Wells in the Town of Cross Plains and Berry typically run 220 to 260 feet deep, and many top 300 feet. Both towns were in the western Dane nitrate project. After the 2018 Black Earth Creek flood, retesting mattered. Test yearly and use a DNR-licensed pump installer for pump work.
Updated October 2026
Typical wells here
- Town of Cross Plains: 340 wells, median 220 ft (162–302), casing 126 ft, 28% deeper than 300 ft.
- Berry: 257 wells, median 262 ft (176–305), casing 140 ft, 36% deeper than 300 ft.
- Berry’s median water level is about 135 ft down, so pumps sit deep.
The Driftless edge runs near Cross Plains. West of it, wells draw from dolomite and sandstone bedrock with no glacial cover.
Water quality notes
- Both towns were in Dane County’s 2024–25 western Dane testing project. Of its 1,292 volunteer samples, 90% had detectable nitrate and 10% were over the 10 mg/L standard. The highest was 26.7 mg/L.
- After the 2018 Black Earth Creek flood, PHMDC handed out free test kits in Cross Plains, Mazomanie and Black Earth. That lab has since closed.
- If floodwater covered your casing or the water changed, stop drinking it. Boil for 1 minute if there’s no safe option, and test for coliform before using it again.
Testing near Cross Plains
- The Madison and Dane County public health lab stopped testing on October 1, 2025. PHMDC still helps you read results: 608-243-0357.
- Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH), Madison: bacteria $35, nitrate $35, arsenic $38. Kits ship free; you pay return shipping. 608-224-6202.
- UW-Stevens Point lab: homeowner package $78 (bacteria, nitrate and basic chemistry). 715-346-3209.
Permits and rules
- New well: a Dane County well location permit from PHMDC ($226, 608-242-6515) plus the DNR well construction notification ($50.50).
- In a floodplain, the casing must end 2 feet above the regional flood elevation.
- A well unused for more than 90 days must be filled and sealed by a licensed pro.
When you need a licensed professional
Wisconsin rules require a DNR-licensed pump installer for pump and pressure-tank work on a drinking-water well; check with DNR if you’re unsure. You can check a contractor’s license in the DNR directories.
- Disinfecting a well after flooding
- Raising a buried or short casing
- Pump work on a well deeper than 300 feet
- Bacteria that keep coming back
Related
- Wells around Middleton
- Wells around Black Earth and Mazomanie
- Typical well depths by town
- Common well problems
- Where to test your well water
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