ksmuczynski · Nov 13, 2026 · Nov 13, 2026
diff --git a/domain/water_levels.py b/domain/water_levels.py
@@ -22,11 +22,43 @@
 from a per-row importer or from a single-record API call.
 """
 
+from domain.wells import (
+    RELEASE_STATUS_DRAFT,
+    RELEASE_STATUS_PRIVATE,
+    RELEASE_STATUS_PUBLIC,
+)
+
 MEASUREMENT_UNIT = "ft"
 SAMPLE_MATRIX = "groundwater"
 SAMPLE_QC_TYPE = "Normal"
 GROUNDWATER_LEVEL_ACTIVITY_TYPE = "groundwater level"
 
+_COPIED_RELEASE_STATUSES = frozenset({RELEASE_STATUS_PUBLIC, RELEASE_STATUS_PRIVATE})
+
+
+def observation_release_status(well_release_status: str | None) -> str:
+    """
+    Choose the release status for a water level observation an importer creates.
+
+    The public water level views filter on the observation's status as well as the
+    well's, so an observation left at the ``draft`` default stays hidden even when
+    the owner agreed to publish the well. Copying the well's status applies that
+    decision to the observation.
+
+    Only ``public`` and ``private`` are copied, because they are the only statuses
+    that indicate whether the well's data may be published. For any other status
+    the function returns ``draft``.
+
+    The BDMS-1561 backfill
+    (``20261110_0001_backfill_imported_water_level_release_status``) applies the
+    same rule to observations imported before this function existed, so old and
+    new imported observations follow it. It keeps its own copy of the rule, so a
+    change here must be made there too.
+    """
+    if well_release_status in _COPIED_RELEASE_STATUSES:
+        return well_release_status
+    return RELEASE_STATUS_DRAFT
+
 
 def reconcile_measuring_point_height(
     csv_mp_height: float | None,

diff --git a/services/well_inventory_csv.py b/services/well_inventory_csv.py
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@
     GROUNDWATER_LEVEL_ACTIVITY_TYPE,
     MEASUREMENT_UNIT,
     SAMPLE_MATRIX,
+    observation_release_status,
 )
 from domain.wells import (
     alternate_ids,
@@ -866,6 +867,10 @@ def _add_csv_row(session: Session, group: Group, model: WellInventoryRow, user)
                 else model.data_quality or None
             ),
             notes=model.water_level_notes,
+            # The public water level views check the observation's status as
+            # well as the well's, so without this the views exclude the
+            # observation even after the owner agreed to public availability.
+            release_status=observation_release_status(well.release_status),
         )
         session.add(observation)
 

diff --git a/tests/test_domain_water_levels.py b/tests/test_domain_water_levels.py
@@ -18,10 +18,13 @@
 from datetime import datetime
 from decimal import Decimal
 
+import pytest
+
 from domain.samples import water_level_sample_name
 from domain.water_levels import (
     depth_to_water_error,
     measuring_point_height_conflict_message,
+    observation_release_status,
     reconcile_measuring_point_height,
 )
 
@@ -135,4 +138,22 @@ def test_water_level_sample_name_ignores_sub_minute_precision():
     )
 
 
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# observation_release_status
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("well_status", ["public", "private", "draft"])
+def test_observation_release_status_copies_the_well_status(well_status):
+    assert observation_release_status(well_status) == well_status
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "well_status",
+    # A well with no status, values no view treats as a release decision (the
+    # legacy review terms, and archived), and casing the views would not match.
+    [None, "", "provisional", "final", "published", "archived", "Public"],
+)
+def test_observation_release_status_holds_anything_else_in_draft(well_status):
+    assert observation_release_status(well_status) == "draft"
+
+
 # ============= EOF =============================================
diff --git a/tests/test_well_inventory.py b/tests/test_well_inventory.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 from schemas.well_inventory import WellInventoryRow
 from services.util import transform_srid, convert_ft_to_m
 from shapely import Point
+from sqlalchemy import text
 
 
 def _minimal_valid_well_inventory_row():
@@ -756,6 +757,55 @@ def test_public_availability_sets_thing_and_location_release_status(
         assert locations[0].release_status == expected
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "acknowledgement, expected",
+    [("True", "public"), ("False", "private"), ("", "draft")],
+)
+def test_public_availability_sets_water_level_observation_release_status(
+    tmp_path, acknowledgement, expected
+):
+    """The public water level views need the observation public as well as the well."""
+    row = _minimal_valid_well_inventory_row()
+    row.update(
+        {
+            "public_availability_acknowledgement": acknowledgement,
+            "water_level_date_time": "2025-02-15T10:30:00",
+            "depth_to_water_ft": "8",
+            "sample_method": "Steel-tape measurement",
+        }
+    )
+
+    file_path = tmp_path / "well-inventory-observation-release-status.csv"
+    with file_path.open("w", encoding="utf-8", newline="") as f:
+        writer = csv.DictWriter(f, fieldnames=list(row.keys()))
+        writer.writeheader()
+        writer.writerow(row)
+
+    result = well_inventory_csv(file_path)
+    assert result.exit_code == 0, result.stderr
+
+    with session_ctx() as session:
+        thing = session.query(Thing).one()
+        observation = session.query(Observation).one()
+        sample = observation.sample
+
+        assert observation.release_status == expected
+        assert observation.release_status == thing.release_status
+        # Only the observation follows the well; the visit records stay draft.
+        assert sample.release_status == "draft"
+        assert sample.field_activity.release_status == "draft"
+        assert sample.field_activity.field_event.release_status == "draft"
+
+        # The purpose of the fix is that the public EDR collection includes
+        # the observation, so check the collection directly. It should
+        # include the observation only when the well is public.
+        published = session.execute(
+            text("SELECT count(*) FROM ogc_waterlevels WHERE thing_id = :id"),
+            {"id": thing.id},
+        ).scalar_one()
+        assert published == (1 if expected == "public" else 0)
+
+
 def test_measuring_point_height_ft_used_for_thing_and_observation(tmp_path):
     """When measuring_point_height_ft is provided it is used for the thing's (MeasuringPointHistory) and observation's measuring_point_height values."""
     row = _minimal_valid_well_inventory_row()