DOE Geothermal Map Report for Washington State
Posted verbatimWashingtonMap Title: Geologic Map GM-25, Geothermal Resources of Washington, 1981Geothermal data compiled by the Division of Geology and Earth Resources, Washington Department of Natural ResourcesMap produced by theNational Geophysical and Solar-Terrestrial Data CenterNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for theDivision of Geothermal EnergyUnited States Department of EnergyAnd on the thermal watersThermal WatersDark Gray Areas. Darker gray area is known or inferred to be underlain by low-temperature (lower that 100°C) to high-temperature (higher that (150°C) thermal water.Light Gray Areas. Unbounded lighter gray area is favorable for exploration for, and development of, thermal water of sufficient temperature (20°C and higher) for direct heat applications.In the Cascade Range physiographic province low-temperature to high-temperature resources are indicated by stratovolcanoes and basaltic volcanic fields less that one million years old, geologically young silicic (andesitic and dacitic) volcanic centers, and hot springs and fumaroles. The Cascades geothermal systems have the best potential for high-temperature development in Washington. In southeastern Washington (generally the Columbia Basin physiographic province) light gray area includes wells with bottom-hole temperatures of 20°C and higher, and gradients higher than 45°C/km. Here, although neither temperatures nor gradients are spectacular, exploitable low-temperature thermal water underlies large areas at shallow depth (less than 1000m). It is not implied that thermal water will be found everywhere in the gray areas. In southeastern Washington cold wells are interspersed with warm wells. Absence of gray shading does not indicate there is no possibility of finding geothermal resources; it means only that surface and subsurface manifestations are not now known. Ongoing exploration and study will continue to refine the delineation of Washington’s geothermal resources.
Map Scale: 1:500,0001927 North American DatumLambert conformal conic projection based on standard parallels 33° and 45°Base map revised in 1976
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