Water wells in Ottawa County
1,592 WWC-5 records — 0.5% of the Kansas register. The median well here is 76.5 feet deep, against 60 feet statewide.
1,592Records
76.5 ftMedian depth
108Plugged
79Drillers
How deep people drill in Ottawa County
This is what a buyer or a builder actually wants, and the Survey does not publish it as a figure you can look up. The numbers below are medians over the records where a figure was reported — a mean would be carried away by a few deep irrigation wells.
| Measurement | Median | 90th percentile | Kansas median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depth | 76.5 ft | 155 ft | 60 ft — deeper here (1,590 records, 100 %) |
| Static water level | 31 ft | 78 ft | 24 ft — higher here (1,474 records, 93 %) |
| Estimated yield | 25 gpm | 147 gpm | 25 gpm — the same here (1,137 records, 71 %) |
What the water is used for
| Water use | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic | 808 | 50.8% |
| Domestic, Livestock | 205 | 12.9% |
| Domestic, Lawn and Garden | 186 | 11.7% |
| Monitoring well/observation/piezometer | 151 | 9.5% |
| Irrigation | 144 | 9.0% |
| Public Water Supply | 32 | 2.0% |
| Geothermal, Closed Loop, Vertical | 11 | 0.7% |
| Test hole/well | 8 | 0.5% |
| Feedlot | 8 | 0.5% |
| (unstated)/abandoned | 7 | 0.4% |
| Feedlot/Livestock/Windmill | 6 | 0.4% |
| Other | 6 | 0.4% |
Wells tied to a water right
171 records in Ottawa County carry a DWR appropriation number — 10.7%, against 11.0% statewide. A well permit and a water right are separate instruments in Kansas, and the appropriation number is the thread back to the Division of Water Resources.
What stands out in Ottawa County
The busiest contractor on these records is Peterson Irrigation, INC, named on 313 of them (19.7%), ahead of Pestinger Pump & Water Well Drlg., INC (250) and Paul Pestinger Pump & Water Well Drlg., INC (143). The oldest record here was completed in 1975 and the most recent in 2026, and the deepest well on file reaches 308 feet — a domestic, livestock well drilled by Peterson Mcnett Drilling, INC in 2016.
Plugging records — in Ottawa County
108 of the 1,592 records in Ottawa County carry a plugging report (6.8%), filed on form WWC-5P. The other 1,484 do not.
That is not a list of abandoned wells, and this site never calls them that. Kansas defines abandonment by use — a well unused for two years — and nothing in this register tracks use. What the absence of a plugging report does mean is that the State has never been told the well was sealed. On the 447 records here completed before 1995, that is exactly what a buyer checks. Why it matters and who pays.
Who drills in Ottawa County
| Contractor | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Peterson Irrigation, INC | 313 | 19.7% |
| Pestinger Pump & Water Well Drlg., INC | 250 | 15.7% |
| Paul Pestinger Pump & Water Well Drlg., INC | 143 | 9.0% |
| Daryl Cox & Sons, INC | 75 | 4.7% |
| O.s. Fent Hydraulic Drilling Company | 67 | 4.2% |
| Associated Drilling, INC | 60 | 3.8% |
| Michael Peterson Irrigation, INC | 59 | 3.7% |
| Geocore Services INC | 54 | 3.4% |
| Peterson Mcnett Drilling, INC | 42 | 2.6% |
| Rosencrantz-bemis Enterprises, INC | 33 | 2.1% |
| Geocore, LLC | 33 | 2.1% |
| Peterson Mcnett Drlg | 30 | 1.9% |
| Williams Drilling Co., INC | 29 | 1.8% |
| Geocore, INC | 27 | 1.7% |
| Geo Cox & Sons, INC | 26 | 1.6% |
| Well Owner | 23 | 1.4% |
| Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | 21 | 1.3% |
| Kelly's Water Well Service, INC | 19 | 1.2% |
When they were drilled
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 212 | 13.3% |
| 2010s | 308 | 19.3% |
| 2000s | 365 | 22.9% |
| 1990s | 399 | 25.1% |
| 1980s | 189 | 11.9% |
| 1970s | 117 | 7.3% |
An unplugged well on land in Ottawa County?
1,484 of the 1,592 records in Ottawa County have no plugging report on file. If a well on your land is no longer used, Kansas requires it to be plugged and the duty falls on the landowner — with cost-share of up to USD 1,000 per well through the Kansas Department of Agriculture. This site reads the register; it does not drill and it does not plug. Tell us where and we pass the request to licensed Kansas well contractors.
We recommend no contractor and we are nobody's agent. 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.
Records in Ottawa County
| WWC-5 | Drilled by | Use | Depth (ft) | Yield (gpm) | Year | Plugging report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1057287695 | Dudley Wiegand | Domestic | 78 | 10 | 2026 | — |
| 1057287756 | Dudley Wiegand | Domestic | 75 | 50 | 2026 | — |
| 1057114763 | Peterson Drilling - #1079 | Domestic, Livestock | 112 | 8 | 2026 | — |
| 1057110921 | Peterson Drilling, LLC | Domestic, Livestock | 114 | 1 | 2026 | — |
| 1057131743 | Peterson Drilling, LLC | Domestic, Livestock | 155 | 20 | 2026 | — |
| 1057131780 | Peterson Drilling, LLC | Domestic, Livestock | 98 | 20 | 2026 | — |
| 1057211503 | Peterson Drilling, LLC | Domestic, Livestock | 154 | 10 | 2026 | — |
| 1057190679 | Sargent Drlg #946 | Irrigation | 241 | 0 | 2026 | — |
| 1057268611 | Us Drilling Corp | Domestic | 102 | 0 | 2026 | — |
| 1057268624 | Us Drilling Corp | Domestic | 100 | 0 | 2026 | — |
| 1057268659 | Us Drilling Corp | Domestic, Livestock | 136 | 0 | 2026 | — |
| 1056824183 | Associated Drilling, INC | Domestic, Livestock | 100 | 20 | 2025 | — |
| 1055938656 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Domestic, Livestock | 160 | 40 | 2025 | — |
| 1055939089 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Domestic, Livestock | 137 | 15 | 2025 | — |
| 1056661623 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Domestic, Livestock | 119 | 60 | 2025 | — |
| 1056661645 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Domestic, Livestock | 92 | 60 | 2025 | — |
| 1056661656 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Domestic, Livestock | 95 | 50 | 2025 | — |
| 1056661666 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Domestic, Livestock | 98 | 60 | 2025 | — |
| 1056828990 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Domestic, Livestock | 99 | 20 | 2025 | — |
| 1056837932 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Feedlot | 227 | 200 | 2025 | — |
| 1057010851 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Feedlot | 258 | 200 | 2025 | — |
| 1057010868 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Feedlot | 259 | 200 | 2025 | — |
| 1057046127 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Domestic, Livestock | 147 | 20 | 2025 | — |
| 1056641992 | Env. Priority Srvc | Monitoring well/observation/piezometer | 32 | 0 | 2025 | — |
| 1056642278 | Env. Priority Srvc | Monitoring well/observation/piezometer | 30 | 0 | 2025 | — |
| 1056642292 | Env. Priority Srvc | Monitoring well/observation/piezometer | 30 | 0 | 2025 | — |
| 1056642384 | Env. Priority Srvc | Monitoring well/observation/piezometer | 32 | 0 | 2025 | — |
| 1056601684 | Flint Hills Drlg #914 | Domestic, Livestock | 105 | 30 | 2025 | — |
| 1057060742 | Flint Hills Drlg #914 | Geothermal, Closed Loop, Vertical | 260 | 0 | 2025 | — |
| 1057003886 | Greg Dodson | Irrigation | 227 | 0 | 2025 | — |
| 1057013447 | Peterson Drilling, LLC | Domestic | 94 | 40 | 2025 | — |
| 1057040305 | Peterson Drilling, LLC | Irrigation | 110 | 0 | 2025 | — |
| 1057040338 | Peterson Drilling, LLC | Domestic | 38 | 18 | 2025 | — |
| 1057068940 | Peterson Drilling, LLC | Irrigation | 112 | 0 | 2025 | — |
| 1057068950 | Peterson Drilling, LLC | Domestic, Livestock | 78 | 25 | 2025 | — |
| 1057069089 | Peterson Drilling, LLC | Domestic, Livestock | 88 | 10 | 2025 | — |
| 1056601718 | Peterson Mcnett Drilling, INC | Other | 126 | 0 | 2025 | — |
| 1056658917 | Peterson Mcnett Drilling, INC | Domestic, Livestock | 80 | 20 | 2025 | — |
| 1056659050 | Peterson Mcnett Drilling, INC | Domestic, Livestock | 122 | 18 | 2025 | — |
| 1056878144 | Peterson Mcnett Drilling, INC | Domestic, Livestock | 118 | 100 | 2025 | — |
| 1056878176 | Peterson Mcnett Drilling, INC | Domestic, Lawn and Garden | 123.5 | 50 | 2025 | — |
| 1056601557 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic | 49 | 5 | 2025 | — |
| 1056601609 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic, Livestock | 49 | 12 | 2025 | — |
| 1056658688 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic, Livestock | 78 | 12 | 2025 | — |
| 1056658821 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic, Livestock | 77.5 | 20 | 2025 | — |
| 1056658866 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic, Livestock | 255 | 25 | 2025 | — |
| 1056658880 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic | 211.5 | 75 | 2025 | — |
| 1056658904 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic | 140 | 30 | 2025 | — |
| 1056835032 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic, Livestock | 115 | 40 | 2025 | — |
| 1057003823 | Rosencrantz-bemis Ent | Irrigation | 230 | 0 | 2025 | — |
| 1057004013 | Rosencrantz-bemis Ent | Irrigation | 255 | 994 | 2025 | — |
| 1057004002 | Rosencrantz-bemis Enterprises, INC | Domestic, Livestock | 40 | 0 | 2025 | — |
| 1057210953 | Rosencrantz-bemis Enterprises, INC | Irrigation | 247 | 1083 | 2025 | — |
| 1056451700 | Sargent Drlg #946 | Irrigation | 155 | 0 | 2025 | — |
| 1056865613 | Sargent Drlg #946 | Irrigation | 274 | 0 | 2025 | — |
| 1054588913 | Assocd. Env. Industries Corp | Monitoring well/observation/piezometer | 51 | 0 | 2024 | — |
| 1054588930 | Assocd. Env. Industries Corp | Monitoring well/observation/piezometer | 50 | 0 | 2024 | — |
| 1054588942 | Assocd. Env. Industries Corp | Monitoring well/observation/piezometer | 15 | 0 | 2024 | — |
| 1054599600 | Assocd. Env. Industries Corp | Monitoring well/observation/piezometer | 15 | 0 | 2024 | — |
| 1055147699 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Domestic, Livestock | 139 | 100 | 2024 | — |
| 1055281155 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Domestic, Livestock | 93 | 60 | 2024 | — |
| 1055281166 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Domestic, Livestock | 98 | 40 | 2024 | — |
| 1055751228 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Test hole/well | 58 | 70 | 2024 | — |
| 1055844957 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Test hole/well | 60 | 120 | 2024 | — |
| 1055844990 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Test hole/well | 60 | 30 | 2024 | — |
| 1055871953 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Test hole/well | 100 | 225 | 2024 | — |
| 1055935009 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Domestic, Livestock | 195 | 9 | 2024 | — |
| 1055938972 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Domestic, Livestock | 178 | 12 | 2024 | — |
| 1054478425 | Flint Hills Drilling #914 | Domestic, Livestock | 101 | 20 | 2024 | — |
| 1054334674 | Flint Hills Drlg #914 | Domestic, Livestock | 180 | 20 | 2024 | — |
| 1055234640 | Flint Hills Drlg #914 | Geothermal, Closed Loop, Vertical | 180 | 0 | 2024 | — |
| 1055122388 | Peterson Mcnett Drilling, INC | Domestic | 194 | 12 | 2024 | — |
| 1055866109 | Peterson Mcnett Drilling, INC | Domestic, Livestock | 156 | 20 | 2024 | — |
| 1054671099 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic | 136 | 15 | 2024 | — |
| 1054942435 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic | 155 | 50 | 2024 | — |
| 1055866141 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic | 66 | 20 | 2024 | — |
| 1055866225 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic, Livestock | 100 | 15 | 2024 | — |
| 1055966768 | Rosencrantz-bemis Enterprises, INC | Irrigation | 70 | 400 | 2024 | — |
| 1055967020 | Rosencrantz-bemis Enterprises, INC | Irrigation | 140 | 180 | 2024 | — |
| 1055969643 | Rosencrantz-bemis Enterprises, INC | Irrigation | 140 | 681 | 2024 | — |
| 1054456140 | Sargent Drlg #946 | Irrigation | 180 | 800 | 2024 | — |
| 1053250791 | Associated Drilling, INC | Irrigation | 138 | 800 | 2023 | — |
| 1053256351 | Associated Drilling, INC | Domestic, Livestock | 100 | 40 | 2023 | — |
| 1053428489 | Associated Drilling, INC | Domestic | 100 | 20 | 2023 | — |
| 1053252486 | Associated Drilling, Inc. #990 | Domestic, Livestock | 59 | 80 | 2023 | — |
| 1053328670 | Dudley Wiegand | Domestic, Livestock | 76 | 20 | 2023 | — |
| 1053395251 | Dudley Wiegand | Domestic, Livestock | 63 | 20 | 2023 | — |
| 1053432618 | Dudley Wiegand | Domestic, Livestock | 88 | 20 | 2023 | — |
| 1053432689 | Dudley Wiegand | Domestic, Lawn and Garden | 72 | 20 | 2023 | — |
| 1054144925 | Dudley Wiegand | Domestic | 64 | 5 | 2023 | — |
| 1053288608 | Flint Hills Drlg #914 | Domestic, Livestock | 65 | 30 | 2023 | — |
| 1053314767 | Flint Hills Drlg #914 | Domestic, Livestock | 80 | 50 | 2023 | — |
| 1053314784 | Flint Hills Drlg #914 | Domestic, Livestock | 100 | 30 | 2023 | — |
| 1053314799 | Flint Hills Drlg #914 | Domestic, Livestock | 60 | 30 | 2023 | — |
| 1053314810 | Flint Hills Drlg #914 | Domestic, Livestock | 80 | 30 | 2023 | — |
| 1053314923 | Flint Hills Drlg #914 | Domestic, Livestock | 115 | 50 | 2023 | — |
| 1053327808 | Flint Hills Drlg #914 | Domestic, Livestock | 140 | 30 | 2023 | — |
| 1053433275 | Flint Hills Drlg #914 | Domestic, Livestock | 150 | 20 | 2023 | — |
| 1053438764 | Flint Hills Drlg #914 | Domestic, Livestock | 140 | 30 | 2023 | — |
| 1053438791 | Flint Hills Drlg #914 | Domestic, Livestock | 200 | 50 | 2023 | — |
| 1053447287 | Flint Hills Drlg #914 | Domestic, Livestock | 180 | 20 | 2023 | — |
| 1053447311 | Flint Hills Drlg #914 | Domestic, Livestock | 80 | 20 | 2023 | — |
| 1053445878 | Peterson Mcnett Drilling, INC | Domestic, Livestock | 90 | 12 | 2023 | — |
| 1053318030 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic, Livestock | 136 | 50 | 2023 | — |
| 1053318206 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic | 104 | 12 | 2023 | — |
| 1053318285 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic, Livestock | 95.5 | 0 | 2023 | — |
| 1053318295 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic, Livestock | 131 | 5 | 2023 | — |
| 1053406039 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic | 34 | 2 | 2023 | — |
| 1053431694 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic | 168 | 18 | 2023 | — |
| 1053431705 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic, Livestock | 178 | 9 | 2023 | — |
| 1053431738 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic | 117 | 25 | 2023 | — |
| 1053846244 | Rosencrantz-bemis Ent | Irrigation | 183 | 147 | 2023 | — |
| 1053846666 | Rosencrantz-bemis Enterprises, INC | Irrigation | 186 | 0 | 2023 | — |
| 1053286292 | Sargent Drlg #946 | Irrigation | 180 | 800 | 2023 | — |
| 1053437700 | Sargent Drlg #946 | Domestic, Livestock | 90 | 50 | 2023 | — |
| 560669 | Usace | Monitoring well/observation/piezometer | 105 | 0 | 2023 | — |
| 560670 | Usace | Monitoring well/observation/piezometer | 67.8 | 0 | 2023 | — |
| 551807 | Associated Drilling, INC | Domestic | 100 | 10 | 2022 | — |
| 1052900298 | Associated Drilling, INC | Domestic, Livestock | 130 | 100 | 2022 | — |
| 1052903052 | Associated Drilling, INC | Domestic, Livestock | 118 | 20 | 2022 | — |
| 1052905583 | Associated Drilling, INC | Domestic, Livestock | 85 | 100 | 2022 | — |
| 1052942145 | Associated Drlg | Domestic, Livestock | 118 | 0 | 2022 | — |
| 1052942362 | Associated Drlg | Domestic, Livestock | 258 | 0 | 2022 | — |
| 1052901751 | Flint Hills Drlg #914 | Domestic, Livestock | 154 | 30 | 2022 | — |
| 1052901768 | Flint Hills Drlg #914 | Domestic, Livestock | 135 | 30 | 2022 | — |
| 1052969068 | Flint Hills Drlg #914 | Geothermal, Closed Loop, Vertical | 180 | 50 | 2022 | — |
| 554366 | Geocore, LLC | Domestic, Lawn and Garden | 72 | 20 | 2022 | — |
| 554386 | Geocore, LLC | Domestic, Lawn and Garden | 73 | 20 | 2022 | — |
| 551587 | Peterson Mcnett Drilling, INC | Domestic | 134 | 12 | 2022 | — |
| 1052959055 | Peterson Mcnett Drilling, INC | Domestic | 53.5 | 6 | 2022 | — |
| 1052885815 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic, Livestock | 60 | 30 | 2022 | — |
| 1052892965 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic | 100 | 14 | 2022 | — |
| 1052893249 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic | 88 | 35 | 2022 | — |
| 1052894064 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic, Livestock | 288 | 13 | 2022 | — |
| 1052895246 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic | 187 | 75 | 2022 | — |
| 1052900785 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic | 119 | 40 | 2022 | — |
| 1052909249 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic | 42 | 4 | 2022 | — |
| 1052959045 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic | 133 | 50 | 2022 | — |
| 1052959184 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic | 43 | 40 | 2022 | — |
| 1053017995 | Peterson Mcnett Drlg | Domestic | 97 | 65 | 2022 | — |
By water use in Ottawa County
- Domestic in Ottawa County 808
- Domestic, Lawn and Garden in Ottawa County 186
- Domestic, Livestock in Ottawa County 205
- Monitoring well/observation/piezometer in Ottawa County 151
Counties with a comparable register
- Phillips 1,775
- Norton 1,770
- Russell 1,752
- Cloud 1,746
- Morris 1,671
- Rawlins 1,643
- Clay 1,621
- Grant 1,571
- Scott 1,571
- Franklin 1,558
- Harper 1,552
- Sherman 1,533
- Graham 1,482
Neighbours by the size of their register, not a ranking: the list slides with the county, so each of the 100 county pages is reachable from the others. All of them.