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Test kit
estimate, confirm with a lab testA test of your own well comes before any equipment. Test for coliform bacteria.
Water testing British Columbia • 8,720 Registered Wells
Cariboo Water Well Depth & Hydrogeology
Regional groundwater summary • British Columbia Historical Log Extraction
Bottom Line Up Front
In Cariboo, the median completed well is 130 ft deep.
A published hardness range for this place and aquifer is less than 10 to 180, and groundwater can exceed 1,000 mg/L as CaCO₃. That is a regional estimate, not a test of your well. Source: Estimate based on B.C. Ministry of Environment water-quality checks.
Most production draws from Unconsolidated (about 36% of local wells).
These municipal aggregates support planning only — they do not replace an accredited laboratory potability test for your own well.
Interactive Well Depth & Modeled Typical Strata
Drag the indicator line or tap a stratum below to read the recorded depth range
Drilling in: Sand & Gravel Aquifer (20–400+ ft)Glacial Drift Aquifer
Modelled Depth
130 FT
Area median
Drilling cost
$9,100–$19,500
Estimate
Published hardness
less than 10 to 180, and groundwater can exceed 1,000 mg/L as CaCO₃
0 ft (Surface)Median 130 ft400 ft (Deep)
Topsoil & Surficial Organics
Glacial Drift Silt & Till
Sand & Gravel Aquifer
Modeled typical strata:
Modeled typical strata — placeholder from median depth + aquifer type; not local driller logs.
Well Statistics
Local measurements compared against British Columbia provincial benchmarks.
Total Registered Wells 8,720
Median Well Depth 130 ft
BC benchmark: 162 ft provincial median
Average Well Depth 154.9 ft
Dominant Aquifer Unconsolidated
Hardness less than 10 to 180, and groundwater can exceed 1,000 mg/L as CaCO₃ — Estimate. Estimate based on B.C. Ministry of Environment water-quality checks
Drilling cost $9,100–$19,500 — Estimate. Typical drilling prices in Canada, about $70–$150 per foot
Domestic Household Use 89% of wells
| Hydrogeological Metric | From the registry or a cited study | BC Provincial Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Total Registered Wells | 8,720 | — |
| Median Well Depth | 130 ft | 162 ft provincial median |
| Average Well Depth | 154.9 ft | — |
| Dominant Aquifer | Unconsolidated | — |
| Hardness | less than 10 to 180, and groundwater can exceed 1,000 mg/L as CaCO₃ — Estimate. Estimate based on B.C. Ministry of Environment water-quality checks | — |
| Drilling cost | $9,100–$19,500 — Estimate. Typical drilling prices in Canada, about $70–$150 per foot | — |
| Domestic Household Use | 89% of wells | — |
Where This Report Applies
Approximate boundary of Cariboo
Shaded area is an approximate municipal outline for orientation only. Well records are aggregated across the entire Cariboo.
Depth Distribution
Most completed wells fall near the median depth of 130 ft. Recorded depths cover 8,604 wells.
0–49 ft 11.6% · 998
49–98 ft 23.6% · 2,033
98–148 ft 22.3% · 1,922
148–197 ft 14.3% · 1,234
197–295 ft 17.4% · 1,493
295–394 ft 6.6% · 568
394–591 ft 3.7% · 319
591+ ft 0.4% · 37
Median depth of 130 ft falls inside the reported range. Deeper completions here usually mean higher mineral content but steadier year-round pressure.
Aquifer Composition
Bedrock and drift aquifers recorded by drillers in this area. Recorded for 4,712 of these 8,720 wells.
Undifferentiated Aquifer Regional Formation
35.5% 3,094 of 8,720 Unclassified hydrogeological formation from legacy provincial drill records.
Carbonate Bedrock (Limestone / Dolomite) Primary Bedrock Aquifer
18.6% 1,618 of 8,720 Major regional bedrock aquifer formed by Ordovician/Silurian dolomite. Known for reliable, high-volume yields with elevated mineral hardness and dissolved calcium/magnesium carbonates.
372 holes found no usable water. test holes, observation or monitoring wells, dewatering wells, decommissioned wells, dry holes, no-aquifer holes, and other non-supply wells filtered out of the headline
Water Quality Profile
A published hardness range, when one exists for this place and aquifer. Not a test of your well.
Estimate
less than 10 to 180, and groundwater can exceed 1,000 mg/L as CaCO₃
Estimate. Estimate based on B.C. Ministry of Environment water-quality checks. Regional estimate, not a test of your well.
No measured government test within 25 km. Test your water.
Soft (<60) Med (61–120) Hard (121–180) V. hard (>180)
USGS (2018) bands reprinted by Health Canada. A range can cross more than one band. This is not a sample.
What this is not
- Not a laboratory result for a well on your property.
- Not a reason to size a softener. Size equipment from a lab test.
- Not a drilling quote. A cost line on this page is a national estimate, not a price for one well.
Health Canada has not set a maximum acceptable concentration for hardness. A wide published range can sit in more than one USGS band.
Drilling Activity
Historical permit and construction activity by decade.
Pre-1970 764 wells
1970s 857 wells
1980s 753 wells
1990s 1,132 wells
2000s 1,103 wells
2010s 958 wells
2020s 675 wells
Treatment
Size treatment from a laboratory test
This page does not turn a hardness range or a well depth into an equipment total, a grain capacity, or a drilling price. Read the methodology, the filtration guide, and the products catalog.
Suggested system
Suggested system for Cariboo
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Sediment prefilter
estimate, confirm with a lab testA sediment prefilter is worth considering where wells draw from Unconsolidated. This follows the aquifer type.
Sediment guide 3
UV disinfection
estimate, confirm with a lab testUV disinfection is worth considering where wells draw from Unconsolidated. Test for coliform bacteria. This follows the aquifer type.
Bacteria and UV guide Local Contractors
Licensed Water Well Drillers Serving Cariboo
Because water wells in Cariboo average 130 ft into unconsolidated, contractors equipped with heavy rotary rigs and proper casing seals are recommended. Contact local drillers directly or request competitive bids.
Cariboo Water Wells Ltd.
Yard: Prince George, BC (173 km away)
Confirm the contractor's provincial licence before you hire
Northern BC Formations Large Diameter Casing Well Screens
Bud’s Water Wells Ltd.
Yard: Kamloops, BC (240.9 km away)
Confirm the contractor's provincial licence before you hire
Interior BC Bedrock Submersible Pumps Pressure Tanks
Aqua Source Drilling
Yard: Vernon, BC (313.8 km away)
Confirm the contractor's provincial licence before you hire
Okanagan Aquifers Deep Sand & Gravel Domestic Wells
A & H Drilling Ltd.
Yard: Chilliwack, BC (349.4 km away)
Confirm the contractor's provincial licence before you hire
Dual Rotary Drilling Agricultural Irrigation Domestic Wells
Looking for more regional well drillers?
Explore all registered water well contractors operating across BC.
Featured Contractor Spot
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about water wells in Cariboo.
What is the median well depth in Cariboo?
Among 8604 producing water wells with a recorded depth, the median is 130.0 ft (39.62 m).
Which aquifer is recorded most often in Cariboo?
The most frequently recorded producing aquifer is Unconsolidated, on 3094 of 4712 wells with a producing aquifer name.
Adjacent Municipalities & Nearby Well Records
Explore neighbouring hydrogeological formations and compare drilling depths