Old Meteor Messing Up Town's Hunt for Water

The small town of Manson, Iowa, has tried and failed three times now to dig a new water well, but it's got the best scapegoat ever: a meteor that smashed down 74 million years ago. It seems the meteor's massive impact did such a number on the local geology that things just aren't where they should be, a geologist tells the Fort Dodge Messenger. "It blew out all the natural formations," he says. "Everything's mixed up." For attempt No. 4, the town has hired a company that uses satellite imagery to try to detect aquifers. One upside of the ancient strike: The town has "naturally soft water" as a result, says the mayor. "It's a little harder to get to, but it's worth it." (More Iowa stories.)