First let me explain. This kind of thing needs people with understanding and experience. So that is why I put it here.

Driving copper clad rods rods into the ground is not so hard. But the software needed to interpret the reading sis very deep. No pun intended.

So I am asking. Does anybody here have some real knowledge about this?

The concept is to measure ground conductivity at the surface across a very large area. An area as wide as the depth we want to probe. In theory, a cavern of air will reduce conductivity and can be located mathematically. However, any flow of underground water would improve the conductivity and can be also localized with a suitable algorithm.

After gathering a large number of field SAMPLES, it would be e possible to plot a crude three dimensional graph of the underground conductivity. So we know where to dig. Or not.

Here is an article that talks about the concept is a simplified form. Not really enough information to make you own water finder. Bu it introduces the idea.

Here's How To Build a Low-Cost Groundwater Detection System

Below is a much better explanation.

GENERAL FACTS AND CONCEPTS ABOUT GROUND WATER

Moderator. Move this post if you must.

Any ideas?I would never think that a low cost ground water system could ever be made. You can have rivers of water underground, very deep and it would be costly to get to it to probe for what may or may not be there.

I think the cheapest method is to have sensors out scattered in an array and wait for an earthquake or detonate a massive explosion underground, and monitor the data that is gathered. The wave forms from the sensors can be checked at time intervals to look for phase shifting and abnormalities that would indicate the bowl of jello effect under the surface. Rock and soil would have a known signature and water under ground with soil and rock suspended above it also has a signature that can be seen with the right equipment for what i call the bowl of jello affect.

The problem is that you need to perform studies of soil analysis with ELF to build up sets of data of how soil, rock, and water suspended under them react with one another. As well as in a place that earth quakes are not frequent, you would need to bore a deep hole and detonate a massive explosion under ground and then data record the shock wave to form a layout of how the earth reacted to the blast wave of energy. The better data coming from the larger the explosion to shock/shake the soil and what lies beneath to look for the bowl of jello effect which would be more defined with a larger release of energy instantaneously.

It would be a very crude sonar for mapping whats below, denser, looser, or liquid materials and the ping being a massive amount of energy released to create a shock wave that can be monitored as the wave forms reach each detector.

The cheapest water gathering I have ever seen has been in Bermuda. I went on a trip there in 2002 and all the homes have a roof that gathers rain water and places the water into a holding tank in the home. The holding tank is then filtered so you have drinking water. Surrounded by ocean, sure you could get fresh water out of salt water by boiling it and condensing the steam to remove the salt, but the cheapest means was to tap into natural condensation for fresh water.

The problem I see with conductivity as a means for ground water is that you might have water at the surface and then have solid granite below that. My property in New Hampshire i found out after I bought my home that there is solid granite less than 4 feet below my entire yard, with some areas the granite showing and just inches below the grass. Grounding my barns electrical was a fun experience with a 8 ft grounding rod. Its in the ground, but not 100% to code as it should be. It has the surface area it requires to function as a ground as tested afterwards, and the soil is always damp around the barn to conduct to ground, but it doesnt hold to a 45 degree installation with 90 degree straight down being optimal. I have areas in the woods near my property that are very wet, but its just pooled moisture on the granite below. My property might come up with a false positive that water is below to be pumped because of this pooling effect on the soil towards the surface. Anyone drilling would soon find less than 4 ft down that they hit solid granite and its a lost cause.

Moved here from Don's...Thanks for the input. My daughter is wanting to move to an underdeveloped parcel in Nevada, which is very high and dry.

Somebody on the Internet is SELLING a conductivity analyzer that they claim can locate underground pools of water. I was skeptical, but I wanted to hear from somebody will some experience.

After posting this, I found the USGS does not even mention conductivity tests.
Instead, they say:
Quote

Using scientific methods to locate water

To locate groundwater ACCURATELY and to determine the depth, quantity, and quality of the water, several techniques must be used, and a target area must be thoroughly tested and studied to identify hydrologic and geologic features important to the planning and management of the resource. The landscape may offer clues to the hydrologist about the occurrence of shallow groundwater. Conditions for large quantities of shallow groundwater are more favorable under valleys than under hills. In some regions--in PARTS of the arid Southwest, for example--the presence of "water-loving" plants, such as cottonwoods or willows, indicates groundwater at shallow to moderate depth. Areas where water is at the surface as springs, seeps, swamps, or lakes reflect the presence of groundwater, although not necessarily in large quantities or of usable quality.

Somebody on the Internet is selling a conductivity analyzer that they claim can locate underground pools of water. I was skeptical, but I wanted to hear from somebody will some experience.

All you need for water detection is a divining rod...everyone knows that.