In the middle of a record drought, some California farmers have hired dowsers — also known as “water witches” — to use uncommon techniques to find underground water, The Associated Press reports.
Dowsers extend copper or wooden sticks called “divining rods” over the ground to find new wells. Bronco Wine Co., the fourth largest winemaker in the U.S. (and the maker of Two Buck Chuck), employs dowsers on its 40,000-acre property, according to the AP.
The AP reports Napa Valley’s best-known “water witch” is winemaker Marc Mondavi, who charges as much as $500 per visit.
The state’s Department of Water Resources and the U.S. Geological Survey do not endorse the practice, arguing that there is no scientific basis to it.
MORE: California Set to Get Rain, But It Won’t Quench The Drought
MORE: California Farmers Need Water: Is Desalination The Answer?
- The Man Who Thinks He Can Live Forever
- Rooftop Solar Power Has a Dark Side
- How a Government Shutdown Could Affect You
- Colleges Get Creative to Boost Mental Health
- Is It Flu, COVID-19, or RSV? Navigating At-Home Tests
- Paul Hollywood Answers All of Your Questions About The Great British Baking Show
- How Canada and India's Relationship Crumbled
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
