Shallow Well

Hey all,

I bought a house with a well. The pump is a 3/4Hp above-ground pump so I assume its a shallow well. The image attached is of the well house and surrounding area. Without causing issues for the well, what can I do with the area around? I prefer not to have the big section of grass. Could I grow crops on either side of it? I have never had a well so am unsure. The area in question is roughly 60'X30.' The "flower" are in the picture is not part of that area and will continue to grow. We will eventually have an arched walkway going up to the forest. I am also in zone 3B.

Thanks!
Derek

Here are tips about wells
WhatsAWellOwnertoDo.pdf

Hi Derek! Welcome to Permies!

Congratulations on your new house. An exciting time.

A well draws on subsurface water that is collected from a fairly wide area. The main thing to be careful about is contamination with pathogens. This means ensuring surface runoff (especially in flood zones) cannot top the well head or enter a cracked casing. Manure-intensive activities like cattle or hog pens that leach too much unprocessed poo are also a potential problem, especially with a shallow well. In my area, there is also a mandatory setback from the wellhead to sewer pumpouts or leach fields. Again, this is to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

But can you garden the area around it? Absolutely. It's better if the area is sloped so any runoff drains away from the wellhead.

Some pictures inside the well house would be helpful. We can probably tell you a great deal about your well.