Well permits in Mineral County
1,539 well permits — 0.3% of Colorado’s register. The median well here is 80 feet deep, against 148 feet statewide.
1,539Permits
80 ftMedian depth
234Expired
0Denver Basin aquifer
How deep people drill in Mineral 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 | 80 ft | 245 ft | 148 ft — shallower here (1,114 permits, 72 %) |
| Yield | 15 gpm | 15 gpm | 10 gpm — higher here (461 permits, 30 %) |
| Static water level | 40 ft | 86 ft | 58 ft — lower here (961 permits, 62 %) |
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 | 739 | 48.0% |
| Domestic | 466 | 30.3% |
| Monitoring/sampling | 130 | 8.4% |
| Commercial | 119 | 7.7% |
| Irrigation | 18 | 1.2% |
| Municipal | 17 | 1.1% |
| Other | 16 | 1.0% |
| Not stated | 12 | 0.8% |
| Stock | 7 | 0.5% |
| Fire | 6 | 0.4% |
| Recreation | 5 | 0.3% |
| Industrial | 2 | 0.1% |
What happened to these permits
969 of the 1,539 permits in Mineral County ended with a well the Division was told about — 63.0%. And 234 expired without one: 15.2%.
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 | 969 | 63.0% |
| Permit Expired | 234 | 15.2% |
| Permit Canceled | 75 | 4.9% |
| Permit Issued | 68 | 4.4% |
| Well Replaced - Abandonment Required | 58 | 3.8% |
| Well Abandoned | 46 | 3.0% |
| Application Information Requested | 27 | 1.8% |
| Application Denied | 26 | 1.7% |
| Application Received | 18 | 1.2% |
| Pump Installed, No Construction Info Received | 5 | 0.3% |
Which aquifers
| Aquifer | Permits | Share |
|---|---|---|
| All Unnamed Aquifers | 1,430 | 92.9% |
| Unconfined San Luis Vall | 80 | 5.2% |
| Alluvial | 12 | 0.8% |
| Unconfined San Luis Valley Aquifer | 6 | 0.4% |
| Not stated | 5 | 0.3% |
| Quaternary Alluvium | 3 | 0.2% |
| Mancos | 2 | 0.1% |
| Confined San Luis Valley | 1 | 0.1% |
When the permits were issued
| Issued in | Permits | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 142 | 9.2% |
| 2010s | 170 | 11.0% |
| 2000s | 303 | 19.7% |
| 1990s | 302 | 19.6% |
| 1980s | 185 | 12.0% |
| 1970s | 215 | 14.0% |
| 1960s | 7 | 0.5% |
| 1950s | 12 | 0.8% |
Buying land in Mineral County, or need a well drilled?
1,539 well permits are on the Division’s register in Mineral County, 234 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 Mineral County
| Subdivision, or the permit number | Status | Decreed use | Depth (ft) | Yield (gpm) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Grande Haciendas permit 90604-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 205 | 0 | 2025 |
| Holiday Acres permit 342300- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 120 | 10 | 2026 |
| Eagle Nest Park No 1 permit 89972-F | Well Constructed | Commercial | 80 | 0 | 2008 |
| Eagle Nest Park No 1 permit 89973-F | Well Constructed | Commercial | 53 | 0 | 1970 |
| Riverside Mesa permit 89977-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 0 | 2025 |
| Bristol Head Acres permit 337468- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 10 | 2025 |
| Moonshine Mesa permit 337687- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 178 | 0 | 2025 |
| Kid Peak Estates permit 90142-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 325 | 10 | 2025 |
| Moonshine Mesa Ranch permit 338926- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 98 | 0 | 2025 |
| Mountain Views At River's Edge Estates permit 90173-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 605 | 10 | 2025 |
| Rio Grande Haciendas permit 340875- | Well Constructed | Monitoring/sampling | 205 | 10 | 2025 |
| Riverside Mesa permit 89210-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 80 | 10 | 2024 |
| Riverside Mesa permit 89212-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 10 | 2024 |
| Monon Heights permit 88811-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 405 | 7 | 2024 |
| Moonshine Mesa permit 333297- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 140 | 0 | 2024 |
| Bristol Head Acres permit 334187- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 159 | 0 | 2024 |
| Riverside Mesa permit 89193-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 80 | 10 | 2024 |
| Holiday Acres permit 335111- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 120 | 0 | 2024 |
| Holiday Acres permit 335565- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 98 | 7 | 2025 |
| Rivercrest Acres permit 88075-F | Well Constructed | Fire | 80 | 0 | 1972 |
| Bristol Head Acres permit 330772- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 160 | 15 | 2023 |
| Spring Creek Ranch permit 88478-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 325 | 10 | 2023 |
| Bristol Head Acres 4 & 6 permit 88476-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 158 | 15 | 2023 |
| Moonshine Mesa permit 332095- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 10 | 2024 |
| Rio Grande Meadows permit 86599-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 112 | 0 | 1993 |
| Spar City permit 291641--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 15 | 2022 |
| Riverside Mesa permit 86827-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 80 | 10 | 2022 |
| Bristol Head Acres permit 327860- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 140 | 0 | 2022 |
| Riverside Mesa permit 87429-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 15 | 2023 |
| Rio Grande Meadows permit 329049- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 60 | 0 | 1940 |
| Bristol Head Acres permit 322187- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 140 | 0 | 2022 |
| Holiday Acres #3 permit 322842- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 120 | 0 | 2022 |
| Kid Peak Estates permit 85839-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 60 | 0 | 2022 |
| Rio Grande Meadows permit 85860-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 109 | 0 | 1998 |
| Rio Grande Meadows permit 86190-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 100 | 0 | 2011 |
| Mountain Views At Rivers Edge Estates permit 86366-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 620 | 15 | 2022 |
| Moonshine Mesa permit 66018--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 114 | 10 | 2024 |
| Maine Patented Claim Sur #20198 permit 317314- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 505 | 0 | 2020 |
| Elk Creek Ranch permit 319164- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 400 | 0 | 2021 |
| Moonshine Mesa permit 313575- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 325 | 0 | 2020 |
| Bristol Head Acres (filing: 3) permit 313899- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 10 | 2019 |
| Bristol Head Acres (filing: 4&6) permit 83487-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 120 | 15 | 2020 |
| Robert Dow Survey permit 315381- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 205 | 0 | 2020 |
| Mountain Views At Rivers Edge Estates permit 79987-F-R | Well Constructed | Domestic | 540 | 14 | 2018 |
| Carnan Ranch Estates permit 81705-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 180 | 8 | 2018 |
| Elk Valley permit 82263-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 245 | 30 | 2018 |
| Bristol Head Acres (filing: 1) permit 310059- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 120 | 15 | 2020 |
| Bristol Head Acres (filing: 2) permit 310270- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 120 | 15 | 2020 |
| Bristol Head Acres (filing: 4&6) permit 82348-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 75 | 0 | 1984 |
| Bristol Head Acres (filing: 5) permit 297723--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 205 | 0 | 2018 |
| Rio Grande Meadows permit 82352-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 103 | 0 | 1984 |
| Rio Grande Canon Summer Home Group permit 309950- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 153 | 15 | 2019 |
| Carnan Ranch Estates permit 82483-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 205 | 0 | 2019 |
| Rio Grande Meadows permit 82739-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 123 | 10 | 1996 |
| Elk Valley permit 82738-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 86 | 15 | 2019 |
| Wildwood permit 309437- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 340 | 0.35 | 2018 |
| Near Riverside Recreation Residence Lot permit 305364- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 325 | 7 | 2017 |
| Bristol Head Acres permit 307853- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 140 | 10 | 2018 |
| Valle Vista Estates permit 116574--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 285 | 5 | 2017 |
| Bristol Head Acres permit 80858-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 120 | 0 | 2017 |
| Bristol Head Acres (filing: 2) permit 144567--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 140 | 15 | 2017 |
| Wagon Wheel Gap Estates permit 81384-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 100 | 10 | 2018 |
| Elk Creek Ranch permit 76836--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 305 | 15 | 2017 |
| Vista Grande permit 81591-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 100 | 0 | 2018 |
| Bristol Head Acres (filing: 4&6) permit 81621-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 120 | 15 | 2018 |
| Bristol View Acres (filing: 1) permit 301533- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 10 | 2016 |
| Holiday Acres permit 301710- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 15 | 2016 |
| Bristol Head (filing: 7) permit 80179-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 10 | 2016 |
| Bristol Head Acres (filing: 4) permit 302364- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 140 | 0 | 2016 |
| Forbes Park permit 80171-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 280 | 10 | 2016 |
| Rio Grande Meadows permit 80257-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 12 | 2016 |
| Elk Valley permit 78875-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 150 | 0 | 2015 |
| Bristol Head Acres permit 79102-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 80 | 10 | 2015 |
| Gustafson permit 293474--A | Well Constructed | Commercial | 80 | 10 | 2014 |
| Bristol Head (filing: 7) permit 78717-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 80 | 15 | 1997 |
| Big River Ranch permit 78271-F | Well Constructed | Commercial | 40 | 15 | 2014 |
| Moonshine Mesa permit 78082-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 105 | 0 | 2014 |
| Moonshine Mesa permit 294275- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 240 | 0 | 2015 |
| Bristol Head Acres permit 76974-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 15 | 2013 |
| Bristol Head Acres permit 290418- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 10 | 2013 |
| Bristol Head Acres (filing: 3) permit 290173- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 0 | 2013 |
| Elk Creek Ranch permit 73526--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 325 | 12 | 2013 |
| Kid Peak Estates Subdivision permit 51048-F-R | Well Constructed | Commercial | 52 | 25 | 2013 |
| Spar City permit 128124--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 60 | 0 | 2014 |
| Big River Ranch permit 77667-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 180 | 12 | 2014 |
| Holiday Acres permit 287365- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 80 | 15 | 2012 |
| Vista Grande permit 76291-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 80 | 0 | 2012 |
| Wolf Creek Ranchettes permit 76317-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 100 | 14 | 2012 |
| Bristol View Acres West permit 289688- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 60 | 0 | 2013 |
| Rio Grande Meadows permit 74964-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 15 | 2011 |
| Spring Creek Ranch permit 75032-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 80 | 12.6 | 2011 |
| Rio Grande Canon Summer Home Group permit 285984--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 44 | 8 | 2012 |
| Rio Grande Meadows permit 75382-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 15 | 2011 |
| Elk Creek Ranch permit 286737- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 330 | 15 | 2011 |
| Bristol Head Acres permit 68870-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 100 | 15 | 1972 |
| Bristol Head Acres permit 68868-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 105 | 0 | 2010 |
| Peck #1 Ms 17310 permit 282799- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 180 | 5 | 2010 |
| Moonshine Mesa (amended) permit 283420- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 160 | 13 | 2010 |
| Wagon Wheel Gap Estates permit 74475-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 300 | 15 | 2009 |
| Wagon Wheel Gap Estates permit 74417-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 285 | 0 | 2010 |
| Bristol Head Acres permit 284120- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 140 | 15 | 2011 |
| Bristol Head Acres (filing: 4&6) permit 74553-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 124 | 15 | 2010 |
| Blue Creek Block of Summer Homesites permit 149425--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 105 | 15 | 2010 |
| Blue Creek Block of Summer Homesites permit 284053- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 165 | 10 | 2010 |
| Wagon Wheel Gap Estates North permit 279844- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 320 | 0 | 2009 |
| Holiday Acres permit 67893-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 59 | 0 | 1984 |
| Bristol Head Acres permit 280227- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 10 | 2009 |
| Valle Vista Estates permit 281149- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 180 | 4.5 | 2018 |
| Bristol Head Acres permit 68138-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 134 | 0 | 1977 |
| Creede Haven (filing: 1) permit 68183-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 0 | 0 | 1975 |
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
- Kiowa 1,434
- Hinsdale 1,273
- 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.