Regional groundwater summary • British Columbia Historical Log Extraction
Bottom Line Up Front
In Salmon Arm, the median completed well is 140 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 29% 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
140 FT
Area median
Drilling cost
$9,800–$21,000
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 | 447 | — |
| Median Well Depth | 140 ft | 162 ft provincial median |
| Average Well Depth | 202.7 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 | $9,800–$21,000 — Estimate. Typical drilling prices in Canada, about $70–$150 per foot | — |
| Domestic Household Use | 77% of wells | — |
Approximate boundary of Salmon Arm
Shaded area is an approximate municipal outline for orientation only. Well records are aggregated across the entire Salmon Arm.
Most completed wells fall near the median depth of 140 ft. Recorded depths cover 435 wells.
Median depth of 140 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 179 of these 447 wells.
130 of 447 Unclassified hydrogeological formation from legacy provincial drill records.
49 of 447 Major regional bedrock aquifer formed by Ordovician/Silurian dolomite. Known for reliable, high-volume yields with elevated mineral hardness and dissolved calcium/magnesium carbonates.
31 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 Salmon Arm.
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 464 - CANOE CREEK DEEP (SALMON ARM - GRINDROD HWY 97B), 7.04 km away, nearby.
6 government lab tests, dated 2007–2018.
Hardness 245–324 mg/L as CaCO₃, median 267.5.
Worked out by wellwaterguide.ca from 6 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
OBS WELL 381 - CANOE CREEK SHALLOW (SALMON ARM - GRINDROD HWY 97B), 7.04 km away, nearby.
6 government lab tests, dated 2007–2016.
Hardness 279–370 mg/L as CaCO₃, median 328.9.
Worked out by wellwaterguide.ca from 6 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
OBS WELL 185 - SALMON RIVER (SALMON RIVER ROAD; SALMON ARM), 14.44 km away, in the wider area.
14 government lab tests, dated 1988–2024.
Hardness 202–501 mg/L as CaCO₃, median 463.5.
Worked out by wellwaterguide.ca from 14 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
5 wells tested, range 114–430 mg/L.
16.28 km away, in the wider area.
Tests dated 1994–2025.
4 wells test above 180 mg/L.
Worked out by wellwaterguide.ca from 9 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. One monitoring well near this place has median iron of 1.79 mg/L and median manganese of 0.13 mg/L. Another has median iron of 2.315 mg/L and median manganese of 0.114 mg/L. Another has median iron of 3.225 mg/L and median manganese of 0.1025 mg/L.
Iron and manganese guideWater softener
estimate, confirm with a lab testA softener is likely needed. The nearest monitoring well has a median hardness of 267.5 mg/L as CaCO₃.
Hard-water 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 Salmon Arm average 140 ft into unconsolidated, contractors equipped with heavy rotary rigs and proper casing seals are recommended. Contact local drillers directly or request competitive bids.
Yard: Vernon, BC (38.4 km away)
Yard: Kamloops, BC (60 km away)
Yard: Chilliwack, BC (246.7 km away)
Yard: Cranbrook, BC (281.1 km away)
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Quick answers about water wells in Salmon Arm.
Among 435 producing water wells with a recorded depth, the median is 140.0 ft (42.67 m).
The most frequently recorded producing aquifer is Unconsolidated, on 130 of 179 wells with a producing aquifer name.
Explore neighbouring hydrogeological formations and compare drilling depths