Pineview Reservoir Drop Reveals Century-Old Wells

Low water at Pineview Reservoir has exposed artesian wells that were drilled more than a century ago to supply Ogden's water system.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Utilities

Pineview Reservoir Drop Reveals Century-Old Wells

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Extremely low water levels at Pineview Reservoir have uncovered artesian wells that were submerged for decades, with some now spilling water. The discovery comes as Ogden City replaces a decades-old drinking water pipeline.

Why it matters

The exposed wells are remnants of a water system built more than a century ago that once carried supply down to homes in Ogden. Their reappearance coincides with the city's current pipeline replacement, linking past infrastructure to present-day water planning.

Municipal records show drilling for the artesian wells began in 1914 and continued into the 1930s. The records do not specify current flow rates from the wells or how much of the city's supply they could restore.

The players

Ogden City

Ogden City is the municipal government responsible for the city's drinking water system, which is currently replacing a decades-old pipeline.

The details

Records show the wells fed an intake, the intake fed a pipe, and the pipe carried water down to homes. Records also document the project's cost, the bids, and the laying of the pipes, and the work was carried out during the Great Depression.

More than 100 years ago: The Pineview dam project began.
1914: Drilling for the artesian wells started.
1930s: Drilling and project work continued.
Great Depression: The Pineview project provided local work.
November 6, 2026: Low water levels uncovered the wells.

Legacy Infrastructure

The exposed artesian wells are physical remnants of the Pineview dam project that began more than a century ago. They show how early twentieth-century water systems in the Ogden Valley were built and later submerged beneath the reservoir.

Ogden residents who rely on the city's water system may see the effects of the ongoing pipeline replacement. The exposed wells show that the existing supply has historical roots that connect to the current work.

The takeaway

Aging water infrastructure often rests on decades of earlier planning, and records kept in municipal archives can explain how systems were originally built. Residents can review local project history to understand where their water comes from.