Local well records explained

Jackson Lake, Colorado Well Guide

Colorado Well FinderWells by countyMorgan County › Jackson Lake

Buying land near Jackson Lake means looking closely at the well records, not relying on a general county average. Within 5 miles of Jackson Lake, Colorado DWR records show 594 permitted wells, with 402 recorded as constructed. Of those, 366 report a total depth, 78 report a pump yield, and 36 report a static water level.

This area is plains country near Orchard and Weldona, with alluvium and plains sedimentary rock rather than a uniform hard-rock setting. The records suggest many relatively shallow wells, but the spread in reported production and water levels still matters when pricing a property, planning a septic system, or requesting a drilling bid.

594wells in DWR permit records
54 ftmedian well depth
40–124 ftmiddle half of well depths
65.0 gpmmedian pump yield
18 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 Jackson Lake. Not every permit reports every field; each statistic uses the wells that report it.

How deep are wells around Jackson Lake?

70% under 100 ft29% 100–300 ft1% 300–600 ft0% 600+ ft
Depth statisticFeet
25th percentile40
Median54
75th percentile124
90th percentile163
Deepest on record590
Aquifer named on permitsWells
unnamed / fractured-bedrock aquifer493
Quaternary Alluvium31
Alluvial28

How much water do wells make near Jackson Lake?

0% under 1 gpm1% 1–5 gpm10% 5–15 gpm88% 15+ gpm
Yield statisticgpm
25th percentile15.0
Median65.0
75th percentile987.5
Median depth to water18 ft
Median water level by decadeDepth to water
2010s15 ft
2020s37 ft

Jackson Lake well depth: usually shallow, but not guaranteed

The median reported well depth near Jackson Lake is 54 feet. The middle half of wells falls from 40 to 124 feet, and the 90th percentile is 163 feet. About 70% of wells are under 100 feet, while 29% fall between 100 and 300 feet. Only 1% are between 300 and 600 feet, with no recorded wells at 600 feet or more.

That distribution gives a driller a useful starting point, not a guarantee. Local alluvium and plains sedimentary rock can change quickly across a parcel. A bid based on the 54-foot median may be reasonable for a straightforward site, but buyers should ask what happens if the hole reaches the upper part of the local range, or if casing, grout, access, and difficult ground add work.

How much water do Jackson Lake wells produce?

Reported yields are strong in this record set, but the sample is limited to 78 wells that report a pump yield. The median is 65.0 gallons per minute, and the middle half ranges from 15.0 to 987.5 gallons per minute. The records show 88% producing 15 or more gallons per minute, 10% between 5 and 15 gallons per minute, and 1% between 1 and 5 gallons per minute. No reported wells are under 1 gallon per minute.

These figures include domestic, stock, irrigation, and monitoring wells, so they do not predict a household well by themselves. Pump tests, well construction, storage, and the permitted use matter. Do not assume an irrigation result applies to a domestic permit, and confirm the legal water use with Colorado DWR before closing.

Water levels near Jackson Lake and the recent change

Only 36 wells report a static water level, so the water-level picture is narrower than the depth picture. The median depth to static water is 18 feet, with the middle half from 13 to 70 feet below ground surface. That is useful for estimating casing, trenching, and pumping conditions, but it is not a guarantee for an untested parcel.

The decade figures show a higher measured water level depth in newer records: the median was 15 feet below surface in the 2010s and 37 feet in the 2020s. That difference suggests a possible decline in measured water levels, but the small reporting set, different locations, and well uses make it unsafe to call the entire Jackson Lake area a uniformly dropping water table. Get a current static measurement when evaluating a specific well.

Who has drilled around Jackson Lake, and when?

Permit activity stretches across the area’s history. Records list 40 permits in the 1950s, 45 in the 1960s, 59 in the 1970s, 21 in the 1980s, 35 in the 1990s, 72 in the 2000s, 77 in the 2010s, and 44 in the 2020s. The newest permit year is 2025. That history shows continued drilling near the lake, Orchard, and Weldona rather than a one-time development pattern.

The most active names in these records are Authorized (Pe, Pg) with 81 wells, Wiggins Irrigation & Agri Serv (Segelke, Virgil A) with 40, and Canfield Drilling Company (Canfield, Harold E) with 38. Treat the list as permit-history context, not a current recommendation or a promise of availability.

What drilling a Jackson Lake well may cost

For this plains setting, the drilling model uses a typical rate of $35 to $55 per foot. At the local median depth of 54 feet, the drilled hole works out to about $1,900 to $3,000. That is only the hole. A finished well with pump, pressure tank, trenching, and electrical is modeled at about $7,900 to $15,000.

Ask every driller what is included. A low drilling number may exclude casing, grout, development, pump sizing, power work, or long access across a lot. The median depth is shallow, but the deepest recorded well is 590 feet, so a quote should explain the additional-foot rate and what happens if the target water-bearing material is not reached. Permitting and water-right requirements are separate questions from construction cost.

Risks to check before buying near the lake

The records name an unnamed or fractured-bedrock aquifer for 493 wells, Quaternary Alluvium for 31, and Alluvial aquifers for 28. They also show Denver Basin aquifer wells at 33% of the mapped records. Aquifer labels can vary by permit and do not replace a site-specific review. Fractured material can be unpredictable, while alluvial conditions can affect water quality, casing, and well construction.

Environmental screening deserves attention. The mapped area within about 10 miles includes 44 PFAS sampling or contamination sites, with 0 historic mine features and 0 EPA Superfund or cleanup sites. Test existing well water for the uses and local concerns that apply to the property. Also check septic setbacks, drainfield soil, flood or irrigation impacts, and whether the lot can support the proposed home before committing to a well location.

A practical Jackson Lake lot-buying plan

Start with the exact parcel, not just the nearest well on a map. Pull the DWR permit, construction report, pump information, and water-quality history for the property and nearby wells. Compare depth, static level, aquifer description, permitted use, and construction details. The area includes domestic, stock, irrigation, and monitoring wells, so similar distance does not mean similar performance.

For a new build, confirm the well permit and water-use rules before finalizing plans. Exempt household-use wells still have defined limits, including the 35 gallons-per-minute exempt-well pumping limit, and an augmentation plan may be necessary in an over-appropriated basin. Have a driller evaluate access, casing and grout, pump setting, trench route, and backup locations. In a purchase contract, preserve time for well testing, water testing, septic review, and a cost check based on the actual site.

Well permits by decade near Jackson Lake

Decade permittedWells
1950s40
1960s45
1970s59
1980s21
1990s35
2000s72
2010s77
2020s44
Most active drillers on recordWells
Authorized (Pe, Pg)81
Wiggins Irrigation & Agri Serv (Segelke, Virgil A)40
Canfield Drilling Company (Canfield, Harold E)38

What a new well costs in Jackson Lake, CO

Estimated cost of a new well · Jackson Lake, CO · median depth 54 ft
State & county well permit DWR application + county fee
$100–$400
Drilling, casing & grouting 54 ft × $35–$55/ft in alluvium and plains sedimentary rock
$1,900–$3,000
Pump, pressure tank & install scales with depth
$3,000–$8,000
Trenching, water line, electrical, water test
$2,100–$8,400
Typical finished total
$7,900–$15,000

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 (124 ft) would run roughly $10,340–$18,820. See the full Colorado well cost guide.

Environmental sites mapped within about 10 miles

44PFAS 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 Jackson Lake

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 Jackson Lake
Building or improving land near Jackson Lake?

Tri-Lakes Contracting

Tri-Lakes Contracting is a licensed Colorado contractor serving Jackson Lake and nearby plains communities with access driveways, site development, new-build septic systems, and custom homes. Their work can help coordinate the ground, utility, and building pieces of a rural lot.

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

Buying land near Jackson Lake? 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 Jackson Lake 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.

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Common questions about wells in Jackson Lake

How deep are wells near Jackson Lake, Colorado?

The median reported depth is 54 feet. The middle half runs from 40 to 124 feet, and 70% of recorded wells are under 100 feet. Depth still varies by parcel and formation. The deepest recorded well in the data is 590 feet, so a local median should guide a bid, not guarantee the final depth.

What does it cost to drill a well near Jackson Lake?

The local drilling model uses $35 to $55 per foot. At the 54-foot median depth, the drilled hole is estimated at about $1,900 to $3,000. A finished system with pump, tank, trenching, and electrical is about $7,900 to $15,000. Confirm what each bid includes and the additional-foot rate.

How much water do wells near Jackson Lake produce?

Among the 78 wells with reported pump yields, the median is 65.0 gallons per minute. The middle half ranges from 15.0 to 987.5 gallons per minute, and 88% report at least 15 gallons per minute. These records include different uses, so a domestic buyer should require a site-specific pump test.

Is well water near Jackson Lake safe to drink?

The well records do not establish that water is safe for drinking. Within about 10 miles, mapping shows 44 PFAS sampling or contamination sites. That calls for testing the specific well, especially when buying an existing home. Review construction and water-quality records, then use a qualified laboratory for drinking-water testing before relying on the supply.

Are Jackson Lake wells getting deeper or losing water?

The reported median static water level was 15 feet below surface in the 2010s and 37 feet in the 2020s. That suggests deeper measured water levels in newer records, but only 36 wells report static levels. Different wells and uses can affect the comparison, so obtain a current measurement for the property rather than treating the series as conclusive.

Keep researching

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