Below are common questions we've received about Black Forest Water & Wells. Have a question? CONTACT US.
Groundwater vs Surface Water
Groundwater wells work by a system similar to if you imagined us all having our houses on top of a big ocean. Everything that other owners of wells do affects your wells ability to maintain its water source and your waters quality. This includes people that are not even neighbors with you. The water that comes out of your wells is found in bedrock aquifers. Aquifers are geologic formations of sand, gravel, rocks, and water. Most of the aquifers used by private wells are “non-tributary,” meaning the water doesn’t come from streams.
Tributary-water that is connected to a stream
Non-tributary-water that is not connected to streams and is physically separated from surface water
Not non-tributary-water that is not connected to streams but is considered tributary due to its characteristics. To use this water, you need to be storing or returning water when needed to offset the use
Adjudication-receiving water rights by going through the judicial process through water court
Well Permits
There are two different kinds of well permits:
Household-water can only be used inside the home
Domestic-provide water to livestock, lawns, gardens
Things You Should Know About Your Well
When was the well drilled?
Is the well registered with the Colorado Division of Water Resources?
If drilled on or after May 8, 1972, was the well properly permitted?
Is my well permit for household-use or domestic use?
Who installed the well?
How deep is the well?
How many gallons per minute does the well produce?
Is the well at least 100 feet from a septic system leach field?
Has a water quality test been performed recently?
Draw Down Effect
If multiple wells are placed in close proximity of each other, the pressure decreases for all the wells causing less water output for all those wells. Cone of depression: when wells take water from the aquifer by causing the low water level in the well to draw out water from the aquifer due to water flowing from high to low pressure. This forms an area of lower water pressure in the aquifer which causes a cone shaped depression radiating away from the well. Factors such as pumping rate and size of water storage affect how large the cone of depression gets. When two cones of depression meet, they cause drawdown effects. Developments that use large amounts of water within close proximity are at greatest risk for causing this in your neighborhood and therefore affecting your well.
