Open File Report 81-07, The low temperature geothermal resources of ...

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STATE OF WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF N A T U R A L RESOURCES D I V I S I O N OF GEOLOGY AND EARTH RESOURCES OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON 98504

T H E LOW TEMPERATURE GEOTHERMAL RESOURCE OF T H E YAKIMA REGION - A PRELIMINARY by John H . Biggane

Open-File Report 81-7

September 1981

REPORT

Table of Contents L i s t of Figures

iii

L i s t of Tables

v

Introduction

1

Location and Topography

1

Stratigraphy of the Yakima Region

1

Grande Ronde Formation Vantage Member of the Ellensburg Formation Wanapum Formation

2 3 3

Frenchman Springs Member

3

Squaw Creek Member of the Ellensburg Formation . . .

4

Roza Member

4

Priest Rapids Member

4

Mabton Member of the Ellensburg Formation

5

Saddle Mountains Formation

5

Umatilla Member

5

"Huntzinger" Valley Flow (Asotin Member?)

5

Selah Member of the Ellensburg Formation

6

Pomona Member

6

Rattlesnake Ridge Member of the Ellensburg Formation

6

Elephant Mountain Member

6

Upper Ellensburg Formation and Quaternary Sediments.

7

Previous Geophysical Investigations in the Yakima Region .

8

Table of Contents ( c o n t . ) Previous Geothermal Research in t h e Yakima Region. . . . .

9

Temperature Data

9

Calculation of Geothermal Gradients i n the Yakima Region

10

Geothermal Gradients i n the Yakima Region

12

Accuracy of the Geothermal Gradients Obtained by the Regression Analysis

12

Projected Land Surface Temperatures and Slope Aspect

14

Chemical Geothermometers

17

Summary

22

References

23

Appendices Appendix A:

Symbols Used on Figures 2 through 8 and 13 through 26

Appendix B:

Well Locations and Bottom Hole Temperatures from Wells in t h e Yakima Region

Appendix C:

Well Data Groups Used in t h e Bottom Hole Temperature Regression Analysis

ILLUSTRATIONS Page Figure

1.

Generalized stratigraphic section

2a

2.

Stratigraphic correlation line N o . 1

2b

3.

Stratigraphic correlation line N o . 2

2c

4.

Stratigraphic correlation line N o . 3

2d

5.

Stratigraphic correlation line N o . 4

2e

6.

Stratigraphic correlation line N o . 5

2f

7.

Stratigraphic correlation line N o . 6

2g

8. Stratigraphic correlation line N o . 7

2h

9.

Typical natural gamma response of the Umatilla and Squaw Creek Members

4a

10. Spring and well location map 11. Temperature logs of the DNR Black Rock Well No 12.

"Step-like" distortion of a temperature log

In pocket 1

10a 10b

13. Temperature versus depth for group 1

12a

14. Temperature versus depth for group 2

12b

15. Temperature versus depth for group 3

12c

16. Temperature versus depth for group 4

12d

17. Temperature versus depth for group 5

12e

18. Temperature versus depth for group 6

12f

19. Temperature versus depth for group 7

12g

20.

Temperature versus depth for group 8

12h

21. Temperature versus depth for group 9

12i

22.

Temperature versus depth for group 10

12j

23. Temperature versus depth for group 11

12k

ILLUSTRATIONS— Continued Page Figure

24.

Temperature versus depth for group 12

12L

25.

Temperature versus depth for group 13

12m

26.

Temperature versus depth for group 14

12n

27.

Well data group location map

In pocket

27a. M a p showing locations of w e l l data groups with respect to the locations of springs and wells

In pocket «

28.

Temperature logs, line N o . 1

12o

29.

Temperature logs, line N o . 2

12p

30.

Temperature logs, line N o . 3

12q

31.

Temperature logs, line N o . 6

32.

Temperature logs, line N o . 7

12s

33.

Slope aspect versus normalized surface temperature

14a

.

12r

L i s t of Tables Table

Page

1

Geothermal G r a d i e n t s , Land Surface Temperatures, and Depths to the 20°C Isotherm

13

2

Measured and Predicted "Aquifer" Temperatures

15

3

Mean E l e v a t i o n , Slope Aspect, and Normalized Land S u r f a c e Temperatures f o r Well Data Groups 1 - 1 3

18

4

Chemical Data f o r Springs in Yakima County, Washington

19

5

Chemical Data f o r Wells in Yakima County, Washington

20

Introduction The low temperature geothermal resource of t h e Yakima region i s c u r r e n t l y at t h e i n i t i a l s t a g e of i t s development. utilize

Several domestic heat

pump

systems

the warm groundwater f o r space h e a t i n g , and l a r g e r i n s t a l l a t i o n s have

been c o n s i d e r e d .

This report provides a preliminary summary of t h e geothermal

resource f o r p o r t i o n s of t h e Yakima r e g i o n .

Location and Topography The Yakima r e g i o n l i e s in the western portion of t h e Columbia Plateau south-central

Washington.

The

region's

major

topographic

f e a t u r e s are a s e r i e s of s o u t h e a s t - t r e n d i n g a n t i c l i n a l valleys.

in

and s t r u c t u r a l

ridges

and

synclinal

The Yakima River serves as t h e r e g i o n ' s major drainage.

S t r a t i g r a p h y of t h e Yakima Region The lava flows interbedded

the

sediments

region's near-surface underlying

of

the

of

Columbia the

River

Basalt

and

(CRBG)

stratigraphic

section.

The

nature

of

units

the

the

rocks

b a s a l t i c l a v a s i s u n c e r t a i n , but they are probably r e l a t e d t o

o t h e r s , 1980).

are

exposed

in

the

future.

Alluvial

Formation throughout much of t h e lowlands 1976, 1977a, 1977b;

to

the

west

Oil and gas e x p l o r a t i o n boreholes are p r e s e n t l y

being d r i l l e d in Yakima County and should provide information geologic

and

Ellensburg Formation comprise t h e bulk of the

o l d e r volcanic rocks (Ohanapecosh Formation) t h a t (Bentley

Group

on

the

deeper

sediments o v e r l i e the Ellensburg

of

the

Yakima

region

(Campbell,

Swanson and o t h e r s , 1979a).

The t o t a l t h i c k n e s s of t h e Columbia River Basalts i s unknown but probably exceeds 1,000m in t h e Yakima 1980).

region

(Bentley,

1977;

Bentley

and

others,

All t h r e e formations of the Yakima Basalt Subgroup (CRBG)--the Grande

Ronde, Wanapum,

and

Saddle

Mountains

Formations—are

found

in

surface

exposures (Swanson and o t h e r s , 1979a). Individual b a s a l t flows u s u a l l y contain two major and

the

underlying

entablature,

c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s (Swanson, 1967; columns

are

typical

of

the

which

are

zones.

apart

Diery and McKee, 1969). colonnade,

the

colonnade

by d i f f e r i n g j o i n t Straight,

vertical

while t h i n n e r , i n c l i n e d , or curved

columnar j o i n t s a r e found in the e n t a b l a t u r e . both

set

zones,

Horizontal j o i n t s a r e found

in

A basal breccia i s o f t e n observed beneath t h e colonnade, and a

v e s i c u l a r zone o f t e n occurs at t h e flow t o p . An g e n e r a l i z e d s t r a t i g r a p h i c s e c t i o n i s shown in stratigraphic

correlation

lines

are

explained in Appendix A.)

are

shown

in

(Symbols used in Figures 2

through

geophysical

logs.

Neutron-neutron

Figures 2 through 8, but i t should be noted t h a t natural

gamma, gamma-gamma, and correlations.

Subsurface

These c o r r e l a t i o n l i n e s were c o n s t r u c t e d by

i n t e r p r e t i n g both d r i l l e r s ' and borehole logs

1.

f o r t h e lower Yakima, Black Rock, and Moxee

Valleys are shown in Figures 2 through 8. 8

Figure

neutron-gamma

logs

were

also

utilized

for

these

Formation t h i c k n e s s e s reported in l a t e r s e c t i o n s of t h i s

report

a r e apparent t h i c k n e s s e s , since dip c o r r e c t i o n s have not been made. An overview of t h e r e g i o n ' s geologic u n i t s i s

given

below.

Interested

r e a d e r s are r e f e r r e d t o Swanson (1967), Schmincke (1967a and 1967b), Diery and McKee

(1969),

Bentley (1977), Campbell (1976, 1977a, and 1977b), Swanson and

o t h e r s (1979a), and Bentley and o t h e r s (1980) f o r more

detailed

information.

Grande Ronde Formation The Grande

Ronde

Formation

has

been

informally

divided

into

four

m a g n e t o s t r a t i g r a p h i c u n i t s of which t h r e e (N x , R 2 , and N2) have been mapped in t h e region (Swanson and o t h e r s , 1979a).

The t o t a l thickness of t h i s formation

COLUMBIA RIVER BASALT GROUP

ELLENSBURG FORMATION

ELEPHANT

QUATERNARY AND UPPER ELLENSBURG SEDIMENTS

MOUNTAIN MEMBER

POMONA

RATTLESNAKE RIDGE MEMBER

SELAH MEMBER

MEMBER

UMATILLA

MABT0N MEMBER

MEMBER

PRIEST RAPIDS

OUINCY

MEMBER

DIATOMITE?

ROZA MEMBER

SQUAW CREEK MEMBER

FRENCHMAN VANTAGE SPRINGS MEMBER MEMBER

GRANDE RONDE FORMATION

FIGURE 1 GENERALIZED STRATIGRAPHIC SECTION

13118-,

12N/20f-36PI

I IN/21£·1161.1

I IH/21f•lfil'I

I IN/21E·22G2

IIH/21£·361CI

1-

w w LL

llltl

91li -

'. I

11111

IN

12i

121 ·

-61

l.

11111 -

·Ill

I

- ·till

·61

--

; }ll8

- · 12i

·1 - -11111



1111

-

~ s r r ~ .... l11~-~-»9~c-rn · s,&tJ

NN

NN

s29 I

'3-r - ~ f " t - l n a NN

~..32l..CliiflS7~----11T-~ru::mrrszSEr;r.ut- -791

NN

FIGURE FIGURE 22 STRATIGRAPHIC STRATIGRAPHIC CORRELATION CORRELATION LINE LINE ##11

NN

··1 ts)

0-

13111

12N/28E-27NI

12N/211E-3,N2

llN/21lE-IIU11

I IN/21lE-,'IIU

(/)

er.:

131!111

1---

w

w w u._

li! :E

(/)

er.:

w ~ :c

3WI

241

ZAI

188

llll

121

121

61

61

-•



-61

-61

--

--

-121

-I

NN

NN

FIGURE FIGURE 33 STRATIGRAPHtC STRATIGRAPHIC CORRELATION CORRELATION LINF. LINE #2 #2

NN

FIGURE 4 STRATIGRAPHIC CORRELATION LINE

#3

FIGURE 5 STRATIGRAPHIC CORRELATION LINE #4

FIGURE 6 STRATIGRAPHIC CORRELATION LINE #5

FIGURE 7 STRATIGRAPHIC CORRELATION LINE #6

FIGURE 8 STRATIGRAPHIC CORRELATION LINE #7

in

the

Yakima region probably does not exceed 1,000m and may vary by as much

as 400m because of an i r r e g u l a r p r e - b a s a l t 1980).

Individual

topography

(Bentley

and

others,

flows average 20 t o 30m in thickness (Bentley and o t h e r s ,

1980).

Vantage Member of t h e Ellensburg Formation The Vantage Member of t h e Ellensburg Formation l i e s Ronde

and

Wanapum

Basalt

Formations

throughout

between

most

the

Grande

of t h e r e g i o n .

The

reported t h i c k n e s s of t h i s member ranges from 0 t o 30m (Diery and McKee, 1969; Bentley, 1977;

Bentley

and

volcaniclastic

sandstones,

others,

1980).

siltstones,

This

member

claystones,

conglomerate and d i a t o m i t e (Diery and McKee, 1969;

is

composed

of

and minor q u a n t i t i e s of

Bentley and o t h e r s , 1980).

None of t h e w e l l s f o r which s t r a t i g r a p h i c s e c t i o n s a r e

given

in

this

report

have p e n e t r a t e d t h e Vantage Member.

Wanapum Formation In t h e Yakima Region, t h e Wanapum Basalt Formation i s composed members:

of

three

t h e Frenchman Springs, t h e Roza, and t h e P r i e s t Rapids Members.

Frenchman Springs Member The Frenchman widespread

Wanapum

Springs Member,

(Bentley and o t h e r s , 1980).

Member, is

the

thickest

composed

of

up

(over to

been

tentatively

and

most

s i x flows a t Union Gap

None of t h e wells f o r which s t r a t i g r a p h i c s e c t i o n s

are given in t h i s r e p o r t have completely penetrated t h i s lave

150 m)

recognized

in

thickness ranges from 80 t o over 150m.

several

wells

member. where

Six

flows

t h e i r combined

Several t h i n (up t o 8 m t h i c k in well

11N/21E-22G2) d i s c o n t i n u o u s sedimentary i n t e r b e d s l i e between the flows of the Frenchman Springs B a s a l t Member.

Squaw Creek Member of t h e Ellensburg Formation The Squaw Creek Member of

the

Ellensburg

Formation

between

the

Frenchman Springs and t h e Roza Members throughout much of t h e study a r e a .

The

t h i c k n e s s of t h i s member ranges from 0 t o nearly 11 m. as

a

This member can be used

s t r a t i g r a p h i c marker due t o i t s high natural gamma response.

response i s shown in Figure 9. varies

lies

from

McKee, 1969;

The

composition

of

the

Squaw

A typical

Creek

Member

a d i a t o m i t e or j a s p e r o i d t o sandstone or conglomerate (Diery and Bentley and o t h e r s , 1980).

Roza Member The Roza Member occurs as a thickness

of

this

member

subsurface c o r r e l a t i o n l i n e s .

single

ranges

from

flow under

in

the

Yakima

region.

The

30m t o almost 45 m along the

A t h i n (0 t o 10m) i n t e r b e d (Quincy

Diatomite?)

s e p a r a t e s t h e Roza Member from t h e o v e r l y i n g b a s a l t flow.

P r i e s t Rapids Member Two b a s a l t flows of t h e subsurface

of

the

Priest

Rapids

Member

normally

occur

the

r e g i o n , with t h e upper flow t h i c k n e s s ranging from 10m to

almost 60m and t h e lower flow t h i c k n e s s ranging from 45m t o

almost

t h i n (up t o 5 m) i n t e r b e d occurs r a r e l y between t h e s e two f l o w s . was

in

60m.

Only one flow

found t o occur in several wells in the Black Rock and Moxee Valleys.

t h i c k n e s s of t h i s f l o w ranges from more than 20m t o 42m at

A

these

The

locations.

The upper s u r f a c e of t h e P r i e s t Rapids Basalt Member i s o f t e n deeply weathered (Bentley and o t h e r s ,

1980).

FIGURE 9 TYPICAL NATURAL GAMMA RESPONSE OF THE UMATILLA AND SQUAW CREEK MEMBERS

Mabton Member of t h e Ellensburg Formation The Mabton Member of the Ellensburg Formation o v e r l i e s the P r i e s t Member

throughout

much

of

v a r i e s from 0 m t o over 25m.

the

Yakima r e g i o n .

The thickness of t h e member

The Mabton Member i s composed

d e p o s i t s and a i r f a l l t u f f (Bentley and o t h e r s ,

Rapids

of

volcaniclastic

1980).

Saddle Mountains Formation Four members of t h e Saddle Mountains Formation are found region.

These

flows

Mountain Members.

in

the

Yakima

include t h e Umatilla, Huntzinger, Pomona, and Elephant

Interbedded

between

these

flows

are

sediments

of

the

Ellensburg Formation t h a t may reach t h i c k n e s s e s g r e a t e r than 100m.

Umatilla Member The Umatilla Member c o n s i s t s of a s i n g l e b a s a l t that

ranges

from

30m t o

poorly

developed

serves

as

a

a

thickness

Valley.

The

colonnade

columns 1 m t o 2 m in diameter and is o v e r l a i n by a

glassy e n t a b l a t u r e and flow t o p Member

with

60m in t h e s u b s u r f a c e of t h e Black Rock and Moxee

Valleys and from 60m t o over 80m in t h e lower Yakima contains

flow

breccia

stratigraphic

response (Crosby and o t h e r s , 1972).

(Schmincke,

1967b).

The

Umatilla

marker because of i t s high n a t u r a l gamma A t y p i c a l response i s shown in Figure

9.

"Huntzinger" Valley Flow (Asotin Member?) The Huntzinger Valley flow (Asotin Member?)

occurs as a " v a l l e y f i l l i n g "

b a s a l t flow s o u t h e a s t of Selah in the Moxee and Black Rock 1977;

Campbell,

1977a).

This

flow

Valleys

(Bentley,

has not been i d e n t i f i e d in any of the

s t r a t i g r a p h i c s e c t i o n s t h a t were prepared f o r t h i s

report.

Selah Member of t h e Ellensburg Formation The Selah Member, an i n t e r b e d Members, 1967a).

is

lying

between

the

Umatilla

and

Pomona

composed of v o l c a n i c l a s t i c d e p o s i t s and v i t r i c t u f f s (Schmincke,

The t h i c k n e s s of t h i s member ranges from l e s s than 10m t o over 15m in

t h e s u b s u r f a c e of t h e Black Rock and Moxee Valleys and from 0m t o

almost

25 m

in t h e lower Yakima Valley.

Pomona Member The Pomona Member, a s i n g l e b a s a l t f l o w , ranges in than

40m t o

over

thickness

80m in t h e subsurface of t h e lower Yakima Valley.

s u b s u r f a c e of t h e Black Rock Valley, t h e Pomona Member was found 30m t h i c k

from

and in several l o c a t i o n s was absent a l t o g e t h e r .

to

less In the

be

The Pomona Member

in t h e s u b s u r f a c e of t h e Moxee Valley was found t o be 45 m t o 55m t h i c k . upper

surface

of

the

Pomona

Member

only

The

i s o f t e n broken i n t o blocks of highly

oxidized s c o r i a (Schmincke, 1967b).

R a t t l e s n a k e Ridge Member of t h e Ellensburg Formation The R a t t l e s n a k e Ridge Member, an i n t e r b e d l y i n g between Elephant

Mountain

Members,

member

ranges

from

Pomona

and

i s composed p r i m a r i l y of s i l t s t o n e and c l a y s t o n e

with interbedded conglomerate (Bentley and o t h e r s , 1980). this

the

The

thickness

of

40m t o over 100m in t h e subsurface of t h e r e g i o n .

Bentley and o t h e r s (1980) r e p o r t t h i c k n e s s e s of up t o 200m f o r t h i s member

in

t h e Toppenish b a s i n .

Elephant Mountain Member The Elephant Mountain Member u s u a l l y occurs as one region

with

a

second

flow,

the

Ward

flow

in

the

Yakima

Gap, being found at Snipes Mountain

(Campbell, 1977b) and at Ward Gap (Schmincke, 1967a). flow

ranges

The thickness

of

this

from 8m t o over 15 m in t h e subsurface of t h e lower Yakima Valley

and i s absent in most of t h e w e l l s s t u d i e d in t h e Black Rock Valley.

In

the

subsurface of t h e Moxee Valley, t h e t h i c k n e s s ranges from 0 m t o j u s t over 10m. A t h i c k (48 m) s e c t i o n occurs in well 12N/20E-16D1, but i t i s uncertain whether the e n t i r e s e c t i o n i s Elephant Mountain B a s a l t .

Upper Ellensburg Formation and Quaternary Sediments Overlying t h e Elephant Mountain Basalt Member a r e Ellensburg and Quaternary

sediments.

younger

The t h i c k n e s s of t h e s e sediments range from 0 t o over

170m along the c o r r e l a t i o n l i n e s t h a t were prepared f o r t h i s r e p o r t , and i t i s expected t h a t g r e a t e r t h i c k n e s s e s would be found towards lower

Yakima

Valley.

The

Ellensburg

sediments

the

center

of

the

c o n s i s t of v o l c a n i c l a s t i c

d e p o s i t s with i n t e r b e d d e d conglomerates and sandstones, whereas t h e Quaternary sediments c o n s i s t of s i l t , sand, g r a v e l , and loess d e p o s i t s 1977a, and 1977b;

(Campbell,

1976,

Bentley and o t h e r s , 1980).

In regions where t h e Elephant Mountain and/or Pomona Basalt

Members

are

a b s e n t , t h e Selah and R a t t l e s n a k e Ridge Members are d i f f i c u l t t o s e p a r a t e from the

upper

Ellensburg

R a t t l e s n a k e Ridge Ellensburg

sediments.

Members

sediments

have

Where t h i s s i t u a t i o n occurs, t h e Selah and not

been

differentiated

from

the

upper

on t h e c o r r e l a t i o n l i n e s t h a t a r e shown in t h i s

report.

Previous Geophysical I n v e s t i g a t i o n s in t h e Yakima Region Gravity and aeromagnetic s t u d i e s have been conducted in the Yakirna region by Robbins and o t h e r s (1975), Konicek (1975), and Swanson and o t h e r s The

known

seismic

history

of

the

(1979c).

region i s summarized by Myers and Price

(1979). Analysis of g r a v i t y data suggests t h a t t h e b a s a l t s

(CRBG)

extend

to

a

depth of 2m t o 4 km in the Yakima and Toppenish Valleys and t o a depth of about l km

in

the

Ahtanum

Valley

(Robbins

and

others,

C i r c u l a r g r a v i t y lows were observed j u s t west of Zillah

and

Konicek, 1975).

cities

of

Yakima

and

were i n t e r p r e t e d as p o s s i b l y r e s u l t i n g from buried volcanic cones

or d e p o s i t s of rock having a lower others,

the

1975;

1975).

A

density

than

the

basalts

(Robbins

and

l a r g e g r a v i t y high, centered j u s t south of Union Gap, was

a t t r i b u t e d t o a t h i n l a y e r of sediments (Robbins and o t h e r s , 1975). The aeromagnetic study showed low i n t e n s i t y , over

the

valleys

and

small

amplitude

anomalies

anomalies of g r e a t e r i n t e n s i t y and amplitude over the

r i d g e s (Swanson and o t h e r s , 1979c).

Magnetic s t u d i e s

may

prove

useful

for

mapping t h e younger v a l l e y - f i l l i n g Yakima Basalts (Swanson and o t h e r s , 1979c). Magnetotelluric

studies

hold promise f o r e x p l o r a t i o n work below the level of

the b a s a l t s , but u n f o r t u n a t e l y none have been published f o r t h i s region. H i s t o r i c a l earthquake e p i c e n t e r s with hypocenters. than

10 km deep

c i t i e s of earthquake

Yakima

to

or

greater

tend t o be concentrated along a north-south l i n e between t h e and

epicenters

Ellensburg with

(Myers

hypocenters

and less

Price, than

t r e n d i n g , through

the

lower

Yakima

Valley

1979). 10ckm deep

concentrated along t h e same north-south l i n e and along line

equal

a

tend

t o be

northwest-southeast

(Myers

Magnitudes of 4 or l e s s have been r e p o r t e d f o r t h e s e shallow earthquakes (Myers and P r i c e , 1979).

Historical

and P r i c e , 1979). and

deep-seated

Previous Geothermal Research in t h e Yakima Region Geothermal r e s e a r c h in t h e Yakima region began with (1901).

In

this

report,

Smith,

a

report

noted the warm t e m p e r a t u r e s

by

Smith

(approximately

22°C) of the ground water flowing from a r t e s i a n wells in the Moxee Valley

and

c a l c u l a t e d geothermal g r a d i e n t s of 50 t o 73°C/km f o r t h e r e g i o n . Foxworthy (1962) reported an average geothermal g r a d i e n t of 40.5°C/km

in

water wells g r e a t e r than 15m deep in t h e Ahtanum Valley and suggested t h a t t h e rock type had l i t t l e e f f e c t on t h e g r a d i e n t . Blackwell (1980) reported geothermal g r a d i e n t s of 26 t o 37°C/km and

heat

flow values of 57 t o 64 mWm2- from water wells in the r e g i o n . Schuster (1980) noted t h a t goeothermal g r a d i e n t s of 50 consnonly

measured

to

70°C/km

were

in water w e l l s of t h e region and t h a t several very shallow

w e l l s produced warm w a t e r s .

Depth t o 20°C in water w e l l s of t h e Yakima region

were reported t o range from 9 m t o 471 m ( S c h u s t e r , 1980).

Temperature Data Subsurface temperature data in t h e Yakima region has the

Geological

Engineering

been

collected

Section of Washington S t a t e University (WSU), by

t h e Department of Geological Sciences of Southern Methodist University by

the

Washington

by

(SMU),

S t a t e Department of Natural Resources (DNR), by the U . S .

Geological Survey (USGS), and by the Oregon

Institute

of

Technology

(OIT).

Some 200 bottomhole temperatures and depths f o r wells in t h e Yakima region are given in Appendix B.

The

Well l o c a t i o n s a r e shown in Figure 10.

The accuracy of t h e temperature data v a r i e s with t h e

collecting

temperature

have an accuracy of

data

collected

by

SMU and

approximately ±0.2°C (Blackwell, 1980). c o l l e c t e d by the USGS and OIT i s unknown.

the

DNR

agency.

The accuracy of t h e temperature

data

,.





OPEN FILE REPORT OF 81-7

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() - · · · GEOPHYSICAL --::3'() SPRING - - - - TEMPERATURE and CHEMICA L DATA

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TOPOGRAPHIC

DIVIDE

+++

FIGURE 10 - SPRING AND WELL LOCATION MAP -

6,E- S . M. U.

TEMPERATURE - - - - TEMPERATURE and CHEMICAL

OE- u. S.G .S. STRATIGRAPH IC GORRE LA T \0N 'LINE_

SCALE - I : 250,000

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WA. DEPT af WATER RESOURCES CHEMICA

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-==-• DATA I Vao De obuc

QE175 A3

The temperature probes u t i l i z e d by WSU since 1974 were r e c a l i b r a t e d in water

bath as p a r t of t h i s p r o j e c t .

because of t h e use of a nonstandard temperature

P r i o r c a l i b r a t i o n s were only approximate thermometer.

Previously

published

WSU

data have been c o r r e c t e d t o r e f l e c t t h e c a l i b r a t i o n changes.

The

change in c a l i b r a t i o n averaged l e s s than -1.0°C. temperature

a

probes

is

approximately ±0.4°C.

approximately

±0.2°C,

The

precision

and

the

of

field

the

accuracy

WSU is

The temperature probes used by WSU p r i o r t o 1974 a r e no

longer a v a i l a b l e , and t h e i r accuracy i s t h e r e f o r e u n c e r t a i n . The DNR Black Rock well #1 was logged on s u c c e s s i v e temperature

probe "A" and with t h e SMU probe VPR 1.

days

with

the

WSU

The temperature logs are

p l o t t e d in Figure 11 and are in c l o s e agreement, even though the WSU probe was t h e f o u r t h tool t o be run in the hole t h a t day.

C a l c u l a t i o n of Geothermal Gradients in t h e Yakima Region Determination of geothermal g r a d i e n t s in water w e l l s of the Yakima region is complicated by i n t r a - a q u i f e r borehole flow.

The net r e s u l t of t h e borehole

flow i s a d i s t o r t e d thermal g r a d i e n t , o f t e n assuming a the

recorded

temperature

distribution

step-like

form,

with

being u n r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of t h e actual

geothermal g r a d i e n t (see Figure 12). Three o p t i o n s were a v a i l a b l e t o past i n v e s t i g a t o r s in t h e i r determine

a c c u r a t e geothermal g r a d i e n t s in t h e s e water w e l l s .

most common method, i s based on recorded bottom hole

=

BHT

-

LST

to

The f i r s t , and

temperatures

assumed land s u r f a c e temperatures (LST), as shown in equation

Geothermal Gradient

attempts

(1).

(1)

(BHT)

and

10o

....... ..,J._

....... ..,J. ......

........

W$U .....

... ..

Yl'tl ....... 9111/80 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ $MU .......

___ 9112J8() __ - - ____ --15.2't

~ ~

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

_

15.23°c

/

21(),.----------

-25.2•c

330----------------------1-4

16

20 TEMPERATURE ("c)

FIGURE 11 TEMPERATURE LOGS OF THE ONR DNR BLACK ROCK WELL +#11

FIGURE 12 'STEP-LIKE' DISTORTION OF A TEMPERATURE LOG

For shallow w e l l s , i t i s very important t h a t an a c c u r a t e LST be t h i s method.

used

in

The e r r o r involved v a r i e s according t o equation (2) and is l a r g e

f o r even small e r r o r s in t h e LST.

This method was a p p l i e d in t h e Yakima region with because

accurate

LST

are

not

available.

The

very

limited

geothermal

success

gradients

of

neighboring w e l l s c a l c u l a t e d in such a manner o f t e n d i f f e r e d by more than

100

percent. A second method i s based on s e l e c t i n g p o r t i o n s of gradient

the

recorded

thermal

t h a t appear u n d i s t o r t e d and then c a l c u l a t i n g t h e geothermal g r a d i e n t

over t h a t i n t e r v a l .

This method i s time-consuming and does not allow a

check

on whether t h e s e l e c t e d i n t e r v a l i s a c t u a l l y u n a f f e c t e d by borehole flow. The t h i r d option a v a i l a b l e t o t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r i s t o d i s r e g a r d

the

data

altogether. A new approach t o t h e problem was developed f o r t h i s r e p o r t .

This method

involves a simple l e a s t squares l i n e a r r e g r e s s i o n a n a l y s i s of t h e BHT's group

of

wells.

a s p e c t and a n g l e .

of

a

Well data groups were based on proximity and s i m i l a r slope An a d d i t i o n a l well data group was s e l e c t e d f o r well

depths

g r e a t e r than 650m. The BHT l i n e a r r e g r e s s i o n a n a l y s i s has several advantages over t h e g r a d i e n t d e t e r m i n a t i o n methods. quality

data

can

be

other

Uphole flow does not a f f e c t t h e BHT, and poor

discriminated

by i t s "lack of f i t " t o the r e s t of t h e

data.

Downhole flow can a f f e c t t h e BHT, but in many cases t h e deepest portion

of t h e well appears t o be i s o l a t e d from t h e f l o w . temperature

A very

rapid

increase

of

i s recorded in t h e bottom of t h e w e l l s t h a t a r e i s o l a t e d from the

downhole flow ( s e e Figure 12).

Wells in which downhole flow does

BHT are discussed in a l a t e r s e c t i o n of t h i s

affect

the

Figures

13

report.

Geothermal Gradients in t h e Yakima Region Plots of BHT v s . depth f o r t h e well data groups a r e shown in through A.)

26.

The

(Symbols used in Figures 13 through 26 a r e explained in Appendix

results

summarized

in

of

the

Table 1.

least

squares

temperatures

range

range from 142 m t o 344m.

regression

analysis

are

Geothermal g r a d i e n t s f o r t h e shallow ( l e s s than 650m

deep) well data groups range from surface

linear

from

25.1°C/km

to

10°C t o 14°C.

52.2°C/km.

Projected

land

Depths t o t h e 20°C isotherm

The areal d i s t r i b u t i o n of t h e geothermal

gradients,

p r o j e c t e d land s u r f a c e t e m p e r a t u r e s , and depths t o the 20°C isotherm are shown in Figure 27. The m a j o r i t y of w e l l s t h a t were included in the deep ( g r e a t e r deep)

well d a t a group are l o c a t e d o u t s i d e of Yakima County.

that these

deep

relationship

wells

between

are

separated

BHT and

depth

by

large

an

excellent

The l e a s t squares

r e g r e s s i o n a n a l y s i s of t h e deep well data group y i e l d e d a geothermal of

29.9°C/km,

650 m

Despite the f a c t

distances,

e x i s t s (Figure 26).

than

gradient

a p r o j e c t e d land s u r f a c e temperature of 24.3°C, and a depth t o

t h e 100°C isotherm of 2,532m.

A l i s t i n g of t h e wells t h a t

were

included

in

t h e i n d i v i d u a l well d a t a groups i s given in Appendix C.

Accuracy of t h e Geothermal Gradients Obtained by the Regression Analysis Temperature logs (Figures 28 through 32) of wells in well data groups

4,

FIGURE 13

-

TEMPERATURE VS. DEPTH FOR GROUP 1

FIGURE 14

-

TEMPERATURE VS. DEPTH FOR GROUP 2

FIGURE 15

-

TEMPERATURE VS. DEPTH FOR GROUP 3

FIGURE 16

-

TEMPERATURE VS. DEPTH FOR GROUP 4

FIGURE 17

-

TEMPERATURE VS. DEPTH FOR GROUP 5

FIGURE

18

-

TEMPERATURE VS. DEPTH FOR GROUP 6

FIGURE 19

-

TEMPERATURE VS. DEPTH FOR GROUP 7

FIGURE 20

-

TEMPERATURE VS. DEPTH FOR GROUP 8

FIGURE 21

-

TEMPERATURE VS. DEPTH FOR GROUP 9

FIGURE 22

-

TEMPERATURE VS. DEPTH FOR GROUP 10

FIGURE 23

-

TEMPERATURE VS. DEPTH FOR GROUP 11

FIGURE 24

-

TEMPERATURE VS. DEPTH FOR GROUP 12

FIGURE 25

-

TEMPERATURE

VS. DEPTH FOR GROUP 13

FIGURE 26

-

TEMPERATURE VS. DEPTH FOR GROUP 14

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OPEN FILE REPORT OF 8 1-7

13

Gro up #

1 1.3+2 9.8°C /km T . 15N.

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T . 13N.

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Group #

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175m

14.0+ 36.o 0 c t km

, ---

16 7 m

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.... .......... \ I ', ......... \ I ', ' \ I ' ' -- - -I l---i--------+- -- - - - - - - - + - - - - - - -- + - - - - ---=-=--~1---- - - - - + -- - -- - - - ; - - - -- - - - - l - - - -- - ---1 I

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GRA NDVIEW

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I

PROSSER

,

..... ..... .....

T.8 N.

R. 16E .

R. 17E.

R.18E .

R.19E.

Sca le - 1 : 25 0 ,000 USGS Base Map

R.2 0 E.

R.22E .

R.21 E .

Map Legend E

R. 23E .

R .24E .

R.25E .

W e ll Data Group Numbe r °C = Land Surface Temp erature+Geothermal Gradient Dep th to the 20°c Isotherm

FIGURE 27

WELL DATA GROUP LOCATIO N MAP

QE1 75 •



A3

06

81 - 7 copy 2

WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION OF GEOLOGY AND EARTH RESOURCES

OPEN FILE REPORT OF II- 7 \ )

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FIGURE 27A MAP SHOWING LOCATIONS OF WELL DATA GROUPS WITH RESPECT TO THE LOCATIONS OF SPRINGS AND WELLS 6 34[ - -·- - ----- - --------=.::::..::..._~--------;------------ .---------,---- ------1----------,------- ----.--------,-------~,-------, - --------, I

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