Get Joint Permit Application Form Oregon

The Water Resources Commission requires a permit, permit fee, and bond or irrevocable letter of credit, for each water supply well constructed, altered, converted, or abandoned by a landowner, unless the landowner is a licensed and bonded Water Supply Well Constructor.

Now a typical new well varies from 200 feet to 400 feet deep in valleys and can exceed 800 feet in the mountains. Generally, the deeper the well, the more chance of finding older groundwater with higher mineral levels. Jackson County has wells exceeding 800 feet that do not yield adequate water.

Oregon's Removal-Fill Law (ORS 196.795-990) requires people who plan to remove or fill material in wetlands or waterways to obtain a removal-fill permit from the Department of State Lands. The law applies to all landowners, whether private individuals or public agencies.

A person may not drill or use a well without first obtaining a permit from the State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries and posting any bond that may be required pursuant to ORS 520.095 (Rules and orders) (1).

The Water Resources Commission requires a permit, permit fee, and bond or irrevocable letter of credit, for each water supply well constructed, altered, converted, or abandoned by a landowner, unless the landowner is a licensed and bonded Water Supply Well Constructor.

The average well installation cost is $3,500–$15,000, including drilling and the casing, pump, and storage tank. Price can also depend on the depth of the borehole, ranging between $25 and $65 per foot.