Colorado Well Finder › Wells by county › La Plata County
A well budget around Durango, Bayfield or Hesperus should start with nearby completion records, not just a county average. La Plata County's median reported well depth is 150 ft, but the middle half runs from 90-240 ft. That spread matters when a driller prices work by the foot.
Colorado DWR records contain 18,403 permits countywide, with 12,030 recorded as constructed. Depth, yield and water-level figures come from different subsets of those records. They are useful planning evidence, not a guarantee of what a particular lot will produce.
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.
| Depth statistic | Feet |
|---|---|
| 25th percentile | 90 |
| Median | 150 |
| 75th percentile | 240 |
| 90th percentile | 362 |
| Deepest on record | 3,698 |
| Aquifer named on permits | Wells |
|---|---|
| unnamed / fractured-bedrock aquifer | 17,821 |
| Fruitland-Pictured Cliffs | 177 |
| Dakota | 49 |
| Yield statistic | gpm |
|---|---|
| 25th percentile | 5.0 |
| Median | 10.0 |
| 75th percentile | 15.0 |
| Median depth to water | 56 ft |
| Median water level by decade | Depth to water |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 49 ft |
| 1990s | 40 ft |
| 2000s | 59 ft |
| 2010s | 60 ft |
| 2020s | 60 ft |
Among 11,052 wells reporting depth, the median is 150 ft. The middle half falls between 90-240 ft, while the 90th-percentile depth is 362 ft. A bid based only on the median leaves a buyer exposed if the usable water-bearing zone is deeper.
The cost model describes mixed sedimentary and alluvial ground. Permit aquifer labels are less specific: 17,821 wells fall in the unnamed / fractured-bedrock category, compared with 177 labeled Fruitland-Pictured Cliffs and 49 labeled Dakota. Those labels do not establish the geology beneath your building site. Around Ignacio, Marvel or Hesperus, compare nearby logs for formation changes and completed depths before setting a drilling allowance.
The 2,639 wells with reported pump yields have a 10.0 gpm median, with the middle half at 5.0-15.0 gpm. That is encouraging for household planning, but a reported drilling or pump-test yield is not a promise of sustained delivery under every condition.
Low production still deserves attention: 2% report under 1 gpm, and 15% fall in the 1-5 gpm category. A buyer considering one of those wells should have sustained pumping and recovery evaluated, then discuss storage and household demand with a well professional. Domestic/household use accounts for 72% of permit records, but the actual permit—not the pump's capacity—controls what uses are allowed.
Static water level is the resting depth to water, not the bottom of the well. Among 688 reporting records, the median is 56 ft below ground, and the middle half spans 30-100 ft. That helps explain why a 150-ft well does not necessarily require lifting water from its full drilled depth.
Decade medians are 49 ft in the 1970s, 40 ft in the 1990s, 59 ft in the 2000s, and 60 ft in both the 2010s and 2020s. This is not a steady downward trend. These are grouped measurements from potentially different wells, not a repeated survey of the same wells. For a purchase, prioritize the property's recent water-level and pumping information.
La Plata County's largest listed decade for permit issuance was the 1990s, with 4,277 permits. The 2000s added 3,338, followed by 3,539 in the 2010s. The records list 841 for the 2020s, with the newest permit dated 2025; that partial decade should not be compared as a complete period.
The most active drillers in the records are Beeman Bros Drilling Inc (Beeman, J. L.), with 1,919 entries; Mortimer Water Well Drilling (Mortimer, Harry), with 1,597; and Dak Drilling Llc (Rathjen, Doug), with 1,576. These are historical record counts, not confirmation of current availability. Permit issuance also should not be read as a count of successfully completed wells.
The local drilling model uses $50-$75 per foot for mixed sedimentary and alluvial ground. At the 150-ft median depth, the drilled hole is estimated at $7,500-$11,200. A finished well with pump, tank, trenching and electrical is estimated at $13,500-$23,200.
Use that as a planning range, not a parcel-specific quote. The 90-240 ft middle depth range means neighboring jobs can carry meaningfully different drilling bills. Ask bidders to spell out casing, grout, testing, pump equipment and site-access assumptions. On a lot outside Bayfield or Durango, the route from the well to the house and electrical supply also needs to be settled before comparing finished-system bids.
The supplied mapping identifies 201 PFAS sampling/contamination sites, 42 historic mine features and 14 EPA Superfund/cleanup sites within about 10 miles. A mapped sampling location is not proof of contamination, and proximity alone does not establish that a property's well is affected.
Before buying, obtain laboratory water testing appropriate to the well and nearby land uses. Review casing, grout and the wellhead for possible surface-water entry. For a proposed well, discuss the possibility of inadequate production or an unsuccessful hole and how the drilling contract handles it. Place the well, septic system, building footprint and access together on the site plan so sanitary setbacks and equipment access are addressed before excavation.
Start with the permit and completion report for the property, then compare neighboring wells around Southern Ute, Ignacio or whichever part of the county you are considering. Match terrain and reported formations where possible. A countywide median can hide differences between nearby sites, and records from Archuleta County or Montezuma County are not substitutes for closer evidence.
Confirm permitted uses with Colorado DWR, especially if the plan includes livestock or irrigation rather than household use alone. Exempt household-use permits can be restrictive, and other uses may require additional water-rights arrangements. For an existing home, review current pumping performance and water quality. For vacant land, resolve access, septic feasibility and the drilling budget before committing to a house location.
| Decade permitted | Wells |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 91 |
| 1960s | 30 |
| 1970s | 1,497 |
| 1980s | 2,289 |
| 1990s | 4,277 |
| 2000s | 3,338 |
| 2010s | 3,539 |
| 2020s | 841 |
| Most active drillers on record | Wells |
|---|---|
| Beeman Bros Drilling Inc (Beeman, J. L.) | 1,919 |
| Mortimer Water Well Drilling (Mortimer, Harry) | 1,597 |
| Dak Drilling Llc (Rathjen, Doug) | 1,576 |
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 (240 ft) would run roughly $18,000–$30,000. See the full Colorado well cost guide.
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.
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 La Plata CountyFor a La Plata County lot around Durango, Bayfield or Hesperus, Tri-Lakes Contracting is a licensed Colorado contractor for access driveways, site development, new-build septic systems and custom homes. Coordinate that work with the well location so access, utilities and the building layout fit together.
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A listing photo can't tell you whether a lot is a dream or a money pit. Two parcels near La Plata 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.
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.
Driveway, site work, septic or a build near La Plata County. Licensed GC, excavator and septic installer.
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The median reported depth is 150 ft, based on 11,052 wells with depth records. The middle half runs from 90-240 ft, and the 90th-percentile depth is 362 ft. Use those figures for an initial budget, then check nearby completion logs. Formation changes and the location of usable groundwater can make your lot different from the county median.
The local model estimates drilling at $50-$75 per foot. At the 150-ft median depth, the hole alone is about $7,500-$11,200. A finished well with pump, tank, trenching and electrical is about $13,500-$23,200. Ask for a site-specific bid that explains casing, grout, testing, access and what happens if drilling must continue deeper.
Reported pump yields have a median of 10.0 gpm, with the middle half at 5.0-15.0 gpm. Those figures come from 2,639 records, not every permitted well. Under 1 gpm accounts for 2% of reported yields. Before buying, have sustained pumping and recovery evaluated rather than assuming an old reported yield represents dependable current supply.
The permit statistics cannot establish drinking-water safety. The supplied mapping lists 201 PFAS sampling/contamination sites, 42 historic mine features and 14 EPA Superfund/cleanup sites within about 10 miles, but proximity does not prove a well is contaminated. Obtain laboratory testing suited to the property's surroundings and inspect the wellhead, casing and sanitary protection.
The available decade medians do not show a steady drop: resting water depths were 49 ft in the 1970s, 40 ft in the 1990s, 59 ft in the 2000s and 60 ft in both the 2010s and 2020s. These groups may contain different wells, so they cannot establish a trend for your property. Review that well's own measurements.
Driveway, septic, site development, feasibility or a custom build near La Plata County.
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