board and the Contractors State Licensing Board are now planning sting operations targeting witchers and well drillers who use them, says Mr. Dunfield.  While low-tech witching isn't illegal, a few witchers who purport to be scientists and use high-tech equipment such as radar to supplement their witching are violating a1968 law that bans practicing geology without a license.

All of this hasn't stopped some thirsty developers from turning to witchers as a hedge against geologists.  When a group of investors call Aqua Trac LLC launched a $160 million 57-mile water pipeline project in western Nevada in 2005, they hired geologist Walt Martin to locate groundwater.

But the Aqua Trac investors also hired a witcher named Jack Coel.  "We've seen dowsers find wells out on ranches where no one's ever found water before," says investor Tom Gallagher, a fifth-generation Nevadan who grew up ranching.  "We just wanted to have all our bases covered before spending a few million dollars drilling."

One of the coordinates Mr. Coel provided ultimately produced a 5,000-gallons-per-minute water gusher.  Even Mr. Martin,  the geologist, concedes he was impressed.  "He was within a stone's throw of the locations I chose," says Mr. Martin.

My Response

In this article I am truly blessed, by wrailings against me (Matt. 5:11) being a Christian, who is called by Christ to find water (Matt. 7:7).

Mr. Dunfield seems to have a problem with the First Amendment, considers Christianity like Voodoo, while he apparently worships at the altar of the State, and believes geologists are perfect and never have dry holes drilled behind them.

On the part of the Wall Street Journal, I am particularly put off by the label "witcher" placed before my name.  There is no excuse.  I told Melia Wollen point blank I am a Christian water dowser, called to find water.  That every one of over 8,000 water well locations I have provided was an act of faith.  That three locations of mine for Aqua Trac provided 4-6,000 gpm, 4-6,000 gpm and 5-8,000 gpm respectively.  The largest, at the beginning of my website, was pumping 5,000 gpm in a 7 day pump test.

Mr. Martin just sounds like sour grapes.  The following is a list which was given to Melia Wollen of the Journal over the telephone, of projects where science and technology were exhausted & failed before I was contacted.  My locations provided water first time, every time.

Praise the Lord
"Seek and Ye Shall Find"

P.S. - To Melia, I believed you when you told me editors screened your article, but when you called me, you said the article was to be about "Water Availability in the West."  Not about pitting geologists against witchers or Christians like myself.  Shame on you.

1. 400 acres donated  by U.C. Hayward to the city of Concord
   At least 8 geologist provided dry holes.  The only reliable location I found by dowsing made water - Kvilhaug Drilling.
    
2. Blackhawk Country Club, Danville
   Numerous dry holes by geologists and technology.  My locations found by dowsing, two for two, 25 and 50 gpm - Pacific Coast Drilling.
    
3. New Melones Reservoir - Glory Hole Recreation Area
   5,000 feet of drilling in 750 foot holes, each year for 3 consecutive years.  Only water 1 at 7 gpm w-sulphur.  4th year, 6 more dry holes.  All of the preceding dry holes provided by geologists and technology.  Looking at the same ground in the 4th year, I provided 2 locations with dowsing, making 30 gpm and 130 gpm - Canepa and Sons Drilling
    
4. Ione, Long Gate Road, McClosky
   8 geologist provided dry holes, same ground covered (as always).  I provided a location with dowsing and made 20 gpm - Water Tech Drilling
    
5. Smartville, Tavares
   Two 900 foot dry holes by geologist and aerial photography.  Location drilled I found by dowsing at 400 feet, 100+ gpm - Beymer Drilling
    
6. Granite Springs, Nevada - Aqua Trac
   Since 1986, satellite imagery, radar and geologist on payroll found no water.  On 1 million acres my 3 best locations were drilled, two at 4-6,000 gpm, and one at 5-8,000 gpm - Bruce Mackay Drilling
    
7. Lompoc, Drum Canyon Road
   Geologist provided locations that were dry & deep.  I was three for three on locations I found by dowsing.  22, 30 and 30 gpm - Fillopini and Thompson Drilling.
    
8. Livermore, N. Livermore Blvd.
   Two 900 foot dry holes.  Geologist stated in conference call "geologically no water".  My location found by dowsing made 150 gpm at 400 feet as indicated on my invoice - Henry Bettencort Broker, Maggiora Bros. Drilling