Description
Helium and ground temperature surveys at Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Digital PDF download. SP-21D
This article was also published in the September 1982 issue of Geothermal Energy magazine.
Excerpt from the Abstract:
As demonstrated in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, helium and shallow temperature surveys are quick, inexpensive geothermal exploration methods that can be used together with excellent results in an urban environment. Steamboat Springs, in northwestern Colorado, lies primarily upon terrace gravels and alluvium with the major structure being a north-trending normal fault passing through the western portion of the city.
A shallow temperature survey was conducted in the city to determine the usefulness of this method to delineate a low temperature resource. Several extraneous factors influencing shallow temperature measurements were dealt with by field technique or subsequent analysis. A helium survey was conducted to compare with temperature results. Sixty-two soil helium samples were taken, using an interval of 0.1 to 0.2 km (0.06 to 0.12 mi.), twice the density of the 18 temperature probe stations. A mobile spectrometer allowed immediate analysis of helium samples. The contoured data from each method correlate well spatially and indicate that two faults control the resource in Steamboat Springs.
