How to build a well in Dwarf Fortress

Dwarf Fortress is one of the oldest colony management games in the world and definitely the longest in development. It’s inspired games like Project Zomboid and RimWorld, all requiring you to secure the basic tools of survival. Part of that in Dwarf Fortress is making sure that you have enough water to keep your Dwarves alive.

While water is one of the fundamentals of survival, you’ll also need to make sure you have alcohol in equal measure to keep your Dwarves active. Here’s all the information you need to know about how to build a well in Dwarf Fortress.

How do you build a functioning well in Dwarf Fortress?

The first thing you’ll need when you’re trying to build a well is a water source for the well to drill into like an aquifer, a river, a lake, an underground reservoir, and even a brook. If you use a brook, you’ll need to build a downward channel that allows the bucket to dip into the water.

Regardless of the source, your well will need to be placed at least one horizontal above water that’s at least 3/7 deep.

Because a well can dry up, using an underground reservoir can be a limited option if it can’t be naturally replenished. Even still, having a limited resource is better than nothing at all while you focus on getting a more sustainable source of water.

To build the well, you’ll first need the following building components, with better resources used to provide a more reliable tool:

• One block: Built at a Mason’s Workshop, Carpenter’s Workshop, etc.
• One bucket: Built at Carpenter’s Workshop or Metalsmith’s Forge
• One chain or rope: Chain at Metalsmith’s Forger or Rope at Clothier’s Shop
• One mechanism: Built at Mechanic’s Workshop, Metalsmith’s Workshop, etc.
• Open space or downward slope

Once you’ve got all the components, go into your build menu by clicking the hammer with three blocks and then the “Machines/fluids” section. From here, click on the Well option and place it a location above a water source. If it’s above ground, you may need to build stairs, walls, and floors that are above the water source.

It’s important to note you’ll need Dwarves with architecture labor to design it and then a mason, carpenter, or metalsmith to finish the construction of the well.

You can tell the well has access to water if it says “active,” otherwise it will show there’s no water with the label “dry.”

That’s all you need to know about how to build a well in Dwarf Fortress.