Wells in the Wisconsin River valley near Spring Green and Arena are the shallowest in the area. Town of Spring Green wells have a median of 66 feet, with water about 12 feet down. Test for bacteria and nitrate every year, and use a DNR-licensed pump installer for pump work.
Updated October 2026
Typical wells here
- Town of Spring Green (Sauk County): 507 wells, median 66 ft (32–121), casing 53 ft, water level about 12 ft down.
- Arena (Iowa County): 368 wells, median 92 ft (32–163), casing 60 ft, water level about 20 ft down.
- Depths vary widely: 14% of Arena wells still go deeper than 300 ft.
With water so close to the surface, what happens on the land nearby matters. Retest if your water changes after heavy rain or high water.
Water quality notes
- Arena is in Iowa County, part of the SWIGG study area. In November 2018, 42% of 301 randomly sampled wells across Iowa, Grant and Lafayette counties failed at least one test.
- If nitrate is over 10 mg/L, infants and pregnant people should switch water sources. Boiling concentrates nitrate.
- Spring is a good time for the annual bacteria and nitrate test.
Testing near Spring Green and Arena
- Sauk County Extension, Baraboo: free UW-Stevens Point kits, paid at the lab. A town testing program for Spring Green is scheduled for 2027. 608-355-3250.
- Iowa County Health Department, Dodgeville: bacteria, nitrate, arsenic or lead, $35 each. Return samples on ice within 24 hours, Monday to Thursday. 608-930-9870.
- UWSP homeowner package: $78.
Permits and rules
- New well: Sauk and Iowa counties are not DNR-delegated, so the DNR notification ($50.50) applies. An older Sauk brochure mentioned a county well permit, so check with county zoning.
- In a floodplain, 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 driller or pump installer. The DNR Well Abandonment Grant can pay 75% for eligible households, with approval before work starts.
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.
- Water that turns cloudy after high water
- Bacteria in a shallow well
- Pump or pressure tank problems
- Sealing an unused well
Related
- Wells around Black Earth and Mazomanie
- Wells around Dodgeville
- Typical well depths by town
- Common well problems
- Where to test your well water
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