How Well Do You Know Your Well?

Kareen Kinzli Larsen
Kinzli Team at RE/MAX Alliance

So you have a well on your property.  Are you allowed to water those horses?  Are you supposed to have an irrigation system for your exterior landscaping?

The vast majority of rural properties in Northern Larimer and Weld County are serviced with a water well.  If you own a property with a well or are looking to purchase a property in the future, it is critical to know the differences in residential wells.

In general, in this area, if you have 35 acres, you most likely have a Domestic Well, which allows for 1-3 residences, lawn and garden watering for up to 1 acre, and livestock watering.  There are exceptions to every rule, but generally, properties with less than 35 acres have a Household Use Only Well.  This type of well only allows for water use inside your home and specifically excludes livestock or lawn and garden watering.  Household Use Only wells are commonly found in mountain areas with smaller lots such as Glacier View and on smaller parcels in Weld County.

How do you know?  The specific type of well and its allowable uses are listed on your well permit.  You can easily obtain a copy of your well permit from the Colorado Division of Water Resources website http://www.water.state.co.us.  You can also obtain copies of the Well Construction and Test Report and Pump Installation Report showing the depth of your well and the original pumping rates.  Typically we see wells as shallow as 50 feet or as deep as 800 feet. Pumping rates also vary greatly, from a few gallons per hour to 40 gallons per minute. Keep in mind, any residential pump is limited to 15 gallons per minute.  

Colorado has a very complex system, and wells are dependent upon the water basin and many other factors.  For detailed information, call the Colorado Division of Water Resources at 303-866-3581.