Well permits in Routt County
7,264 well permits — 1.2% of Colorado’s register. The median well here is 160 feet deep, against 148 feet statewide.
7,264Permits
160 ftMedian depth
1,677Expired
0Denver Basin aquifer
How deep people drill in Routt 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 | 160 ft | 500 ft | 148 ft — deeper here (4,418 permits, 61 %) |
| Yield | 8 gpm | 15 gpm | 10 gpm — lower here (1,413 permits, 19 %) |
| Static water level | 44 ft | 200 ft | 58 ft — lower here (3,327 permits, 46 %) |
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 | 4,390 | 60.4% |
| Monitoring/sampling | 1,068 | 14.7% |
| Household Use Only | 707 | 9.7% |
| Other | 261 | 3.6% |
| Commercial | 224 | 3.1% |
| Stock | 143 | 2.0% |
| Irrigation | 142 | 2.0% |
| Municipal | 123 | 1.7% |
| Not stated | 63 | 0.9% |
| Industrial | 52 | 0.7% |
| Fishery | 39 | 0.5% |
| Geothermal | 22 | 0.3% |
What happened to these permits
3,960 of the 7,264 permits in Routt County ended with a well the Division was told about — 54.5%. And 1,677 expired without one: 23.1%.
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 | 3,960 | 54.5% |
| Permit Expired | 1,677 | 23.1% |
| Permit Issued | 401 | 5.5% |
| Well Abandoned | 264 | 3.6% |
| Permit Canceled | 205 | 2.8% |
| Well Replaced - Abandonment Required | 204 | 2.8% |
| Application Information Requested | 203 | 2.8% |
| Application Received | 64 | 0.9% |
| Permit Expired (Pump Installed) | 62 | 0.9% |
| Permit Extended | 58 | 0.8% |
Which aquifers
| Aquifer | Permits | Share |
|---|---|---|
| All Unnamed Aquifers | 6,999 | 96.4% |
| Alluvial | 129 | 1.8% |
| Not stated | 74 | 1.0% |
| Mancos | 13 | 0.2% |
| Iles | 9 | 0.1% |
| Browns Park | 8 | 0.1% |
| Williams Fork | 7 | 0.1% |
| Mesa Verde Group | 7 | 0.1% |
| Dakota | 5 | 0.1% |
| Mesa Verde | 3 | 0.0% |
When the permits were issued
| Issued in | Permits | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 888 | 12.2% |
| 2010s | 776 | 10.7% |
| 2000s | 1,377 | 19.0% |
| 1990s | 1,639 | 22.6% |
| 1980s | 632 | 8.7% |
| 1970s | 781 | 10.8% |
| 1960s | 29 | 0.4% |
| 1950s | 13 | 0.2% |
| 1900s | 1 | 0.0% |
Buying land in Routt County, or need a well drilled?
7,264 well permits are on the Division’s register in Routt County, 1,677 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 Routt County
| Subdivision, or the permit number | Status | Decreed use | Depth (ft) | Yield (gpm) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sidney Peak Ranch (filing: 3) permit 90887-F | Well Constructed | Commercial | 30 | 0 | 2014 |
| Elk River Mountain Ranch permit 342865- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 500 | 0 | 2026 |
| Emerald Meadows West permit 343635- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 480 | 0 | 2024 |
| Moon Hill Meadows permit 89967-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 27 | 0 | 2025 |
| Crawford Ranch permit 338339- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 120 | 0 | 2025 |
| Crawford Ranch permit 338341- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 600 | 0 | 2025 |
| Yampa Elk River Ltd Exemption permit 338635- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 14 | 12 | 2025 |
| Greenridge Ranch permit 338978- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 320 | 0 | 2025 |
| Smith Creek Park permit 339808- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 400 | 4 | 2025 |
| Echo Valley Ranch permit 339753- | Well Constructed | Monitoring/sampling | 800 | 0 | 2021 |
| Duncan Replat permit 339797- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 400 | 0 | 2025 |
| Sunset Ranch permit 340166- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 450 | 0 | 2026 |
| Eagle Mountain permit 340208- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 15 | 0 | 2025 |
| Snow Country permit 340996- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 52 | 0 | 2025 |
| Saddle Mountain Ranchettes permit 341313- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 340 | 7 | 2025 |
| Youngs Peak Preserve permit 89036-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 300 | 8 | 2024 |
| Pavilion Ranch Exemption permit 333793- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 59 | 14 | 2024 |
| Arrowhead South permit 334029- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 680 | 5 | 2024 |
| Youngs Peak Preserve permit 89029-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 480 | 5 | 2024 |
| Smith Creek Park permit 334271- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 343 | 3 | 2025 |
| Youngs Creek Estates permit 89167-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 380 | 0 | 2024 |
| Blacktail Mountain Estates permit 334402- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 295 | 12 | 2025 |
| Milner permit 334365- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 525 | 0 | 2024 |
| Youngs Peak Preserve permit 89219-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 360 | 0 | 2024 |
| Solitude Circle permit 335251- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 240 | 0 | 2024 |
| Application Parcel Name Missing permit 335105- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 275 | 15 | 2024 |
| Whitewood Aspen Highlands permit 89663-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 400 | 0 | 2025 |
| Grouse Creek Park permit 160815--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 125 | 0 | 2024 |
| Mark W Campbell Minor permit 107384--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 340 | 0 | 2024 |
| Country Green permit 336074- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 500 | 0 | 2025 |
| South Shore permit 336251- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 129 | 0 | 2025 |
| Blacktail Mountain Estates permit 336539- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 200 | 0 | 2025 |
| South Shore At Stagecoach permit 336825- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 132 | 0 | 2025 |
| Whitewood permit 336913- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 120 | 0 | 2025 |
| Moon Hill Meadows permit 87938-F | Well Constructed | Irrigation | 5 | 0 | 2000 |
| Mckinnis Meadows permit 329469- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 99 | 13 | 2023 |
| Johnson Ranch permit 88646-F | Well Constructed | Other | 5 | 0 | 2020 |
| Horseback permit 330822- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 220 | 0 | 2024 |
| Big Valley Ranch permit 331032- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 400 | 0 | 2023 |
| Heckbert permit 331335- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 420 | 0 | 2024 |
| Ski View Estates permit 88279-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 420 | 0 | 2024 |
| Crawford Ranch permit 331446- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 720 | 0 | 2024 |
| Overland At Stagecoach permit 331552- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 160 | 0 | 2024 |
| Blackhorse 1 @ Stagecoach permit 331560- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 200 | 0 | 2025 |
| Grouse Creek Park (filing: 1) permit 332351- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 650 | 6 | 2024 |
| Elk River Mountain Ranch permit 332364- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 645 | 10 | 2024 |
| Whitewood Aspen Highlands permit 327391- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 0 | 0 | 1978 |
| Huyser permit 327269- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 450 | 10 | 2022 |
| Youngs Peak Preserve permit 87323-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 300 | 12 | 2023 |
| Parkside At Steamboat Lake permit 86853-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 320 | 6 | 2023 |
| Gypsum Springs permit 325334- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 640 | 7 | 2022 |
| High Cross At Stagecoach permit 326583- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 180 | 0 | 2022 |
| Sky Hitch At Stagecoach permit 325173- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 160 | 0 | 2022 |
| Elk Calving Meadows permit 325232- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 500 | 0 | 2024 |
| Elk Calving Meadows permit 325487- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 120 | 0 | 2024 |
| Gerties Park permit 325567- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 600 | 5 | 2022 |
| Country Green permit 325643- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 580 | 0 | 2024 |
| Crawford Ranch permit 325933- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 340 | 0 | 2023 |
| Smith Creek Park permit 326110- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 19 | 0 | 2015 |
| Grassy Creek @ Mt Harris permit 326471- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 480 | 0 | 2023 |
| Grassy Creek @ Mt Harris permit 326473- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 400 | 0 | 2024 |
| Drea permit 326463- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 525 | 0 | 2024 |
| Blacktail Mountain Estates permit 326791- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 240 | 0 | 2024 |
| Grouse Creek Park permit 148162--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 690 | 6 | 2022 |
| Elk River Mountain Ranch permit 227993--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 330 | 11 | 2022 |
| Daschle permit 327755- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 300 | 15 | 2023 |
| Morningside At Stagecoach permit 327835- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 200 | 0 | 2023 |
| Morningside At Stagecoach permit 327838- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 140 | 0 | 2023 |
| Milner Town of permit 243526--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 66 | 12 | 2022 |
| Morningside permit 327924- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 140 | 0 | 2025 |
| Quaker Mountain Ranch permit 328183- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 120 | 0 | 2025 |
| Morningside At Stagecoach permit 328293- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 160 | 0 | 2023 |
| Doyle Capra Ranch permit 328407- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 27 | 0 | 2025 |
| More Ranch (filing: 3) permit 328495- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 34 | 15 | 2023 |
| Youngs Creek Estates permit 87563-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 500 | 9 | 2023 |
| Red Creek permit 328797- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 15 | 5 | 2022 |
| Country Green permit 87568-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 480 | 2 | 1977 |
| Horseback @ Stagecoach permit 329099- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 240 | 0 | 2023 |
| Country Green permit 329225- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 580 | 8 | 2024 |
| Badger Meadows permit 320286- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 320 | 0 | 2022 |
| River Bank Ranches permit 86007-F | Well Constructed | Other | 10 | 0 | 1989 |
| Eagles View permit 38913--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 460 | 0 | 2021 |
| Hibbert permit 321254- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 200 | 0 | 2022 |
| Mckinnis Meadows permit 85613-F | Well Constructed | Other | 15 | 0 | 2003 |
| Willow Point permit 320780- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 160 | 0 | 2021 |
| Meadows At Stagecoach permit 322540- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 79 | 10 | 2022 |
| Deerwood Ranches permit 85673-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 478 | 98 | 2019 |
| Panorama Hills permit 320966- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 475 | 10 | 2022 |
| Parkside At Steamboat Lake permit 321016- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 240 | 0 | 2021 |
| Blacktail Mountain Estates permit 321018- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 375 | 8 | 2022 |
| Captains Cove permit 321343- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 180 | 11 | 2022 |
| Aspen Heights permit 321206- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 220 | 0 | 2021 |
| Grassy Creek @ Mt Harris permit 320768- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 700 | 0 | 2021 |
| Vista Ridge At Trout Creek permit 263832--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 780 | 0 | 2021 |
| Blacktail Estates permit 85543-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 150 | 6 | 1985 |
| Crawford Ranch permit 321680- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 540 | 0 | 2023 |
| Crawford Ranch permit 321681- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 250 | 15 | 2021 |
| Crawford Ranch permit 321687- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 360 | 0 | 2021 |
| Deer Park Road permit 321755- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 620 | 0 | 2021 |
| Sky Hitch At Stagecoach permit 323257- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 160 | 0 | 2022 |
| Crawford Ranch permit 321959- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 260 | 7 | 2023 |
| Vista Ranch permit 322152- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 100 | 0 | 2024 |
| 480 Ranch permit 322286- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 730 | 7 | 1995 |
| Elk Ridge Homesites permit 322491- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 59 | 0 | 2022 |
| Elkhorn permit 323120- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 360 | 4 | 2022 |
| Southshore @ Stagecoach permit 322612- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 250 | 15 | 2021 |
| Brenner permit 323301- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 300 | 0 | 2021 |
| Elkhorn permit 323164- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 280 | 0 | 2021 |
| Country Green permit 323671- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 500 | 2 | 2021 |
| Red Creek permit 323553- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 112 | 0 | 2023 |
By decreed use in Routt County
- Domestic in Routt County — 4,390
- Monitoring/sampling in Routt County — 1,068
Counties with a comparable register
- Rio Grande 9,833
- Morgan 9,779
- Logan 9,308
- Gunnison 8,894
- Saguache 8,803
- Summit 8,609
- Las Animas 8,050
- Custer 6,916
- Kit Carson 6,777
- Mesa 6,494
- Conejos 5,774
- Washington 5,722
- Clear Creek 5,556
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.