Well permits in Hinsdale County
1,273 well permits — 0.2% of Colorado’s register. The median well here is 85 feet deep, against 148 feet statewide.
1,273Permits
85 ftMedian depth
232Expired
0Denver Basin aquifer
How deep people drill in Hinsdale 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 | 85 ft | 385 ft | 148 ft — shallower here (826 permits, 65 %) |
| Yield | 15 gpm | 15 gpm | 10 gpm — higher here (304 permits, 24 %) |
| Static water level | 30 ft | 120 ft | 58 ft — lower here (726 permits, 57 %) |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Household Use Only | 532 | 41.8% |
| Domestic | 451 | 35.4% |
| Commercial | 126 | 9.9% |
| Monitoring/sampling | 101 | 7.9% |
| Other | 35 | 2.7% |
| Municipal | 9 | 0.7% |
| Industrial | 5 | 0.4% |
| Irrigation | 4 | 0.3% |
| Stock | 3 | 0.2% |
| Not stated | 2 | 0.2% |
| Geothermal | 2 | 0.2% |
| Fishery | 1 | 0.1% |
What happened to these permits
780 of the 1,273 permits in Hinsdale County ended with a well the Division was told about — 61.3%. And 232 expired without one: 18.2%.
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 | 780 | 61.3% |
| Permit Expired | 232 | 18.2% |
| Permit Issued | 77 | 6.0% |
| Permit Canceled | 48 | 3.8% |
| Well Replaced - Abandonment Required | 44 | 3.5% |
| Well Abandoned | 21 | 1.6% |
| Application Information Requested | 21 | 1.6% |
| Application Received | 17 | 1.3% |
| Application Denied | 16 | 1.3% |
| Application Withdrawn | 4 | 0.3% |
Which aquifers
| Aquifer | Permits | Share |
|---|---|---|
| All Unnamed Aquifers | 1,210 | 95.1% |
| Unconfined San Luis Vall | 34 | 2.7% |
| Alluvial | 14 | 1.1% |
| Not stated | 7 | 0.5% |
| Mancos | 4 | 0.3% |
| Unconfined San Luis Valley Aquifer | 1 | 0.1% |
| Arapahoe | 1 | 0.1% |
| Confined San Luis Valley | 1 | 0.1% |
| Quaternary Alluvium | 1 | 0.1% |
When the permits were issued
| Issued in | Permits | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 73 | 5.7% |
| 2010s | 111 | 8.7% |
| 2000s | 194 | 15.2% |
| 1990s | 256 | 20.1% |
| 1980s | 230 | 18.1% |
| 1970s | 138 | 10.8% |
| 1960s | 15 | 1.2% |
| 1950s | 8 | 0.6% |
Buying land in Hinsdale County, or need a well drilled?
1,273 well permits are on the Division’s register in Hinsdale County, 232 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 Hinsdale County
| Subdivision, or the permit number | Status | Decreed use | Depth (ft) | Yield (gpm) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vickers Enterprises Ranch Est permit 215839--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 300 | 0 | 2025 |
| Vickers Enterprises Ranch Estates permit 73687--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 540 | 0 | 2025 |
| San Juan Hills permit 90218-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 240 | 0 | 2025 |
| Milski Hall Property Boundary Adjustment permit 341340- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 260 | 0 | 2026 |
| Vickers Enterprises Ranch Estates permit 334570- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 580 | 2 | 2024 |
| Ptarmigan Meadows permit 334661- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 425 | 15 | 2024 |
| Ptarmigan Meadows permit 335238- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 165 | 0 | 2024 |
| Milski Hall Property Boundary Adjustment permit 89535-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 480 | 0 | 2025 |
| Alpine Vista permit 87910-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 290 | 15 | 2004 |
| Capitol City permit 325310- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 93 | 0 | 2023 |
| Pearl Lakes Trout Club permit 327240- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 80 | 0 | 2022 |
| Rio Grande Pasture Cabins Subdivision permit 87311-F | Well Constructed | Commercial | 505 | 3 | 2024 |
| Capitol City permit 328770- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 65 | 0 | 2023 |
| Hermit Lakes Trout Club permit 321252- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 80 | 0 | 2021 |
| Capitol City permit 321963- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 160 | 0 | 2023 |
| Crooked Creek permit 85885-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 400 | 15 | 2022 |
| Crooked Creek permit 85940-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 300 | 15 | 2022 |
| Crooked Creek permit 86223-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 600 | 15 | 2022 |
| Pearl Lakes Trout Club Inc permit 317389- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 405 | 30 | 2020 |
| Lake City Heights permit 84456-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 300 | 2.7 | 2020 |
| Ptarmigan Meadows permit 318115- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 300 | 10 | 2021 |
| Park Creek West permit 175050--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 600 | 0 | 2021 |
| Vickers Enterprises Ranch Estates permit 76899--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 340 | 12 | 2021 |
| Wades Addition permit 75069--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 15 | 2024 |
| Hermit Lakes Recreation Club permit 309365- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 120 | 6 | 2020 |
| Ptarmigan Meadows permit 68656--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 365 | 7 | 2018 |
| Velvin Small permit 81021-F | Well Constructed | Commercial | 78 | 15 | 2017 |
| Hall - Hall Property Boundary Adj permit 304215- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 406 | 0 | 2017 |
| Capitol City permit 306273- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 140 | 4 | 2017 |
| Pearl Lakes permit 300601- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 80 | 15 | 2017 |
| Hermit Lakes Trout Club permit 302002- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 0 | 2016 |
| S Lazy U Trout Club permit 79424-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 305 | 10 | 2015 |
| Park Creek permit 79119-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 119 | 10 | 2015 |
| S Lazy U Trout Club permit 79168-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 300 | 10 | 2015 |
| Ptarmigan Meadows permit 298549- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 420 | 0 | 2015 |
| Hermit Lakes Trout Club permit 298851- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 40 | 0 | 2015 |
| San Juan Hills (filing: 41) permit 296828- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 220 | 0 | 2015 |
| S Lazy U Trout Club permit 78351-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 260 | 10 | 2015 |
| Ptarmigan Meadows permit 296013- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 500 | 1 | 2014 |
| Shermans permit 77205-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 39 | 0 | 2013 |
| San Juan Hills (filing: 41) permit 77440-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 200 | 15 | 2013 |
| Lake City Heights permit 77611-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 650 | 15 | 2014 |
| Capitol City permit 135608--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 38 | 0 | 2014 |
| Rio Grande Canyon Site permit 152278--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 153 | 10 | 2012 |
| Alpine Vista permit 68184-F-R | Well Constructed | Domestic | 520 | 0 | 2012 |
| Park Creek West permit 76032-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 0 | 0 | 2009 |
| Wades Addition permit 289335- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 0 | 0 | 2012 |
| Ludwig Ranch permit 289516- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 133 | 2.5 | 2012 |
| Vickers Enterprises Ranch Estates permit 285423- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 340 | 3.5 | 2011 |
| Ptarmigan Meadows permit 286527- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 225 | 0 | 2012 |
| S Lazy U Trout Club permit 75622-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 304 | 7 | 2008 |
| Vickers Ranch permit 49162-MH | Well Constructed | Monitoring/sampling | 11 | 0 | 2010 |
| Redcloud permit 68912-F | Well Constructed | Commercial | 28 | 15 | 1995 |
| Lake City Heights permit 68223-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 400 | 1 | 2009 |
| Park Creek West permit 68619-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 650 | 0 | 2006 |
| Crooked Creek permit 68169-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 205 | 0 | 2009 |
| Berry Lands permit 151729--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 69 | 15 | 2011 |
| Burro Cabin & Castle Lodes Ms 13103a permit 281011- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 115 | 0 | 2009 |
| Burro Cabin Millsite Usms No. 13103b permit 281014- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 0 | 2009 |
| Park Creek permit 282159- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 250 | 0 | 2009 |
| Lakeshore Estates permit 66847-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 100 | 15 | 2009 |
| Lakeshore Estates permit 66848-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 80 | 15 | 2009 |
| Ptarmigan Meadows permit 276568- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 160 | 10 | 2008 |
| Merritt Island Estates permit 67297-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 28 | 15 | 1962 |
| Village At Ski Hi permit 66814-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 60 | 0 | 2008 |
| Getz Tracts permit 277380- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 345 | 0 | 2010 |
| Park Creek permit 277538- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 200 | 15 | 2008 |
| Dock Ash Lode Ms #12547 permit 278459- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 360 | 0 | 2008 |
| Mountain Meadows permit 65392-F | Well Constructed | Irrigation | 0 | 0 | 2004 |
| Lake City Heights permit 66427-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 185 | 15 | 1990 |
| S Lazy U Trout Club permit 65548-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 0 | 2007 |
| Ptarmigan Meadows permit 25557--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 200 | 10 | 2007 |
| Pelican permit 64144-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 40 | 15 | 2000 |
| San Juan Hills (filing: 41) permit 64627-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 200 | 0 | 1984 |
| S Lazy U Trout Club permit 64368-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 125 | 10 | 2007 |
| Pearl Lakes Trout Club permit 271448- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 283 | 7 | 2007 |
| San Juan Hills (filing: 41) permit 271422- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 220 | 15 | 2007 |
| Park Creek West permit 62433-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 12 | 15 | 2005 |
| Park Creek permit 62419-F | Well Constructed | Commercial | 0 | 0 | 1968 |
| Park Creek permit 62420-F | Well Constructed | Commercial | 180 | 0 | 1970 |
| Lake City Heights permit 62438-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 402 | 12 | 2005 |
| Vickers Enterprises Ranch Est permit 33571--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 500 | 5 | 2005 |
| Hemsley's Haven permit 263357- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 60 | 15 | 2005 |
| Park Creek permit 265891- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 300 | 0 | 2006 |
| Alpine Vista permit 63678-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 400 | 0 | 2006 |
| Alpine Vista permit 63679-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 240 | 0 | 2006 |
| Park Creek permit 261103- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 213 | 15 | 2005 |
| Lake City Heights permit 62408-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 902 | 1.3 | 2005 |
| Mountain Meadows permit 263039- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 57 | 15 | 2005 |
| Alpine Vista permit 63605-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 300 | 15 | 2004 |
| Hermit Lakes permit 257866- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 60 | 0 | 2005 |
| Ptarmigan Meadows permit 257656--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 380 | 5 | 2004 |
| Pearl Lakes Trout Club permit 259333- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 80 | 0 | 2004 |
| Alpine Vista permit 255908- | Well Constructed | Monitoring/sampling | 140 | 0 | 2004 |
| Hemsley's Haven permit 256916- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 120 | 15 | 2004 |
| Lake City permit 258241- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 0 | 0 | 2004 |
| Monahan Land permit 259798- | Well Constructed | Commercial | 119 | 0 | 1999 |
| Alpine Vista (filing: 5) permit 248022- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 350 | 15 | 2003 |
| Hermit Lakes Recreation Inc permit 250940- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 60 | 10 | 2004 |
| Hermit Lakes Recreation Inc permit 250939- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 60 | 0 | 2003 |
| Hermit Lakes Fishing Club permit 251229--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 60 | 0 | 2003 |
| Ptarmigan Meadows permit 251801- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 200 | 0 | 2004 |
| Pearl Lakes Trout Club permit 61627--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 80 | 0 | 2004 |
| Mountain Meadows permit 241189- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 92 | 15 | 2004 |
| Lake City permit 40631-MH | Well Constructed | Monitoring/sampling | 21 | 0 | 2002 |
| Little Squaw Resort permit 57599-F | Well Constructed | Commercial | 120 | 15 | 2002 |
| San Juan Meadows permit 58721-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 42 | 60 | 1994 |
| Burro Cabin & Castle Lodes Ms#13103a permit 243317- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 72 | 15 | 2003 |
| Burro Cabin & Castle Lodes Ms#13103a permit 243318- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 15 | 2003 |
| Scenic Mountain Estates permit 156856--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 180 | 0 | 2002 |
Counties with a comparable register
- Phillips 2,865
- Lake 2,756
- Bent 2,362
- Sedgwick 2,293
- Cheyenne 2,133
- Montezuma 2,111
- Jackson 1,625
- Mineral 1,539
- Kiowa 1,434
- Ouray 1,242
- Broomfield 1,127
- Crowley 1,099
- Dolores 604
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.