Mountain Well Planning Guide

What to Expect From a Well in Huerfano County

Colorado Well FinderWells by county › Huerfano County

A shallow neighboring well does not guarantee a shallow well on your Huerfano County lot. The county’s median recorded depth is 113 feet, but the middle half runs from 42 to 350 feet. That spread matters more to a drilling budget than the median alone.

Colorado DWR records include 4,149 permits countywide, with 2,460 recorded as constructed. Use these figures as a starting point for property research around Walsenburg, La Veta and Gardner—not as a promise of water on a particular parcel.

4,149wells in DWR permit records
113 ftmedian well depth
42–350 ftmiddle half of well depths
8.0 gpmmedian pump yield
76 ftmedian depth to water
2026newest permit on record

Figures are computed from Colorado Division of Water Resources permit records for all permitted wells in the county. Not every permit reports every field; each statistic uses the wells that report it.

How deep are wells around Huerfano County?

44% under 100 ft25% 100–300 ft19% 300–600 ft12% 600+ ft
Depth statisticFeet
25th percentile42
Median113
75th percentile350
90th percentile610
Deepest on record2,800
Aquifer named on permitsWells
unnamed / fractured-bedrock aquifer4,018
Dakota29
Alluvial24

How much water do wells make near Huerfano County?

3% under 1 gpm22% 1–5 gpm61% 5–15 gpm14% 15+ gpm
Yield statisticgpm
25th percentile5.0
Median8.0
75th percentile11.2
Median depth to water76 ft
Median water level by decadeDepth to water
2010s60 ft
2020s117 ft

Why a 113-Foot Median Is Not a Huerfano Drilling Target

Of the 2,590 wells reporting depth, the middle half reaches 42–350 feet. Another useful warning for budgeting: the 90th-percentile depth is 610 feet. A bid based only on the 113-foot median leaves substantial room for additional drilling.

Permits mostly identify an unnamed or fractured-bedrock aquifer, accounting for 4,018 wells; Dakota and Alluvial entries are much less common. In fractured rock, usable water depends on the fractures a borehole intersects, not simply reaching a uniform underground layer. Ask the driller to review nearby completion reports and price additional footage explicitly. A shallow result near Gardner or La Veta should not set the budget for an unrelated property elsewhere in the county.

An 8.0 GPM Yield Still Needs a Property-Level Test

The 683 wells with reported pump yields have a median of 8.0 gpm, with the middle half producing 5.0–11.2 gpm. Most reported yields fall in the 5–15 gpm band. Those results are encouraging for household planning, but a recorded yield is not a guarantee of sustained supply under everyday use.

Only 3% of reported yields are below 1 gpm, while 22% fall in the 1–5 gpm category. For a buyer, low output can mean storage, careful demand management or further well work. Have an existing well tested for pumping performance and recovery. Also check its permit: physical production does not establish permission to irrigate or water livestock.

Water Levels Are Deeper in Recent Huerfano Records

Static water level is the depth to resting water, not the total depth of the well. Among the 252 reports with this measurement, the median is 76 feet below ground, and the middle half spans 25–237 feet. That wide range limits the value of a countywide figure for choosing a pump.

The median measurement changed from 60 feet in the 2010s to 117 feet in the 2020s. This suggests deeper water in the newer records, but it does not establish a countywide declining water table: the decades may represent different wells, locations and measurement conditions. For a purchase, seek repeated measurements from the same well and evaluate drawdown during pumping.

Permit Activity and the Names in Huerfano’s Drilling Records

Recorded permit issuance was highest in the 2000s, at 968, compared with 807 in the 1990s and 663 in the 2010s. The 2020s show 339 permits, with the newest dated 2026. That is an incomplete decade, so it should not be treated as a finished comparison or a direct measure of drilling demand.

Leading named drillers in the records include Ojo Spring Drilling & Well Service (Blouin, Octave George), with 319 entries, and Timber Line Drilling (Pfaffenhauser, Robert G.), with 289. Another 242 appear under “Authorized (Pe, Pg),” a record label rather than a clear contractor recommendation. Historical counts do not establish current availability or licensing; verify both before requesting a bid.

Budgeting a New Well in Huerfano Mountain Bedrock

The supplied drilling model assumes fractured mountain bedrock, such as granite or gneiss, at $65–$100 per foot. At the county’s 113-foot median depth, that puts the drilled hole around $7,300–$11,300. The modeled finished well, including pump, tank, trenching and electrical, is about $13,300–$23,300.

These are planning figures, not a parcel-specific quote. The 42–350-foot middle depth range is broad enough that a median-depth allowance can miss the work your lot needs. Get a written scope covering casing, grout, testing, pump equipment and utility connections. Ask how difficult access, additional footage and an unsuccessful borehole are charged, and keep driveway and septic work distinct from the well estimate.

Mine Features, PFAS Flags and Low-Yield Risk

The environmental map includes 8 PFAS sampling or contamination sites, 143 historic mine features and 2 EPA Superfund or cleanup sites within about 10 miles. These are screening flags, not proof that a particular well is contaminated. Review the mapped locations relative to the parcel and have a qualified laboratory help select tests based on nearby land uses and site history.

Supply deserves separate scrutiny. The 3% share reporting less than 1 gpm describes low-yield reports, not a dry-hole probability. For an existing system, inspect the wellhead, casing condition and drainage. For a build, coordinate well and septic locations, required setbacks and equipment access before fixing the house footprint.

Before Closing on Land Near Walsenburg, La Veta or Gardner

Start with the parcel’s DWR permit, then compare nearby well completion reports rather than relying on the Huerfano County median. Walsenburg, La Veta and Gardner have their own local pages; records from the immediate area are more useful than a distant county comparison. Las Animas County and Costilla County provide broader context, not a substitute for neighboring wells.

For an existing well, match the permit and construction record to the property, confirm allowed uses, and obtain water-quality and pumping tests. Domestic/household use appears on 68% of county records, but that does not authorize every proposed use. For vacant land, confirm permit eligibility and coordinate drilling access, septic placement and the building layout before committing to the purchase.

Well permits by decade near Huerfano County

Decade permittedWells
1950s11
1960s46
1970s251
1980s224
1990s807
2000s968
2010s663
2020s339
Most active drillers on recordWells
Ojo Spring Drilling & Well Service (Blouin, Octave George)319
Timber Line Drilling (Pfaffenhauser, Robert G.)289
Authorized (Pe, Pg)242

What a new well costs in Huerfano County

Estimated cost of a new well · Huerfano County · median depth 113 ft
State & county well permit DWR application + county fee
$100–$400
Drilling, casing & grouting 113 ft × $65–$100/ft in fractured mountain bedrock (granite / gneiss)
$7,300–$11,300
Pump, pressure tank & install scales with depth
$3,000–$8,000
Trenching, water line, electrical, water test
$2,100–$8,400
Typical finished total
$13,300–$23,300

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 (350 ft) would run roughly $28,750–$47,000. See the full Colorado well cost guide.

Environmental sites mapped within about 10 miles

8PFAS sampling / contamination sites
143historic mine features
2EPA 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 Huerfano County

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 Huerfano County
Building or improving land near Huerfano County?

Tri-Lakes Contracting

For a Huerfano County build, Tri-Lakes Contracting is a licensed Colorado contractor for access driveways, site development, new-build septic systems and custom homes. Coordinate those plans with the well location and drilling access before settling the site layout.

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

Buying land near Huerfano County? 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 Huerfano County 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 Huerfano County. Licensed GC, excavator and septic installer.

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Common questions about wells in Huerfano County

How deep are wells in Huerfano County, Colorado?

The median recorded well depth is 113 feet, based on 2,590 depth reports. The middle half spans 42–350 feet, and the 90th-percentile depth is 610 feet. That spread makes nearby completion reports more useful than the county median when estimating drilling depth for a specific lot.

How much does it cost to drill a well in Huerfano County?

The bedrock drilling model uses $65–$100 per foot. At the 113-foot median depth, the hole alone is about $7,300–$11,300, while a finished well with pump, tank, trenching and electrical is about $13,300–$23,300. Actual bids should address depth uncertainty, access, casing and what happens if the borehole produces insufficient water.

How much water do wells produce in Huerfano County?

Reported pump yields have an 8.0 gpm median, with the middle half at 5.0–11.2 gpm. Among the 683 yield reports, 3% are below 1 gpm. Before buying, test the actual well’s pumping performance and recovery; a historical yield alone cannot establish dependable household supply or permission for outdoor watering.

Is well water safe to drink in Huerfano County?

Safety requires testing the individual well. The map identifies 8 PFAS sampling or contamination sites, 143 historic mine features and 2 EPA Superfund or cleanup sites within about 10 miles, but those counts do not prove contamination at a property. Review nearby sites, inspect the wellhead and arrange laboratory testing suited to the parcel.

Is the water table dropping in Huerfano County?

Median static water measurements are deeper in recent records: 60 feet below ground in the 2010s versus 117 feet in the 2020s. That suggests a concern worth checking, not proof of a countywide decline. The records may cover different wells and conditions. Repeated measurements from the same well provide stronger evidence.

Keep researching

Towns and areas in Huerfano County

Neighboring counties

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