Calhan well records explained

Buying or Building on a Well Near Calhan

Colorado Well FinderWells by countyEl Paso County › Calhan

Colorado DWR records show 1,073 permitted wells within 5 miles of Calhan. Of those, 618 are recorded as constructed, 684 report a total depth, 392 report a pump yield, and 75 report a static water level. That means the local record is useful, but not every permit tells the full story.

Most permits are for domestic or household use, with stock use also common. The numbers below describe recorded wells around Calhan, not a guarantee for a particular parcel. A neighboring well search, permit review, and site-specific drilling estimate are important before you buy land or set a building location.

1,073wells in DWR permit records
320 ftmedian well depth
107–500 ftmiddle half of well depths
8.0 gpmmedian pump yield
160 ftmedian depth to water
2025newest permit on record

Figures are computed from Colorado Division of Water Resources permit records for permitted wells within 5 miles of Calhan. Not every permit reports every field; each statistic uses the wells that report it.

How deep are wells around Calhan?

23% under 100 ft23% 100–300 ft37% 300–600 ft17% 600+ ft
Depth statisticFeet
25th percentile107
Median320
75th percentile500
90th percentile701
Deepest on record1,578
Aquifer named on permitsWells
unnamed / fractured-bedrock aquifer438
Denver374
Arapahoe96

How much water do wells make near Calhan?

1% under 1 gpm16% 1–5 gpm72% 5–15 gpm11% 15+ gpm
Yield statisticgpm
25th percentile5.0
Median8.0
75th percentile11.0
Median depth to water160 ft
Median water level by decadeDepth to water
2010s152 ft
2020s182 ft

Calhan well depths vary widely across the Denver Basin

The median reported well depth near Calhan is 320 feet. The middle half runs from 107 to 500 feet, so a driller's bid based only on the median can miss the conditions on a specific lot. The 90th-percentile depth is 701 feet, and the deepest recorded well reaches 1,578 feet.

Depth mix gives a clearer picture: 23% of wells are under 100 feet, 23% are 100 to 300 feet, 37% are 300 to 600 feet, and 17% are deeper than 600 feet. Permits name Denver, Arapahoe, or unnamed fractured-bedrock aquifers. Denver Basin aquifer wells account for 100% of the listed aquifer records.

Most Calhan wells report useful production, but test the lot

Among wells with a reported pump yield, the median is 8.0 gallons per minute. The middle half produces 5.0 to 11.0 gallons per minute. That is a more useful planning range than assuming every nearby well makes the same amount.

The recorded yield mix is relatively favorable for household planning: 72% fall between 5 and 15 gallons per minute, 11% report more than 15 gallons per minute, and 16% fall between 1 and 5 gallons per minute. Only 1% report under 1 gallon per minute. These are reported well yields, not a promise of continuous supply. Ask for the well construction report and pumping information before relying on the number for a house, stock use, or irrigation.

Water levels near Calhan deserve a closer look

Reported static water levels have a median depth of 160 feet below the surface, with the middle half between 80 and 235 feet. A buyer should use that range when discussing pump setting, trenching, and electrical work, while recognizing that water level depends on the well, season, and measurement conditions.

The decade series shows a higher median measured depth to water in the 2020s than in the 2010s: 182 feet below surface compared with 152 feet. That points to a possible local decline in the available measurements, but only 75 wells report static water levels, so it is not enough by itself to establish a basin-wide trend. Have a qualified professional review nearby, comparable wells.

Permit history shows long-running drilling around Calhan

Well permitting around Calhan spans several generations. The records show 15 permits from the 1950s, 8 from the 1960s, 93 from the 1970s, 129 from the 1980s, 258 from the 1990s, 216 from the 2000s, 104 from the 2010s, and 74 from the 2020s. The newest permit year is 2025.

The most active drillers in the records are Hamacher Well Works Inc, also listed with Alan Ray Hamacher, with 253 wells; Kunau Drilling LLC, also listed with Timothy R. Kunau, with 170; and Can America Drilling, Inc., also listed with Wayne A. Arde, with 94. These names help with local permit research, but a current bid still needs a site visit and access review.

A Calhan well budget starts with depth

The local cost model assumes Denver Basin sedimentary bedrock and a drilling rate of $50 to $70 per foot. At the 320-foot median depth, the drilled hole models at about $16,000 to $22,400. A finished well, including the pump, tank, trenching, and electrical, models at about $22,000 to $34,400.

That range is a planning figure, not a fixed quote. The wide recorded depth range—from 107 to 500 feet for the middle half of wells—shows why depth can move the bid substantially. Ask what is included, how extra footage is priced, and whether pump equipment, casing, grout, water testing, trenching, and electrical are separate. Confirm the permit requirements before construction.

Check contamination, low yield, and the building site

There are 5 mapped PFAS sampling or contamination sites within about 10 miles of Calhan. The records show 0 historic mine features and 0 EPA Superfund or cleanup sites in that area. Those mapped results do not certify water quality at a property. Test an existing well, and plan for laboratory testing of a new well after construction.

Low yield, a dry hole, fractured-bedrock variability, and deeper-than-expected drilling remain site risks. Septic placement and the well location also need to work with the proposed house, driveway, slopes, and future repairs. A Colorado well permit controls the allowed use. Exempt household-use wells have a 35-gpm pumping limit, and an augmentation plan may be required in an over-appropriated basin.

Well permits by decade near Calhan

Decade permittedWells
1950s15
1960s8
1970s93
1980s129
1990s258
2000s216
2010s104
2020s74
Most active drillers on recordWells
Hamacher Well Works Inc (Hamacher, Alan Ray)253
Kunau Drilling Llc (Kunau, Timothy R.)170
Can America Drilling, Inc. (Arde, Wayne A.)94

What a new well costs in Calhan, CO

Estimated cost of a new well · Calhan, CO · median depth 320 ft
State & county well permit DWR application + county fee
$100–$400
Drilling, casing & grouting 320 ft × $50–$70/ft in Denver Basin sedimentary bedrock
$16,000–$22,400
Pump, pressure tank & install scales with depth
$3,000–$8,000
Trenching, water line, electrical, water test
$2,100–$8,400
Typical finished total
$22,000–$34,400

How this is built: the median permitted depth here times the per-foot range for this ground, plus the normal system costs. A lot at the 75th-percentile depth (500 ft) would run roughly $31,000–$47,000. See the full Colorado well cost guide.

Environmental sites mapped within about 10 miles

5PFAS sampling / contamination sites
0historic mine features
0EPA Superfund & cleanup sites

Counts come from EPA, USGS and state datasets layered on the Colorado Well Finder map. A count is not a verdict on any one well; it tells you what to test for.

See every well near a specific address in Calhan

The numbers above are the area average. Your lot is one point on the map. Search the address to see the real depth, yield and aquifer of each permitted well around it.

Map wells near Calhan
Building or improving land near Calhan?

Tri-Lakes Contracting

Tri-Lakes Contracting is a licensed Colorado contractor serving Calhan and nearby rural areas with access driveways, site development, new-build septic systems, and custom homes. Bring the well, septic, driveway, and house locations together early so the site plan works as a whole.

Licensed Colorado custom home builder · licensed driveway & excavation contractor · licensed septic installer

Buying land near Calhan? Know what it costs to build before you buy the dirt.

A listing photo can't tell you whether a lot is a dream or a money pit. Two parcels near Calhan can carry the same asking price while one needs an $80,000 driveway and a $45,000 engineered septic the other doesn't. The well numbers on this page are the start of that answer. A Tri-Lakes Site Feasibility Report is the rest of it: a licensed general contractor, excavator and septic installer reads the parcel the way we would if we were about to build on it, and puts the real cost in writing before your money is committed.

What the wrong lot can cost you · the things a listing never mentions
Long or steep driveway & access
$25k–$80k+
Rock excavation & extra earthwork
$15k–$60k+
Engineered / advanced septic instead of conventional
+$20k–$40k
Water & long utility runs
$10k–$50k+
A feasibility report
from $99

Spend a little to know. Or gamble a lot to guess. Realtors sell the view and inspectors look at houses that already exist. We're the people who'd build it, so we catch what quietly turns a "great deal" into a budget disaster: bad access, buried rock, steep grade, soil that won't pass for a normal septic, water that's a fortune to reach. And if the lot is good, you've already got a builder ready to do the work, driveway to drywall.

Under contract, comparing parcels, or a realtor with a rural listing whose buyers keep asking "what will it cost to build here?" This is the due-diligence step almost everyone skips, and the one that saves the most.

Tell us about your project

Driveway, site work, septic or a build near Calhan. Licensed GC, excavator and septic installer.

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Common questions about wells in Calhan

How deep are wells near Calhan?

The median reported depth near Calhan is 320 feet. The middle half of reported wells runs from 107 to 500 feet, while the 90th-percentile depth is 701 feet. The deepest record is 1,578 feet. For a purchase, compare wells near the actual parcel rather than using the median as a guaranteed drilling depth.

How much does it cost to drill a well in Calhan?

The local cost model uses $50 to $70 per foot for Denver Basin sedimentary bedrock. At the 320-foot median depth, drilling alone models at $16,000 to $22,400. A finished well with pump, tank, trenching, and electrical models at $22,000 to $34,400. A driller should confirm inclusions and site conditions before quoting.

How much water do wells near Calhan produce?

The median reported pump yield is 8.0 gallons per minute, with the middle half between 5.0 and 11.0 gallons per minute. Records show 72% producing between 5 and 15 gallons per minute, while 1% report under 1 gallon per minute. Actual production must be confirmed from the individual well report and test.

Is well water near Calhan safe to drink?

The well records do not certify drinking-water safety. There are 5 mapped PFAS sampling or contamination sites within about 10 miles, although the area shows 0 EPA Superfund or cleanup sites. Test an existing well before purchase and test a new well after construction for contaminants appropriate to the property and permit history.

Is the water table dropping near Calhan?

Reported static water levels were deeper in the 2020s than in the 2010s: the median was 182 feet below surface in the 2020s and 152 feet in the 2010s. That may indicate a local decline, but only 75 wells report static water levels. Treat it as a reason to investigate, not proof of a basin-wide trend.

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Driveway, septic, site work or a build near Calhan?Licensed GC, excavator & septic installer. Tell us what you need — 30 seconds.