Well Water in Woodland Park / Divide, Colorado
Teller County · Population ~10,000 · Aquifer: Fractured Pikes Peak Granite
Hardness: Variable
Woodland Park and Divide sit on the flanks of Pikes Peak, underlain by the Pikes Peak granite — a billion-year-old intrusion with unusually high concentrations of uranium. This geology makes Teller County one of the highest-radon areas in the United States, and the radon concern extends to well water. Between 70% and 90% of homes in the mountains west of Colorado Springs have high radon levels.
The Pikes Peak Granite and Radon
The Pikes Peak granite contains unusually large concentrations of uranium — not enough to mine commercially, but more than enough to produce significant quantities of radon gas as the uranium decays. Sediments weathered from this granite have been accumulating for millions of years and are one source of uranium and radon across the broader Denver Basin.
But the source is most concentrated right here, in the mountain communities built directly on the granite. The Pikes Peak region is the most affected area in Colorado for radon. An average Colorado home receives radiation exposure equal to about 200 chest X-rays per year — and homes in Teller County are well above that average.
See our comprehensive radon guide for health effects, testing, and mitigation details.
Radon in Well Water
Most radon discussion focuses on soil gas seeping into basements, but radon also dissolves in groundwater and enters your home through every tap. When you shower, wash dishes, or run the washing machine, dissolved radon off-gasses into your indoor air.
Colorado mountain wells commonly test at 1,000 to 3,000 pCi/L of radon in water, with levels above 5,000 pCi/L common in the Pikes Peak region. The EPA has proposed a standard of 300 pCi/L for water (or 4,000 pCi/L where state programs exist to address indoor air radon).
If you're on a well in Teller County and haven't tested your water for radon, you should. Treatment is effective — aeration systems remove 95%+ of dissolved radon.
Well Yield and Water Supply
Like other Front Range mountain communities, Woodland Park and Divide wells are drilled into fractured crystalline rock with very low porosity. Well yields are typically low — many produce 1 to 5 gallons per minute. Cistern systems are common.
Recharge depends on snowmelt and rainfall. The area receives about 16-20 inches of precipitation annually. During drought years, some wells see significant yield reductions.
Fracking a vertical well in this geology "really does not solve much" because the generated fractures need to be charged by country rock that has low flow capacity, and the fracture zone is limited in extent.
Testing Recommendations
Every well in the Woodland Park / Divide area should be tested for:
- Radon in water — given the Pikes Peak granite geology, this is not optional
- Uranium — the same geology that produces radon also produces dissolved uranium
- Bacteria — fractured rock wells are susceptible to surface contamination
- Hardness, iron, pH, TDS — basic quality parameters
CSU Extension has hosted free radon education classes at the Woodland Park Library. See our testing guide for water testing labs and costs.
Every well is different. Two wells on the same street can produce completely different water. The data on this page reflects documented conditions in the Woodland Park / Divide area, but the only way to know what's in your water is to test it.
Sources
- USGS — Pikes Peak Granite and Uranium/Radon Source Characterization
- Colorado Geological Survey — Radon Hazards in Colorado
- GeoWater Services — Radon Contamination in Mountain Wells
- RDS Environmental — Counties with High Radon Readings in Colorado