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Title: Evaluation of the hydrothermal resources of the Desert Hot Springs Region, California

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5962605· OSTI ID:5962605

The Desert Hot Springs hydrothermal resource demonstrates its limited capacity to sustain additional utilization and development. The evaluation included, the delineation of the areal extent, determination of the hydraulic characteristics, calculation of a safe yield, and identification of the source of heat. The areal extent based on well water temperatures and the area enclosed by 90/sup 0/F (32/sup 0/C) isotherm, is about 5.5 square miles. Thirteen aquifer tests were conducted which indicated the average transmissivity to be 29,000 gallons per day per foot and the storativity to be 1.15 x 10/sup -4/, representing an artesian system. Meteorologic and hydrologic data are used to estimate the components of the hydrologic budget for the calculation of the safe yield. The safe yield is 3,400 acre feet and the safest safe yield is 2,100 acre feet. The data generated by the field investigation is employed in a multivariate regression analysis to identify the source of heat. The analysis indicated the hydrothermal waters come to surface in the Blind Canyon fault zone before entering the Desert Hot Springs area.

Research Organization:
California Energy Commission, Sacramento (USA)
OSTI ID:
5962605
Report Number(s):
NP-23970
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English