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Map Navigation

Learn how to navigate the DepthMap, search for locations, and view well information

Map Navigation

The DepthMap interface provides clear controls for exploring water wells across the country. This guide covers the essential navigation techniques to help you find and view well data efficiently.

Quick Start: Find Wells Near an Address

  1. Enter address in the search box at top of map
  2. Press Enter or click the search icon
  3. Map centers on location and zooms in
  4. Click well markers to view details
  5. Click View Well Log for full construction report

Use GPS coordinates (e.g., "43.0731, -89.4012") for precise locations. The search box accepts coordinates, addresses, city names, and ZIP codes.

Step-by-Step Workflow

  1. Enter address in the search box at top of map
  2. Press Enter or click the search icon
  3. Map centers on location and zooms in
  4. Click well markers to view details
  5. Click View Well Log for full construction report

Basic Navigation

Panning the Map

Click and drag anywhere on the map to pan in any direction. On touch devices, use one finger to drag the map. The map smoothly follows your movements, allowing you to explore any area.

Zooming

Multiple options exist for adjusting the map zoom level:

  • Mouse wheel - Scroll up to zoom in, scroll down to zoom out
  • Pinch gesture - On touch devices, pinch to zoom out and spread to zoom in
  • Zoom buttons - Use the +/- buttons in the corner of the map
  • Double-click - Double-click anywhere to zoom in on that location

The map supports zoom levels from viewing the entire country down to individual street level.

Searching for Locations

The search box at the top of the map accepts:

  • Full addresses - "123 Main Street, Madison, WI"
  • City and state - "Milwaukee, Wisconsin"
  • ZIP codes - "53703"
  • Coordinates - "43.0731, -89.4012"

Type your search and press Enter or click the search icon. The map centers on the found location and zooms to an appropriate level.

Current Location

Click the GPS icon to center the map on your current location. Your browser will request permission to access location data. Once granted, a marker shows your position and the map zooms to show wells in your immediate area.

This feature requires location permissions in your browser settings.

Viewing Well Information

Well Markers

Wells appear as markers on the map. As you zoom in, individual well markers become visible. At wider zoom levels, wells are grouped into clusters showing the count of wells in that area.

Opening Well Details

Click a well marker to open an information panel. Depending on what the state recorded, it can show:

  • Well ID - The unique identifier for this well
  • Total Depth - How deep the well was drilled
  • Construction Date - When the well was installed
  • Owner - Property owner at time of construction
  • Address - Location of the well
  • Well Type - Domestic, commercial, irrigation, etc.

Viewing Well Logs

Where the state has the driller's log on file, click "View Well Log" in the well detail panel to open it. Well logs include detailed information about:

  • Formation layers encountered during drilling
  • Casing depths and specifications
  • Static water level
  • Pump information
  • Driller notes and observations

Map Controls

Well Counts

The Well Logs menu in the bottom toolbar says what is drawn. All Wells reads "All state well logs on file." My Wells reads, for example, "2,459 wells matched to your company" (followed by "showing the N most recent" when the map cannot hold them all), or says your company is not linked to a public filing record yet. My DrillerDB Wells counts the wells you completed in DrillerDB that have GPS.

Fullscreen Mode

Click the fullscreen button at the bottom right of the map, beside the zoom buttons, to expand the map to fill your entire browser window. Press Escape or click the button again to exit fullscreen mode.

Export Wells

Click Export wells in the toolbar at the bottom of the map to download well records as a CSV file. Choose the area:

  • Map view - the wells in the area the map shows now, nearest the center first. Zoom in until the view is less than about 2 degrees across.
  • Radius - the wells within 0.1 to 25 km of the map center, nearest first. To center the radius on a different point, right-click that point and choose Export Wells Near Here.
  • County - every well whose state record names the county. Choose a state, then a county.

Each file holds up to 5,000 wells. If an area holds more, the file stops at 5,000 and the map tells you, so export a smaller area to get the rest. Each company can run 50 exports in any 24 hours.

County export needs the county on the state's records. Utah's records do not carry one yet, so county export is not available for Utah. Use a radius or the map view there.

For the columns in the file, see Exporting Well Data.

Tips for Efficient Navigation

  • Start zoomed out to get an overview of well density in a region
  • Use address search to jump directly to specific properties
  • Click clusters to drill down into areas with many wells
  • Combine with layers to see wells in context with parcel boundaries

Keyboard Shortcuts

KeyAction
Arrow keysPan map in corresponding direction
+ / -Zoom in / out
EscapeClose panels or exit fullscreen
Double-clickZoom in on location

Troubleshooting

Search not finding address?

  • Try a more specific address with city and state
  • Use ZIP code instead
  • Enter GPS coordinates directly

Current location not working?

  • Allow location permission when browser prompts
  • Check browser privacy settings
  • Ensure location services are enabled on device

Wells not appearing?

  • Zoom in closer to see individual markers
  • Switch on Well Logs in the bottom toolbar
  • Check if area has well data coverage

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