Frequently Asked Questions about the Well Log Database

In what projection are the coordinates for the wells?

The coordinate system is UTM Zone 11, and the datum is NAD 27. The data is available in decimal degrees as well. For an explanation of the lat-long accuracy code, please see the code definitions page.

Where do I find the legal description (township, range, section, quarter-section, etc.) for my property?

Contact the county assessor for the county in which the well resides. They will be able to determine the township, range, section from the assessor's parcel number. It will be much easier to find a specific well log using township, range and section as most well logs were not submitted with assessor's parcel numbers.

Do I have to fill in all the fields on the query page?

No. You only need to submit a minimum of 1 field to do a search, however, the more fields you enter, the closer you will get to the specific log(s) you are looking for

Are all the well logs submitted to the State Engineer's Office available on the database?

No. We are currently working on getting all the logs entered in the database, but we still are short several thousand logs.

Have images of all the well logs been scanned into an electronic format and made available through the website?

No. We are currently working on getting all the logs scanned into pdf format and put on the web, but there are several thousand that still remain to be scanned.

How do I access the scanned images of the well logs?

The second column in the results page will contain a small Adobe© icon: Click on this image to bring up the scanned image of the original well log.

What do I do if I find an error in the Well Log Database?

Please send us an email to The Webmaster. We need your help in ensuring that the database has the most accurate information.

What if the scanned image of the well log isn't readable?

Please contact us and let us know you need to see a copy of the original. We can pull the original from the log books and make a darker copy.