Well yard check: 4 measures for the yearly well visit

Key takeaways: three moments and four yard measures

• check the casing height, livestock distance, growth near the well, and flood height during the yard walk, as named by Wellowner, and write each measurement on your log.
• before the visit, confirm who will evaluate the well; at a minimum, wells should be evaluated annually by a licensed or certified water well systems professional, according to Wellowner.
• after the visit, keep the written report with your other well reports, and check that it lists recommendations and all laboratory and other test results, according to Wellowner.
• treat water testing as a separate job, since testing water quality in private wells is the homeowner’s responsibility, according to Montana State University.

Well yard inspection: the short answer

The casing is the place to begin. The source describes it as the pipe protruding from the ground, according to Wellowner. Use a tape or ruler you already own. Measure from the ground surface to the top of the casing, and write that number on your log next to a short note about the casing's general condition, including anything you see that looks damaged.

Once the casing is recorded, move outward from the well. Note each kennel, pasture, feeding area, or livestock operation you can see, and measure its distance from the well. Then look at the ground within 10 feet of the well for weeds, trees, shrubs, or grasses.

Walking in the same order each year is a useful habit. When the casing, the livestock distance, and the growth notes sit in the same columns from one visit to the next, changes are easier to spot. If you have no tape, a ruler or straightedge works for the casing height, and you can estimate longer distances by pacing, then noting that the figure is an estimate. Write a note whenever a measurement is rough, so the professional at the visit knows which numbers to trust.

Before the visit: who evaluates the well

Confirm who will do the evaluation before you walk the yard. The yard measures are inputs for that visit, and the evaluation itself belongs to a professional. If you are unsure whether a provider is licensed or certified, ask for their license or certification details before you book.

The same source makes a practical point about timing. Small problems can often be identified by performing maintenance before they become costly, inconvenient situations, according to Wellowner. Booking the annual visit on schedule, instead of waiting for a symptom, follows that logic. It is an editorial recommendation, not a promise about any particular outcome.

If you are looking for a provider, the same publisher suggests finding licensing agencies for geologists, engineers, and water well construction contractors in your state, according to Wellowner. Write the agency names and the contact details you find on your log, so the list lives in one place. If possible, develop a relationship with your preferred well contractor, according to Wellowner. A familiar contractor is easier to call when a measurement looks wrong.

Before the visit, pull out the last written report and any well records you have. Set the new yard measurements beside the old ones. Differences between years are the easiest way to see whether something has moved, such as a livestock area that has crept closer or growth that was cleared last year and has returned.

The same source also explains why the yearly schedule matters. Routine maintenance and inspection of water wells can help protect water quality, ensure your well is operating properly, prolong the useful life of the well system, and protect your investment, according to Wellowner. That sentence is the publisher's general statement, not a guarantee about your own well.

During the yard walk: casing, clearance and flood height

Start your clearance check at the livestock areas. Measure the distance from the well to each kennel, pasture, feeding area, or livestock operation you can see. If an area sits closer than the minimum distance above, write it on the log with a short note on whether it can be moved or removed.

Next, walk the full circle of 10 feet around the well, not only the side that faces the pasture or the driveway. Record any growth you find in that circle, what you removed during the walk, and what remains, so the professional can see the state of the ground at the time of the visit.

Flood height applies only to some sites. If your well is located in a low-lying area prone to flooding, you should consider having your water well systems professional raise the well casing to at least 12 inches above the historic record flood level, according to Wellowner. The same source adds properly sealing the wiring conduit and providing casing bump protection if floating debris is a concern, according to Wellowner.

On the log, mark whether the site is low-lying and prone to flooding, and whether you know the historic record flood level. If you do not know that level, write that down too, and raise it with your professional at the visit. Saying that you do not know the level is more useful than guessing, because the professional can work from what you actually know.

Illustrative example: one yard walk

The casing passes the 12-inch minimum. The pasture sits inside the 50-foot minimum, so the log records it with a note on whether it can be moved or removed. The weeds are pulled, and the log records what remains.

After the visit: report and records to keep

A written report should be delivered to you following completion of an annual checkup, according to Wellowner. When it arrives, read the recommendations first. Then compare each recommendation with the yard measures on your log, and note any item that needs follow-up before the next visit.

Check that the recommendations and test results are both there. If the report mentions a test but the results are missing, ask for them in writing, and keep that request with the report.

If a recommendation in the report is unclear, write your question beside that line on the log. Ask the professional to explain it, and record the answer beside the question, so both stay together in one place. If a recommendation involves a filter, the separate guide on filter replacement schedule checks is a useful next read.

Store the yard log in the same folder as the report, and write the visit date on both. A single folder with the report, the log, and the contractor details keeps the record complete for the next person who reads it, including you in a later year.

Testing is a separate job from the yard walk. For the analysis itself, a laboratory or a local water professional can help, according to Water Quality Association. For a closer look at one kind of result, see reading a private well nitrate result.

Well yard checklist reference table: moment and what the source says

Each row names one publisher and one sentence from its page. The moment column is a label for when you would use that sentence during the visit.

Well yard visit log: columns to copy at each visit

Copy the column headings for each visit, and add one row for each yard walk. Write each measurement in the matching cell.

Write a short note for any measure that changed since the last visit. A short note about a change is more useful to the professional than a long description of an unchanged item.

Record casing height in inches and distances in feet, since those are the units the source uses for the 12-inch casing height, the 50-foot livestock distance, and the 10-foot growth band. If a cell asks for a measure you could not take, write the reason in the notes line instead of leaving the question open.

For the flood-prone column, mark the site only if it is low-lying and prone to flooding, which is the case the source describes. If you know the historic record flood level, write it in the notes line, because the source frames its casing recommendation around that level, according to Wellowner.

For the growth column, record whether growth was removed and what remains within 10 feet. Mark the received column as yes when the report contains both recommendations and laboratory results, and note any missing part in the notes line. The log tracks the yard walk, so it does not hold water analysis results.

Your next step at the yard

Your next step is to walk your well yard today with a tape or ruler you already own, and to write casing height, livestock distance and any growth within 10 feet on a visit log.

Related guides: Flooded private well: 7 mistakes to avoid before drinking.

FAQ: yard checks and testing

What does a well yard inspection check?

A yard walk checks casing height, livestock distance, growth within 10 feet of the well, and flood height where the site is prone to flooding. The walk does not replace the annual evaluation by a licensed or certified professional.

How far must livestock be kept from my well?

Keep at least 50 feet between the well and any kennel, pasture, feeding area, or livestock operation, according to Wellowner. Measure from the well to the nearest point of each area, and note the distance on your log.

Does Minnesota's new-well arsenic testing practice apply to my well?

It applies only if your well is in Minnesota and was drilled as of August 2008 or later. This practice comes from the Minnesota Department of Health, so start by finding the drilling date on your well records. For a well constructed since 2008, the same page says to use the online Minnesota Well Index or contact MDH for test results, according to MN Dept. of Health.

Is a yard walk the same as a lab test?

No. A yard walk checks the physical site, such as casing height and clearances, and it is not a water analysis. The testing section above covers who handles the analysis. For how standards are framed for private and public supply, see well water standards for private and public supply.