Water Quality

Well Water Testing

Gunnison County does not provide a well-testing service. The City of Gunnison Water Laboratory at 970-641-8040- serves the surrounding basin from Montrose to Monarch and from Mt. Crested Butte to Saguache and Lake City.

The laboratory measures the efficiency of wastewater facilities from local municipalities and tests drinking water wells samples for anyone who needs to ensure potability.

Monitoring Resources

The county does not own and operate water monitors to evaluate water quality. It participates with and provides support for the U.S. geologic survey Upper Gunnison River Watershed-Assessment of historical and current water-quality conditions.

U.S. Department of Energy

The U.S. Department of Energy has been responsible for monitoring groundwater related to the former mill tailing site south of Gunnison, which was re-mediated in the 1990's.

Rocky Mountain Biological Lab

The Rocky Mountain Biological Lab at Gothic has stream flow monitoring stations on Copper Creek and the East River.

Coal Creek Watershed Coalition

The Coal Creek Watershed Coalition (CCWC), in which Gunnison County is one of several stakeholders, has been formed to restore the health of aquatic life and habitat, and protect other water uses in the Coal Creek watershed, which have been impaired due to metals and other pollutant loading from point and non-point sources (NPS).

The Coal Creek Watershed is located in the Ruby-Anthracite Range and is a tributary to the Slate, East, and Gunnison Rivers. Coal Creek is the primary municipal water source for the Town of Crested Butte.