Well permits in San Miguel County
3,416 well permits — 0.6% of Colorado’s register. The median well here is 182 feet deep, against 148 feet statewide.
3,416Permits
182 ftMedian depth
835Expired
0Denver Basin aquifer
How deep people drill in San Miguel 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 | 182 ft | 500 ft | 148 ft — deeper here (2,055 permits, 60 %) |
| Yield | 7 gpm | 17 gpm | 10 gpm — lower here (725 permits, 21 %) |
| Static water level | 78 ft | 284 ft | 58 ft — higher here (1,700 permits, 50 %) |
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 | 1,536 | 45.0% |
| Monitoring/sampling | 768 | 22.5% |
| Household Use Only | 602 | 17.6% |
| Commercial | 151 | 4.4% |
| Municipal | 88 | 2.6% |
| Other | 70 | 2.0% |
| Irrigation | 67 | 2.0% |
| Stock | 53 | 1.6% |
| Industrial | 34 | 1.0% |
| Not stated | 23 | 0.7% |
| Geothermal | 14 | 0.4% |
| Dewatering | 6 | 0.2% |
What happened to these permits
1,729 of the 3,416 permits in San Miguel County ended with a well the Division was told about — 50.6%. And 835 expired without one: 24.4%.
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 | 1,729 | 50.6% |
| Permit Expired | 835 | 24.4% |
| Permit Canceled | 174 | 5.1% |
| Application Denied | 136 | 4.0% |
| Permit Issued | 122 | 3.6% |
| Well Abandoned | 118 | 3.5% |
| Well Replaced - Abandonment Required | 97 | 2.8% |
| Application Information Requested | 88 | 2.6% |
| Application Received | 33 | 1.0% |
| Permit Expired (Pump Installed) | 28 | 0.8% |
Which aquifers
| Aquifer | Permits | Share |
|---|---|---|
| All Unnamed Aquifers | 3,171 | 92.8% |
| Dakota | 103 | 3.0% |
| Dakota Sandstone | 36 | 1.1% |
| Mancos | 33 | 1.0% |
| Not stated | 31 | 0.9% |
| Morrison | 12 | 0.4% |
| Alluvial | 7 | 0.2% |
| Dakota-burro Canyon | 4 | 0.1% |
| Laramie-fox Hills | 4 | 0.1% |
| Entrada | 3 | 0.1% |
When the permits were issued
| Issued in | Permits | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 250 | 7.3% |
| 2010s | 308 | 9.0% |
| 2000s | 848 | 24.8% |
| 1990s | 951 | 27.8% |
| 1980s | 374 | 10.9% |
| 1970s | 181 | 5.3% |
| 1960s | 10 | 0.3% |
| 1950s | 3 | 0.1% |
Buying land in San Miguel County, or need a well drilled?
3,416 well permits are on the Division’s register in San Miguel County, 835 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 San Miguel County
| Subdivision, or the permit number | Status | Decreed use | Depth (ft) | Yield (gpm) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Cone Ranch permit 342179- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 103 | 0 | 2026 |
| Peninsula Park permit 159595--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 840 | 0 | 2026 |
| Last Dollar Tracts permit 337610- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 200 | 0 | 2025 |
| Hasting Estates permit 337615- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 300 | 0 | 2025 |
| Sawpit Town of permit 337622- | Well Constructed | Monitoring/sampling | 70 | 0 | 2025 |
| Top of the World permit 339632- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 170 | 0 | 2025 |
| Brown Ranch East permit 254464--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 330 | 0 | 2026 |
| Brown Dog Ranch (filing: 1) permit 341067- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 280 | 0 | 2026 |
| Trout Lake permit 333691- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 300 | 5 | 2024 |
| Trout Lake permit 333673- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 179 | 0 | 2024 |
| Fall Creek Sub permit 217138--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 39 | 0 | 2024 |
| Little Cone Ranch permit 94388--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 300 | 4 | 2024 |
| Little Cone Ranch permit 212736--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 103 | 0 | 2023 |
| Finnegan Ranch permit 330035- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 800 | 0 | 2023 |
| Brown Dog Ranch (filing: 1) permit 330736- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 585 | 0.1 | 2023 |
| Hillside Development (filing: 1,2) permit 330751- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 90 | 0 | 2023 |
| Panorama Acres permit 330749- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 300 | 0 | 2023 |
| Mckenzie Springs Ranch permit 331907- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 400 | 0 | 2025 |
| Cradle Park Ranches permit 332120- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 550 | 8 | 2023 |
| Brown Dog Ranch (filing: 1) permit 332114- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 200 | 0 | 2024 |
| Brown Dog Ranch (filing: 1) permit 332115- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 420 | 0 | 2025 |
| Brown Dog Ranch (filing: 1) permit 332117- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 400 | 0 | 2024 |
| Brown Dog Ranch (filing: 1) permit 332118- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 400 | 0 | 2024 |
| Brown Dog Ranch (filing: 1) permit 332119- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 320 | 0 | 2024 |
| Fall Creek (filing: 3) permit 332139- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 46 | 0 | 2024 |
| Fall Creek Sub (filing: 2) permit 332911--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 39 | 0 | 2024 |
| Brown Ranch West permit 325030- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 450 | 6 | 1995 |
| Top of the World permit 259466--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 240 | 0 | 2022 |
| Little Cone Ranch permit 325712- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 250 | 0 | 2022 |
| Ptarmigan At Illium permit 86872-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 205 | 14 | 1996 |
| Meadows At Lone Cone permit 325946- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 200 | 5 | 2022 |
| Beaver Pines permit 326332- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 250 | 0 | 2022 |
| Alder Canyon Ranches permit 327062- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 200 | 0 | 2022 |
| Hastings Mesa Estates (filing: 1) permit 328376- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 350 | 0 | 2022 |
| Placerville permit 322401--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 58 | 0 | 2023 |
| Meadows At Lone Cone permit 328478- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 110 | 15 | 2023 |
| Mckenzie Springs Ranch permit 328736- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 402 | 0 | 2023 |
| Brown Ranch East permit 328965- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 363 | 7 | 2023 |
| Grey Head At Telluride permit 231716--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 322 | 15 | 2022 |
| Preserve permit 320505- | Well Constructed | Monitoring/sampling | 300 | 0 | 2021 |
| Ptarmagin Ranch permit 321452- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 410 | 6 | 2021 |
| San Juan Vista permit 85619-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 190 | 7 | 2021 |
| Hastings Mesa Estates (filing: 1) permit 322631- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 140 | 0 | 2022 |
| Cradle Park Ranches permit 322626- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 230 | 0 | 2022 |
| Brown Dog Ranch (filing: 1) permit 322679- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 310 | 0 | 2021 |
| Finnegan Ranch permit 322940- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 150 | 0 | 2022 |
| San Juan Vista permit 86035-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 145 | 0 | 1984 |
| San Juan Ranch (filing: 1) permit 199336--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 670 | 7 | 2021 |
| Beaver Pines permit 323610- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 350 | 0 | 2021 |
| Schneider Replat permit 324381- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 80 | 0 | 2022 |
| Schneider Replat permit 324382- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 80 | 0 | 2022 |
| Schneider Replat permit 324383- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 80 | 106 | 2022 |
| Hillside (filing: 1) permit 106307--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 140 | 0 | 2021 |
| Peninsula Park permit 324599- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 860 | 12.89 | 2023 |
| Mckenzie Springs Ranch permit 317735- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 340 | 0 | 2020 |
| San Juan Vista permit 84330-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 0 | 5 | 2019 |
| Lakes At Carsten's Ranch permit 149898--A | Well Constructed | Replacement | 100 | 10 | 2020 |
| Little Cone Ranch permit 318799- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 140 | 0 | 2020 |
| Meadows At Lone Cone permit 318331- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 120 | 0 | 2020 |
| Peninsula Park permit 158753--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 980 | 0 | 2021 |
| Meadows At Lone Cone permit 318930- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 140 | 12 | 2020 |
| Preserve permit 46201-F-R | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 222 | 13.9 | 2020 |
| Brown Dog Ranch (filing: 1) permit 297199--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 100 | 0 | 2020 |
| San Juan Vista permit 84888-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 603 | 0 | 2006 |
| Miramonte Ranch permit 319480- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 300 | 0 | 2020 |
| Brown Ranch Estates permit 319638- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 540 | 0 | 2020 |
| Royer Creek Placer permit 316297- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 623 | 0 | 2024 |
| Hillside Development (filing: 1,2) permit 272160--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 300 | 5 | 2019 |
| Placer Valley Village permit 83616-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 45 | 10 | 1981 |
| Lizard Head Land Company At Trout Lake Exempt permit 314852- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 0 | 0 | 1989 |
| La Mesa Vista permit 313913- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 200 | 0 | 2019 |
| Gurley Lake Ranches permit 314004- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 297 | 0 | 2020 |
| Hillside Development (filing: 1,2) permit 314714- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 110 | 14.9 | 2019 |
| Hillside permit 92415--A | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 420 | 1 | 2018 |
| San Juan Vista permit 82487-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 482 | 0 | 2014 |
| San Juan Vista permit 82488-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 261 | 5 | 2018 |
| Shadohoochi Hill permit 312135- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 0 | 0 | 2018 |
| Trout Lake Land Co permit 308591- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 250 | 0 | 2018 |
| Skalla (filing: 2) permit 308798- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 42 | 0 | 2018 |
| Skalla (filing: 2) permit 308806- | Well Constructed | Commercial | 42 | 0 | 2018 |
| Ptarmagin Ranch permit 304763--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 360 | 4 | 2018 |
| Last Dollar Tracts permit 302983--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 402 | 5 | 2018 |
| Gray Head At Telluride permit 57454-MH | Well Constructed | Monitoring/sampling | 20 | 0 | 2017 |
| Diamond Ranch permit 304229- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 470 | 0 | 2016 |
| Ptarmigan Ranch permit 304764- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 232 | 0 | 1992 |
| Placer Valley Village permit 80913-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 80 | 12 | 2018 |
| San Juan Vista permit 81077-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 402 | 5 | 2017 |
| San Juan Vista permit 81174-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 202 | 3 | 2017 |
| Fall Creek (filing: 2) permit 306712- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 100 | 9.8 | 2019 |
| Placer Valley Village permit 81549-F | Well Constructed | Domestic | 125 | 6 | 1984 |
| Placerville, Town of permit 305901- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 83 | 0 | 2017 |
| Hasting Estates permit 306659- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 380 | 7 | 2017 |
| Bluffs At Carstens Ranch permit 149241--A | Well Constructed | Domestic | 510 | 0 | 2016 |
| San Juan Vista permit 80199-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 60 | 10 | 2016 |
| San Juan Vista permit 80242-F | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 99 | 7 | 2016 |
| Placerville, Town of permit 300424- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 162 | 6 | 2016 |
| San Juan Ranch (filing: 1) permit 302119- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 240 | 5 | 2016 |
| Brown Dog Ranch (filing: 1) permit 302120- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 401 | 0 | 2016 |
| Hastings Mesa Estates (filing: 1) permit 302121- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 401 | 7 | 2016 |
| Diamond Ranch permit 302201- | Well Constructed | Monitoring/sampling | 420 | 0 | 2016 |
| Gracie's Sky Mountain Ranch permit 303148- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 620 | 0 | 2017 |
| Little Lake Ranches permit 303411- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 400 | 0 | 2016 |
| Telluride (filing: 1) permit 53322-MH | Well Constructed | Monitoring/sampling | 46 | 0 | 2015 |
| Town of Telluride permit 53465-MH | Well Constructed | Monitoring/sampling | 35 | 0 | 2015 |
| Telluride Town of permit 54457-MH | Well Constructed | Monitoring/sampling | 32 | 0 | 2015 |
| Trout Lake permit 296781- | Well Constructed | Household Use Only | 123 | 0 | 2015 |
| Brown Dog Ranch (filing: 1) permit 297199- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 534 | 0 | 2015 |
| Brown Dog Ranch (filing: 1) permit 297205- | Well Constructed | Domestic | 400 | 0 | 2015 |
| Diamond Ranch permit 297549- | Well Constructed | Monitoring/sampling | 560 | 0 | 2015 |
| Diamond Ranch permit 297550- | Well Constructed | Monitoring/sampling | 340 | 0 | 2015 |
By decreed use in San Miguel County
- Domestic in San Miguel County — 1,536
Counties with a comparable register
- Huerfano 4,190
- Lincoln 4,107
- Montrose 3,965
- Delta 3,935
- Prowers 3,895
- Archuleta 3,805
- Rio Blanco 3,486
- Otero 3,393
- Phillips 2,865
- Lake 2,756
- Bent 2,362
- Sedgwick 2,293
- Cheyenne 2,133
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.