Environmental studies conducted at the Fenton Hill Hot Dry Rock geothermal development site
An environmental investigation of Hot Dry Rock (HDR) geothermal development was conducted at Fenton Hill, New Mexico, during 1976-1979. Activities at the Fenton Hill Site included an evaluation of baseline data for biotic and abiotic ecosystem components. Identification of contaminants produced by HDR processes that had the potential for reaching the surrounding environment is also discussed. Three dominant vegetative communities were identified in the vicinity of the site. These included grass-forb, aspen, and mixed conifer communities. The grass-forb area was identified as having the highest number of species encountered, with Phleum pratense and Dactylis glomerata being the dominant grass species. Frequency of occurrence and mean coverage values are also given for other species in the three main vegetative complexes. Live trapping of small mammals was conducted to determine species composition, densities, population, and diversity estimates for this component of the ecosystem. The data indicate that Peromyscus maniculatus was the dominant species across all trapping sites during the study. Comparisons of relative density of small mammals among the various trapping sites show the grass-forb vegetative community to have had the highest overall density. Comparisons of small mammal diversity for the three main vegetative complexes indicate that the aspen habitat had the highest diversity and the grass-forb habitat had the lowest. Analyses of waste waters from the closed circulation loop indicate that several trace contaminants (e.g., arsenic, cadmium, fluoride, boron, and lithium) were present at concentrations greater than those reported for surface waters of the region.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 6761777
- Report Number(s):
- LA-9967-MS; ON: DE84015062
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
HOT-DRY-ROCK SYSTEMS
BASELINE ECOLOGY
ANIMALS
ARSENIC
BORON
CADMIUM
CHEMICAL EFFLUENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FLUORIDES
LITHIUM
NEW MEXICO
PLANTS
RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
TRACE AMOUNTS
WASTE WATER
ALKALI METALS
ECOLOGY
ECOSYSTEMS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
FEDERAL REGION VI
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LIQUID WASTES
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SEMIMETALS
USA
WASTES
WATER
Geothermal Legacy