A well log is a document that is filed with the government when a well is drilled, containing a variety of observations the driller noted when drilling your well. Well logs generally contain all of the essential data you need to know about your well, such as:
- Static water level
- Yield (how many GPM your well can produce)
- Overall depth
This info is important to know when setting up an independent water system for your homestead. But unless you are the one who had the well drilled, you probably don't have a copy of the well log. So how can you find it?
While a few states make it very difficult to obtain a well log, most states have a large percentage of their well logs easily available online. Here are the relevant links and instructions for how to access a well log in all 50 states:
| State | URL | Notes |
| Alabama | https://www.gsa.state.al.us/gsa/groundwater/wellrecords | Scroll down to the bottom right map, zoom into the local area of interest, click on the well in question. Some data available there, but also click on "Related tables" at the bottom of the popup as they can contain important info (especially "WaterLevel" and "Construct" |
| Alaska | https://dnr.alaska.gov/welts/#show-welts-intro-template. | Specify the criteria you want to search by and click "Search" |
| Arizona | https://new.azwater.gov/permitting-wells/well-record-search | Click the "search wizard" link, select the category you want to search by, click "Next," then enter your search criteria and click "View Results" |
| Arkansas | https://wise.er.usgs.gov/driller_db/ | Click "Public Log In" then "Enter a Point and Search Radius." Enter the latitude and longitude of the site you need along with a modest radius and click "Search" Navigate on the map to your location and click on the appropriate pin. In the popup will be a link to the well log. |
| California | https://water.ca.gov/Programs/Groundwater-Management/Wells/Well-Completion-Reports | Click on "Well Completion Report Map Application" then navigate on the map to your location. Click on the small grid and in the popup will be a link to the "WCR Folder Hyperlink" which contains well logs in that vicinity. |
| Colorado | https://dwr.state.co.us/Tools/WellPermits | Specify location info in the left bar and click "Search" |
| Connecticut | https://elicense.ct.gov/Lookup/OnlineReportExecute.aspx?queryIdnt=31047 | First visit here to find permit number and then enter that number on the linked page |
| Delaware | https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/water/supply/well-and-water-use-permit-data/ | Click "Deleware Open Data Portal." Toward the top, click on "View Data" and then search by name, address, or other criteria. Well log data will be displayed in table format. |
| Florida | https://fdoh.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/lookup/index.html?appid=e68a4d0d61644756affd8f734b38b6d3 | Florida is tricky. Can find location and permit number here, but for well data, visit the linked page and navigate to your location's jurisdiction's website. Most should have well data posted on their site. |
| Georgia | https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ga/nwis/gw | It's virtually impossible to find a Georgia well log online. Try contacting your local health protection district or county health department. The main linked page includes some monitoring wells from the USGS, but doesn't seem to include private wells. |
| Hawaii | https://www.higp.hawaii.edu/hggrc/projects/hawaii-state-waterwells/ | Click "Hawai‘i State Water Wells Data" to open the map. Click on the appropriate button below the map for the island you are needing. All well logs will be available at the bottom and you can also see location info on the map. |
| Idaho | https://idwr.idaho.gov/wells/find-a-well-map/ | Navigate to the location, click on the well in question, and in the popup will be some details as well as a link to the well log (in the "Well docs" section). |
| Illinois | https://isgs.illinois.edu/ilwater | Navigate to the location, click on the well in question, and in the popup will be some details as well as a link to the well log. |
| Indiana | https://dowos.dnr.in.gov/WaterWell.aspx | Specify location info in the left bar and click "Search" |
| Iowa | https://www.iihr.uiowa.edu/igs/geosam/home | Click on "Map Search" |
| Kansas | http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Magellan/WaterWell/ | Click on "Interactive Map" then navigate to the location, click on the well in question, and in the popup will be some details as well as a link to the well log. |
| Kentucky | https://kgs.uky.edu/kgsweb/DataSearching/Water/WaterWellSearch.asp | Enter all relavent info to narrow search |
| Louisiana | https://sonlite.dnr.state.la.us/pls/apex/f?p=108:2:3131798580138 | Expand the "Groundwater Well Information" or "Well Information" sections for various searching options |
| Maine | https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mgs/pubs/digital/well.htm | Navigate to the location, click on the well in question, and in the popup will be some details as well as a link to the well log. |
| Maryland | http://www.mgs.md.gov/groundwater/well_information_contacts.html | Online well logs are not available for Maryland. Have to contact local county health department at the linked page. |
| Massachusetts | https://eeaonline.eea.state.ma.us/portal#!/search/welldrilling | Specify the criteria you want to search by and click "Search" |
| Michigan | https://www.egle.state.mi.us/wellogic/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fwellogic%2fdefault.aspx | Linked page is for wells drilled in 2000 or later. For wells prioir to 2000, visit this link. |
| Minnesota | https://mnwellindex.web.health.state.mn.us/mwi/ | Also, a map version is available here |
| Mississippi | https://www.ogb.state.ms.us/wellsearch.php | Select "DWW (Domestic Water Well)" as the type and enter any other info you have to narrow search |
| Missouri | https://modnr.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0e701223578b4cb1bc15e4a160cc0230 | Navigate to the location, click on the well in question, and in the popup will be some details as well as a link to the well log. |
| Montana | https://mbmggwic.mtech.edu/sqlserver/v11/help/go/signin.asp | Click on "Create" to create a username (no password needed) then use that to access. You'll need location data like township, range, and section number. |
| Nebraska | http://nednr.nebraska.gov/Dynamic/Wells/Wells | Choose the categories to search by, click "Submit", then enter the criteria you are looking for and click "Submit" again |
| Nevada | http://water.nv.gov/WellLogQuery.aspx | Enter as much info as you can to narrow the search |
| New Hampshire | https://www4.des.state.nh.us/DESOnestop/BasicSearch.aspx | Under Specific Areas of Intertest, check "Water Well" then enter any location info you may have to narrow the search. |
| New Jersey | https://njems.nj.gov/DataMiner/Search/SearchByCategory?isExternal=y&getCategory=y&catName=Water%20Supply%20and%20Geoscience | Scroll down to "WS WELL PERMITS" section for a variety of search options. Additional info here. |
| New Mexico | http://nmwrrs.ose.state.nm.us/meterReport.html | Enter location info to narrow search results |
| New York | https://gisservices.dec.ny.gov/gis/dil/ | In the left-hand bar, select "Water Wells" then navigate to your location |
| North Carolina | https://www.ncdhhs.gov/LHD | No online source for North Carolina well logs. Contact your local county health department. |
| North Dakota | http://bwwc.nd.gov/welllink/4dcgi/logsearchformweb/MapandDataResources | Enter location info to narrow search results |
| Ohio | https://waterwells.ohiodnr.gov/search | Choose either interactive (map) search or "Classic" text based search |
| Oklahoma | https://owrb.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=ed61209c40ec4f53bc51d2ffd18aa39b | Navigate to the location, click on the well in question, and in the popup will be some details as well as a link to the well log. |
| Oregon | https://apps.wrd.state.or.us/apps/gw/well_log/Default.aspx | Enter location info to narrow search results |
| Pennsylvania | https://gis.dcnr.pa.gov/pageode/ | On left, select Map Search tab then map tools rectangle tool, then draw a rectangle around area of interest and click search in the left-hand bar. Results displayed at bottom. |
| Rhode Island | https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ri/nwis/ | No online well logs available, other than USGS. Contact Dept. of Health: 401 222 7781 |
| South Carolina | https://scdhec.gov/bureau-water/residential-wells | No online statewide source for well logs, but here is for the costal plains. Contact DHEC (contact info on linked page) for other locations. |
| South Dakota | https://apps.sd.gov/nr68welllogs/ | Zoom in on map for wells to appear. Narrow search criteria on left. |
| Tennessee | https://tdeconline.tn.gov/tdecwaterwells/ | Navigate to the location, click on the well in question, and in the popup will be some details as well as a link to the well log. |
| Texas | https://www.tceq.texas.gov/gis/waterwellview.html | Click on "Water Well Report Viewer" |
| Utah | https://www.waterrights.utah.gov/wellinfo/wellsearch.asp | Enter location info to narrow search results |
| Vermont | https://anrweb.vt.gov/DEC/WellDrillerReports/Default.aspx | Or map based search here (have to click "Quick Tools" then "Run Private Well Report" and then zoom in before wells appear) |
| Virginia | https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/local-health-districts/ | No online well logs available. Either contact local health department (see linked page) or file a Freedom of Information Act here. General info here. |
| Washington | https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/wellconstruction/map/wclswebMap/default.aspx | If using map search, zoom in to area of interest, wells should apprear, then click "select wells" and draw a rectangle around any you are looking for. Results should appear below. |
| West Virginia | https://dhhr.wv.gov/localhealth/pages/map.aspx | No online well logs available. Contact local health department (see linked page). General info here. |
| Wisconsin | https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Groundwater/data.html#wellreports | Read the "Read this before you begin your search" section first, then click on "Search Well Recors" and enter your criteria |
| Wyoming | https://portal.wsgs.wyo.gov/arcgis/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=181c32a872a346bfae3579a62230a65a | Adjust layers on right to include only "Groundwater Wells". No actual log documents are present but key data is present. If full log is needed, contact WY DEQ at 307-777-9355 or DEQ-KNOWYOURWELL@wyo.gov |
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