Artesian Wells, Stone Fence Posts And Dust Devils


Picture of a sandstone fence post

As we travel across western Kansas, we may see things that are new and surprising, such as stone fence posts. How does one build a fence when there isn't a tree in sight? The abundant sandstone provided the answer. Many of these old posts are no longer used, and people collect them for yard decorations



A sign that says there is an artesian well nearby


About 20 miles down the road from Sterling, in Stafford County, is an artesian well at NE 140th Street nearHudson. The well was reportedly drilled by a core driller studying geological formations in the 1930s. In 1958, its output was measured at around 6 gallons per minute, but today the flow is much less. Unfortunately, the water is not drinkable but it feeds a marsh nearby.

 

Niki the dog and Jalene posing in front of the artesian well.


A little later, driving down the road, we saw a dust devil off to the left in a freshly plowed field. A dust devil is a short-lived whirlwind that looks like a small tornado. Some dust devils can cause damage, but this one was over before I could get a good picture.

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