Well permits in Archuleta County
3,805 well permits — 0.6% of Colorado’s register. The median well here is 140 feet deep, against 148 feet statewide.
3,805Permits
140 ftMedian depth
949Expired
0Denver Basin aquifer
How deep people drill in Archuleta County
This is the part a buyer actually wants, and it is not published anywhere else. The figures below are medians over the permits where the Division was told — a mean would be carried away by a handful of industrial wells.
| Measurement | Median | 90th percentile | Colorado median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depth | 140 ft | 440 ft | 148 ft — shallower here (2,422 permits, 64 %) |
| Yield | 10 gpm | 15 gpm | 10 gpm — the same here (912 permits, 24 %) |
| Static water level | 40 ft | 194 ft | 58 ft — lower here (1,970 permits, 52 %) |
What the permits allow
A well permit is not a general right to water: it names what the water may be used for, and the narrowest of them — household use only — means inside the house and nothing else.
| Decreed use | Permits | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic | 2,053 | 54.0% |
| Household Use Only | 776 | 20.4% |
| Commercial | 323 | 8.5% |
| Monitoring/sampling | 226 | 5.9% |
| Industrial | 137 | 3.6% |
| Other | 97 | 2.5% |
| Irrigation | 82 | 2.2% |
| Municipal | 44 | 1.2% |
| Stock | 36 | 0.9% |
| Not stated | 16 | 0.4% |
| Fire | 6 | 0.2% |
| Geothermal | 5 | 0.1% |
What happened to these permits
2,154 of the 3,805 permits in Archuleta County ended with a well the Division was told about — 56.6%. And 949 expired without one: 24.9%.
An expired permit is the trap in a rural sale. A seller can produce a permit that lapsed years ago, and a permit is not a water right — the two are separate, and a purchase turns on both. What an expired permit does and does not mean.
| Status | Permits | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Well Constructed | 2,154 | 56.6% |
| Permit Expired | 949 | 24.9% |
| Well Abandoned | 208 | 5.5% |
| Permit Canceled | 126 | 3.3% |
| Permit Issued | 101 | 2.7% |
| Well Replaced - Abandonment Required | 96 | 2.5% |
| Application Information Requested | 53 | 1.4% |
| Permit Expired (Pump Installed) | 36 | 0.9% |
| Application Denied | 24 | 0.6% |
| Application Received | 22 | 0.6% |
Which aquifers
| Aquifer | Permits | Share |
|---|---|---|
| All Unnamed Aquifers | 3,368 | 88.5% |
| Mancos | 196 | 5.2% |
| Dakota | 78 | 2.0% |
| Not stated | 38 | 1.0% |
| Dakota Sandstone | 37 | 1.0% |
| Fruitland-pictured Cliffs | 35 | 0.9% |
| Alluvial | 28 | 0.7% |
| Mesa Verde Group | 6 | 0.2% |
| Dawson | 3 | 0.1% |
| Unconfined San Luis Vall | 3 | 0.1% |
When the permits were issued
| Issued in | Permits | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 255 | 6.7% |
| 2010s | 493 | 13.0% |
| 2000s | 671 | 17.6% |
| 1990s | 743 | 19.5% |
| 1980s | 469 | 12.3% |
| 1970s | 493 | 13.0% |
| 1960s | 20 | 0.5% |
| 1950s | 4 | 0.1% |
Buying land in Archuleta County, or need a well drilled?
3,805 well permits are on the Division’s register in Archuleta County, 949 of them expired. This site tells you what a permit says; it does not drill, and it is not advice on a water right. Tell us where and we pass the request to drillers and water-rights advisers working in Colorado.
We take no commission and we recommend no driller. We have no arrangement with any firm today — we are collecting these requests in order to go and find them. What we do with this.
Permits on record in Archuleta County
| Subdivision, or the permit number | Status | Decreed use | Depth (ft) | Yield (gpm) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Valley Ranches permit 341875- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 320 | 0 | 2026 |
| Aspen Springs permit 342668- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 66 | 0 | 2026 |
| Four Corners Vacation Properties permit 90031-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 1100 | 0 | 2024 |
| Rio Blanco Valley Repl 1 permit 337502- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 35 | 0 | 2025 |
| Navajo River Ranch permit 67208-F-R | Well Constructed | Commercial | 13 | 20 | 2025 |
| Navajo Peak Ranch permit 303569--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 455 | 5 | 2025 |
| Powderkeg Ranch permit 339630- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 116 | 6 | 2025 |
| Town of Pagosa Springs permit 90345-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 200 | 0 | 2025 |
| Majestic Mountain permit 340838- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 98 | 0 | 2025 |
| Aspen Springs permit 340922- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 195 | 0 | 2025 |
| Oak Hill Ranches permit 218562--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 1300 | 0 | 2026 |
| Wilson Ranch permit 218339--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 78 | 0 | 2025 |
| Wilson Ranch permit 226200--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 78 | 15 | 2025 |
| Rio Blanco Valley permit 333662- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 61 | 0 | 2024 |
| Aspen Springs permit 332967- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 217 | 0 | 2024 |
| Four Corners Vacation Properties permit 333171- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 297 | 0 | 2024 |
| Aspen Springs 3 permit 333629- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 500 | 0 | 2024 |
| Chris Mountain Ranch permit 335426- | Well Constructed | Stock | 282 | 0 | 2024 |
| Rio Blanco Valley permit 329551- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 20 | 10 | 2001 |
| Aspen Springs permit 294080--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 300 | 0 | 2023 |
| Navajo Peak Ranch permit 330271- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 542 | 0 | 2023 |
| Hudson Rio Blanco permit 330396- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 12 | 12 | 1966 |
| Hudson Rio Blanco permit 330397- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 6 | 0 | 1960 |
| Aspen Springs permit 330683- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 240 | 3 | 1992 |
| Wilderness Estates permit 330920- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 340 | 0 | 2024 |
| San Juan River Estates permit 332318- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 80 | 0 | 2024 |
| Aspen Springs permit 325384- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 120 | 0 | 1992 |
| Rio Blanco Valley permit 247885--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 280 | 0 | 2022 |
| Whispering Wood permit 257802--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 820 | 7 | 2022 |
| San Juan River Resort (filing: 2) permit 329367- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 40 | 0 | 2023 |
| Aspen Springs permit 327193- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 320 | 0 | 2022 |
| Rio Blanco Valley permit 147029--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 300 | 7 | 2022 |
| Aspen Springs permit 326291- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 260 | 9.5 | 2022 |
| Cox East Allison permit 147839--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 430 | 9 | 2022 |
| Rio Blanco Valley permit 326576- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 420 | 4 | 2022 |
| Pinon Hills Ranch permit 326947- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 160 | 15 | 2022 |
| Pinon Hills Ranch permit 327214- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 160 | 0 | 2022 |
| San Juan River Estates permit 329282- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 60 | 0 | 2023 |
| Eagle Peak Ranches permit 259095--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 700 | 15 | 2023 |
| Rio Blanco Cabin Site 1 permit 320095- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 118 | 3.5 | 1983 |
| Pagosa Peaks Estates permit 320230- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 720 | 0 | 2022 |
| Piedra Park (filing: 2a) permit 320828- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 193 | 0 | 2021 |
| Aspen Springs permit 320787- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 520 | 10 | 2021 |
| Pagosa Peaks permit 84289--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 600 | 20 | 2021 |
| Aspen Springs 2 permit 321470- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 180 | 6 | 2021 |
| Majestic Mountain Estates permit 321656- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 80 | 0 | 2021 |
| Aspen Springs permit 85587-F | Well Constructed | Irrigation | 10 | 0 | 2021 |
| Aspen Springs permit 322165- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 260 | 13 | 2021 |
| San Juan River Resort permit 86005-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 200 | 11 | 2021 |
| Rio Blanco Cabin Site 1 permit 323192- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 10 | 10 | 2021 |
| Aspen Springs permit 323820- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 0 | 0 | 2021 |
| Kane Tracts A & B permit 324945- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 200 | 0 | 2023 |
| Aspen Springs permit 316805- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 800 | 0 | 2020 |
| Aspen Springs permit 317326- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 580 | 0 | 2020 |
| Pinon Hills Ranch permit 317568- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 420 | 5 | 2020 |
| Alpine Meadows Ranch - Alpine Meadows (filing: 2) permit 84590-F | Well Constructed | Commercial | 328 | 15 | 2020 |
| Piedra Park Subdivision 2a permit 318178- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 202 | 0 | 2021 |
| Aspen Springs permit 318467- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 60 | 0 | 2024 |
| Aspen Springs permit 318707- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 220 | 0 | 2021 |
| Aspen Springs permit 318939- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 180 | 0 | 2021 |
| Teyuakan permit 318992- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 620 | 0 | 2021 |
| Rio Blanco Cabin Sites (filing: 3) permit 319211- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 11 | 13.5 | 2021 |
| Piedra Park (filing: 2a) permit 319212- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 215 | 7 | 2021 |
| Aspen Springs permit 319809- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 370 | 10 | 2021 |
| Alpine Meadows Ranch - Alpine Meadows (filing: 2) permit 83924-F | Well Constructed | Commercial | 341 | 7 | 2020 |
| Rio Blanco Cabin Site 1 permit 316752- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 7 | 0 | 2021 |
| Teyuakan permit 319705- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 520 | 0 | 2021 |
| San Juan River Resort (filing: 2) permit 82942-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 13 | 15 | 2019 |
| Navajo Peak Ranch permit 312662- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 5 | 0 | 2020 |
| Wilderness Estates permit 314921- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 196 | 14 | 2019 |
| Blue Mountain Ranches permit 315114- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 80 | 0 | 2021 |
| Rio Blanco Valley permit 315389- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 15 | 0 | 2019 |
| Aspen Springs permit 315726- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 56 | 0 | 2020 |
| Rio Blanco Cabin Sites (filing: 2) permit 308312- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 10 | 10 | 2018 |
| Aspen Springs permit 144742--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 161 | 0 | 2019 |
| Aspen Springs permit 306732- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 480 | 0 | 2019 |
| San Juan River Resort permit 81477-F | Well Constructed | Fire | 292 | 5 | 2018 |
| Aspen Springs permit 304953- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 240 | 0 | 2017 |
| Carri Blanco Cabin Sites permit 305326- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 8 | 0 | 2017 |
| Pagosa Peaks permit 133486--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 500 | 0 | 2017 |
| Rio Blanco Valley permit 306259- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 14 | 12 | 2017 |
| Whispering Wood permit 306433- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 240 | 0 | 2017 |
| Rio Blanco Cabin Sites permit 306731- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 16 | 10 | 2017 |
| Masterson Minor permit 306729- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 240 | 0 | 2018 |
| Hudson Rio Blanco permit 307024- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 6 | 10 | 2017 |
| Rio Blanco Subdivision A permit 212495--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 10 | 10 | 2017 |
| Pagosa Peaks permit 307531- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 700 | 0 | 2017 |
| Pagosa Peaks Estates permit 300703- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 700 | 0 | 2016 |
| Pagosa Peaks permit 301117- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 540 | 0 | 2016 |
| San Juan River Resort permit 292945--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 40 | 12 | 2017 |
| Cimarron Ranch permit 80373-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 8 | 100 | 2003 |
| San Juan River Estates permit 299877- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 13 | 15 | 2016 |
| Rio Blanco Valley (filing: 4) permit 300704- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 38 | 0 | 2016 |
| Aspen Springs permit 302261- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 15 | 1997 |
| Aspen Springs permit 302988- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 740 | 0 | 2018 |
| Lindsey permit 302987- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 140 | 11 | 2016 |
| Rito Blanco Ranch permit 303425- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 18 | 20 | 2016 |
| Rock Ridge Country Estates permit 53844-MH | Well Constructed | Monitoring/sampling | 320 | 0 | 2015 |
| Pagosa Meadows 4 permit 78892-F | Well Constructed | Irrigation | 340 | 8 | 1973 |
| Pagosa Meadows 4 permit 78951-F | Well Constructed | Irrigation | 357 | 20 | 1973 |
| Aspen Springs permit 158617--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 420 | 7.3 | 2015 |
| Town of Pagosa Springs permit 297749- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 40 | 0 | 2015 |
| Scofield Heights permit 297984- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 200 | 0 | 2015 |
| Aspen Springs permit 298287- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 140 | 0 | 2015 |
| Rio Blanco Valley (filing: A) permit 298722- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 20 | 15 | 1967 |
| Alpine Lakes Ranch permit 77994-F | Well Constructed | Commercial | 340 | 1.75 | 2014 |
| San Juan River Resort permit 78373-F | Well Constructed | Irrigation | 28 | 15 | 2014 |
| San Juan River Resort permit 78374-F | Well Constructed | Irrigation | 40 | 0 | 2016 |
| San Juan River Resort permit 78539-F | Well Constructed | Irrigation | 9 | 20 | 2010 |
| San Juan River Estates permit 295855- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 15 | 15 | 2000 |
By decreed use in Archuleta County
- Domestic in Archuleta County — 2,053
Counties with a comparable register
- Moffat 4,379
- Costilla 4,256
- Huerfano 4,190
- Lincoln 4,107
- Montrose 3,965
- Delta 3,935
- Prowers 3,895
- Rio Blanco 3,486
- San Miguel 3,416
- Otero 3,393
- Phillips 2,865
- Lake 2,756
- Bent 2,362
Neighbours by the size of their register, not a ranking: the list slides with the county you are on, so each of the 63 county pages is reachable from the others. All of them.