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Ontario • 8,521 Registered Wells

Algoma Water Well Depth & Hydrogeology

Regional groundwater summary • Ontario Historical Log Extraction

Bottom Line Up Front

In Algoma, the median completed well is 120 ft deep.

A published hardness range for this place and aquifer is under 60 to above 180 mg/L as CaCO₃. That is a regional estimate, not a test of your well. Source: Estimate based on Health Canada hardness bands.

Most production draws from Sand & Gravel (about 42% 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

Drilling in: Sand & Gravel Aquifer (24–400+ ft)Glacial Drift Aquifer

Modelled Depth

120 FT

Area median

Drilling cost

$8,400–$18,000

Estimate

Published hardness

under 60 to above 180 mg/L as CaCO₃

0 ft (Surface)Median 120 ft400 ft (Deep)
Topsoil & Surficial Organics
Sand & Gravel Aquifer
Sand & Gravel Aquifer
Modeled typical strata:

Modeled typical strata — placeholder from median depth + aquifer type; not local driller logs.

Well Statistics

Local measurements compared against Ontario provincial benchmarks.

Total Registered Wells 8,521
Median Well Depth 120 ft
ON benchmark: 103 ft provincial median
Average Well Depth 146.1 ft
Dominant Aquifer Sand & Gravel
Hardness under 60 to above 180 mg/L as CaCO₃ — Estimate. Estimate based on Health Canada hardness bands
Drilling cost $8,400–$18,000 — Estimate. Typical drilling prices in Canada, about $70–$150 per foot
Domestic Household Use 92% of wells

Where This Report Applies

Approximate boundary of Algoma

Shaded area is an approximate municipal outline for orientation only. Well records are aggregated across the entire Algoma.

Depth Distribution

Most completed wells fall near the median depth of 120 ft. Recorded depths cover 8,494 wells.

0–49 ft 12.1% · 1,029
49–98 ft 26.8% · 2,277
98–148 ft 22.4% · 1,901
148–197 ft 14.3% · 1,217
197–295 ft 15.5% · 1,319
295–394 ft 6.3% · 533
394–591 ft 2.3% · 192
591+ ft 0.3% · 26

Median depth of 120 ft falls inside the reported range. Deeper completions here usually mean higher mineral content but steadier year-round pressure.

Aquifer Composition

Bedrock and drift aquifers recorded by drillers in this area. Recorded for 8,482 of these 8,521 wells.

Sand & Gravel Aquifer Glacial Drift Aquifer
41.9%

3,569 of 8,521 Shallow to intermediate glacial drift aquifer deposited in alluvial channels or outwash plains. Yields softer water but requires continuous sediment filtration and shallow bacterial monitoring.

Sandstone Bedrock Formation Basal Bedrock Aquifer
25.2%

2,148 of 8,521 Deep basal sandstone bedrock unit (including Winnipeg Formation). Supplies exceptionally stable yields; often exhibits moderate mineral hardness with silica-rich water.

Precambrian Crystalline Bedrock (Granite) Crystalline Bedrock Aquifer
16.7%

1,427 of 8,521 Crystalline Canadian Shield rock. Yields soft, slightly acidic water with minimal dissolved solids, relying on secondary fracture networks for groundwater storage.

Carbonate Bedrock (Limestone / Dolomite) Primary Bedrock Aquifer
9.6%

817 of 8,521 Major regional bedrock aquifer formed by Ordovician/Silurian dolomite. Known for reliable, high-volume yields with elevated mineral hardness and dissolved calcium/magnesium carbonates.

Glacial Lacustrine Clay & Silt Confining Aquitard
5.7%

488 of 8,521 Impermeable glaciolacustrine clay and silt deposits formed in ancient glacial lakes. Acts as an effective regional aquitard confining underlying aquifers.

Sedimentary Shale Formation Fractured Shale Aquifer
0.3%

29 of 8,521 Fractured sedimentary shale formation (including Odanah / Pierre members). Characterized by high total dissolved solids (TDS) and potential sulfur/iron compounds.

Undifferentiated Aquifer Regional Formation
0%

4 of 8,521 Unclassified hydrogeological formation from legacy provincial drill records.

1,986 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

Water Quality Profile

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 Algoma.

Soft (<60) Med (61–120) Hard (121–180) V. hard (>180)

USGS (2018) bands reprinted by Health Canada. A range can cross more than one band. This is not a sample.

What this is not

  • Not a laboratory result for a well on your property.
  • Not a reason to size a softener. Size equipment from a lab test.
  • Not a drilling quote. A cost line on this page is a national estimate, not a price for one well.

Health Canada has not set a maximum acceptable concentration for hardness. A wide published range can sit in more than one USGS band.

ALGOMA, UNORGANIZED, NORTH PART, ALGOMA DISTRICT, 10.36 km away, in the wider area.

11 government lab tests, dated 2005–2018.

Hardness 14–130 mg/L as CaCO₃, median 51.

Worked out by wellwaterguide.ca from 11 government lab tests.

reported hardness, or calculated from measured calcium and magnesium when hardness was not reported

Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network (PGMN): water chemistry and well locations Open Government Licence - Ontario

ALGOMA, UNORGANIZED, NORTH PART, ALGOMA DISTRICT, 11.9 km away, in the wider area.

15 government lab tests, dated 2005–2025.

Hardness 9–27 mg/L as CaCO₃, median 12.

Worked out by wellwaterguide.ca from 15 government lab tests.

reported hardness, or calculated from measured calcium and magnesium when hardness was not reported

Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network (PGMN): water chemistry and well locations Open Government Licence - Ontario

TARENTORUS, ALGOMA DISTRICT, 12.61 km away, in the wider area.

6 government lab tests, dated 2005–2013.

Hardness 240–330 mg/L as CaCO₃, median 279.5.

Worked out by wellwaterguide.ca from 6 government lab tests.

reported hardness, or calculated from measured calcium and magnesium when hardness was not reported

Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network (PGMN): water chemistry and well locations Open Government Licence - Ontario

Drilling Activity

Historical permit and construction activity by decade.

Pre-1970 1,189 wells
1970s 1,191 wells
1980s 1,909 wells
1990s 1,434 wells
2000s 1,311 wells
2010s 864 wells
2020s 509 wells

61% of dated wells are over 30 years old (pre-1995). Steel casing installed before 1995 can lose integrity over time. Any older well should get a casing inspection and a certified bacterial test before reliance.

Treatment

Size treatment from a laboratory test

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

Suggested system for Algoma

1

Test kit

estimate, confirm with a lab test

A test of your own well comes before any equipment. Test for coliform bacteria.

Water testing
2

Sediment prefilter

estimate, confirm with a lab test

A sediment prefilter is worth considering where wells draw from Sand & Gravel. This follows the aquifer type.

Sediment guide
3

Iron and manganese filter

estimate, confirm with a lab test

Manganese above the aesthetic objective, consider an iron/manganese filter. One monitoring well near this place has median iron of 0.74 mg/L and median manganese of 0.0975 mg/L. Another has median iron of 2.9 mg/L and median manganese of 0.105 mg/L. Another has median iron of 6.155 mg/L and median manganese of 0.6425 mg/L.

Iron and manganese guide
4

UV disinfection

estimate, confirm with a lab test

UV disinfection is worth considering where wells draw from Sand & Gravel. Test for coliform bacteria. This follows the aquifer type.

Bacteria and UV guide
Local Contractors

Licensed Water Well Drillers Serving Algoma

Because water wells in Algoma average 120 ft into sand & gravel, contractors equipped with heavy rotary rigs and proper casing seals are recommended. Contact local drillers directly or request competitive bids.

Rhude Well Drilling

Yard: Greater Sudbury, ON (245 km away)

Confirm the contractor's provincial licence before you hire
Sudbury Basin Bedrock Shield Granite Drilling Hydrofracturing

Drury Well Drilling Ltd.

Yard: Barrie, ON (425.3 km away)

Confirm the contractor's provincial licence before you hire
Simcoe County Bedrock Residential Drinking Wells Pump Diagnostics

Walker Drilling Ltd.

Yard: Thunder Bay, ON (432.7 km away)

Confirm the contractor's provincial licence before you hire
Northwestern Ontario Bedrock Industrial & Residential Wells Water Systems

SD Hopper Drilling

Yard: Stratford, ON (436.6 km away)

Confirm the contractor's provincial licence before you hire
Farm & Livestock Wells Domestic Well Drilling Downhole Camera

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Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers about water wells in Algoma.

What is the median well depth in Algoma?

Among 8494 producing water wells with a recorded depth, the median is 120.0 ft (36.58 m).

Adjacent Municipalities & Nearby Well Records

Explore neighbouring hydrogeological formations and compare drilling depths

Nearby communities