Regional groundwater summary • British Columbia Historical Log Extraction
Bottom Line Up Front
In Cortes Island, the median completed well is 250 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 34% 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
Modelled Depth
250 FT
Area median
Drilling cost
$17,500–$37,500
Estimate
Published hardness
less than 10 to 180, and groundwater can exceed 1,000 mg/L as CaCO₃
Modeled typical strata — placeholder from median depth + aquifer type; not local driller logs.
Local measurements compared against British Columbia provincial benchmarks.
| Hydrogeological Metric | From the registry or a cited study | BC Provincial Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Total Registered Wells | 119 | — |
| Median Well Depth | 250 ft | 162 ft provincial median |
| Average Well Depth | 251.7 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 | $17,500–$37,500 — Estimate. Typical drilling prices in Canada, about $70–$150 per foot | — |
| Domestic Household Use | 85% of wells | — |
Approximate boundary of Cortes Island
Shaded area is an approximate municipal outline for orientation only. Well records are aggregated across the entire Cortes Island.
Most completed wells fall near the median depth of 250 ft. Recorded depths cover 117 wells.
Median depth of 250 ft falls inside the reported range. Deeper completions here usually mean higher mineral content but steadier year-round pressure.
Bedrock and drift aquifers recorded by drillers in this area. Recorded for 58 of these 119 wells.
40 of 119 Unclassified hydrogeological formation from legacy provincial drill records.
18 of 119 Major regional bedrock aquifer formed by Ordovician/Silurian dolomite. Known for reliable, high-volume yields with elevated mineral hardness and dissolved calcium/magnesium carbonates.
6 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
A published hardness range, when one exists for this place and aquifer. Not a test of your well.
Measured nearby
Measured government tests within 25 km of Cortes Island.
USGS (2018) bands reprinted by Health Canada. A range can cross more than one band. This is not a sample.
What this is not
Health Canada has not set a maximum acceptable concentration for hardness. A wide published range can sit in more than one USGS band.
OBS WELL 383 - QUADRA ISLAND (HERIOT BAY RD.), 16.16 km away, in the wider area.
5 government lab tests, dated 2008–2018.
Hardness 96–104 mg/L as CaCO₃, median 103.
Worked out by wellwaterguide.ca from 5 government lab tests.
reported hardness, or calculated from measured calcium and magnesium when hardness was not reported
BC Environmental Monitoring Data System (EnMoDS) results: Provincial Groundwater Observation Well Network wells Open Government Licence - British Columbia
3 wells tested, range 29–224 mg/L.
14.98 km away, in the wider area.
Tests dated 2018–2024.
1 well tests above 180 mg/L.
Worked out by wellwaterguide.ca from 5 government lab tests.
reported hardness, or calculated from measured calcium and magnesium when hardness was not reported
BC Environmental Monitoring Data System (EnMoDS) results: Provincial Groundwater Observation Well Network wells Open Government Licence - British Columbia
Historical permit and construction activity by decade.
Treatment
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
Test kit
estimate, confirm with a lab testA test of your own well comes before any equipment. Test for coliform bacteria.
Water testingSediment prefilter
estimate, confirm with a lab testA sediment prefilter is worth considering where wells draw from Unconsolidated. This follows the aquifer type.
Sediment guideIron and manganese filter
estimate, confirm with a lab testManganese above the aesthetic objective, consider an iron/manganese filter. A monitoring well near this place has median iron of 2.68 mg/L and median manganese of 0.48 mg/L.
Iron and manganese guideUV 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 guideBecause water wells in Cortes Island average 250 ft into unconsolidated, contractors equipped with heavy rotary rigs and proper casing seals are recommended. Contact local drillers directly or request competitive bids.
Yard: Cumberland, BC (49.8 km away)
Yard: Duncan, BC (171.1 km away)
Yard: Abbotsford, BC (220.7 km away)
Yard: Chilliwack, BC (242 km away)
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Quick answers about water wells in Cortes Island.
Among 117 producing water wells with a recorded depth, the median is 250.0 ft (76.2 m).
The most frequently recorded producing aquifer is Unconsolidated, on 40 of 58 wells with a producing aquifer name.
Explore neighbouring hydrogeological formations and compare drilling depths