You may be getting a false reading due to electrical properties of the application you did. I highly doubt it's a true reading. BTW I was a chemist and then an environmental scientist/hydrogeologist for 15 years combined and have run all sorts of laboratory and field instruments. I've learned to never ever make decisions without confirmation of any analytical parameters.
We used to take the pH of soil samples by adding them to a measured volume of water and using a pH meter to analyze the liquid. That was the ASTM method.
Bottom line, I have serious doubts that is the pH of your soil. As far as your shallow well goes, if you're in an area with a lot of limestone it could be alkaline for sure but not that high I don't think. Your water quality certainly could be having an adverse effect on your lawn though if it's high in dissolved minerals and salts. Stains are usually from dissolved iron (red/tan/brown) and manganese (grey/black/dark brown). So you may want to have your water tested too. Look around for reduced price testing through your local health department or state regulatory agency or other program. Maybe even the agricultural extension. You can also buy colorometric strips for many tests too, just like use for testing pool water.
We used to take the pH of soil samples by adding them to a measured volume of water and using a pH meter to analyze the liquid. That was the ASTM method.
Bottom line, I have serious doubts that is the pH of your soil. As far as your shallow well goes, if you're in an area with a lot of limestone it could be alkaline for sure but not that high I don't think. Your water quality certainly could be having an adverse effect on your lawn though if it's high in dissolved minerals and salts. Stains are usually from dissolved iron (red/tan/brown) and manganese (grey/black/dark brown). So you may want to have your water tested too. Look around for reduced price testing through your local health department or state regulatory agency or other program. Maybe even the agricultural extension. You can also buy colorometric strips for many tests too, just like use for testing pool water.
