Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/333548
4 2 V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T | J u l y - A u g 2 014 w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m n hour with the ebullient Rob Thompson, one of Napa Val- ley's premiere water dows- ers, can be dizzying, especially for a hard-headed, empirical realist like yours truly. Within a few minutes, Thompson told me that his mother is psychic, that they communicate over long distances without speak- ing, and that he is dyslexic, bipo- lar and a genius. The conversation jagged wildly between the funda- mentals of water witching, yet- unearthed pirate treasure troves and Thompson's discovery of vast beds of fresh water underlying the Pacific seafloor – enough water to alleviate the current drought and more. "I just don't know how they're going to be able to get it out," he said. Water dowsers are widely used by farmers of all stripes, including Napa Valley vineyard managers, who seldom drill wells without con- sulting a so-called "water witch." WITCH WAY DOWN THE DIVINE SEARCH FOR GROUND WATER BY TIM TEICHGRAEBER