Well permits in Montezuma County

2,111 well permits — 0.4% of Colorado’s register. The median well here is 90 feet deep, against 148 feet statewide.

2,111Permits

90 ftMedian depth

454Expired

0Denver Basin aquifer

How deep people drill in Montezuma 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.

Medians, on the permits where the Division was told — never a mean, which a few industrial wells would carry away
Measurement	Median	90th percentile	Colorado median
Depth	90 ft	350 ft	148 ft — shallower here (1,301 permits, 62 %)
Yield	10 gpm	15 gpm	10 gpm — the same here (225 permits, 11 %)
Static water level	34 ft	150 ft	58 ft — lower here (921 permits, 44 %)

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	1,031	48.8%
Monitoring/sampling	357	16.9%
Household Use Only	329	15.6%
Other	181	8.6%
Commercial	64	3.0%
Stock	46	2.2%
Not stated	44	2.1%
Irrigation	23	1.1%
Industrial	14	0.7%
Municipal	13	0.6%
Geothermal	4	0.2%
Fishery	2	0.1%

What happened to these permits

1,163 of the 2,111 permits in Montezuma County ended with a well the Division was told about — 55.1%. And 454 expired without one: 21.5%.

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	1,163	55.1%
Permit Expired	454	21.5%
Application Denied	149	7.1%
Well Abandoned	106	5.0%
Application Information Requested	64	3.0%
Permit Canceled	52	2.5%
Well Replaced - Abandonment Required	47	2.2%
Permit Issued	35	1.7%
Application Received	15	0.7%
NA	5	0.2%

Which aquifers

Aquifer	Permits	Share
All Unnamed Aquifers	1,930	91.4%
Not stated	72	3.4%
Dakota	43	2.0%
Alluvial	30	1.4%
Mancos	13	0.6%
Mesa Verde	7	0.3%
Morrison	6	0.3%
Dakota Sandstone	5	0.2%
Quaternary Alluvium	2	0.1%
Entrada	2	0.1%

When the permits were issued

Issued in	Permits	Share
2020s	198	9.4%
2010s	263	12.5%
2000s	308	14.6%
1990s	364	17.2%
1980s	293	13.9%
1970s	130	6.2%
1960s	9	0.4%
1950s	3	0.1%

Buying land in Montezuma County, or need a well drilled?

2,111 well permits are on the Division’s register in Montezuma County, 454 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 Montezuma County

Well permits, Montezuma County — 110 of the 110 shown carry the subdivision or plat name the applicant gave; a 0 means the Division was never told, not a measurement of zero
Subdivision, or the permit number	Status	Decreed use	Depth (ft)	Yield (gpm)	Year
Van Horn permit 90889-F	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	212	0	1985
Elk Springs Ranch permit 216228--A	Well Constructed	Domestic	78	2	2025
Roelfs Ranches permit 341471-	Well Constructed	Domestic	304	0	2025
Aspen Glen permit 335356-	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	259	5	2024
Wildcat Land & Timber permit 86536-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	40	15	2021
Heritage Estates permit 325887-	Well Constructed	Domestic	45	10	2023
Aspen Glen permit 326103-	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	204	5	2024
Spring Creek permit 326147-	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	200	5	2022
Spring Creek permit 326213-	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	400	0	2022
Stoner permit 328801-	Well Constructed	Domestic	0	0	2022
Butler permit 172671--A	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	160	0	2022
Wildcat Land & Timber permit 84835-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	300	10	2021
Grove of Aspens permit 312904-	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	160	0	2022
Spring Creek permit 126674--A	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	200	0	2019
Elk Springs Ranch permit 206146--A	Well Constructed	Domestic	40	0	2020
Stapleton permit 57548--A	Well Constructed	Domestic	380	0	2020
Aspen Glen permit 121843--A	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	200	0	2019
May Canyon Tracts permit 81553-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	1135	5	2018
Butler permit 76122--A	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	73	0	2017
Merritt permit 80031-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	159	0	2006
Silence permit 79919-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	120	0	2016
Green Gate Tracts permit 265451--A	Well Constructed	Domestic	1117	0	2016
Elk Stream Ranch (filing: 2) permit 198435--A	Well Constructed	Domestic	260	5	2022
Elk Stream Ranch (filing: 3) permit 297420-	Well Constructed	Domestic	200	0	2015
Four Corners Encampment permit 141743--A	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	40	0	2015
Aspen Glen permit 294434-	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	115	0	2015
Bear Ridge permit 295564-	Well Constructed	Domestic	1168	5	2016
Elk Stream Ranch (filing: 1) permit 196943--A	Well Constructed	Domestic	200	6	2015
Four Corners Encampment permit 193576--A	Well Constructed	Domestic	59	0	2015
Forks permit 77513-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	35	15	2013
Res #p-14-91 permit 293069-	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	322	15	2014
Van Horn permit 75885-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	84	5	1987
Van Horn permit 75911-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	106	2	1982
Tenderfoot Ranch Llc permit 285797-	Well Constructed	Domestic	38	0	2012
Tenderfoot Ranch Llc permit 285795-	Well Constructed	Domestic	27	0	2012
Tenderfoot Ranch Llc permit 285796-	Well Constructed	Domestic	32	0	2012
Green Gate Tracts permit 285802-	Well Constructed	Domestic	178	6	2011
Decker permit 280665-	Well Constructed	Domestic	14	7	2010
May Canyon permit 167448--A	Well Constructed	Domestic	1162	10	2009
John Meadows permit 281878-	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	202	12	2010
Elk Stream Ranch permit 204031--A	Well Constructed	Domestic	100	0	2009
Sunny Side Acres permit 67255-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	370	15	1995
Stapleton permit 277498-	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	99	0	2008
Valente 35 Acre Tracts permit 273192-	Well Constructed	Domestic	282	0	2007
Stapleton permit 273466-	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	52	12	2007
Elk Springs Ranch permit 273835-	Well Constructed	Domestic	302	0	2007
Elk Springs Ranch permit 274063-	Well Constructed	Domestic	52	0	2008
Gentry Tracts permit 274065-	Well Constructed	Domestic	1113	0	2007
Bear Ridge permit 66009-F	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	188	0	2007
Application Parcel Name Missing permit 66146-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	842	10	2007
Elk Springs Ranch permit 275398-	Well Constructed	Domestic	128	0	2007
Wilkerson permit 64108-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	67	0	2006
Elk Stream Ranch (filing: 3) permit 196347--A	Well Constructed	Domestic	141	0	2006
Four Corners Encampment permit 269786-	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	38	0	2006
Goodwin permit 265067-	Well Constructed	Domestic	50	0	2005
Stagecoach Acres permit 261173-	Well Constructed	Domestic	85	2.5	2005
Spring Creek permit 263223-	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	240	0	2005
Spring Creek permit 263592-	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	240	0	2005
West Fork Ranch permit 62943-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	95	0	2005
Old Burton Place permit 264722-	Well Constructed	Domestic	82	0	2005
Western Life permit 267012-	Well Constructed	Domestic	1260	0	2005
Stagecoach Acres permit 256395-	Well Constructed	Domestic	50	0	2004
Gentry Tracts permit 258439-	Well Constructed	Domestic	661	0	2004
Granath Mesa Meadows permit 259623-	Well Constructed	Domestic	346	0	2004
Forks permit 260736-	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	35	15	2004
Stagecoach Acres permit 261058-	Well Constructed	Domestic	85	0	2005
Spring Creek permit 248519-	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	200	9.5	2005
Forks permit 57860-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	25	0	1978
Teds Minor permit 57866-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	197	0	2003
Cordy Wallace permit 57868-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	39	15	2003
Decker permit 252640-	Well Constructed	Domestic	75	15	2004
River Acres permit 57874-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	68	15	2003
Forks permit 57878-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	40	14	2003
Elk Springs Ranch permit 237581-	Well Constructed	Domestic	141	0	2001
River Rim Ranch permit 240057-	Well Constructed	Domestic	243	0	2002
Elk Stream Ranch (filing: 3) permit 240056-	Well Constructed	Domestic	100	0	2002
Bear Ridge permit 56308-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	183	0	2002
Dlc Minor Subdivision (amended) permit 55484-F	Well Constructed	Commercial	240	15	1996
Elk Stream Ranch (filing: 3) permit 56287-F	Well Constructed	Commercial	0	0	2002
Elk Springs Ranch permit 56288-F	Well Constructed	Commercial	150	0	1994
Elk Springs permit 237086-	Well Constructed	Domestic	151	0	2003
Forks permit 52673-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	38	0	2001
River Acres permit 52678-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	35	6	2001
Aspen Meadows permit 52681-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	53	0	2001
Roelfs permit 141301--A	Well Constructed	Domestic	360	0.25	2001
Elk Stream Ranch (filing: 3) permit 233426-	Well Constructed	Domestic	76	0	2001
Elk Stream (filing: 3) permit 233441-	Well Constructed	Domestic	160	0	2001
Butler Resub permit 234493-	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	40	0	2001
Resolution P49-79 permit 236065-	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	287	0	2002
Elk Stream Ranch (filing: 3) permit 225056-	Well Constructed	Domestic	120	0	2000
Elk Stream Ranch (filing: 3) permit 225057-	Well Constructed	Domestic	56	0	2000
Butler permit 52892-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	187	3.5	2001
Elk Springs Ranch permit 226198-	Well Constructed	Domestic	100	6	2000
Bear Creek permit 53926-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	60	15	2000
Resolution P-3-98e permit 53942-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	41	5	2002
Butler permit 227226--A	Well Constructed	Domestic	110	0	2000
Big Pine Lake permit 228131-	Well Constructed	Household Use Only	171	0	2002
West Fork Ranch permit 51492-F-R	Well Constructed	Domestic	81	15	2000
Elk Springs Ranch permit 229017-	Well Constructed	Domestic	140	0	1993
Spring Canyon permit 216234-	Well Constructed	Domestic	341	6	1999
Elk Stream Ranch (filing: 2) permit 217761-	Well Constructed	Domestic	120	5	1999
Granath Mesa permit 218358-	Well Constructed	Domestic	266	0	1999
Elk Stream Ranch (filing: 1) permit 219061-	Well Constructed	Domestic	53	0	2000
West Fork Ranch permit 52861-F	Well Constructed	Other	0	0	1999
Echo Basin Ranch permit 220156-	Well Constructed	Domestic	170	0	2001
Stagecoach Acres permit 220154-	Well Constructed	Domestic	125	0	1999
Stagecoach Acres permit 220155-	Well Constructed	Domestic	140	0	1999
Butler permit 76635--A	Well Constructed	Domestic	130	10	2000
Elk Springs Ranch permit 207334-	Well Constructed	Domestic	78	0	1998
Forks permit 49892-F	Well Constructed	Domestic	60	12	1994

By decreed use in Montezuma County

Domestic in Montezuma County — 1,031

Counties with a comparable register

San Miguel 3,416
Otero 3,393
Phillips 2,865
Lake 2,756
Bent 2,362
Sedgwick 2,293
Cheyenne 2,133
Jackson 1,625
Mineral 1,539
Kiowa 1,434
Hinsdale 1,273
Ouray 1,242
Broomfield 1,127

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.