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Sample records for uinta basin utah

  1. Water-related Issues Affecting Conventional Oil and Gas Recovery and Potential Oil-Shale Development in the Uinta Basin, Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Berg, Michael Vanden; Anderson, Paul; Wallace, Janae; Morgan, Craig; Carney, Stephanie

    2012-04-30

    Saline water disposal is one of the most pressing issues with regard to increasing petroleum and natural gas production in the Uinta Basin of northeastern Utah. Conventional oil fields in the basin provide 69 percent of Utah?s total crude oil production and 71 percent of Utah?s total natural gas, the latter of which has increased 208% in the past 10 years. Along with hydrocarbons, wells in the Uinta Basin produce significant quantities of saline water ? nearly 4 million barrels of saline water per month in Uintah County and nearly 2 million barrels per month in Duchesne County. As hydrocarbon production increases, so does saline water production, creating an increased need for economic and environmentally responsible disposal plans. Current water disposal wells are near capacity, and permitting for new wells is being delayed because of a lack of technical data regarding potential disposal aquifers and questions concerning contamination of freshwater sources. Many companies are reluctantly resorting to evaporation ponds as a short-term solution, but these ponds have limited capacity, are prone to leakage, and pose potential risks to birds and other wildlife. Many Uinta Basin operators claim that oil and natural gas production cannot reach its full potential until a suitable, long-term saline water disposal solution is determined. The enclosed project was divided into three parts: 1) re-mapping the base of the moderately saline aquifer in the Uinta Basin, 2) creating a detailed geologic characterization of the Birds Nest aquifer, a potential reservoir for large-scale saline water disposal, and 3) collecting and analyzing water samples from the eastern Uinta Basin to establish baseline water quality. Part 1: Regulators currently stipulate that produced saline water must be disposed of into aquifers that already contain moderately saline water (water that averages at least 10,000 mg/L total dissolved solids). The UGS has re-mapped the moderately saline water boundary

  2. Emissions Inventory for the Uinta Basin of Eastern Utah, Winter 2012

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moss, D.; Hall, C. F.; Mansfield, M. L.

    2012-12-01

    We report the results of an emissions inventory for the Uinta Basin, Duchesne and Uintah Counties, Utah, focusing on emissions categories that are poorly represented by existing inventories. We have also focused on wintertime emissions in general and on the winter season of 2012, in particular, in order to have an inventory that is relevant to winter ozone events in the basin. The inventory includes categories such as major and minor point sources, produced water evaporation ponds, wood stoves, mobile emissions, biogenic and agricultural emissions, land fills, etc.

  3. Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Uteland Butte Member of the Eocene Green River Formation, Uinta Basin, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Ronald C.; Birdwell, Justin E.; Mercier, Tracey J.; Brownfield, Michael E.; Charpentier, Ronald R.; Klett, Timothy R.; Leathers, Heidi M.; Schenk, Christopher J.; Tennyson, Marilyn E.

    2015-09-03

    Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean undiscovered resources of 214 million barrels of oil, 329 billion cubic feet of associated/dissolved natural gas, and 14 million barrels of natural gas liquids in the informal Uteland Butte member of the Green River Formation, Uinta Basin, Utah.

  4. Predicting emissions from oil and gas operations in the Uinta Basin, Utah.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkey, Jonathan; Kelly, Kerry; Jaramillo, Isabel Cristina; Spinti, Jennifer; Ring, Terry; Hogue, Michael; Pasqualini, Donatella

    2016-05-01

    In this study, emissions of ozone precursors from oil and gas operations in Utah's Uinta Basin are predicted (with uncertainty estimates) from 2015-2019 using a Monte-Carlo model of (a) drilling and production activity, and (b) emission factors. Cross-validation tests against actual drilling and production data from 2010-2014 show that the model can accurately predict both types of activities, returning median results that are within 5% of actual values for drilling, 0.1% for oil production, and 4% for gas production. A variety of one-time (drilling) and ongoing (oil and gas production) emission factors for greenhouse gases, methane, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are applied to the predicted oil and gas operations. Based on the range of emission factor values reported in the literature, emissions from well completions are the most significant source of emissions, followed by gas transmission and production. We estimate that the annual average VOC emissions rate for the oil and gas industry over the 2010-2015 time period was 44.2E+06 (mean) ± 12.8E+06 (standard deviation) kg VOCs per year (with all applicable emissions reductions). On the same basis, over the 2015-2019 period annual average VOC emissions from oil and gas operations are expected to drop 45% to 24.2E+06 ± 3.43E+06 kg VOCs per year, due to decreases in drilling activity and tighter emission standards. This study improves upon previous methods for estimating emissions of ozone precursors from oil and gas operations in Utah's Uinta Basin by tracking one-time and ongoing emission events on a well-by-well basis. The proposed method has proven highly accurate at predicting drilling and production activity and includes uncertainty estimates to describe the range of potential emissions inventory outcomes. If similar input data are available in other oil and gas producing regions, then the method developed here could be applied to those regions as well.

  5. Morphological variation, phylogenetic relationships, and geographic distribution of the Baenidae (Testudines), based on new specimens from the Uinta Formation (Uinta Basin), Utah (USA)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hutchison, J. Howard; Townsend, K. E. Beth; Adrian, Brent; Jager, Daniel

    2017-01-01

    We described newly discovered baenid specimens from the Uintan North American Land Mammal Age (NALMA), in the Uinta Formation, Uinta Basin, Utah. These specimens include a partial skull and several previously undescribed postcranial elements of Baena arenosa, and numerous well-preserved shells of B. arenosa and Chisternon undatum. Baenids from the Uintan NALMA (46.5–40 Ma) are critical in that they provide valuable insight into the morphology and evolution of the diverse and speciose baenid family near the end of its extensive radiation, just prior to the disappearance of this clade from the fossil record. These Uintan specimens greatly increase the known variation in these late-surviving taxa and indicate that several characters thought to define these species should be reassessed. The partial cranium of B. arenosa, including portions of the basicranium, neurocranium, face, and lower jaw, was recently recovered from Uinta B sediments. While its morphology is consistent with known specimens of B. arenosa, we observed several distinct differences: a crescent-shaped condylus occipitalis that is concave dorsally, tuberculum basioccipitale that flare out laterally, and a distinct frontal-nasal suture. The current sample of plastral and carapacial morphology considerably expands the documented variation in the hypodigms of B. arenosa and C. undatum. Novel shell characters observed include sigmoidal extragular-humeral sulci, and small, subtriangular gular scutes. Subadult specimens reveal ontogenetic processes in both taxa, and demonstrate that diagnostic morphological differences between them were present from an early developmental age. PMID:28686718

  6. Morphological variation, phylogenetic relationships, and geographic distribution of the Baenidae (Testudines, based on new specimens from the Uinta Formation (Uinta Basin, Utah (USA.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heather F Smith

    Full Text Available We described newly discovered baenid specimens from the Uintan North American Land Mammal Age (NALMA, in the Uinta Formation, Uinta Basin, Utah. These specimens include a partial skull and several previously undescribed postcranial elements of Baena arenosa, and numerous well-preserved shells of B. arenosa and Chisternon undatum. Baenids from the Uintan NALMA (46.5-40 Ma are critical in that they provide valuable insight into the morphology and evolution of the diverse and speciose baenid family near the end of its extensive radiation, just prior to the disappearance of this clade from the fossil record. These Uintan specimens greatly increase the known variation in these late-surviving taxa and indicate that several characters thought to define these species should be reassessed. The partial cranium of B. arenosa, including portions of the basicranium, neurocranium, face, and lower jaw, was recently recovered from Uinta B sediments. While its morphology is consistent with known specimens of B. arenosa, we observed several distinct differences: a crescent-shaped condylus occipitalis that is concave dorsally, tuberculum basioccipitale that flare out laterally, and a distinct frontal-nasal suture. The current sample of plastral and carapacial morphology considerably expands the documented variation in the hypodigms of B. arenosa and C. undatum. Novel shell characters observed include sigmoidal extragular-humeral sulci, and small, subtriangular gular scutes. Subadult specimens reveal ontogenetic processes in both taxa, and demonstrate that diagnostic morphological differences between them were present from an early developmental age.

  7. Assessment of Uinta Basin Oil and Natural Gas Well Pad Pneumatic Controller Emissions

    Science.gov (United States)

    In the fall of 2016, a field study was conducted in the Uinta Basin Utah to improve information on oil and natural gas well pad pneumatic controllers (PCs) and emission measurement methods. A total of 80 PC systems at five oil sites (supporting six wells) and three gas sites (sup...

  8. Detailed north-south cross section showing environments of deposition, organic richness, and thermal maturities of lower Tertiary rocks in the Uinta Basin, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Ronald C.

    2014-01-01

    The Uinta Basin of northeast Utah has produced large amounts of hydrocarbons from lower Tertiary strata since the 1960s. Recent advances in drilling technologies, in particular the development of efficient methods to drill and hydraulically fracture horizontal wells, has spurred renewed interest in producing hydrocarbons from unconventional low-permeability dolomite and shale reservoirs in the lacustrine, Eocene Green River Formation. The Eocene Green River Formation was deposited in Lake Uinta, a long-lived saline lake that occupied the Uinta Basin, the Piceance Basin to the east, and the intervening Douglas Creek arch. The focus of recent drilling activity has been the informal Uteland Butte member of the Green River Formation and to a much lesser extent the overlying R-0 oil shale zone of the Green River Formation. Initial production rates ranging from 500 to 1,500 barrels of oil equivalent per day have been reported from the Uteland Butte member from horizontal well logs that are as long as 4,000 feet (ft);. The cross section presented here extends northward from outcrop on the southern margin of the basin into the basin’s deep trough, located just south of the Uinta Mountains, and transects the area where this unconventional oil play is developing. The Monument Butte field, which is one of the fields located along this line of section, has produced hydrocarbons from conventional sandstone reservoirs in the lower part of the Green River Formation and underlying Wasatch Formation since 1981. A major fluvial-deltaic system entered Lake Uinta from the south, and this new line of section is ideal for studying the effect of the sediments delivered by this drainage on hydrocarbon reservoirs in the Green River Formation. The cross section also transects the Greater Altamont-Bluebell field in the deepest part of the basin, where hydrocarbons have been produced from fractured, highly overpressured marginal lacustrine and fluvial reservoirs in the Green River, Wasatch

  9. Volatile organic compound emissions from the oil and natural gas industry in the Uinta Basin, Utah: point sources compared to ambient air composition

    OpenAIRE

    C. Warneke; F. Geiger; P. M. Edwards; W. Dube; G. Pétron; J. Kofler; A. Zahn; S. S. Brown; M. Graus; J. Gilman; B. Lerner; J. Peischl; T. B. Ryerson; J. A. de Gouw; J. M. Roberts

    2014-01-01

    The emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with oil and natural gas production in the Uinta Basin, Utah were measured at a ground site in Horse Pool and from a NOAA mobile laboratory with PTR-MS instruments. The VOC compositions in the vicinity of individual gas and oil wells and other point sources such as evaporation ponds, compressor stations and injection wells are compared to the measurements at Horse Pool. High mixing ratios of aroma...

  10. Analysis of over-pressure mechanisms in the Uinta Basin, Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McPherson, B.; Bredehoeft, J. [Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA (United States)

    1995-03-01

    Extremely high pore fluid pressures exist in the area of the Altamount/Bluebell oil field in the Uinta basin, Utah. We discuss two possible mechanisms for the cause of these over-pressures in this paper: (1) compaction disequilibrium, and (2) conversion of kerogen to liquid hydrocarbon (oil). Compaction disequilibrium occurs during periods of rapid sedimentation. If the permeability of deeply buried strata is low, then connate water within the rock matrix does not escape rapidly enough as compaction occurs; as sedimentary deposition continues, high pore fluid pressures develop. Conversion of solid kerogen to a liquid generates both a liquid and additional pore space for the liquid to occupy. If the volume of the liquid generated is just sufficient to fill the pore space generated, then there will be no accompanying effect on the pore pressure. If the liquid is less dense than the solid it replaces, then there is more liquid than pore space created; pore pressure will increase, causing flow away from the area of the reaction. Pore pressure is a sensitive measure of the balance between hydrocarbon generation and expulsion from the source into adjacent strata. If high pore pressures exist only where source rocks are thought to be generating oil, then kerogen conversion is a likely over-pressure mechanism. However, if over-pressures are found in low-permeability strata regardless of source rock proximity, then sedimentary compaction is probably a more dominant mechanism.

  11. CORE-BASED INTEGRATED SEDIMENTOLOGIC, STRATIGRAPHIC, AND GEOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF THE OIL SHALE BEARING GREEN RIVER FORMATION, UINTA BASIN, UTAH

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lauren P. Birgenheier; Michael D. Vanden Berg,

    2011-04-11

    An integrated detailed sedimentologic, stratigraphic, and geochemical study of Utah's Green River Formation has found that Lake Uinta evolved in three phases (1) a freshwater rising lake phase below the Mahogany zone, (2) an anoxic deep lake phase above the base of the Mahogany zone and (3) a hypersaline lake phase within the middle and upper R-8. This long term lake evolution was driven by tectonic basin development and the balance of sediment and water fill with the neighboring basins, as postulated by models developed from the Greater Green River Basin by Carroll and Bohacs (1999). Early Eocene abrupt global-warming events may have had significant control on deposition through the amount of sediment production and deposition rates, such that lean zones below the Mahogany zone record hyperthermal events and rich zones record periods between hyperthermals. This type of climatic control on short-term and long-term lake evolution and deposition has been previously overlooked. This geologic history contains key points relevant to oil shale development and engineering design including: (1) Stratigraphic changes in oil shale quality and composition are systematic and can be related to spatial and temporal changes in the depositional environment and basin dynamics. (2) The inorganic mineral matrix of oil shale units changes significantly from clay mineral/dolomite dominated to calcite above the base of the Mahogany zone. This variation may result in significant differences in pyrolysis products and geomechanical properties relevant to development and should be incorporated into engineering experiments. (3) This study includes a region in the Uinta Basin that would be highly prospective for application of in-situ production techniques. Stratigraphic targets for in-situ recovery techniques should extend above and below the Mahogany zone and include the upper R-6 and lower R-8.

  12. Reservoir Characterization of the Lower Green River Formation, Southwest Uinta Basin, Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Morgan, Craig D.; Chidsey, Jr., Thomas C.; McClure, Kevin P.; Bereskin, S. Robert; Deo, Milind D.

    2002-12-02

    The objectives of the study were to increase both primary and secondary hydrocarbon recovery through improved characterization (at the regional, unit, interwell, well, and microscopic scale) of fluvial-deltaic lacustrine reservoirs, thereby preventing premature abandonment of producing wells. The study will encourage exploration and establishment of additional water-flood units throughout the southwest region of the Uinta Basin, and other areas with production from fluvial-deltaic reservoirs.

  13. An integrated geological and geophysical study of the Uinta Mountains, Utah, Colorado and a geophysical study on Tamarix in the Rio Grande River basin, West Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khatun, Salma

    2008-07-01

    This research consists of two parts. One part deals with an integrated analysis of the structural anomaly associated with the Uinta Mountains, Utah. The other part deals with a study on the effect of Tamarix on soil and water quality. The Uinta Mountains are an anomalous east-west trending range of the Central Rocky Mountains and are located in northeastern Utah and northwestern Colorado. They have long been recognized as a structural anomaly that is surrounded by other Laramide structures that trend N-S or northwest. The study area extends from -112 to -108 degrees longitude and 41.5 to 39 degrees latitude and consists of three major geologic features: The Green River basin, Uinta Mountains, and the Uinta basin. This study investigates the tectonic evolution and the structural development of the Uinta aulacogen. There is a growing interest in exploration for petroleum and other hydrocarbons in the area of this study. Oil companies have been drilling wells in this area since the 1950's. The results of this study will enhance the existing knowledge of this region, and thus will help in the pursuit of hydrocarbons. A highly integrated approach was followed for this investigation. Gravity, magnetic, drill hole, seismic and receiver function data were used in the analysis. Gravity and magnetic data were analyzed using software tools available in the Department of Geological Sciences such as Oasis Montaj and GIS. Filtered gravity maps show that the Uinta Mountains and the surrounding basins and uplifts are deep seated features. These maps also reveal a correlation between the Uinta Mountains and the regional tectonic structures. This correlation helps in understanding how the different tectonic events that this region went through contributed to the different phases of development of the Uinta aulacogen. Four gravity models were generated along four north-south trending profile lines covering the target area from east to west. Interpretations of these models give a

  14. Estimated dissolved-solids loads and trends at selected streams in and near the Uinta Basin, Utah, Water Years 1989–2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thiros, Susan A.

    2017-03-23

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum, studied trends in dissolved-solids loads at selected sites in and near the Uinta Basin, Utah. The Uinta Basin study area includes the Duchesne River Basin and the Middle Green River Basin in Utah from below Flaming Gorge Reservoir to the town of Green River.Annual dissolved-solids loads for water years (WY) 1989 through 2013 were estimated for 16 gaging stations in the study area using streamflow and water-quality data from the USGS National Water Information System database. Eight gaging stations that monitored catchments with limited or no agricultural land use (natural subbasins) were used to assess loads from natural sources. Four gaging stations that monitored catchments with agricultural land in the Duchesne River Basin were used to assess loads from agricultural sources. Four other gaging stations were included in the dissolved-solids load and trend analysis to help assess the effects of agricultural areas that drain to the Green River in the Uinta Basin, but outside of the Duchesne River Basin.Estimated mean annual dissolved-solids loads for WY 1989–2013 ranged from 1,520 tons at Lake Fork River above Moon Lake, near Mountain Home, Utah (UT), to 1,760,000 tons at Green River near Green River, UT. The flow-normalized loads at gaging stations upstream of agricultural activities showed no trend or a relatively small change. The largest net change in modeled flow-normalized load was -352,000 tons (a 17.8-percent decrease) at Green River near Green River, UT.Annual streamflow and modeled dissolved-solids loads at the gaging stations were balanced between upstream and downstream sites to determine how much water and dissolved solids were transported to the Duchesne River and a section of the Green River, and how much was picked up in each drainage area. Mass-balance calculations of WY 1989–2013 mean annual dissolved-solids loads at the studied sites show

  15. Major Oil Plays in Utah and Vicinity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thomas C. Chidsey; Craig D. Morgan; Kevin McClure; Douglas A. Sprinkel; Roger L. Bon; Hellmut H. Doelling

    2003-12-31

    Utah oil fields have produced over 1.2 billion barrels (191 million m{sup 3}). However, the 13.7 million barrels (2.2 million m{sup 3}) of production in 2002 was the lowest level in over 40 years and continued the steady decline that began in the mid-1980s. The Utah Geological Survey believes this trend can be reversed by providing play portfolios for the major oil-producing provinces (Paradox Basin, Uinta Basin, and thrust belt) in Utah and adjacent areas in Colorado and Wyoming. Oil plays are geographic areas with petroleum potential caused by favorable combinations of source rock, migration paths, reservoir rock characteristics, and other factors. The play portfolios will include: descriptions and maps of the major oil plays by reservoir; production and reservoir data; case-study field evaluations; locations of major oil pipelines; identification and discussion of land-use constraints; descriptions of reservoir outcrop analogs; and summaries of the state-of-the-art drilling, completion, and secondary/tertiary techniques for each play. This report covers research activities for the sixth quarter of the project (October 1 through December 31, 2003). This work included describing outcrop analogs for the Jurassic Twin Creek Limestone and Mississippian Leadville Limestone, major oil producers in the thrust belt and Paradox Basin, respectively, and analyzing best practices used in the southern Green River Formation play of the Uinta Basin. Production-scale outcrop analogs provide an excellent view of reservoir petrophysics, facies characteristics, and boundaries contributing to the overall heterogeneity of reservoir rocks. They can be used as a ''template'' for evaluation of data from conventional core, geophysical and petrophysical logs, and seismic surveys. In the Utah/Wyoming thrust belt province, the Jurassic Twin Creek Limestone produces from subsidiary closures along major ramp anticlines where the low-porosity limestone beds are extensively

  16. Stratigraphic architecture of a fluvial-lacustrine basin-fill succession at Desolation Canyon, Uinta Basin, Utah: Reference to Walthers’ Law and implications for the petroleum industry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ford, Grace L.; David R. Pyles,; Dechesne, Marieke

    2016-01-01

    A continuous window into the fluvial-lacustrine basin-fill succession of the Uinta Basin is exposed along a 48-mile (77-kilometer) transect up the modern Green River from Three Fords to Sand Wash in Desolation Canyon, Utah. In ascending order the stratigraphic units are: 1) Flagstaff Limestone, 2) lower Wasatch member of the Wasatch Formation, 3) middle Wasatch member of the Wasatch Formation, 4) upper Wasatch member of the Wasatch Formation, 5) Uteland Butte member of the lower Green River Formation, 6) lower Green River Formation, 7) Renegade Tongue of the lower Green River Formation, 8) middle Green River Formation, and 9) the Mahogany oil shale zone marking the boundary between the middle and upper Green River Formations. This article uses regional field mapping, geologic maps, photographs, and descriptions of the stratigraphic unit including: 1) bounding surfaces, 2) key upward stratigraphic characteristics within the unit, and 3) longitudinal changes along the river transect. This information is used to create a north-south cross section through the basin-fill succession and a detailed geologic map of Desolation Canyon. The cross section documents stratigraphic relationships previously unreported and contrasts with earlier interpretations in two ways: 1) abrupt upward shifts in the stratigraphy documented herein, contrast with the gradual interfingering relationships proposed by Ryder et al., (1976) and Fouch et al., (1994), 2) we document fluvial deposits of the lower and middle Wasatch to be distinct and more widespread than previously recognized. In addition, we document that the Uteland Butte member of the lower Green River Formation was deposited in a lacustrine environment in Desolation Canyon.

  17. Thermal regime at the Upper Stillwater dam site, Uinta mountains, Utah: Implications for terrain, microclimate and structural corrections in heat flow studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauer, Michael S.; Chapman, David S.

    1986-08-01

    A detailed study of the subsurface thermal regime at the Upper Stillwater dam site, Uinta Mountains, northeast Utah, has been made. Temperature measurements were made in 36 drillholes located within a 1 km 2 area and ranging in depth from 20 to 97 m. Holes less than about 40 m deep were used only to obtain information about spatial variations in mean annual surface temperature. Several holes in or near talus slopes at the sides of the canyons have temperature minima approaching 0°C between 10 and 20 m indicating the presence of year-round ice at the base of the talus. Another set of holes show transient thermal effects of surface warming resulting from clearing of a construction site 3.5 years prior to our measurements. Most of the remaining holes show conductive behavior and have gradients ranging from 13° to 17°C km -1. Measurements made on 44 core samples yield a thermal conductivity of 5.6 (std. dev. 0.35) W m -1 K -1 for the Precambrian quartzite present. Surface heat flow estimates for these holes range from 70 to 100 mW m -2. However, the local disturbance of the thermal field by topography and microclimate is considerable. A finite difference method used to model these effects yielded a locally corrected Upper Stillwater heat flow of about 75 mW m -2. A final correction to account for the effects of refraction of heat from the low conductivity sedimentary rocks in the Uinta Basin into the high conductivity quartzite at the dam site, produced a regionally corrected Upper Stillwater heat flow between 60 and 65 mW m -2. This value is consistent with the observed heat flow of 60 mW m -2 in the Green River Basin to the north and the Uinta Basin to the south.

  18. Wasatch and Uinta Mountains Ecoregion: Chapter 9 in Status and trends of land change in the Western United States--1973 to 2000

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, Mark S.

    2012-01-01

    The Wasatch and Uinta Mountains Ecoregion covers approximately 44,176 km2 (17, 057 mi2) (fig. 1) (Omernik, 1987; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1997). With the exception of a small part of the ecoregion extending into southern Wyoming and southern Idaho, the vast majority of the ecoregion is located along the eastern mountain ranges of Utah. The ecoregion is situated between the Wyoming Basin and Colorado Plateaus Ecoregions to the east and south and the Central Basin and Range Ecoregion to the west; in addition, the Middle Rockies, Snake River Basin, and Northern Basin and Range Ecoregions are nearby to the north. Considered the western front of the Rocky Mountains, the two major mountain ranges that define the Wasatch and Uinta Mountains Ecoregion include the north-south-trending Wasatch Range and east-west- trending Uinta Mountains. Both mountain ranges have been altered by multiple mountain building and burial cycles since the Precambrian era 2.6 billion years ago, and they have been shaped by glacial processes as early as 1.6 million years ago. The terrain is defined by sharp ridgelines, glacial lakes, and narrow canyons, with elevations ranging from 1,829 m in the lower canyons to 4,123 m at Kings Peak, the highest point in Utah (Milligan, 2010).

  19. Major Oil Plays in Utah and Vicinity. Quarterly Technical Progress Report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomas C. Chidsey; Craig D. Morgan; Kevin McClure; Douglas A. Sprinkel; Roger L. Bon; Hellmut H. Doelling

    2003-01-01

    Utah oil fields have produced over 1.2 billion barrels (191 million m 3 ). However, the 13.7 million barrels (2.2 million m 3 ) of production in 2002 was the lowest level in over 40 years and continued the steady decline that began in the mid-1980s. The Utah Geological Survey believes this trend can be reversed by providing play portfolios for the major oil-producing provinces (Paradox Basin, Uinta Basin, and thrust belt) in Utah and adjacent areas in Colorado and Wyoming. Oil plays are geographic areas with petroleum potential caused by favorable combinations of source rock, migration paths, reservoir rock characteristics, and other factors. The play portfolios will include: descriptions and maps of the major oil plays by reservoir; production and reservoir data; case-study field evaluations; locations of major oil pipelines; identification and discussion of land-use constraints; descriptions of reservoir outcrop analogs; and summaries of the state-of-the-art drilling, completion, and secondary/tertiary techniques for each play. This report covers research activities for the sixth quarter of the project (October 1 through December 31, 2003). This work included describing outcrop analogs for the Jurassic Twin Creek Limestone and Mississippian Leadville Limestone, major oil producers in the thrust belt and Paradox Basin, respectively, and analyzing best practices used in the southern Green River Formation play of the Uinta Basin. Production-scale outcrop analogs provide an excellent view of reservoir petrophysics, facies characteristics, and boundaries contributing to the overall heterogeneity of reservoir rocks. They can be used as a ''template'' for evaluation of data from conventional core, geophysical and petrophysical logs, and seismic surveys. In the Utah/Wyoming thrust belt province, the Jurassic Twin Creek Limestone produces from subsidiary closures along major ramp anticlines where the low-porosity limestone beds are extensively fractured and sealed by

  20. Bluebell Field, Uinta Basin: reservoir characterization for improved well completion and oil recovery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montgomery, S.L.; Morgan, C.D.

    1998-01-01

    Bluefield Field is the largest oil-producing area in the Unita basin of northern Utah. The field inclucdes over 300 wells and has produced 137 Mbbl oil and 177 bcf gas from fractured Paleocene-Eocene lacustrine and fluvial deposits of the Green River and Wasatch (Colton) formations. Oil and gas are produced at depths of 10 500-13 000 ft (3330-3940 m), with the most prolific reservoirs existing in over-pressured sandstones of the Colton Formation and the underlying Flagstaff Member of the lower Green River Formation. Despite a number of high-recovery wells (1-3 MMbbl), overall field recovery remains low, less than 10% original oil in place. This low recovery rate is interpreted to be at least partly a result of completion practices. Typically, 40-120 beds are perforated and stimulated with acid (no proppant) over intervals of up to 3000 ft (900 m). Little or no evaluation of individual beds is performed, preventing identification of good-quality reservoir zones, water-producing zones, and thief zones. As a result, detailed understanding of Bluebell reservoirs historically has been poor, inhibiting any improvements in recovery strategies. A recent project undertaken in Bluebell field as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Class 1 (fluvial-deltaic reservoir) Oil Demonstration program has focused considerable effort on reservoir characterization. This effort has involved interdisciplinary analysis of core, log, fracture, geostatistical, production, and other data. Much valuable new information on reservoir character has resulted, with important implications for completion techniques and recovery expectations. Such data should have excellent applicability to other producing areas in the Uinta Basin withi reservoirs in similar lacustrine and related deposits.Bluebell field is the largest oil-producing area in the Uinta basin of northern Utah. The field includes over 300 wells and has produced 137 MMbbl oil and 177 bcf gas from fractured Paleocene-Eocene lacustrine

  1. MAJOR OIL PLAYS IN UTAH AND VICINITY

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chidsey, Thomas C. Jr.; Morgan, Craig D.; Bon, Roger L.

    2003-01-01

    Utah oil fields have produced over 1.2 billion barrels (191 million m 3 ). However, the 13.7 million barrels (2.2 million m 3 ) of production in 2002 was the lowest level in over 40 years and continued the steady decline that began in the mid-1980s. The Utah Geological Survey believes this trend can be reversed by providing play portfolios for the major oil producing provinces (Paradox Basin, Uinta Basin, and thrust belt) in Utah and adjacent areas in Colorado and Wyoming. Oil plays are geographic areas with petroleum potential caused by favorable combinations of source rock, migration paths, reservoir rock characteristics, and other factors. The play portfolios will include: descriptions and maps of the major oil plays by reservoir; production and reservoir data; case-study field evaluations; summaries of the state-of-the-art drilling, completion, and secondary/tertiary techniques for each play; locations of major oil pipelines; descriptions of reservoir outcrop analogs; and identification and discussion of land use constraints. All play maps, reports, databases, and so forth, produced for the project will be published in interactive, menu-driven digital (web-based and compact disc) and hard-copy formats. This report covers research activities for the third quarter of the first project year (January 1 through March 31, 2003). This work included gathering field data and analyzing best practices in the eastern Uinta Basin, Utah, and the Colorado portion of the Paradox Basin. Best practices used in oil fields of the eastern Uinta Basin consist of conversion of all geophysical well logs into digital form, running small fracture treatments, fingerprinting oil samples from each producing zone, running spinner surveys biannually, mapping each producing zone, and drilling on 80-acre (32 ha) spacing. These practices ensure that induced fractures do not extend vertically out of the intended zone, determine the percentage each zone contributes to the overall production of

  2. Determining the Influence of Dust on Post-Glacial Lacustrine Sedimentation in Bald Lake, Uinta Mountains, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Keefe, S. S.; McElroy, R.; Munroe, J. S.

    2016-12-01

    Dust is increasingly recognized as an important component of biogeochemical cycling and ecosystem function in mountain environments. Previous work has shown that delivery of dust to the Uinta Mountains of northeastern Utah has influenced pedogenesis, soil nutrient status, and surface water chemistry. An array of passive and active samplers in the alpine zone of the Uintas provides detailed information about contemporary dust fluxes, along with physical and geochemical properties of modern dust. Reconstruction of changes in the dust system over time, however, requires continuous sedimentary archives sensitive to dust inputs. A radiocarbon-dated 3.5-m core (spanning 12.7 kyr) collected from subalpine Bald Lake may provide such a record. Passive dust collectors in the vicinity of the lake constrain the geochemical properties of modern dust, whereas samples of regolith constrain properties of the local surficial material within the watershed. Together, these represent two end member sources of clastic sediment to Bald Lake basin: allochthonous dust and autochthonous regolith. Ba and Eu are found in higher abundances in the dust than in the watershed regolith. Zr and Th are found to be lower in the dust than in the watershed. Geochemical analysis of the sediment core allows the relative contribution of exotic and local material to the lake to be considered as a time series covering the post-glacial interval when indicator elements are plotted. Findings suggest Bald Lake's dust record tracks regional aridity and corresponds to low-stands of large lakes in the southwestern United States. Spatial variability of elemental abundances in the watershed suggests there are more than two input sources contributing to the lake over time.

  3. Liquid-Rich Shale Potential of Utah’s Uinta and Paradox Basins: Reservoir Characterization and Development Optimization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vanden Berg, Michael [Utah Geological Survey, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Morgan, Craig [Utah Geological Survey, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Chidsey, Thomas [Utah Geological Survey, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); McLennan, John [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States). Energy & Geoscience Inst.; Eby, David [Eby Petrography & Consulting, Littleton, CO (United States); Machel, Hans [Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton, AB (Canada); Schamel, Steve [GeoX Consulting, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Birdwell, Justin [U.S. Geological Survey, Boulder, CO (United States); Johnson, Ron [U.S. Geological Survey, Boulder, CO (United States); Sarg, Rick [Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States)

    2017-08-31

    The enclosed report is the culmination of a multi-year and multi-faceted research project investigating Utah’s unconventional tight oil potential. From the beginning, the project team focused efforts on two different plays: (1) the basal Green River Formation’s (GRF) Uteland Butte unconventional play in the Uinta Basin and (2) the more established but understudied Cane Creek shale play in the Paradox Basin. The 2009-2014 high price of crude oil, coupled with lower natural gas prices, generated renewed interest in exploration and development of liquid hydrocarbon reserves. Following the success of the mid-2000s shale gas boom and employing many of the same well completion techniques, petroleum companies started exploring for liquid petroleum in shale formations. In fact, many shales targeted for natural gas include areas in which the shale is more prone to liquid production. In Utah, organic-rich shales in the Uinta and Paradox Basins have been the source of significant hydrocarbon generation, with companies traditionally targeting the interbedded sands or carbonates for their conventional resource recovery. Because of the advances in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing techniques, operators in these basins started to explore the petroleum production potential of the shale units themselves. The GRF in the Uinta Basin has been studied for over 50 years, since the first hydrocarbon discoveries. However, those studies focused on the many conventional sandstone reservoirs currently producing oil and gas. In contrast, less information was available about the more unconventional crude oil production potential of thinner carbonate/shale units, most notably the basal Uteland Butte member. The Cane Creek shale of the Paradox Basin has been a target for exploration periodically since the 1960s and produces oil from several small fields. The play generated much interest in the early 1990s with the successful use of horizontal drilling. Recently, the USGS assessed

  4. A Hydrogeochemical Study of the Evolution of the Headwaters of the Bear River in the Uinta Mountains, Utah

    OpenAIRE

    Leschin, Michael F.

    1997-01-01

    The headwaters of the Bear River in the Uinta Mountains of Utah provide a good setting in which to examine the influence of geological materials on stream chemistry. Ionic contributions to the stream-water from soils, vegetation, and the atmosphere generally are sparse enough that they do not mask the geologic contributions. Samples from 37 sites on the four major headwater streams and several minor tributaries were examined geochemically. Data derived from the samples allowed the constructio...

  5. Fire, Ice and Water: Glaciologic, Paleoclimate and Anthropogenic Linkages During Past Mega-Droughts in the Uinta Mountains, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Power, M. J.; Rupper, S.; Codding, B.; Schaefer, J.; Hess, M.

    2017-12-01

    Alpine glaciers provide a valuable water source during prolonged drought events. We explore whether long-term climate dynamics and associated glacier changes within mountain drainage basins and adjacent landscapes ultimately influence how prehistoric human populations choose settlement locations. The Uinta Mountains of Utah, with a steep present-day precipitation gradient from the lowlands to the alpine zone of 20-100 cm per year, has a rich glacial history related to natural and anthropogenic climate variability. Here we examine how past climate variability has impacted glaciers and ultimately the availability of water over long timescales, and how these changes affected human settlement and subsistence decisions. Through a combination of geomorphologic evidence, paleoclimate proxies, and glacier and climate modelling, we test the hypothesis that glacier-charged hydrologic systems buffer prehistoric populations during extreme drought periods, facilitating long-term landscape management with fire. Initial field surveys suggest middle- and low-elevation glacial valleys contain glacially-derived sediment from meltwater and resulted in terraced river channels and outwash plains visible today. These terraces provide estimates of river discharge during varying stages of glacier advance and retreat. Archaeological evidence from middle- and high-elevations in the Uinta Mountains suggests human populations persisted through periods of dramatic climate change, possibly linked to the persistence of glacially-derived water resources through drought periods. Paleoenvironmental records indicate a long history of fire driven by the combined interaction of climatic variation and human disturbance. This research highlights the important role of moisture variability determining human settlement patterns and landscape management throughout time, and has direct relevance to the impacts of anthropogenic precipitation and glacier changes on vulnerable populations in the coming century

  6. An Investigation of the Impacts of Climate and Environmental Change on Alpine Lakes in the Uinta Mountains, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moser, K. A.; Hundey, E. J.; Porinchu, D. F.

    2007-12-01

    Aquatic systems in alpine and sub-alpine areas of the western United States are potentially impacted by atmospheric pollution and climate change. Because these mountainous regions are an important water resource for the western United States, it is critical to monitor and protect these systems. The Uinta Mountains are an east- west trending mountain range located on the border between Utah, Wyoming and Colorado and downwind of the Wasatch Front, Utah, which is characterized by a rapidly expanding population, as well as mining and industry. This alpine area provides water to many areas in Utah, and contributes approximately nine percent of the water supply to the Upper Colorado River. Our research is focused on determining the impacts of climate change and pollution on alpine lakes in the Uinta Mountains. The results presented here are based on limnological measurements made at 64 Uinta Mountain lakes spanning a longitude gradient of one degree and an elevation gradient of 3000 feet. At each lake maximum depth, conductivity, salinity, pH, Secchi depth, temperature, alkalinity, and concentrations of major anions, cations and trace metals were measured. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was performed to determine relationships between these variables and to examine the variability of the values of these variables. Our results indicate that steep climate gradients related to elevation and longitude result in clear differences in limnological properties of the study sites, with high elevation lakes characterized by greater amounts of nitrate and nitrite compared to low elevation sites. As well, diatoms in these lakes indicate that many high elevation sites are mesotrophic to eutrophic, which is unexpected for such remote aquatic ecosystems. We hypothesize that elevated nitrate and nitrite levels at high elevation sites are related to atmospherically derived nitrogen, but are being exacerbated relative to lower elevation sites by greater snow cover and reduced plant

  7. Volatile organic compound emissions from the oil and natural gas industry in the Uinta Basin, Utah: point sources compared to ambient air composition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warneke, C.; Geiger, F.; Edwards, P. M.; Dube, W.; Pétron, G.; Kofler, J.; Zahn, A.; Brown, S. S.; Graus, M.; Gilman, J.; Lerner, B.; Peischl, J.; Ryerson, T. B.; de Gouw, J. A.; Roberts, J. M.

    2014-05-01

    The emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with oil and natural gas production in the Uinta Basin, Utah were measured at a ground site in Horse Pool and from a NOAA mobile laboratory with PTR-MS instruments. The VOC compositions in the vicinity of individual gas and oil wells and other point sources such as evaporation ponds, compressor stations and injection wells are compared to the measurements at Horse Pool. High mixing ratios of aromatics, alkanes, cycloalkanes and methanol were observed for extended periods of time and short-term spikes caused by local point sources. The mixing ratios during the time the mobile laboratory spent on the well pads were averaged. High mixing ratios were found close to all point sources, but gas wells using dry-gas collection, which means dehydration happens at the well, were clearly associated with higher mixing ratios than other wells. Another large source was the flowback pond near a recently hydraulically re-fractured gas well. The comparison of the VOC composition of the emissions from the oil and natural gas wells showed that wet gas collection wells compared well with the majority of the data at Horse Pool and that oil wells compared well with the rest of the ground site data. Oil wells on average emit heavier compounds than gas wells. The mobile laboratory measurements confirm the results from an emissions inventory: the main VOC source categories from individual point sources are dehydrators, oil and condensate tank flashing and pneumatic devices and pumps. Raw natural gas is emitted from the pneumatic devices and pumps and heavier VOC mixes from the tank flashings.

  8. The Geologic Story of the Uinta Mountains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansen, Wallace R.

    1969-01-01

    The opening of the West after the Civil War greatly stimulated early geologic exploration west of the 100th Meridian. One of the areas first studied, the Uinta Mountains region, gained wide attention as a result of the explorations of three Territorial Surveys, one headed by John Wesley Powell, one by Clarence King, and one by Ferdinand V. Hayden. Completion of the Union Pacific Railroad across southern Wyoming 100 years ago, in 1869, materially assisted geologic exploration, and the railheads at Green River and Rock Springs greatly simplified the outfitting of expeditions into the mountains. The overlap of the Powell, King, and Hayden surveys in the Uinta Mountains led to efforts that were less concerted than competitive and not without acrimony. Many parts of the area were seen by all three parties at almost the same time. Duplication was inevitable, of course, but all three surveys contributed vast quantities of new knowledge to the storehouse of geology, and many now-basic concepts arose from their observations. Powell's area of interest extended mainly southward from the Uinta Mountains to the Grand Canyon, including the boundless plateaus and canyons of southern Utah and northern Arizona. King's survey extended eastward from the High Sierra in California to Cheyenne, Wyoming, and encompassed a swath of country more than 100 miles wide. Hayden's explorations covered an immense region of mountains and basins from Yellowstone Park in Wyoming southeast throughout most of Colorado. Powell first entered the Uinta Mountains in the fall of 1868, having traveled north around the east end of the range from the White River country to Green River, Wyoming, then south over a circuitous route to Flaming Gorge and Browns Park, and finally back to the White River, where he spent the winter. In 1869, after reexamining much of the area visited the previous season, Powell embarked on his famous 'first boat trip' down the Green and Colorado Rivers. This trip was more exploratory

  9. Uinta Arch Project: investigations of uranium potential in Precambrian X and older metasedimentary rocks in the Unita and Wasatch ranges, Utah and Colorado

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Graff, P.J.; Sears, J.W.; Holden, G.S.

    1980-06-01

    This study is part of the United States Department of Energy's National Uranium Resource Evaluation Program to understand the geologic setting, amount, and availability of uranium resources within the boundaries of the United States. The systematic study of Precambrian quartz-pebble conglomerates and areas that may contain such conglomerates is an integral part of DOE's resource evaluation program, because deposits of world-wide importance occur in such terrains in Canada and South Africa, and because terrains similar to those producing uranium from quartz-pebble conglomerates exist elsewhere in the United States. Because of the ready availability of Tertiary sandstone and Colorado Plateau-type uranium deposits, large areas of Precambrian rocks in the US have not been fully assessed for uranium potential. Thus, the Uinta Arch Project was undertaken to assess the favorability of Precambrian metasedimentary rocks in northern Utah for deposits of uranium in Precambrian quartz-pebble conglomerates. Rocks of interest to this study are the thick, clastic sequences within the Uinta Arch that are considered to be of Early Proterozoic age. The Uinta Arch area is known to contain rocks which generally fit the lithologic characteristics that are understood to limit the occurrence of Precambrian fossil placers. However, detailed geology of these rocks and their exact fit to the model described for uraniferous conglomerates was not known. The primary goal of the Uinta Arch Project was to determine how well these Precambrian rocks resemble known deposits and to describe the favorability of placer uranium deposits

  10. Uinta Arch Project: investigations of uranium potential in Precambrian X and older metasedimentary rocks in the Unita and Wasatch ranges, Utah and Colorado

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Graff, P.J.; Sears, J.W.; Holden, G.S.

    1980-06-01

    This study is part of the United States Department of Energy's National Uranium Resource Evaluation Program to understand the geologic setting, amount, and availability of uranium resources within the boundaries of the United States. The systematic study of Precambrian quartz-pebble conglomerates and areas that may contain such conglomerates is an integral part of DOE's resource evaluation program, because deposits of world-wide importance occur in such terrains in Canada and South Africa, and because terrains similar to those producing uranium from quartz-pebble conglomerates exist elsewhere in the United States. Because of the ready availability of Tertiary sandstone and Colorado Plateau-type uranium deposits, large areas of Precambrian rocks in the US have not been fully assessed for uranium potential. Thus, the Uinta Arch Project was undertaken to assess the favorability of Precambrian metasedimentary rocks in northern Utah for deposits of uranium in Precambrian quartz-pebble conglomerates. Rocks of interest to this study are the thick, clastic sequences within the Uinta Arch that are considered to be of Early Proterozoic age. The Uinta Arch area is known to contain rocks which generally fit the lithologic characteristics that are understood to limit the occurrence of Precambrian fossil placers. However, detailed geology of these rocks and their exact fit to the model described for uraniferous conglomerates was not known. The primary goal of the Uinta Arch Project was to determine how well these Precambrian rocks resemble known deposits and to describe the favorability of placer uranium deposits.

  11. Geomorphology of the north flank of the Uinta Mountains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bradley, W.H.

    1936-01-01

    The Uinta Mountains, whose northern margin is almost coincident with the southern boundary of Wyoming, extend from the Wasatch Range eastward across the northern part of Utah into northwestern Colorado. They were carved out of a large, simple anticlinal fold of sedimentary rocks arched up into essentially their present attitude at the end of the Cretaceous period. The Uinta Mountain group (Uinta quartzite of previous reports) a series of brick-red to purplish-red quartzite and sandstone beds of pre-Cambrian age, aggregating more than 12,000 feet in thickness, makes up the central mass of the range. Flanking the quartzite core and sharing its anticlinal structure are beds of limestone, sandstone, and shale ranging in age from Upper or Middle Cambrian to Upper Cretaceous. These rocks, which have a total thickness of about 15,000 feet, have been eroded from the higher part of the range, so the upturned edges of the harder

  12. Hydrocarbon and Carbon Dioxide Fluxes from Natural Gas Well Pad Soils and Surrounding Soils in Eastern Utah.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyman, Seth N; Watkins, Cody; Jones, Colleen P; Mansfield, Marc L; McKinley, Michael; Kenney, Donna; Evans, Jordan

    2017-10-17

    We measured fluxes of methane, nonmethane hydrocarbons, and carbon dioxide from natural gas well pad soils and from nearby undisturbed soils in eastern Utah. Methane fluxes varied from less than zero to more than 38 g m -2 h -1 . Fluxes from well pad soils were almost always greater than from undisturbed soils. Fluxes were greater from locations with higher concentrations of total combustible gas in soil and were inversely correlated with distance from well heads. Several lines of evidence show that the majority of emission fluxes (about 70%) were primarily due to subsurface sources of raw gas that migrated to the atmosphere, with the remainder likely caused primarily by re-emission of spilled liquid hydrocarbons. Total hydrocarbon fluxes during summer were only 39 (16, 97)% as high as during winter, likely because soil bacteria consumed the majority of hydrocarbons during summer months. We estimate that natural gas well pad soils account for 4.6 × 10 -4 (1.6 × 10 -4 , 1.6 × 10 -3 )% of total emissions of hydrocarbons from the oil and gas industry in Utah's Uinta Basin. Our undisturbed soil flux measurements were not adequate to quantify rates of natural hydrocarbon seepage in the Uinta Basin.

  13. O3, VOC, NOx, PM2.5 and Meteorological Measurements during an Inversion Episode in Utah's Uinta Basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, K. D.; Martin, R. S.; Hill, S.; Shorthill, H.

    2011-12-01

    Recent measurements found high winter ozone (O3) at several locations in northeastern Utah's Uinta Basin. Similar to Wyoming's Upper Green River Basin, the area has seen recent growth in the gas/oil sector. As a part of a more comprehensive project, a study was conducted examining the relationships between O3, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen oxides (NOx), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and meteorology during an inversion episode. The study took place February 21-25, 2011 at the area's population center (Vernal) and at an area within the gas/oil fields (Red Wash). At both sites, O3 and NOx, displayed expected diurnal behaviors. The 1-hr O3 concentrations ranged from 10-90 ppb at Vernal and 34-107 ppb at Red Wash. Average diurnal O3 maximums (±95% CI) were 70.4±12.1 ppb and 76.8±12.6 ppb at Vernal and Red Wash, respectively. The Red Wash average O3 diurnal curve was broader than that at Vernal and did not titrate out as rapidly in the evening and morning hours. In contrast, higher NOx was observed at Vernal, with hourly averaged values ranging from 4.5-80.2 ppb, compared to 1.5-29.7 ppb at Red Wash. The NOx tended to follow traffic patterns at both sites, with morning maximum 1-hr averages of 40.8±12.1 ppb and 20.2±8.7 ppb, respectively. A portable O3 monitor attached to a tethered balloon found high ground level O3 (70-80 ppb) and a decrease to relatively constant levels (50-60 ppb) by 150 m agl. Methane and non-methane hydrocarbons (NHMC) were collected at least twice per day using whole vial and sorbent cartridges, followed by GC-FID and GC-MS analysis. The gas/oil field samples (Red Wash) found significantly higher CH4 levels (2.71±0.32 ppm) compared to the Vernal samples (1.82±0.14 ppm). The NMHC were likewise higher at the Red Wash location. Calculation of the maximum incremental reactivity (MIR) estimated that methane, ethane, propane, acetylene, remaining alkanes, alkenes, and aromatics accounted for 7.9%, 18.5%, 4.7%, 1.0%, 20.6%, 46

  14. Evaluation of the Community Multiscale Air Quality Model for Simulating Winter Ozone Formation in the Uinta Basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matichuk, Rebecca; Tonnesen, Gail; Luecken, Deborah; Gilliam, Rob; Napelenok, Sergey L.; Baker, Kirk R.; Schwede, Donna; Murphy, Ben; Helmig, Detlev; Lyman, Seth N.; Roselle, Shawn

    2017-12-01

    The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) and Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) models were used to simulate a 10 day high-ozone episode observed during the 2013 Uinta Basin Winter Ozone Study (UBWOS). The baseline model had a large negative bias when compared to ozone (O3) and volatile organic compound (VOC) measurements across the basin. Contrary to other wintertime Uinta Basin studies, predicted nitrogen oxides (NOx) were typically low compared to measurements. Increases to oil and gas VOC emissions resulted in O3 predictions closer to observations, and nighttime O3 improved when reducing the deposition velocity for all chemical species. Vertical structures of these pollutants were similar to observations on multiple days. However, the predicted surface layer VOC mixing ratios were generally found to be underestimated during the day and overestimated at night. While temperature profiles compared well to observations, WRF was found to have a warm temperature bias and too low nighttime mixing heights. Analyses of more realistic snow heat capacity in WRF to account for the warm bias and vertical mixing resulted in improved temperature profiles, although the improved temperature profiles seldom resulted in improved O3 profiles. While additional work is needed to investigate meteorological impacts, results suggest that the uncertainty in the oil and gas emissions contributes more to the underestimation of O3. Further, model adjustments based on a single site may not be suitable across all sites within the basin.

  15. Radon-hazard potential the Beaver basin, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bishop, C.E.

    1995-01-01

    Indoor-radon levels in the Beaver basin of southwestern Utah are the highest recorded to date in Utah, ranging from 17.5 to 495 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). Because the U.S. Environment Protection Agency considers indoor-radon levels above 4 pCi/L to represent a risk of lung cancer from long-term exposure, the Utah Geological Survey is preparing a radon-hazard-potential map for the area to help prioritize indoor testing and evaluate the need for radon-resistant construction. Radon is a chemically inert radioactive gas derived from the decay of uranium-238, which is commonly found in rocks and soils. Soil permeability, depth to ground water, and uranium/thorium content of source materials control the mobility and concentration of radon in the soil. Once formed, radon diffuses into the pore space of the soil and then to the atmosphere or into buildings by pressure-driven flow of air or additional diffusion. The Beaver basin has been a topographic and structural depression since late Miocene time. Paleocene to Miocene volcanic and igneous rocks border the basin. Uraniferous alluvial-fan, piedmont-slope, flood-plain, and lacustrine sediments derived from the surrounding volcanic rocks fill the basin. A soil-gas radon and ground radioactivity survey in the Beaver basin shows that soils have high levels of radon gas. In this survey, uranium concentrations range from 3 to 13 parts per million (ppm) and thorium concentrations range from 10 to 48 ppm. Radon concentrations in the soil gas ranged from 85 to 3,500 pCi/L. The highest concentrations of uranium, thorium, and radon gas and the highest radon-hazard-potential are in the well-drained permeable soils in the lower flood- plain deposits that underlie the city of Beaver

  16. Quantifying Ozone Production throughout the Boundary Layer from High Frequency Tethered Profile Measurements during a High Ozone Episode in the Uinta Basin, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sterling, C. W.; Johnson, B.; Schnell, R. C.; Oltmans, S. J.; Cullis, P.; Hall, E. G.; Jordan, A. F.; Windell, J.; McClure-Begley, A.; Helmig, D.; Petron, G.

    2015-12-01

    During the Uinta Basin Winter Ozone Study (UBWOS) in Jan - Feb 2013, 735 tethered ozonesonde profiles were obtained at 3 sites including during high wintertime photochemical ozone production events that regularly exceeded 125 ppb. High resolution profiles of ozone and temperature with altitude, measured during daylight hours, showed the development of approximately week long high ozone episodes building from background levels of ~40 ppb to >150 ppb. The topography of the basin combined with a strong temperature inversion trapped oil and gas production effluents in the basin and the snow covered surface amplified the sun's radiation driving the photochemical ozone production at rates up to 13 ppb/hour in a cold layer capped at 1600-1700 meters above sea level. Beginning in mid-morning, ozone mixing ratios throughout the cold layer increased until late afternoon. Ozone mixing ratios were generally constant with height indicating that ozone production was nearly uniform throughout the depth of the cold pool. Although there was strong diurnal variation, ozone mixing ratios increased during the day more than decreased during the night, resulting in elevated levels the next morning; an indication that nighttime loss processes did not compensate for daytime production. Even though the 3 tethersonde sites were at elevations differing by as much as 140 m, the top of the high ozone layer was nearly uniform in altitude at the 3 locations. Mobile van surface ozone measurements across the basin confirmed this capped structure of the ozone layer; the vehicle drove out of high ozone mixing ratios at an elevation of ~1900 meters above sea level, above which free tropospheric ozone mixing ratios of ~50 ppb were measured. Exhaust plumes from a coal-fired power plant in the eastern portion of the basin were intercepted by the tethersondes. The structure of the profiles clearly showed that effluents in the plumes were not mixed downward and thus did not contribute precursor nitrogen

  17. Development, evolution, and destruction of the saline mineral area of Eocene Lake Uinta, Piceance Basin, western Colorado

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Ronald C.; Brownfield, Michael E.

    2015-01-01

    Halite and the sodium bicarbonate mineral nahcolite were deposited in Eocene-age saline Lake Uinta in the Piceance Basin, northwestern Colorado. Variations in the areal extent of saline mineral deposition through time were studied using descriptions of core and outcrop. Saline minerals have been extensively leached by groundwater, and the original extent of saline deposition was determined from the distribution of empty vugs and collapse breccias. Because vugs and breccias strongly influence groundwater movement, determining where leaching has occurred is an important consideration for in-situ oil shale extraction methods currently being developed.

  18. Mass-movement deposits in the lacustrine Eocene Green River Formation, Piceance Basin, western Colorado

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Ronald C.; Birdwell, Justin E.; Brownfield, Michael E.; Mercier, Tracey J.

    2015-01-01

    The Eocene Green River Formation was deposited in two large Eocene saline lakes, Lake Uinta in the Uinta and Piceance Basins and Lake Gosiute in the Greater Green River Basin. Here we will discuss mass-movement deposits in just the Piceance Basin part of Lake Uinta.

  19. Major Oil Plays In Utah And Vicinity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thomas Chidsey

    2007-12-31

    Utah oil fields have produced over 1.33 billion barrels (211 million m{sup 3}) of oil and hold 256 million barrels (40.7 million m{sup 3}) of proved reserves. The 13.7 million barrels (2.2 million m3) of production in 2002 was the lowest level in over 40 years and continued the steady decline that began in the mid-1980s. However, in late 2005 oil production increased, due, in part, to the discovery of Covenant field in the central Utah Navajo Sandstone thrust belt ('Hingeline') play, and to increased development drilling in the central Uinta Basin, reversing the decline that began in the mid-1980s. The Utah Geological Survey believes providing play portfolios for the major oil-producing provinces (Paradox Basin, Uinta Basin, and thrust belt) in Utah and adjacent areas in Colorado and Wyoming can continue this new upward production trend. Oil plays are geographic areas with petroleum potential caused by favorable combinations of source rock, migration paths, reservoir rock characteristics, and other factors. The play portfolios include descriptions and maps of the major oil plays by reservoir; production and reservoir data; case-study field evaluations; locations of major oil pipelines; identification and discussion of land-use constraints; descriptions of reservoir outcrop analogs; and summaries of the state-of-the-art drilling, completion, and secondary/tertiary recovery techniques for each play. The most prolific oil reservoir in the Utah/Wyoming thrust belt province is the eolian, Jurassic Nugget Sandstone, having produced over 288 million barrels (46 million m{sup 3}) of oil and 5.1 trillion cubic feet (145 billion m{sup 3}) of gas. Traps form on discrete subsidiary closures along major ramp anticlines where the depositionally heterogeneous Nugget is also extensively fractured. Hydrocarbons in Nugget reservoirs were generated from subthrust Cretaceous source rocks. The seals for the producing horizons are overlying argillaceous and gypsiferous beds in

  20. Origin and microfossils of the oil shale of the Green River Formation of Colorado and Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bradley, W.H.

    1931-01-01

    The Green River formation of Colorado and Utah is a series of lakebeds of middle Eocene age that occupy two broad, shallow, simple, structural basins, the Piceance Creek basin in northwestern Colorado and the Uinta basin in northwestern Utah. The ancient lakes apparently were shallow and had a large area, compared with depth. The abundance of organisms and the decaying organic matter produced a strongly reducing environment. Mechanical and chemical action, such as the mastication and digestion of the organic material by bottom-living organisms, caused disintegration of the original organic matter. After most of the oil shale was deposited, the lake reverted nearly to the conditions that prevailed during its early stage, when the marlstone and low-grade oil shale of the basal member were formed. Microgranular calcite and dolomite are the predominant mineral constituents of most of the oil shale. The microflora of the Green River formation consist of two forms that have been referred to as bacteria and many fungi spores. Two kinds of organic matter are seen in thin sections of the oil shale; one is massive and structureless and is the matrix of the other, which has definite form and consists of organisms or fragments of organisms. Most structureless organic matter is isotropic (there are two anisotropic varieties) and makes up the greater part of the total organic material.

  1. Brushy Basin drilling project, Cedar Mountain, Emergy County, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kiloh, K.D.; McNeil, M.; Vizcaino, H.

    1980-03-01

    A 12-hole drilling program was conducted on the northwestern flank of the San Rafael swell of eastern Utah to obtain subsurface geologic data to evaluate the uranium resource potential of the Brushy Basin Member of the Morrison Formation (Jurassic). In the Cedar Mountain-Castle Valley area, the Brushy Basin Member consists primarily of tuffaceous and carbonaceous mudstones. Known uranium mineralization is thin, spotty, very low grade, and occurs in small lenticular pods. Four of the 12 drill holes penetrated thin intervals of intermediate-grade uranium mineralization in the Brushy Basin. The study confirmed that the unit does not contain significant deposits of intermediate-grade uranium

  2. MAJOR OIL PLAYS IN UTAH AND VICINITY

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chidsey, Thomas C.; Morgan, Craig D.; McClure, Kevin; Willis, Grant C.

    2003-01-01

    Utah oil fields have produced over 1.2 billion barrels (191 million m 3 ). However, the 13.7 million barrels (2.2 million m 3 ) of production in 2002 was the lowest level in over 40 years and continued the steady decline that began in the mid-1980s. The Utah Geological Survey believes this trend can be reversed by providing play portfolios for the major oil-producing provinces (Paradox Basin, Uinta Basin, and thrust belt) in Utah and adjacent areas in Colorado and Wyoming. Oil plays are geographic areas with petroleum potential caused by favorable combinations of source rock, migration paths, reservoir rock characteristics, and other factors. The play portfolios will include: descriptions and maps of the major oil plays by reservoir; production and reservoir data; case-study field evaluations; summaries of the state-of-the-art drilling, completion, and secondary/tertiary techniques for each play; locations of major oil pipelines; descriptions of reservoir outcrop analogs; and identification and discussion of land use constraints. All play maps, reports, databases, and so forth, produced for the project will be published in interactive, menu-driven digital (web-based and compact disc) and hard-copy formats. This report covers research activities for the fourth quarter of the first project year (April 1 through June 30, 2003). This work included describing outcrop analogs to the Jurassic Nugget Sandstone and Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation, the major oil producers in the thrust belt and Paradox Basin, respectively. Production-scale outcrop analogs provide an excellent view, often in three dimensions, of reservoir-facies characteristics and boundaries contributing to the overall heterogeneity of reservoir rocks. They can be used as a ''template'' for evaluation of data from conventional core, geophysical and petrophysical logs, and seismic surveys. The Nugget Sandstone was deposited in an extensive dune field that extended from Wyoming to Arizona. Outcrop analogs are

  3. Demographic monitoring and population viability analysis of two rare beardtongues from the Uinta Basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCaffery, Rebecca M.; Reisor, Rita; Irvine, Kathryn M.; Brunson, Jessi

    2014-01-01

    Energy development, in combination with other environmental stressors, poses a persistent threat to rare species endemic to the energy-producing regions of the Western United States. Demographic analyses of monitored populations can provide key information on the natural dynamics of threatened plant and animal populations, and how they might be affected by ongoing and future development. In the Uinta Basin in Utah and Colorado, Graham’s beardtongue (Penstemon grahamii) and White River beardtongue (Penstemon scariosus var. albifluvis) are two rare endemic wildflowers that persist on oil shale habitats heavily impacted by current energy exploration and development, and slated for expanded traditional drilling and oil shale development. We described demographic characteristics and population viability for two populations of each species that have been monitored since 2004. First, we measured population size, survival rates, transitions between life stages, and recruitment using individually marked plants at the four study areas. Then, we used matrix population models to determine stochastic population growth rates (λ) and the probability that each population would persist 50 years into the future, given current conditions. The two P. grahamii study plots had small populations averaging 70 adult plants, and relatively constant and high survival in both vegetative and flowering plants. The two P. scariosus var. albifluvis study plots had populations that averaged 120 adult plants, with high and stable survival in flowering plants and variable survival in vegetative plants. Recruitment of new seedlings into all populations was low and variable, with most recruitment occurring in one or two years. Both P. grahamii populations had λ near 1.0 (stable). One P. scariosus var. albifluvis population appeared to be declining (λ=0.97), while the other was increasing (λ=1.16). Our analyses reveal populations that appear relatively stable, but that are

  4. Constructing a Baseline Model of Alpine Wetlands of the Uinta Mountains, Utah, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matyjasik, M.; Ford, R. L.; Bartholomew, L. M.; Welsh, S. B.; Hernandez, M.; Koerner, D.; Muir, M.

    2008-12-01

    Alpine wetlands of the Uinta Mountains, northeastern Utah, contain a variety of groundwater-dependent ecosystems. Unlike their counterparts in other areas of the Rocky Mountains, these systems have been relatively unstudied. The Reader Lakes area on the southern slope of the range was selected for detailed study because of its variety of wetland plant communities, homogenous bedrock geology, and minimal human impact. The primary goal of this interdisciplinary study is to establish the functional links between the geomorphology and hydrogeology of these high mountain wetlands and their constituent plant communities. In addition to traditional field studies and water chemistry, geospatial technologies are being used to organize and analyze both field data (water chemistry and wetland vegetation) and archived multispectral imagery (2006 NAIP images). The hydrology of these wetlands is dominated by groundwater discharge and their surface is dominated by string-and-flark morphology of various spatial scales, making these montane wetlands classic patterned fens. The drainage basin is organized into a series of large-scale stair-stepping wetlands, bounded by glacial moraines at their lower end. Wetlands are compartmentalized by a series of large strings (roughly perpendicular to the axial stream) and flarks. This pattern may be related to small ridges on the underlying ground moraine and possibly modified by beaver activity along the axial stream. Small-scale patterning occurs along the margins of the wetlands and in sloping-fen settings. The smaller-scale strings and flarks form a complex; self-regulating system in which water retention is enhanced and surface flow is minimized. Major plant communities have been identified within the wetlands for example: a Salix planifolia community associated with the peaty strings; Carex aquatilis, Carex limosa, and Eriophorum angustifolium communities associated with flarks; as well as a Sphagnum sp.- rich hummocky transition zone

  5. Properties of Modern Dust Accumulating in the Uinta Mountains, Utah, USA, and Soil Evidence of Long-Term Dust Deposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Munroe, J. S.

    2013-12-01

    Modern eolian sediment was collected at four locations in the alpine zone of the Uinta Mountains (Utah, USA) between July 2011 and July 2012. Collectors were a passive design based on the classic marble dust trap, but modified for use in this high-precipitation environment. On average the collectors accumulated 1.5 gm of dust, corresponding to an annual flux of 4.4 g/m2. This result is similar to values measured from snowpack samples in the Wind River (Wyoming) and San Juan (Colorado) Mountains. Dust flux was 3 to 5x higher during the winter compared with summer at the two sites featuring continuous vegetation, but was consistent between the seasons at the two collectors surrounded by a greater area of exposed soil. XRD analysis reveals that dust samples are dominated by quartz, potassium feldspar, plagioclase, and illite. Some samples contain amphibole and chlorite. In contrast, samples of fine sediment collected from the surface of modern snowbanks are dominated by clay with no feldspar or quartz, suggesting that these minerals are derived from the surrounding soil surface, which is snow-covered in the winter. ICP-MS analysis reveals that the geochemistry of the coarse (>63-μm) fraction of the dust resembles that of the underlying bedrock, confirming a local origin for this sediment. In contrast, the fine (horizon, supporting an eolian origin for the ubiquitous layer of fines that mantles soil profiles throughout the Uinta Mountains. Grain size analysis with laser scattering reveals that modern dust is very well-sorted, with a median size of 8 μm (7.0 Φ). Using the annual dust flux and mean grain size, and taking into account the measured bulk density (0.95 gm/cm3), organic matter content (20%), and silt content (32%) of this loess cap, the extrapolated loess accretion rate is ~18 cm per 10,000 years. Given that prior studies (Bockheim et al., 2000 Catena; Munroe, 2007, Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research) have reported mean loess thickness from 16 to 25 cm

  6. Produced water ponds are an important source of aromatics and alcohols in Rocky Mountain oil and gas basins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyman, S. N.

    2017-12-01

    Most of the water extracted with oil and natural gas (i.e., produced water) is disposed of by injection into the subsurface. In the arid western United States, however, a significant portion of produced water is discharged in ponds for evaporative disposal, and produced water is often stored in open ponds prior to subsurface injection. Even though they are common in the West (Utah's Uinta Basin has almost 200 ha), produced water ponds have been excluded from oil and gas emissions inventories because little information about their emission rates and speciation is available. We used flux chambers and inverse plume modeling to measure emissions of methane, C2-C11 hydrocarbons, light alcohols, carbonyls, and carbon dioxide from oil and gas produced water storage and disposal ponds in the Uinta Basin and the Upper Green River Basin, Wyoming, during 2013-2017. Methanol was the most abundant organic compound in produced water (91 ± 2% of the total volatile organic concentration; mean ± 95% confidence interval) but accounted for only 25 ± 30% of total organic compound emissions from produced water ponds. Non-methane hydrocarbons, especially C6-C9 alkanes and aromatics, accounted for the majority of emitted organics. We were able to predict emissions of individual compounds based on water concentrations, but only to within an order of magnitude. The speciation and magnitude of emissions varied strongly across facilities and was influenced by water age, the presence or absence of oil sheens, and with meteorological conditions (especially ice cover). Flux chamber measurements were lower than estimates from inverse modeling techniques.Based on our flux chamber measurements, we estimate that produced water ponds are responsible for between 3 and 9% of all non-methane organic compound emissions in the Uinta Basin (or as much as 18% if we rely on our inverse modeling results). Emissions from produced water ponds contain little methane and are more reactive (i.e., they have

  7. Map showing principal drainage basins, principal runoff-producing areas, and selected stream flow data in the Kaiparowits coal-basin area, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Price, Don

    1978-01-01

    This is one of a series of maps that describe the geology and related natural resources in the Kaiparowits coal-basin area. Streamflow records used to compile this map and the accompanying table were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Utah State Engineer and the Utah Department of Transportation. The principal runoff-producing areas were delineated from a work map (scale 1:250,000) compiled to estimate water yields in Utah (Bagley and others, 1964). Information about Lake Powell was furnished by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

  8. Origin and microfossils of the oil shale of the Green River formation of Colorado and Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bradley, W.H.

    1931-01-01

    The Green River formation of Colorado and Utah is a series of lakebeds of middle Eocene age that occupy two broad, shallow, simple, structural basins--the Piceance Creek basin in northwestern Colorado and the Uinta basin in northeastern Utah. The ancient lakes served as a basin for the accumulation of tremendous quantities of aquatic organisms. The predominance of microscopic fresh-water algae and protozoa over the remains of land plants, pollens and spores suggests that the greater part of the organic matter was derived from microorganisms that grew in the lakes. The pollens and spores were carried into the lakes by wind. Fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and aquatic insect larvae were also plentiful; and turtles, crocodiles, birds, small camels, and insects may have contributed to the organic matter. The ancient lakes apparently were shallow and had a large area, compared with depth. The abundance of organisms and the decaying organic matter produced a strongly reducing environment. Mechanical and chemical action, such as the mastication and digestion of the organic material by bottom-living organisms, caused disintegration of the original organic matter. When the residue was reduced to a gelatinous condition, it apparently resisted further bacterial decay, and other organisms accidently entombed in the gel were protected from disintegration. An accumulation of inorganic material occurred simultaneously with the disintegration of the organic ooze, and the entire mass became lithified. After most of the oil shale was deposited, the lake reverted nearly to the conditions that prevailed during its early stage, when the marlstone and low-grade oil shale of the basal member were formed. The streams in the vicinity of the lake were rejuvenated and carried great quantities of medium- to coarse-grained sand into the basin and formed a thick layer over the lakebeds.

  9. Uranium guidebook for the Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1978-01-01

    Various data concerning uranium production and reserves of the Paradox Basin are compiled herein. Current production from 2 Utah mills and 1 Colorado mill is estimated at 5.4 million pounds of U 3 O 8 . An overview of uranium mining, geology, tectonics, and types of ore deposits is presented. Detailed description of the 11 mining districts and 21 mining areas are included. Detailed maps and exploration guides are included as assistance to evaluating and seeking new uranium deposits

  10. Geophysical variables and behavior: XXIII. Relations between UFO reports within the Uinta Basin and local seismicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Persinger, M A; Derr, J S

    1985-02-01

    A strong temporal correlation was found between the numbers of reports of UFOs (unidentified flying objects) and nearby seismic activity within the Uinta Basin for the year 1967. The numbers of UFO reports per month during this classic UFO flap were correlated 0.80 with the sum of the earthquake magnitudes per month for events within 150 km of the report area. Numbers of UFO reports were not correlated significantly with earthquake activity at distances greater than 150 km but less than 250 km away. The strongest correlation occurred between UFO reports and nearby seismic activity within the same month but not for previous or consequent months. Close scrutiny of daily shifts in epicenters and reports of UFOs indicate that they occurred when the locus of successive epicenters shifted across the area. These analyses were interpreted as support for the existence of strain fields whose movements generate natural phenomena that are reported as UFOs.

  11. Evaluation of the Community Multiscale Air Quality Model for Simulating Winter Ozone Formation in the Uinta Basin with Intensive Oil and Gas Production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matichuk, R.; Tonnesen, G.; Luecken, D.; Roselle, S. J.; Napelenok, S. L.; Baker, K. R.; Gilliam, R. C.; Misenis, C.; Murphy, B.; Schwede, D. B.

    2015-12-01

    The western United States is an important source of domestic energy resources. One of the primary environmental impacts associated with oil and natural gas production is related to air emission releases of a number of air pollutants. Some of these pollutants are important precursors to the formation of ground-level ozone. To better understand ozone impacts and other air quality issues, photochemical air quality models are used to simulate the changes in pollutant concentrations in the atmosphere on local, regional, and national spatial scales. These models are important for air quality management because they assist in identifying source contributions to air quality problems and designing effective strategies to reduce harmful air pollutants. The success of predicting oil and natural gas air quality impacts depends on the accuracy of the input information, including emissions inventories, meteorological information, and boundary conditions. The treatment of chemical and physical processes within these models is equally important. However, given the limited amount of data collected for oil and natural gas production emissions in the past and the complex terrain and meteorological conditions in western states, the ability of these models to accurately predict pollution concentrations from these sources is uncertain. Therefore, this presentation will focus on understanding the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model's ability to predict air quality impacts associated with oil and natural gas production and its sensitivity to input uncertainties. The results will focus on winter ozone issues in the Uinta Basin, Utah and identify the factors contributing to model performance issues. The results of this study will help support future air quality model development, policy and regulatory decisions for the oil and gas sector.

  12. Salt disposal: Paradox Basin, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-04-01

    This report presents the findings of a study conducted for the National Waste Terminal Storage (NWTS) Program. Permanent disposal options are examined for salt resulting from the excavation of a waste repository in the bedded salt deposits of the Paradox Basin of southeastern Utah. The study is based on a repository salt backfill compaction of 60% of the original density which leaves a total of 8 million tons of 95% pure salt to be disposed of over a 30-year period. The feasibility, impacts, and mitigation methods are examined for five options: commercial disposal, permanent onsite surface disposal, permanent offsite disposal, deepwell injection, and ocean and Great Salt Lake disposal. The study concludes the following: Commercial marketing of all repository salt would require a subsidy for transportation to major salt markets. Permanent onsite surface storage is both economically and technically feasible. Permanent offsite disposal is technically feasible but would incur additional transportation costs. Selection of an offsite location would provide a means of mitigating impacts associated with surface storage at the repository site. Deepwell injection is an attractive disposal method; however, the large water requirement, high cost of development, and poor performance of similar operating brine disposal wells eliminates this option from consideration as the primary means of disposal for the Paradox Basin. Ocean disposal is expensive because of high transportation cost. Also, regulatory approval is unlikely. Ocean disposal should be eliminated from further consideration in the Paradox Basin. Great Salt Lake disposal appears to be technically feasible. Great Salt Lake disposal would require state approval and would incur substantial costs for salt transportation. Permanent onsite disposal is the least expensive method for disposal of all repository salt

  13. Testing the Extensional Detachment Paradigm: A Borehole Observatory in the Sevier Desert Basin, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christie-Blick, N.; Wernicke, B. P.

    2007-12-01

    The Sevier Desert basin, Utah represents a world-class target for scientific drilling and for the development of an in situ borehole observatory of active faulting, with potential for establishing that normal-sense slip can occur along a brittle low-angle fault and, by determining the conditions under which that may take place, for resolving the mechanical paradox associated with such structures. The Sevier Desert detachment was defined in the mid- 1970s on the basis seismic reflection data and commercial wells as the contact between Paleozoic carbonate rocks and Cenozoic basin fill over a depth range of ~0-4 km. Today, the interpreted fault is thought by most workers to root into the crust to the west, to have large estimated offset (basin development and displacement along the interpreted fault. A workshop will take place from July 15-18, 2008, in Utah, under the auspices of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program, to flesh out objectives, strategies and operational details, and to develop a consensus on the location of a drill site.

  14. Proceedings 43rd Stanford Geothermal Workshop

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Simmons, Stuart; Kirby, Stefan; Verplanck, Philip; Kelley, Karen

    2018-02-12

    Herein we summarize the results of an investigation dealing with the concentrations and inventories of strategic, critical and valuable materials (SCVM) in produced fluids from geothermal and hydrocarbon reservoirs (50-250° C) in Nevada and Utah. Water samples were collected from thirty-four production wells across eight geothermal fields, the Uinta Basin oil/gas province in northeast Utah, and the Covenant oil field in southwestern Utah; additional water samples were collected from six hot springs in the Sevier Thermal Belt in southwestern Utah. Most SCVM concentrations in produced waters range from <0.1 to 100 µg/kg; the main exception is lithium, which has concentrations that range from <1000 to 25,000 ug/kg. Relatively high concentrations of gallium, germanium, scandium, selenium, and tellurium are measured too. Geothermal waters contain very low concentrations of REEs, below analytical detections limits (0.01 µg/kg), but the concentrations of lanthanum, cerium, and europium range from 0.05 to 5 µg/kg in Uinta basin waters. Among the geothermal fields, the Roosevelt Hot Spring reservoir appears to have the largest inventories of germanium and lithium, and Patua appears to have the largest inventories of gallium, scandium, selenium, and tellurium. By comparison, the Uinta basin has larger inventories of gallium. The concentrations of gallium, germanium, lithium, scandium, selenium, and tellurium in produced waters appear to be partly related to reservoir temperature and concentrations of total dissolved salts. The relatively high concentration and large inventory of lithium occurring at Roosevelt Hot Springs may be related to granitic-gneissic crystalline rocks, which host the reservoir. Analyses of calcite scales from Dixie Valley indicate enrichments in cobalt, gallium, gold, palladium, selenium and tellurium, and these metals appear to be depositing at deep levels in production wells due to boiling. Comparisons with SCVM mineral deposits suggest that

  15. Reproductive biology, hybridization, and flower visitors of rare Sclerocactus taxa in Utah's Uintah Basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    The mating system and flower visitors of two threatened species of Sclerocactus (Cactaceae) were studied in the Uintah Basin of eastern Utah, an area undergoing rapid energy development. We found that both S. wetlandicus and S. brevispinus, as well as a third presumptive taxon (undescribed) which w...

  16. Western Gas Sands Project. Quarterly Basin Activities Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Atkinson, C H

    1979-01-31

    This report is a summation of 3 months' drilling and testing activities in the four primary WGSP study areas: Greater Green River Basin, Northern Great Plains Province, Piceance Basin, and Uinta Basin. The monitoring of basin activities is part of resource assessment. (DLC)

  17. Lands with Wilderness Characteristics, Resource Management Plan Constraints, and Land Exchanges: Cross-Jurisdictional Management and Impacts on Unconventional Fuel Development in Utah's Uinta Basin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Keiter, Robert [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Ruple, John [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Holt, Rebecca [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Tanana, Heather [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); McNeally, Phoebe [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Tribby, Clavin [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)

    2012-10-01

    Secretarial Order 3310, Protecting Wilderness Characteristics on Lands Managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Supporters argue that the Order merely provides guidance regarding implementation of existing legal obligations without creating new rights or duties. Opponents describe Order 3310 as subverting congressional authority to designate Wilderness Areas and as closing millions of acres of public lands to energy development and commodity production. While opponents succeeded in temporarily defunding the Order’s implementation and forcing the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to adopt a more collaborative approach, the fundamental questions remain: Which federal public lands possess wilderness characteristics and how should those lands be managed? The closely related question is: How might management of such resources impact unconventional fuel development within Utah? These questions remain pressing independent of the Order because the BLM, which manages the majority of federal land in Utah, is statutorily obligated to maintain an up-to-date inventory of federal public lands and the resources they contain, including lands with wilderness characteristics. The BLM is also legally obligated to develop and periodically update land use plans, relying on information obtained in its public lands inventory. The BLM cannot sidestep these hard choices, and failure to consider wilderness characteristics during the planning process will derail the planning effort. Based on an analysis of the most recent inventory data, lands with wilderness characteristics — whether already subject to mandatory protection under the Wilderness Act, subject to discretionary protections as part of BLM Resource Management Plan revisions, or potentially subject to new protections under Order 3310 — are unlikely to profoundly impact oil shale development within Utah’s Uinta Basin. Lands with wilderness characteristics are likely to v have a greater impact on oil sands resources, particularly those

  18. Increased Oil Production and Reserves Utilizing Secondary/Tertiary Recovery Techniques on Small Reservoirs in the Paradox Basin, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chidsey Jr., Thomas C.

    2003-01-01

    The primary objective of this project was to enhance domestic petroleum production by field demonstration and technology transfer of an advanced-oil-recovery technology in the Paradox Basin, southeastern Utah. If this project can demonstrate technical and economic feasibility, the technique can be applied to approximately 100 additional small fields in the Paradox Basin alone, and result in increased recovery of 150 to 200 million barrels (23,850,000-31,800,000 m3) of oil. This project was designed to characterize five shallow-shelf carbonate reservoirs in the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation and choose the best candidate for a pilot demonstration project for either a waterflood or carbon-dioxide-(CO2-) miscible flood project. The field demonstration, monitoring of field performance, and associated validation activities will take place within the Navajo Nation, San Juan County, Utah

  19. Shallow electromagnetic data from three known fault zones in the Paradox Basin, Utah

    OpenAIRE

    Watts, Raymond D.; U.S. Geological Survey

    1981-01-01

    This report describes a preliminary investigation of the effectiveness of two electromagnetic exploration methods as means of finding unmapped faults in the Paradox Basin environment. Results indicate that the Very Low Frequency (VLF method is useful. VLF profiles were measured across three known fault traces near Gibson Dome, San Juan County, Utah. Each fault or set of faults generated a significant anomaly. In some cases, the anomaly due to the fault was superimposed on a larger scale a...

  20. Gardening guide for high-desert urban landscapes of Great Basin regions in Nevada and Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heidi Kratsch; Rick Heflebower

    2013-01-01

    Some Great Basin urban areas in Utah and Nevada exhibit climatic conditions that make it difficult for all but the toughest landscape plants to thrive without providing supplemental water. These areas are found at elevations from 4,000 feet to 6,000 feet in USDA cold-hardiness zones 6 and 7. Soils are often poor and gravelly, containing less than 1 percent organic...

  1. Environmental Setting and Implications on Water Quality, Upper Colorado River Basin, Colorado and Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Apodaca, Lori E.; Driver, Nancy E.; Stephens, Verlin C.; Spahr, Norman E.

    1995-01-01

    The Upper Colorado River Basin in Colorado and Utah is 1 of 60 study units selected for water-quality assessment as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment program, which began full implementation in 1991. Understanding the environmental setting of the Upper Colorado River Basin study unit is important in evaluating water-quality issues in the basin. Natural and human factors that affect water quality in the basin are presented, including an overview of the physiography, climatic conditions, general geology and soils, ecoregions, population, land use, water management and use, hydrologic characteristics, and to the extent possible aquatic biology. These factors have substantial implications on water-quality conditions in the basin. For example, high concentrations of dissolved solids and selenium are present in the natural background water conditions of surface and ground water in parts ofthe basin. In addition, mining, urban, and agricultural land and water uses result in the presence of certain constituents in the surface and ground water of the basin that can detrimentally affect water quality. The environmental setting of the study unit provides a framework of the basin characteristics, which is important in the design of integrated studies of surface water, ground water, and biology.

  2. Socioeconomic data base report for the Paradox Basin, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1984-11-01

    This report is published as a product of the Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (CRWM) Program. The objective of this program is to develop terminal waste storage facilities in deep, stable geologic formations for high-level nuclear wastes, including spent fuel elements from commercial power reactors and transuranic nuclear waste for which the Federal Government is responsible. The Socioeconomic Analysis Report for the Paradox Basin in Utah is part of the CRWM Program described above. This report presents baseline data on the demography, economics, community facilities, government and fiscal structure, and social structure characteristics in San Juan and Grand Counties, the socioeconomic study area. The technical criteria upon which a repository site(s) will be selected, evaluated, and licensed for high-level waste disposal will be partially based on the data in this report

  3. Increased Oil Production and Reserves Utilizing Secondary/Tertiary Recovery Techniques on Small Reservoirs in the Paradox Basin, Utah; ANNUAL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jr., Chidsey, Thomas C.; Allison, M. Lee

    1999-01-01

    The primary objective of this project is to enhance domestic petroleum production by field demonstration and technology transfer of an advanced- oil-recovery technology in the Paradox basin, southeastern Utah. If this project can demonstrate technical and economic feasibility, the technique can be applied to approximately 100 additional small fields in the Paradox basin alone, and result in increased recovery of 150 to 200 million barrels (23,850,000-31,800,000 m3) of oil. This project is designed to characterize five shallow-shelf carbonate reservoirs in the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation and choose the best candidate for a pilot demonstration project for either a waterflood or carbon-dioxide-(CO2-) miscible flood project. The field demonstration, monitoring of field performance, and associated validation activities will take place within the Navajo Nation, San Juan County, Utah

  4. Reinterpretation of Halokinetic Features in the Ancestral Rocky Mountains Paradox Salt Basin, Utah and Colorado

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, J. A.; Giles, K. A.; Rowan, M. G.; Hearon, T. E., IV

    2016-12-01

    The Paradox Basin in southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado is a foreland basin formed in response to flexural loading by the Pennsylvanian-aged Uncompaghre uplift during the Ancestral Rocky Mountain orogen. Thick sequences of evaporites (Paradox Formation) were deposited within the foreland basin, which interfinger with clastic sediments in the foredeep and carbonates around the basin margin. Differential loading of the Pennsylvanian-Jurassic sediments onto the evaporites drove synsedimentary halokinesis, creating a series of salt walls and adjacent minibasins within the larger foreland basin. The growing salt walls within the basin influenced patterns of sediment deposition from the Pennsylvanian through the Cretaceous. By integrating previously published mapping with recent field observations, mapping, and subsurface interpretations of well logs and 2D seismic lines, we present interpretations of the timing, geometry, and nature of halokinesis within the Paradox Basin, which record the complex salt tectonic history in the basin. Furthermore, we present recent work on the relationships between the local passive salt history and the formation of syndepositional counter-regional extensional fault systems within the foreland. These results will be integrated into a new regional salt-tectonic and stratigraphic framework of the Paradox Basin, and have broader implications for interpreting sedimentary records in other basins with a mobile substrate.

  5. Burial and thermal history of the Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado, and petroleum potential of the Middle Pennsylvanian Paradox Basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nuccio, Vito F.; Condon, Steven M.

    1996-01-01

    The Ismay?Desert Creek interval and Cane Creek cycle of the Alkali Gulch interval of the Middle Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation in the Paradox Basin of Utah and Colorado contain excellent organic-rich source rocks having total organic carbon contents ranging from 0.5 to 11.0 percent. The source rocks in both intervals contain types I, II, and III organic matter and are potential source rocks for both oil and gas. Organic matter in the Ismay?Desert Creek interval and Cane Creek cycle of the Alkali Gulch interval (hereinafter referred to in this report as the ?Cane Creek cycle?) probably is more terrestrial in origin in the eastern part of the basin and is interpreted to have contributed to some of the gas produced there. Thermal maturity increases from southwest to northeast for both the Ismay?Desert Creek interval and Cane Creek cycle, following structural and burial trends throughout the basin. In the northernmost part of the basin, the combination of a relatively thick Tertiary sedimentary sequence and high basinal heat flow has produced very high thermal maturities. Although general thermal maturity trends are similar for both the Ismay?Desert Creek interval and Cane Creek cycle, actual maturity levels are higher for the Cane Creek due to the additional thickness (as much as several thousand feet) of Middle Pennsylvanian section. Throughout most of the basin, the Ismay?Desert Creek interval is mature and in the petroleum-generation window (0.10 to 0.50 production index (PI)), and both oil and gas are produced; in the south-central to southwestern part of the basin, however, the interval is marginally mature (0.10 PI) in the central part of the basin and is overmature (past the petroleum-generation window (>0.50 PI)) throughout most of the eastern part of the basin. The Cane Creek cycle generally produces oil and associated gas throughout the western and central parts of the basin and thermogenic gas in the eastern part of the basin. Burial and thermal

  6. Potential for a significant deep basin geothermal system in Tintic Valley, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hardwick, C.; Kirby, S.

    2014-12-01

    The combination of regionally high heat flow, deep basins, and permeable reservoir rocks in the eastern Great Basin may yield substantial new geothermal resources. We explore a deep sedimentary basin geothermal prospect beneath Tintic Valley in central Utah using new 2D and 3D models coupled with existing estimates of heat flow, geothermometry, and shallow hydrologic data. Tintic Valley is a sediment-filled basin bounded to the east and west by bedrock mountain ranges where heat-flow values vary from 85 to over 240 mW/m2. Based on modeling of new and existing gravity data, a prominent 30 mGal low indicates basin fill thickness may exceed 2 km. The insulating effect of relatively low thermal conductivity basin fill in Tintic Valley, combined with typical Great Basin heat flow, predict temperatures greater than 150 °C at 3 km depth. The potential reservoir beneath the basin fill is comprised of Paleozoic carbonate and clastic rocks. The hydrology of the Tintic Valley is characterized by a shallow, cool groundwater system that recharges along the upper reaches of the basin and discharges along the valley axis and to a series of wells. The east mountain block is warm and dry, with groundwater levels just above the basin floor and temperatures >50 °C at depth. The west mountain block contains a shallow, cool meteoric groundwater system. Fluid temperatures over 50 °C are sufficient for direct-use applications, such as greenhouses and aquaculture, while temperatures exceeding 140°C are suitable for binary geothermal power plants. The geologic setting and regionally high heat flow in Tintic Valley suggest a geothermal resource capable of supporting direct-use geothermal applications and binary power production could be present.

  7. Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Paradox Basin Province, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, 2011

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whidden, Katherine J.

    2012-01-01

    Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated means of 560 million barrels of undiscovered oil, 12,701 billion cubic feet of undiscovered natural gas, and 490 million barrels of undiscovered natural gas liquids in the Paradox Basin of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona.

  8. Geochemistry and hydrodynamics of the Paradox Basin region, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanshaw, B.B.; Hill, G.A.

    1969-01-01

    The Paradox Basin region is approximately bounded by the south flank of the Uinta Basin to the north, the Uncompahgre uplift and San Juan Mountains to the east, the Four Corners structural platform to the southeast, the north rim of the Black Mesa Basin and the Grand Canyon to the south and southwest, and the Wasatch Plateau and Hurricane fault system to the west. Some of these geologic features are areas of ground-water recharge or discharge whereas others such as the Four Corners platform do not directly influence fluid movement. The aquifer systems studied were: (1) Mississippian rocks; (2) Pinkerton Trail Limestone of Wengerd and Strickland, 1954; (3) Paradox Member of the Hermosa Formation; (4) Honaker Trail Formation of Wengerd and Matheny, 1958; (5) Permian rocks. Recharge in the Paradox Basin occurs on the west flank of the San Juan Mountains and along the west side of the Uncompahgre uplift. The direction of ground-water movement in each analyzed unit is principally southwest-ward toward the topographically low outcrop areas along the Colorado River in Arizona. However, at any point in the basin, flow may be in some other direction owing to the influence of intrabasin recharge areas or local obstructions to flow, such as faults or dikes. A series of potentiometric surface maps was prepared for the five systems studied. Material used in construction of the maps included outcrop altitudes of springs and streams, drill-stem tests, water-well records, and an electric analog model of the entire basin. Many structurally and topographically high areas within the basin are above the regional potentiometric surface; recharge in these areas will drain rapidly off the high areas and adjust to the regional water level. With a few exceptions, most wells in formations above the Pennsylvanian contain fresh ( 35,000 mg/l T.D.S.) reported. Most water samples from strata below the Permian are brines of the sodium chloride type but with large amounts of calcium sulfate or

  9. DELIVERABLE 1.1.1 REGIONAL PARADOX FORMATION STRUCTURE AND ISOCHORE MAPS, BLANDING SUB-BASIN, UTAH

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McClure, Kevin; Morgan, Craig D.; Chidsey, Thomas C. Jr.; Eby, David E.

    2003-01-01

    Over 400 million barrels (64 million m 3 ) of oil have been produced from the shallow-shelf carbonate reservoirs in the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation in the Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado. With the exception of the giant Greater Aneth field, the other 100 plus oil fields in the basin typically contain 2 to 10 million barrels (0.3-1.6 million m 3 ) of original oil in place. Most of these fields are characterized by high initial production rates followed by a very short productive life (primary), and hence premature abandonment. Only 15 to 25 percent of the original oil in place is recoverable during primary production from conventional vertical wells. An extensive and successful horizontal drilling program has been conducted in the giant Greater Aneth field (figure 1). However, to date, only two horizontal wells have been drilled in small Ismay and Desert Creek fields. The results from these wells were disappointing due to poor understanding of the carbonate facies and diagenetic fabrics that create reservoir heterogeneity. These small fields, and similar fields in the basin, are at high risk of premature abandonment. At least 200 million barrels (31.8 million m 3 ) of oil will be left behind in these small fields because current development practices leave compartments of the heterogeneous reservoirs undrained. Through proper geological evaluation of the reservoirs, production may be increased by 20 to 50 percent through the drilling of low-cost single or multilateral horizontal legs from existing vertical development wells. In addition, horizontal drilling from existing wells minimizes surface disturbances and costs for field development, particularly in the environmentally sensitive areas of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado

  10. Paleontological overview of oil shale and tar sands areas in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Murphey, P. C.; Daitch, D.; Environmental Science Division

    2009-02-11

    In August 2005, the U.S. Congress enacted the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Public Law 109-58. In Section 369 of this Act, also known as the ''Oil Shale, Tar Sands, and Other Strategic Unconventional Fuels Act of 2005,'' Congress declared that oil shale and tar sands (and other unconventional fuels) are strategically important domestic energy resources that should be developed to reduce the nation's growing dependence on oil from politically and economically unstable foreign sources. In addition, Congress declared that both research- and commercial-scale development of oil shale and tar sands should (1) be conducted in an environmentally sound manner using management practices that will minimize potential impacts, (2) occur with an emphasis on sustainability, and (3) benefit the United States while taking into account concerns of the affected states and communities. To support this declaration of policy, Congress directed the Secretary of the Interior to undertake a series of steps, several of which are directly related to the development of a commercial leasing program for oil shale and tar sands. One of these steps was the completion of a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) to analyze the impacts of a commercial leasing program for oil shale and tar sands resources on public lands, with an emphasis on the most geologically prospective lands in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. For oil shale, the scope of the PEIS analysis includes public lands within the Green River, Washakie, Uinta, and Piceance Creek Basins. For tar sands, the scope includes Special Tar Sand Areas (STSAs) located in Utah. This paleontological resources overview report was prepared in support of the Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resource Management Plan Amendments to Address Land Use Allocations in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming and PEIS, and it is intended to be used by Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regional paleontologists and field office staff to support future

  11. Geology and geomorphology of Bear Lake Valley and upper Bear River, Utah and Idaho

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reheis, M.C.; Laabs, B.J.C.; Kaufman, D.S.

    2009-01-01

    Bear Lake, on the Idaho-Utah border, lies in a fault-bounded valley through which the Bear River flows en route to the Great Salt Lake. Surficial deposits in the Bear Lake drainage basin provide a geologic context for interpretation of cores from Bear Lake deposits. In addition to groundwater discharge, Bear Lake received water and sediment from its own small drainage basin and sometimes from the Bear River and its glaciated headwaters. The lake basin interacts with the river in complex ways that are modulated by climatically induced lake-level changes, by the distribution of active Quaternary faults, and by the migration of the river across its fluvial fan north of the present lake. The upper Bear River flows northward for ???150 km from its headwaters in the northwestern Uinta Mountains, generally following the strike of regional Laramide and late Cenozoic structures. These structures likely also control the flow paths of groundwater that feeds Bear Lake, and groundwater-fed streams are the largest source of water when the lake is isolated from the Bear River. The present configuration of the Bear River with respect to Bear Lake Valley may not have been established until the late Pliocene. The absence of Uinta Range-derived quartzites in fluvial gravel on the crest of the Bear Lake Plateau east of Bear Lake suggests that the present headwaters were not part of the drainage basin in the late Tertiary. Newly mapped glacial deposits in the Bear River Range west of Bear Lake indicate several advances of valley glaciers that were probably coeval with glaciations in the Uinta Mountains. Much of the meltwater from these glaciers may have reached Bear Lake via groundwater pathways through infiltration in the karst terrain of the Bear River Range. At times during the Pleistocene, the Bear River flowed into Bear Lake and water level rose to the valley threshold at Nounan narrows. This threshold has been modified by aggradation, downcutting, and tectonics. Maximum lake

  12. Hydrologic modeling of flood conveyance and impacts of historic overbank sedimentation on West Fork Black's Fork, Uinta Mountains, northeastern Utah, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carson, Eric C.

    2006-05-01

    This study assesses historic overbank alluvial sedimentation along a low-gradient reach of West Fork Black's Fork in the northern Uinta Mountains, Utah. In this previously glaciated setting, an alluvial floodplain that is approximately 400 m wide by 1500 m long has been modified by the combined effects of valley morphometry and the recent history of clear-cut logging during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. To quantify the effects on sedimentation and flow conveyance, three natural streambank exposures were sampled and analyzed for nuclear bomb fallout 137Cs. The distribution of 137Cs within the three profiles suggests that a remnant outwash terrace exerts a first-order control over the deposition of overbank alluvium. Upstream from a constriction in the floodplain caused by the terrace remnant, as much as 40 cm of overbank alluvium has been deposited since the beginning of clear-cut logging. Immediately downstream of that constriction, no evidence exists for any overbank sedimentation during that same period. Vibracore samples and Oakfield soil probe sampling throughout the study reach quantified the geographic extent and thicknesses of the historic alluvial package. Flood conveyance through the study area was modeled using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers HEC-RAS modeling program. Model simulations were run for modern conditions (using surveyed topography) and for prehistoric conditions (using the modern topography less the historic alluvial package determined by 137Cs analyses). Model results indicate that the floodplain constriction caused a significant impediment to flood conveyance at even modest discharges during prehistoric conditions. This promoted ponding of floodwaters upstream of the constriction and deposition of alluvium. This has increased bank heights upstream of the constriction, to the point that under modern conditions 1- to 5-year recurrence interval floods are largely confined within the channel. These results confirm the validity of this

  13. O3, CH4, CO2, CO, NO2 and NMHC aircraft measurements in the Uinta Basin oil and gas region under low and high ozone conditions in winter 2012 and 2013

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. J. Oltmans

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Instrumented aircraft measuring air composition in the Uinta Basin, Utah, during February 2012 and January-February 2013 documented dramatically different atmospheric ozone (O3 mole fractions. In 2012 O3 remained near levels of ∼40 ppb in a well-mixed 500–1000 m deep boundary layer while in 2013, O3 mole fractions >140 ppb were measured in a shallow (∼200 m boundary layer. In contrast to 2012 when mole fractions of emissions from oil and gas production such as methane (CH4, non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs and combustion products such as carbon dioxide (CO2 were moderately elevated, in winter 2013 very high mole fractions were observed. Snow cover in 2013 helped produce and maintain strong temperature inversions that capped a shallow cold pool layer. In 2012, O3 and CH4 and associated NMHCs mole fractions were not closely related. In 2013, O3 mole fractions were correlated with CH4 and a suite of NMHCs identifying the gas field as the primary source of the O3 precursor NMHC emissions. In 2013 there was a strong positive correlation between CH4 and CO2 suggesting combustion from oil and natural gas processing activities. The presence of O3 precursor NMHCs through the depth of the boundary layer in 2013 led to O3 production throughout the layer. In 2013, O3 mole fractions increased over the course of the week-long episodes indicating O3 photochemical production was larger than dilution and deposition rates, while CH4 mole fractions began to level off after 3 days indicative of some air being mixed out of the boundary layer. The plume of a coal-fired power plant located east of the main gas field was not an important contributor to O3 or O3 precursors in the boundary layer in 2013.

  14. Geomorphic and land cover identification of dust sources in the eastern Great Basin of Utah, U.S.A.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hahnenberger, Maura; Nicoll, Kathleen

    2014-01-01

    This study identifies anthropogenically disturbed areas and barren playa surfaces as the two primary dust source types that repeatedly contribute to dust storm events in the eastern Great Basin of western Utah, U.S.A. This semi-arid desert region is an important contributor to dust production in North America, with this study being the first to specifically identify and characterize regional dust sources. From 2004 to 2010, a total of 51 dust event days (DEDs) affected the air quality in Salt Lake City, UT. MODIS satellite imagery during 16 of these DEDs was analyzed to identify dust plumes, and assess the characteristics of dust source areas. A total of 168 plumes were identified, and showed mobilization of dust from Quaternary deposits located within the Bonneville Basin. This analysis identifies 4 major and 5 secondary source areas for dust in this region, which produce dust primarily during the spring and fall months and during moderate or greater drought conditions, with a Palmer Drought Index (PDI) of - 2 or less. The largest number of observed dust plumes (~ 60% of all plumes) originated from playas (ephemeral lakes) and are classified as barren land cover with a silty clay soil sediment surface. Playa surfaces in this region undergo numerous recurrent anthropogenic disturbances, including military operations and anthropogenic water withdrawal. Anthropogenic disturbance is necessary to produce dust from the vegetated landscape in the eastern Great Basin, as evidenced by the new dust source active from 2008 to 2010 in the area burned by the 2007 Milford Flat Fire; this fire was the largest in Utah's history due to extensive cover of invasive cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) along with drought conditions. However, dust mobilization from the Milford Flat Burned Area was limited to regions that had been significantly disturbed by post-fire land management techniques that consisted of seeding, followed by chaining or tilling of the soil. Dust storms in the eastern

  15. Detailed cross sections of the Eocene Green River Formation along the north and east margins of the Piceance Basin, western Colorado, using measured sections and drill hole information

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Ronald C.

    2014-01-01

    This report presents two detailed cross sections of the Eocene Green River Formation in the Piceance Basin, northwestern Colorado, constructed from eight detailed measured sections, fourteen core holes, and two rotary holes. The Eocene Green River Formation in the Piceance Basin contains the world’s largest known oil shale deposit with more than 1.5 billion barrels of oil in place. It was deposited in Lake Uinta, a long-lived saline lake that once covered much of the Piceance Basin and the Uinta Basin to the west. The cross sections extend across the northern and eastern margins of the Piceance Basin and are intended to aid in correlating between surface sections and the subsurface in the basin.

  16. Generation and migration of Bitumen and oil from the oil shale interval of the Eocene Green River formation, Uinta Basin, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Ronald C.; Birdwell, Justin E.; Mercier, Tracey J.

    2016-01-01

    The results from the recent U.S. Geological Survey assessment of in-place oil shale resources of the Eocene Green River Formation, based primarily on the Fischer assay method, are applied herein to define areas where the oil shale interval is depleted of some of its petroleum-generating potential along the deep structural trough of the basin and to make: (1) a general estimates of the amount of this depletion, and (2) estimate the total volume of petroleum generated. Oil yields (gallons of oil per ton of rock, GPT) and in-place oil (barrels of oil per acre, BPA) decrease toward the structural trough of the basin, which represents an offshore lacustrine area that is believed to have originally contained greater petroleum-generating potential than is currently indicated by measured Fischer assay oil yields. Although this interval is considered to be largely immature for oil generation based on vitrinite reflectance measurements, the oil shale interval is a likely source for the gilsonite deposits and much of the tar sands in the basin. Early expulsion of petroleum may have occurred due to the very high organic carbon content and oil-prone nature of the Type I kerogen present in Green River oil shale. In order to examine the possible sources and migration pathways for the tar sands and gilsonite deposits, we have created paleogeographic reconstructions of several oil shale zones in the basin as part of this study.

  17. Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources—Southern Rocky Mountain Basins: Chapter M in Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merrill, Matthew D.; Drake, Ronald M.; Buursink, Marc L.; Craddock, William H.; East, Joseph A.; Slucher, Ernie R.; Warwick, Peter D.; Brennan, Sean T.; Blondes, Madalyn S.; Freeman, Philip A.; Cahan, Steven M.; DeVera, Christina A.; Lohr, Celeste D.; Warwick, Peter D.; Corum, Margo D.

    2016-06-02

    The U.S. Geological Survey has completed an assessment of the potential geologic carbon dioxide storage resources in the onshore areas of the United States. To provide geological context and input data sources for the resources numbers, framework documents are being prepared for all areas that were investigated as part of the national assessment. This report, chapter M, is the geologic framework document for the Uinta and Piceance, San Juan, Paradox, Raton, Eastern Great, and Black Mesa Basins, and subbasins therein of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. In addition to a summary of the geology and petroleum resources of studied basins, the individual storage assessment units (SAUs) within the basins are described and explanations for their selection are presented. Although appendixes in the national assessment publications include the input values used to calculate the available storage resource, this framework document provides only the context and source of the input values selected by the assessment geologists. Spatial-data files of the boundaries for the SAUs, and the well-penetration density of known well bores that penetrate the SAU seal, are available for download with the release of this report.

  18. Geophysical Measurements in the Beaver Basin, West-Central Utah; Part 1--Slingram, Magnetic, and Self-Potential Profiles

    OpenAIRE

    Flanigan, Vincent J.; Campbell, David L.; U.S. Geological Survey

    1981-01-01

    This report consists of figures showing profile locations (fig. 1, table 1) in the Beaver Basin, west-central Utah, and ground geophysical data collected in September 1980 along these traverses (figs. 2-11). These data consist of slingram electromagnetic (real and imaginary components at 222, 444, 888, 1777, and 3555 Hz), ground magnetic and self-potential measurements collected at 200-foot (61-m) intervals along about 8.8 miles (14.2 km) of survey line. Table 2 lists equipment used. The r...

  19. Results of mineral, chemical, and sulfate isotopic analyses of water, soil, rocks, and soil extracts from the Pariette Draw Watershed, Uinta Basin, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morrison, Jean M.; Tuttle, Michele L.W.; Fahy, Juli W.

    2015-08-06

    In 2010, Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Division of Water Quality (UDWQ, 2010) determined that water quality in Pariette Draw was in violation of Federal and State water quality criteria for total dissolved solids (TDS), selenium (Se), and boron (B). The measure of total dissolved solids is the sum of all the major ion concentrations in solution and in this case, the dominant ions are sodium (Na) and sulfate (SO4), which can form salts like thenardite (Na2SO4) and mirabilite (Na2SO4⋅H2O). The Utah Department of Environmental Quality (2010) classified the contamination as natural background and from nonpoint sources related to regional lithology and irrigation practices. Although the daily loads of the constituents of concern and water chemistry have been characterized for parts of the watershed, little is known about the controls that bedrock and soil mineralogy have on salt, Se, and B storage and the water-rock interactions that influence the mobility of these components in ground and surface waters. Studies in the Uncompahgre River watershed in Colorado by Tuttle and others (2014a, 2014b) show that salt derived from weathering of shale in a semiarid climate is stored in a variety of minerals that contribute solutes to runoff and surface waters based on a complex set of conditions such as water availability, geomorphic position (for example, topography controls the depth of salt accumulation in soils), water-table fluctuations, redox conditions, mineral dissolution kinetics, ion-exchange reactions, and secondary mineral formation. Elements like Se and B commonly reside in soluble salt phases, so knowledge of the behavior of salt minerals also sheds light on the behavior of associated contaminants.

  20. Geochemistry of vanadium in an epigenetic, sandstone-hosted vanadium- uranium deposit, Henry Basin, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wanty, R.B.; Goldhaber, M.B.; Northrop, H.R.

    1990-01-01

    The epigenetic Tony M vanadium-uranium orebody in south-central Utah is hosted in fluvial sandstones of the Morrison Formation (Upper Jurassic). Measurements of the relative amounts of V+3 and V +4 in ore minerals show that V+3 is more abundant. Thermodynamic calculations show that vanadium was more likely transported to the site of mineralization as V+4. The ore formed as V+4 was reduced by hydrogen sulfide, followed by hydrolysis and precipitation of V+3 in oxide minerals or chlorite. Uranium was transported as uranyl ion (U+6), or some complex thereof, and reduced by hydrogen sulfide, forming coffinite. Detrital organic matter in the rocks served as the carbon source for sulfate-reducing bacteria. Vanadium most likely was derived from the dissolution of iron-titanium oxides. Uranium probably was derived from the overlying Brushy Basin Member of the Morrison Formation. Previous studies have shown that the ore formed at the density-stratified interface between a basinal brine and dilute meteoric water. The mineralization processes described above occurred within the mixing zone between these two fluids. -from Authors

  1. Contrasting styles of aeolian, fluvial and marine interaction in the Cutler Group of the Paradox Basin, SE Utah, USA

    OpenAIRE

    Wakefield, Oliver; Mountney, Nigel

    2017-01-01

    The Permian-Pennsylvanian Cutler Group of the Paradox foreland basin of southeast Utah is characterised by a variety of styles of interaction between coeval aeolian, fluvial and marine environments that have resulted in the generation and preservation of a complex suite of stratal architectures. Detailed 3D architectural element analysis has enabled the nature of these interactions to be interpreted in order to constrain both the spatial and temporal scale over which competing ...

  2. Preliminary hydrologic budget studies, Indian Creek watershed and vicinity, Western Paradox Basin, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thackston, J.W.; Mangarella, P.A.; Preslo, L.M.

    1986-05-01

    Preliminary quantitative estimates of ground-water discharge into the Colorado River System in the western Paradox Basin were prepared on the basis of existing climatological and streamflow records. Ground-water outflow to the river was deduced as a residual from hydrologic budget equations for two different study areas: (1) the region between gaging stations at Cisco, Green River, and Hite, Utah; and (2) the Indian Creek watershed. An empirical correlation between recharge rates and precipitation amounts derived for several basins in eastern Nevada was applied to estimate recharge amounts for the Indian Creek watershed. A simple Darcian flow model was then used to approximate the ground-water flux outward from the watershed for comparison. Salinity measurements in the Colorado River were also used to approximate ground-water outflow to a river reach in Cataract Canyon in order to provide another comparison with the hydrologic budget results. Although these estimates should be considered only gross approximations, all approaches used provide values of ground-water outflow that are much less than estimates of similar parameters provided by the US Geological Survey in recent hydrologic reconnaissance reports. Estimates contained herein will be refined in future numerical modeling and data collection studies

  3. 75 FR 38768 - Ashley National Forest, UT, High Uintas Wilderness-Colorado River Cutthroat Trout Habitat...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-06

    ... remove competing and hybridizing nonnative fish species from selected streams and lakes within the High... selected lakes and associated stream segments in the Garfield Basin and Swasey Hole in the Yellowstone... comments to Ron Brunson, Roosevelt/Duchesne Ranger District, P.O. Box 981, Duchesne, Utah 84021. Comments...

  4. Regional potentiometric-surface map of the Great Basin carbonate and alluvial aquifer system in Snake Valley and surrounding areas, Juab, Millard, and Beaver Counties, Utah, and White Pine and Lincoln Counties, Nevada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gardner, Philip M.; Masbruch, Melissa D.; Plume, Russell W.; Buto, Susan G.

    2011-01-01

    Water-level measurements from 190 wells were used to develop a potentiometric-surface map of the east-central portion of the regional Great Basin carbonate and alluvial aquifer system in and around Snake Valley, eastern Nevada and western Utah. The map area covers approximately 9,000 square miles in Juab, Millard, and Beaver Counties, Utah, and White Pine and Lincoln Counties, Nevada. Recent (2007-2010) drilling by the Utah Geological Survey and U.S. Geological Survey has provided new data for areas where water-level measurements were previously unavailable. New water-level data were used to refine mapping of the pathways of intrabasin and interbasin groundwater flow. At 20 of these locations, nested observation wells provide vertical hydraulic gradient data and information related to the degree of connection between basin-fill aquifers and consolidated-rock aquifers. Multiple-year water-level hydrographs are also presented for 32 wells to illustrate the aquifer system's response to interannual climate variations and well withdrawals.

  5. Increased Oil Production and Reserves Utilizing Secondary/Tertiary Recovery Techniques on Small Reservoirs in the Paradox Basin, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Allison, M. Lee; Chidsey, Thomas Jr.

    1999-01-01

    The primary objective of this project is to enhance domestic petroleum production by demonstration and technology transfer of an advanced oil recovery technology in the Paradox basin, southeastern Utah. If this project can demonstrate technical and economic feasibility, the technique can be applied to about 100 additional small fields in the Paradox basin alone, and result in increased recovery of 150 to 200 million bbl of oil. This project is designed to characterize five shallow-shelf carbonate reservoirs in the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation and choose the best candidate for a pilot demonstration project for either a waterflood or carbon dioxide-(CO-) flood 2 project. The field demonstration, monitoring of field performance, and associated validation activities will take place in the Paradox basin within the Navajo Nation. The results of this project will be transferred to industry and other researchers through a petroleum extension service, creation of digital databases for distribution, technical workshops and seminars, field trips, technical presentations at national and regional professional meetings, and publication in newsletters and various technical or trade journals

  6. 77 FR 26575 - Notice of the Establishment of the Ten Mile (Utah) Known Potash Leasing Area (KPLA)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-05-04

    ... Director, in 2009, approved new mineral land classification standards for the Utah portion of the Paradox Basin geologic province, which includes the Ten Mile KPLA. The BLM Utah State Office used the new...

  7. Evaluation of seismic reflection data in the Davis and Lavender Canyons study area, Paradox Basin, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kitcho, C.A.; Wong, I.G.; Turcotte, F.T.

    1986-08-01

    Seismic reflection data purchased from petroleum industry brokers and acquired through group speculative surveys were interpreted for information on the regional subsurface geologic structure and stratigraphy within and surrounding the Davis and Lavender Canyons study area in the Paradox Basin of southeastern Utah. Structures of interest were faults, folds, joints, and collapse structures related to salt dissolution. The seismic reflection data were used to interpret stratigraphy by identifying continuous and discontinuous reflectors on the seismic profiles. Thickening and thinning of strata and possible areas of salt flowage or dissolution could be identified from the seismic data. Identifiable reflectors included the tops of the Precambrian and Mississippian, a distinctive interbed close to the middle of the Pennsylvanian Paradox salt formation (probably the interval between Salt Cycles 10 and 13), and near the top of the Paradox salt. Of the 56 faults identified from the seismic reflection interpretation, 33 trend northwest, west-northwest, or west, and most affect only the deeper part of the stratigraphic section. These faults are part of the deep structural system found throughout the Paradox Basin, including the fold and fault belt in the northeast part of the basin. The faults bound basement Precambrian blocks that experienced minor activity during Mississippian and early Pennsylvanian deposition, and showed major displacement during early Paradox salt deposition as the Paradox Basin subsided. Based on the seismic data, most of these faults appear to have an upward terminus between the top of the Mississippian and the salt interbed reflector

  8. Hydrogeology of the Pictured Cliffs Sandstone in the San Juan structural basin, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dam, William L.; Kernodle, J.M.; Thorn, C.R.; Levings, G.W.; Craigg, S.D.

    1990-01-01

    This report is one in a series resulting from the U.S. Geological Survey's Regional Aquifer System Analysis (RASA) study of the San Juan structural basin that began in October 1984. The purposes of the study (Welder, 1986) are to: (1) Define and evaluate the aquifer system; (2) assess the effects of past, present, and potential ground-water use on aquifers and streams, and (3) determine the availability and quality of ground water. Previous reports in this series describe the hydrogeology of the Dakota Sandstone (Craigg and others, 1989), Gallup Sandstone (Kernodle and others, 1989), Morrison Formation (Dam and others, 1990), Point Lookout Sandstone (Craigg and others, 1990), Kirtland Shale and Fruitland Formation (Kernodle and others, 1990), Menefee Formation (Levings and others, 1990), Cliff House Sandstone (Thorn and others, 1990), and Ojo Alamo Sandstone (Thorn and others, 1990) in the San Juan structural basin. This report summarizes information on the geology and the occurrence and quality of water in the Pictured Cliffs Sandstone, one of the primary water-bearing units in the regional aquifer system. Data used in this report were collected during the RASA study or derived from existing records in the U.S. Geological Survey's computerized National Water Information System (NWIS) data base, the Petroleum Information Corporation's data base, and the Dwight's ENERGYDATA Inc. BRIN database. Although all data available for the Pictured Cliffs Sandstone were considered in formulating the discussions in the text, not all those data could be plotted on the illustrations. The San Juan structural basin in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah has an area of about 21,600 square miles (fig. 1). The structural basin is about 140 miles wide and about 200 miles long. The study area is that part of the structural basin that contains rocks of Triassic and younger age; therefore, the study area is less extensive than the structural basin. Triassic through Tertiary

  9. Hydrogeology of the Cliff House Sandstone in the San Juan structural basin, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thorn, Conde R.; Levings, G.W.; Craigg, S.D.; Dam, W.L.; Kernodle, J.M.

    1990-01-01

    This report is one in a series resulting from the U.S. Geological Survey's Regional Aquifer-System Analysis (RASA) study of the San Juan structural basin that began in October 1984. Previous reports in the series describe the hydrogeology of the Dakota Sandstone (Craigg and others, 1989), Point Lookout Sandstone (Craigg and others, 1990), Morrison Formation (Dam and others, 1990), Gallup Sandstone (Kernodle and others, 1989), and Menefee Formation (Levings and others, 1990) in the San Juan structural basin. The purposes of the RASA (Welder, 1986) are to: (1) Define and evaluate the aquifer system; (2) assess the effects of past, present, and potential ground-water use on aquifers and streams; and (3) determine the availability and quality of ground water. This report summarizes information on the geology and the occurrence and quality of water in the Cliff House Sandstone, one of the primary water-bearing units in the regional aquifer system. Data used in this report were collected during the study or were derived from existing records in the U.S. Geological Survey's computerized National Water Information System (NWIS) data base, the Petroleum Information Corporation's data base, and the Dwight's ENERGYDATA Inc. BRIN data base. Although all data available for the Cliff House Sandstone were considered in formulating the discussions in the text, not all those data could be plotted on the illustrations. The San Juan structural basin is in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah and has an area of about 21,600 square miles (fig. 1). The structural basin is about 140 miles wide and about 200 miles long. The study area is that part of the structural basin that contains rocks of Triassic or younger age and, therefore, is less extensive than the structural basin. Triassic through Tertiary sedimentary rocks are emphasized in this study because the major aquifers in the basin are present in these rocks. The study area is about 140 miles wide (about the same as the

  10. Hydrogeology of the Point Lookout Sandstone in the San Juan structural basin, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Craigg, Steven D.; Dam, W.L.; Kernodle, J.M.; Thorn, C.R.; Levings, G.W.

    1990-01-01

    This report is one in a series resulting from the U.S. Geological Survey's Regional Aquifer-System Analysis (RASA) study of the San Juan structural basin that began in October 1984. Previous reports in the series describe the hydrogeology of the Dakota Sandstone (Craigg and others, 1989), Morrison Formation (Dam and others, 1990), Gallup Sandstone (Kernodle and others, 1989), Menefee Formation (Levings and others, 1990), and Cliff House Sandstone (Thorn and others, 1990), in the San Juan structural basin. The purposes of the RASA (Welder, 1986) are to: (1) Define and evaluate the aquifer system; (2) assess the effects of past, present, and potential ground-water use on aquifers and streams; and (3) determine the availability and quality of ground water. This report summarizes information on the geology and the occurrence and quality of water in the Point Lookout Sandstone, one of the primary water-bearing units in the regional aquifer system. Data used in this report were collected during the study or were derived from existing records in the U.S. Geological Survey's computerized National Water Information System (NWIS) data base, the Petroleum Information Corporation's database, and the Dwight's ENERGYDATA Inc. BRIN data base. Although all data available for the Point Lookout Sandstone were considered in formulating the discussions in the text, not all those data could be plotted on the illustrations. The San Juan structural basin is in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah and has an area of about 21,600 square miles (fig. 1). The structural basin is about 140 miles wide and about 200 miles long. The study area is that part of the structural basin that contains rocks of Triassic or younger age and, therefore, is less areally extensive than the structural basin. Triassic through Tertiary sedimentary rocks are emphasized in this study because the major aquifers in the basin are present in these rocks. The study area is about 140 miles wide (about the same as the

  11. Quantifying the relative contribution of natural gas fugitive emissions to total methane emissions in Colorado, Utah, and Texas using mobile isotopic methane analysis based on Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rella, Chris; Winkler, Renato; Sweeney, Colm; Karion, Anna; Petron, Gabrielle; Crosson, Eric

    2014-05-01

    Fugitive emissions of methane into the atmosphere are a major concern facing the natural gas production industry. Because methane is more energy-rich than coal per kg of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere, it represents an attractive alternative to coal for electricity generation, provided that the fugitive emissions of methane are kept under control. A key step in assessing these emissions in a given region is partitioning the observed methane emissions between natural gas fugitive emissions and other sources of methane, such as from landfills or agricultural activities. One effective method for assessing the contribution of these different sources is stable isotope analysis, using the isotopic carbon signature to distinguish between natural gas and landfills or ruminants. We present measurements of methane using a mobile spectroscopic stable isotope analyzer based on cavity ringdown spectroscopy, in three intense natural gas producing regions of the United States: the Denver-Julesburg basin in Colorado, the Uintah basin in Utah, and the Barnett Shale in Texas. Performance of the CRDS isotope analyzer is presented, including precision, calibration, stability, and the potential for measurement bias due to other atmospheric constituents. Mobile isotope measurements of individual sources and in the nocturnal boundary layer have been combined to establish the fraction of the observed methane emissions that can be attributed to natural gas activities. The fraction of total methane emissions in the Denver-Julesburg basin attributed to natural gas emissions is 78 +/- 13%. In the Uinta basin, which has no other significant sources of methane, the fraction is 96% +/- 15%. In addition, results from the Barnett shale are presented, which includes a major urban center (Dallas / Ft. Worth). Methane emissions in this region are spatially highly heterogeneous. Spatially-resolved isotope and concentration measurements are interpreted using a simple emissions model to

  12. The crazy hollow formation (Eocene) of central Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weiss, M.P.; Warner, K.N.

    2001-01-01

    the Crazy Hollow beds dip beneath Quaternary sediments that fill the two valleys. The Crazy Hollow Formation ranges from 0 to 1,307 feet (0-398 m) thick in the region, but is usually much thinner than the maximum value. At most outcrops it is only a few scores of feet (12-50 m) thick. Its age is middle Eocene, for it is only a little younger than the underlying Green River Formation. The unit developed by the washing of detritus into the basin of the southwest arm of Lake Uinta from the various source rocks in the highlands surrounding the basin. The limestone beds and lenses formed in ponds and small lakes that developed in the basin from time to time during and following the draining and evaporation of Lake Uinta. The qualities of the Crazy Hollow Formation are described in detail for 10 different areas of outcrops in the Sanpete and Sevier Valleys and vicinity.

  13. Great Basin Experimental Range: Annotated bibliography

    Science.gov (United States)

    E. Durant McArthur; Bryce A. Richardson; Stanley G. Kitchen

    2013-01-01

    This annotated bibliography documents the research that has been conducted on the Great Basin Experimental Range (GBER, also known as the Utah Experiment Station, Great Basin Station, the Great Basin Branch Experiment Station, Great Basin Experimental Center, and other similar name variants) over the 102 years of its existence. Entries were drawn from the original...

  14. Heterogeneous Shallow-Shelf Carbonate Buildups in the Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado: Targets for Increased Oil Production and Reserves Using Horizontal Drilling Techniques; SEMIANNUAL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chidsey, Thomas C. Jr.; Eby, David E.; Wray, Laural L.

    2001-01-01

    The project's primary objective was to enhance domestic petroleum production by demonstration and transfer of horizontal drilling technology in the Paradox Basin, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico. If this project can demonstrate technical and economic feasibility, then the technique can be applied to approximately 100 additional small fields in the Paradox Basin alone, and result in increased recovery of 25 to 50 million barrels (4-8 million m3) of oil. This project was designed to characterize several shallow-shelf carbonate reservoirs in the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation, choose the best candidate(s) for a pilot demonstration project to drill horizontally from existing vertical wells, monitor well performance(s), and report associated validation activities

  15. HETEROGENEOUS SHALLOW-SHELF CARBONATE BUILDUPS IN THE PARADOX BASIN, UTAH AND COLORADO: TARGETS FOR INCREASED OIL PRODUCTION AND RESERVES USING HORIZONTAL DRILLING TECHNIQUES. Semi-annual Technical Report October 6, 2002 - April 5, 2003

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eby, David E.; Chidsey, Thomas C. Jr.; McClure, Kevin; Morgan, Craig D.

    2003-01-01

    The Paradox Basin of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico contains nearly 100 small oil fields producing from carbonate buildups within the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation. These fields typically have one to 10 wells with primary production ranging from 700,000 to 2,000,000 barrels (111,300-318,000 m 3 ) of oil per field and a 15 to 20 percent recovery rate. At least 200 million barrels (31.8 million m 3 ) of oil will not be recovered from these small fields because of inefficient recovery practices and undrained heterogeneous reservoirs. Several fields in southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado are being evaluated as candidates for horizontal drilling and enhanced oil recovery from existing vertical wells based upon geological characterization and reservoir modeling case studies. Geological characterization on a local scale is focused on reservoir heterogeneity, quality, and lateral continuity, as well as possible reservoir compartmentalization, within these fields. This study utilizes representative cores, geophysical logs, and thin sections to characterize and grade each field's potential for drilling horizontal laterals from existing development wells. The results of these studies can be applied to similar fields elsewhere in the Paradox Basin and the Rocky Mountain region, the Michigan and Illinois Basins, and the Midcontinent region. This report covers research activities for the second half of the third project year (October 6, 2002, through April 5, 2003). The primary work included describing and mapping regional facies of the upper Ismay and lower Desert Creek zones of the Paradox Formation in the Blanding sub-basin, Utah. Regional cross sections show the development of ''clean carbonate'' packages that contain all of the productive reservoir facies. These clean carbonates abruptly change laterally into thick anhydrite packages that filled several small intra-shelf basins in the upper Ismay zone. Examination of upper Ismay cores

  16. Quantifying the relative contribution of natural gas fugitive emissions to total methane emissions in Colorado, Utah, and Texas using mobile δ13CH4 analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rella, C.; Crosson, E.; Petron, G.; Sweeney, C.; Karion, A.

    2013-12-01

    Fugitive emissions of methane into the atmosphere are a major concern facing the natural gas production industry. Because methane is more energy-rich than coal per kg of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere, it represents an attractive alternative to coal for electricity generation, provided that the fugitive emissions of methane are kept under control. A key step in assessing these emissions in a given region is partitioning the observed methane emissions between natural gas fugitive emissions and other sources of methane, such as from landfills or agricultural activities. One effective method for assessing the contribution of these different sources is stable isotope analysis, using the δ13CH4 signature to distinguish between natural gas and landfills or ruminants. We present measurements of mobile field δ13CH4 using a spectroscopic stable isotope analyzer based on cavity ringdown spectroscopy, in three intense natural gas producing regions of the United States: the Denver-Julesburg basin in Colorado, the Uintah basin in Utah, and the Barnett Shale in Texas. Mobile isotope measurements of individual sources and in the nocturnal boundary layer have been combined to establish the fraction of the observed methane emissions that can be attributed to natural gas activities. The fraction of total methane emissions in the Denver-Julesburg basin attributed to natural gas emissions is 78 +/- 13%. In the Uinta basin, which has no other significant sources of methane, the fraction is 96% +/- 15%. In addition, results from the Barnett shale are presented, which includes a major urban center (Dallas / Ft. Worth). Methane emissions in this region are spatially highly heterogeneous. Spatially-resolved isotope and concentration measurements are interpreted using a simple emissions model to arrive at an overall isotope ratio for the region. (left panel) Distribution of oil and gas well pads (yellow) and landfills (blue) in the Dallas / Ft. Worth area. Mobile nocturnal measurements

  17. Paleomagnetism and environmental magnetism of GLAD800 sediment cores from Bear Lake, Utah and Idaho

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heil, C.W.; King, J.W.; Rosenbaum, J.G.; Reynolds, R.L.; Colman, Steven M.

    2009-01-01

    A ???220,000-year record recovered in a 120-m-long sediment core from Bear Lake, Utah and Idaho, provides an opportunity to reconstruct climate change in the Great Basin and compare it with global climate records. Paleomagnetic data exhibit a geomagnetic feature that possibly occurred during the Laschamp excursion (ca. 40 ka). Although the feature does not exhibit excursional behavior (???40?? departure from the expected value), it might provide an additional age constraint for the sequence. Temporal changes in salinity, which are likely related to changes in freshwater input (mainly through the Bear River) or evaporation, are indicated by variations in mineral magnetic properties. These changes are represented by intervals with preserved detrital Fe-oxide minerals and with varying degrees of diagenetic alteration, including sulfidization. On the basis of these changes, the Bear Lake sequence is divided into seven mineral magnetic zones. The differing magnetic mineralogies among these zones reflect changes in deposition, preservation, and formation of magnetic phases related to factors such as lake level, river input, and water chemistry. The occurrence of greigite and pyrite in the lake sediments corresponds to periods of higher salinity. Pyrite is most abundant in intervals of highest salinity, suggesting that the extent of sulfidization is limited by the availability of SO42-. During MIS 2 (zone II), Bear Lake transgressed to capture the Bear River, resulting in deposition of glacially derived hematite-rich detritus from the Uinta Mountains. Millennial-scale variations in the hematite content of Bear Lake sediments during the last glacial maximum (zone II) resemble Dansgaard-Oeschger (D-O) oscillations and Heinrich events (within dating uncertainties), suggesting that the influence of millennial-scale climate oscillations can extend beyond the North Atlantic and influence climate of the Great Basin. The magnetic mineralogy of zones IV-VII (MIS 5, 6, and 7

  18. Confirmation of Elevated Methane Emissions in Utah's Uintah Basin With Ground-Based Observations and a High-Resolution Transport Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foster, C. S.; Crosman, E. T.; Holland, L.; Mallia, D. V.; Fasoli, B.; Bares, R.; Horel, J.; Lin, J. C.

    2017-12-01

    Large CH4 leak rates have been observed in the Uintah Basin of eastern Utah, an area with over 10,000 active and producing natural gas and oil wells. In this paper, we model CH4 concentrations at four sites in the Uintah Basin and compare the simulated results to in situ observations at these sites during two spring time periods in 2015 and 2016. These sites include a baseline location (Fruitland), two sites near oil wells (Roosevelt and Castlepeak), and a site near natural gas wells (Horsepool). To interpret these measurements and relate observed CH4 variations to emissions, we carried out atmospheric simulations using the Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport model driven by meteorological fields simulated by the Weather Research and Forecasting and High Resolution Rapid Refresh models. These simulations were combined with two different emission inventories: (1) aircraft-derived basin-wide emissions allocated spatially using oil and gas well locations, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and (2) a bottom-up inventory for the entire U.S., from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). At both Horsepool and Castlepeak, the diurnal cycle of modeled CH4 concentrations was captured using NOAA emission estimates but was underestimated using the EPA inventory. These findings corroborate emission estimates from the NOAA inventory, based on daytime mass balance estimates, and provide additional support for a suggested leak rate from the Uintah Basin that is higher than most other regions with natural gas and oil development.

  19. Heterogeneous Shallow-Shelf Carbonate Buildups in the Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado: Targets for Increased Oil Production and Reserves Using Horizontal Drilling Techniques

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thomas C. Chidsey; Kevin McClure; Craig D. Morgan

    2003-10-05

    The Paradox Basin of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico contains nearly 100 small oil fields producing from carbonate buildups within the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation. These fields typically have one to 10 wells with primary production ranging from 700,000 to 2,000,000 barrels (111,300-318,000 m{sup 3}) of oil per field and a 15 to 20 percent recovery rate. At least 200 million barrels (31.8 million m{sup 3}) of oil will not be recovered from these small fields because of inefficient recovery practices and undrained heterogeneous reservoirs. Several fields in southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado are being evaluated as candidates for horizontal drilling and enhanced oil recovery from existing vertical wells based upon geological characterization and reservoir modeling case studies. Geological characterization on a local scale is focused on reservoir heterogeneity, quality, and lateral continuity, as well as possible reservoir compartmentalization, within these fields. This study utilizes representative cores, geophysical logs, and thin sections to characterize and grade each field's potential for drilling horizontal laterals from existing development wells. The results of these studies can be applied to similar fields elsewhere in the Paradox Basin and the Rocky Mountain region, the Michigan and Illinois Basins, and the Midcontinent region. This report covers research activities for the first half of the fourth project year (April 6 through October 5, 2003). The work included (1) analysis of well-test data and oil production from Cherokee and Bug fields, San Juan County, Utah, and (2) diagenetic evaluation of stable isotopes from the upper Ismay and lower Desert Creek zones of the Paradox Formation in the Blanding sub-basin, Utah. Production ''sweet spots'' and potential horizontal drilling candidates were identified for Cherokee and Bug fields. In Cherokee field, the most productive wells are located in the

  20. Allogenic sedimentary components of Bear Lake, Utah and Idaho

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenbaum, J.G.; Dean, W.E.; Reynolds, R.L.; Reheis, M.C.

    2009-01-01

    Bear Lake is a long-lived lake filling a tectonic depression between the Bear River Range to the west and the Bear River Plateau to the east, and straddling the border between Utah and Idaho. Mineralogy, elemental geochemistry, and magnetic properties provide information about variations in provenance of allogenic lithic material in last-glacial-age, quartz-rich sediment in Bear Lake. Grain-size data from the siliciclastic fraction of late-glacial to Holocene carbonate-rich sediments provide information about variations in lake level. For the quartz-rich lower unit, which was deposited while the Bear River fl owed into and out of the lake, four source areas are recognized on the basis of modern fluvial samples with contrasting properties that reflect differences in bedrock geology and in magnetite content from dust. One of these areas is underlain by hematite-rich Uinta Mountain Group rocks in the headwaters of the Bear River. Although Uinta Mountain Group rocks make up a small fraction of the catchment, hematite-rich material from this area is an important component of the lower unit. This material is interpreted to be glacial fl our. Variations in the input of glacial flour are interpreted as having caused quasi-cyclical variations in mineralogical and elemental concentrations, and in magnetic properties within the lower unit. The carbonate-rich younger unit was deposited under conditions similar to those of the modern lake, with the Bear River largely bypassing the lake. For two cores taken in more than 30 m of water, median grain sizes in this unit range from ???6 ??m to more than 30 ??m, with the coarsest grain sizes associated with beach or shallow-water deposits. Similar grain-size variations are observed as a function of water depth in the modern lake and provide the basis for interpreting the core grain-size data in terms of lake level. Copyright ?? 2009 The Geological Society of America.

  1. Shallow electromagnetic data from three known fault zones in the Paradox Basin, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watts, R.D.

    1981-01-01

    This report describes a preliminary investigation of the effectiveness of two electromagnetic exploration methods as means of finding unmapped faults in the Paradox Basin environment. Results indicate that the Very Low Frequency (VLF) method is useful. VLF profiles were measured across three known fault traces near Gibson Dome, San Juan County, Utah. Each fault or set of faults generated a significant anomaly. In some cases, the anomaly due to the fault was superimposed on a larger scale anomaly caused by the transition from unaltered rocks away from the fault to altered rocks in or on one side of the fault zone. In one case, the lithology of the surface rocks was different on the two sides of the fault (Kayenta Formation to the northwest. Navajo Sandstone to the southeast), so the signature of the fault itself was superimposed on the signature of the transition between formations. In addition to the VLF surveys, one line of high-frequency loop-loop induction measurements was taken, using an instrument with a 4-meter loop separation. The method did not appear to locate faults successfully; further experiments using greater loop spacings need to be done

  2. INCREASED OIL PRODUCTION AND RESERVES UTILIZING SECONDARY/TERTIARY RECOVERY TECHNIQUES ON SMALL RESERVOIRS IN THE PARADOX BASIN, UTAH

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thomas C. Chidsey, Jr.

    2002-11-01

    The Paradox Basin of Utah, Colorado, and Arizona contains nearly 100 small oil fields producing from shallow-shelf carbonate buildups or mounds within the Desert Creek zone of the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation. These fields typically have one to four wells with primary production ranging from 700,000 to 2,000,000 barrels (111,300-318,000 m{sup 3}) of oil per field at a 15 to 20 percent recovery rate. Five fields in southeastern Utah were evaluated for waterflood or carbon-dioxide (CO{sub 2})-miscible flood projects based upon geological characterization and reservoir modeling. Geological characterization on a local scale focused on reservoir heterogeneity, quality, and lateral continuity as well as possible compartmentalization within each of the five project fields. The Desert Creek zone includes three generalized facies belts: (1) open-marine, (2) shallow-shelf and shelf-margin, and (3) intra-shelf, salinity-restricted facies. These deposits have modern analogs near the coasts of the Bahamas, Florida, and Australia, respectively, and outcrop analogs along the San Juan River of southeastern Utah. The analogs display reservoir heterogeneity, flow barriers and baffles, and lithofacies geometry observed in the fields; thus, these properties were incorporated in the reservoir simulation models. Productive carbonate buildups consist of three types: (1) phylloid algal, (2) coralline algal, and (3) bryozoan. Phylloid-algal buildups have a mound-core interval and a supra-mound interval. Hydrocarbons are stratigraphically trapped in porous and permeable lithotypes within the mound-core intervals of the lower part of the buildups and the more heterogeneous supramound intervals. To adequately represent the observed spatial heterogeneities in reservoir properties, the phylloid-algal bafflestones of the mound-core interval and the dolomites of the overlying supra-mound interval were subdivided into ten architecturally distinct lithotypes, each of which

  3. Hydrogeology of Middle Canyon, Oquirrh Mountains, Tooele County, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gates, Joseph Spencer

    1963-01-01

    Geology and climate are the principal influences affecting the hydrology of Middle Canyon, Tooele County, Utah. Reconnaissance in the canyon indicated that the geologic influences on the hydrology may be localized; water may be leaking through fault and fracture zones or joints in sandstone and through solution openings in limestone of the Oquirrh formation of Pennsylvanian and Permian age. Surficial deposits of Quaternary age serve as the main storage material for ground water in the canyon and transmit water from the upper canyon to springs and drains at the canyon mouth. The upper canyon is a more important storage area than the lower canyon because the surficial deposits are thicker, and any zones of leakage in the underlying bedrock of the upper canyon probably would result in greater leakage than would similar outlets in the lower canyon.The total annual discharge from Middle Canyon, per unit of precipitation, decreased between 1910 and 1939. Similar decreases occurred in Parleys Canyon in the nearby Wasatch Range and in other drainage basins in Utah, and it is likely that most of the decrease in discharge from Middle Canyon and other canyons in Utah is due to a change in climate.Chemical analyses of water showed that the high content of sulfate and other constituents in the water from the Utah Metals tunnel, which drains into Middle Canyon, does not have a significant effect on water quality at the canyon mouth. This suggests that much of the tunnel water is lost from the channel by leakage, probably in the upper canyon, during the dry part of the year.Comparison of the 150 acre-feet of water per square mile of drainage area discharged by Middle Canyon in 1947 with the 623 and 543 acre-feet per square mile discharged in 1948 by City Creek and Mill Creek Canyons, two comparable drainage basins in the nearby Wasatch Range, also suggests that there is leakage in Middle Canyon.A hydrologic budget of the drainage basin results in an estimate that about 3,000 acre

  4. Assessment of in-place oil shale resources of the Eocene Green River Formation, a foundation for calculating recoverable resources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Ronald C.; Mercier, Tracy

    2011-01-01

    The recently completed assessment of in-place resources of the Eocene Green River Formation in the Piceance Basin, Colorado; the Uinta Basin, Utah and Colorado; and the Greater Green River Basin Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah and their accompanying ArcGIS projects will form the foundation for estimating technically-recoverable resources in those areas. Different estimates will be made for each of the various above-ground and in-situ recovery methodologies currently being developed. Information required for these estimates include but are not limited to (1) estimates of the amount of oil shale that exceeds various grades, (2) overburden calculations, (3) a better understanding of oil shale saline facies, and (4) a better understanding of the distribution of various oil shale mineral facies. Estimates for the first two are on-going, and some have been published. The present extent of the saline facies in all three basins is fairly well understood, however, their original extent prior to ground water leaching has not been studied in detail. These leached intervals, which have enhanced porosity and permeability due to vugs and fractures and contain significant ground water resources, are being studied from available core descriptions. A database of all available xray mineralogy data for the oil shale interval is being constructed to better determine the extents of the various mineral facies. Once these studies are finished, the amount of oil shale with various mineralogical and physical properties will be determined.

  5. Emissions from Produced Water Treatment Ponds, Uintah Basin, Utah, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansfield, M. L.; Lyman, S. N.; Tran, H.; O'Neil, T.; Anderson, R.

    2015-12-01

    An aqueous phase, known as "produced water," usually accompanies the hydrocarbon fluid phases that are extracted from Earth's crust during oil and natural gas extraction. Produced water contains dissolved and suspended organics and other contaminants and hence cannot be discharged directly into the hydrosphere. One common disposal method is to discharge produced water into open-pit evaporation ponds. Spent hydraulic fracturing fluids are also often discharged into the same ponds. It is obvious to anyone with a healthy olfactory system that such ponds emit volatile organics to the atmosphere, but very little work has been done to characterize such emissions. Because oil, gas, and water phases are often in contact in geologic formations, we can expect that more highly soluble compounds (e.g., salts, alcohols, carbonyls, carboxyls, BTEX, etc.) partition preferentially into produced water. However, as the water in the ponds age, many physical, chemical, and biological processes alter the composition of the water, and therefore the composition and strength of volatile organic emissions. For example, some ponds are aerated to hasten evaporation, which also promotes oxidation of organics dissolved in the water. Some ponds are treated with microbes to promote bio-oxidation. In other words, emissions from ponds are expected to be a complex function of the composition of the water as it first enters the pond, and also of the age of the water and of its treatment history. We have conducted many measurements of emissions from produced water ponds in the Uintah Basin of eastern Utah, both by flux chamber and by evacuated canister sampling with inverse modeling. These measurements include fluxes of CO2, CH4, methanol, and many other volatile organic gases. We have also measured chemical compositions and microbial content of water in the ponds. Results of these measurements will be reported.

  6. Annual suspended-sediment loads in the Colorado River near Cisco, Utah, 1930-82

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, K.R.

    1985-01-01

    The Colorado River upstream of gaging station 09180500 near Cisco, Utah, drains about 24,100 square miles in Utah and Colorado. Altitudes in the basin range from 12,480 feet near the headwaters to 4,090 feet at station 09180500. The average annual precipitation for 1894-1982 near the station was 7.94 inches. The average annual precipitation near the headwaters often exceeds 50 inches. Rocks ranging in age from Precambrian to Holocene are exposed in the drainage basin upstream from station 09180500. Shale, limestone, siltstone, mudstone, and sandstone probably are the most easily eroded rocks in the basin, and they contribute large quantities of sediment to the Colorado River. During 1930-82, the U.S. Geological Survey collected records of fluvial sediment at station 09180500. Based on these records, the mean annual suspended-sediment load was 11,390,000 tone, ranging from 2,038,000 tons in water year 1981 to 35,700,000 tons in water year 1938. The minimum daily load of 14 tons was on August 22, 1960, and the maximum daily load of 2,790,000 tons was on October 14, 1941. (USGS)

  7. Source Signature of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) associated with oil and natural gas operations in Utah and Colorado

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilman, J.; Lerner, B. M.; Warneke, C.; Holloway, J. S.; Peischl, J.; Ryerson, T. B.; Young, C. J.; Edwards, P.; Brown, S. S.; Wolfe, D. E.; Williams, E. J.; De Gouw, J. A.

    2012-12-01

    The U.S. Energy Information Administration has reported a sharp increase in domestic oil and natural gas production from "unconventional" reserves (e.g., shale and tight sands) between 2005 and 2012. The recent growth in drilling and fossil fuel production has led to environmental concerns regarding local air quality. Severe wintertime ozone events (greater than 100 ppb ozone) have been observed in Utah's Uintah Basin and Wyoming's Upper Green River Basin, both of which contain large natural gas fields. Raw natural gas is a mixture of approximately 60-95 mole percent methane while the remaining fraction is composed of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other non-hydrocarbon gases. We measured an extensive set of VOCs and other trace gases near two highly active areas of oil and natural gas production in Utah's Uintah Basin and Colorado's Denver-Julesburg Basin in order to characterize primary emissions of VOCs associated with these industrial operations and identify the key VOCs that are precursors for potential ozone formation. UBWOS (Uintah Basin Winter Ozone Study) was conducted in Uintah County located in northeastern Utah in January-February 2012. Two Colorado studies were conducted at NOAA's Boulder Atmospheric Observatory in Weld County in northeastern Colorado in February-March 2011 and July-August 2012 as part of the NACHTT (Nitrogen, Aerosol Composition, and Halogens on a Tall Tower) and SONNE (Summer Ozone Near Natural gas Emissions) field experiments, respectively. The C2-C6 hydrocarbons were greatly enhanced for all of these studies. For example, the average propane mixing ratio observed during the Utah study was 58 ppb (median = 35 ppb, minimum = 0.8, maximum = 520 ppb propane) compared to urban averages which range between 0.3 and 6.0 ppb propane. We compare the ambient air composition from these studies to urban measurements in order to show that the VOC source signature from oil and natural gas operations is distinct and can be clearly

  8. RESERVES IN WESTERN BASINS PART IV: WIND RIVER BASIN

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Robert Caldwell

    1998-04-01

    Vast quantities of natural gas are entrapped within various tight formations in the Rocky Mountain area. This report seeks to quantify what proportion of that resource can be considered recoverable under today's technological and economic conditions and discusses factors controlling recovery. The ultimate goal of this project is to encourage development of tight gas reserves by industry through reducing the technical and economic risks of locating, drilling and completing commercial tight gas wells. This report is the fourth in a series and focuses on the Wind River Basin located in west central Wyoming. The first three reports presented analyses of the tight gas reserves and resources in the Greater Green River Basin (Scotia, 1993), Piceance Basin (Scotia, 1995) and the Uinta Basin (Scotia, 1995). Since each report is a stand-alone document, duplication of language will exist where common aspects are discussed. This study, and the previous three, describe basin-centered gas deposits (Masters, 1979) which contain vast quantities of natural gas entrapped in low permeability (tight), overpressured sandstones occupying a central basin location. Such deposits are generally continuous and are not conventionally trapped by a structural or stratigraphic seal. Rather, the tight character of the reservoirs prevents rapid migration of the gas, and where rates of gas generation exceed rates of escape, an overpressured basin-centered gas deposit results (Spencer, 1987). Since the temperature is a primary controlling factor for the onset and rate of gas generation, these deposits exist in the deeper, central parts of a basin where temperatures generally exceed 200 F and drill depths exceed 8,000 feet. The abbreviation OPT (overpressured tight) is used when referring to sandstone reservoirs that comprise the basin-centered gas deposit. Because the gas resources trapped in this setting are so large, they represent an important source of future gas supply, prompting studies

  9. Results of hydraulic tests at Gibson Dome No. 1, Elk Ridge No. 1, and E. J. Kubat boreholes, Paradox Basin, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thackston, J.W.; Preslo, L.M.; Hoexter, D.E.; Donnelly, N.

    1984-03-01

    Hydraulic testing was conducted in three boreholes in southeastern Utah to provide a portion of the data needed to characterize the hydrogeology of the Elk Ridge and Gibson Dome areas of the western Paradox Basin, Utah. The tests at the E. J. Kubat borehole yielded representative values of transmissivity, hydraulic conductivity, storativity, and potentiometric levels of the Leadville Limestone. Testing at Elk Ridge No. 1 provided values of similar parameters for the combined thickness of the upper Honaker Trail, Elephant Canyon, and Cedar Mesa formations. Composite transmissivities of similar zones from these borehole tests compared closely with the results of testing at borehole GD-1. A comparison of results from lab tests on core with results of extensive borehole testing at GD-1 indicates that short-term drill stem tests in a single well can provide representative estimates of bulk transmissivities and hydraulic conductivities in this field area for test zones that have a hydraulic conductivity of greater than about 1 x 10 -7 cm/sec. However, lab tests produce more representative values of effective porosity and matrix permeability of individual strata. Results of lab tests and long-term borehole tests confirm that the lower Honaker Trail and upper Paradox formations have extremely low conductivities in the vicinity of the GD-1 borehole. The results of these tests were complete as of January 1981. 22 references, 29 figures, 5 tables

  10. A millennium-length reconstruction of Bear River stream flow, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    R. J. DeRose; M. F. Bekker; S.-Y. Wang; B. M. Buckley; R. K. Kjelgren; T. Bardsley; T. M. Rittenour; E. B. Allen

    2015-01-01

    The Bear River contributes more water to the eastern Great Basin than any other river system. It is also the most significant source of water for the burgeoning Wasatch Front metropolitan area in northern Utah. Despite its importance for water resources for the region’s agricultural, urban, and wildlife needs, our understanding of the variability of Bear River’s stream...

  11. Subsurface stratigraphy and uranium--vanadium favorability of the Morrison Formation, Sage Plain Area, southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Girdley, W.A.; Flook, J.E.; Harris, R.E.

    1975-08-01

    The four members of the Morrison Formation that are recognizable in the area studied are, in ascending order, the Salt Wash, Recapture, Westwater Canyon, and Brushy Basin. The Salt Wash member has the highest uranium favorability of all the Morrison strata in the area studied. An especially favorable area, in which the Salt Wash interval is thick and contains several thick sandstones, is situated on either side of the Utah-Colorado state line between Monticello, Utah, and Dove Creek, Colorado. The upper Morrison strata (Westwater Canyon and Brushy Basin members) have low uranium favorability. The Westwater Canyon member contains adequate sandstones but lacks known uranium deposits in the project area. The Brushy Basin member, although rated as having low potential, nevertheless does possess some attributes that make it worthy of further attention. The Recapture member does not contain sufficient well-developed sandstones or uranium deposits to merit its being classed as favorable for potential uranium-vanadium resources. (LK)

  12. Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the vernal NTMS quadrangle, Utah/Colorado, including concentrations of forty-two additional elements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Purson, J.D.

    1980-08-01

    The Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory conducted a geochemical reconnaissance for uranium in the Vernal NTMS quadrangle, Utah/Colorado, in the summers of 1977 and 1978. Totals of 422 water and 1552 sediment samples were collected from 1652 locations. These samples were collected at an average density of one sample location per 11 km 2 over an 18,800 km 2 area. Water samples were collected from streams and springs. Only those samples containing >10 ppB uranium for waters and >8 ppM uranium for sediments are discussed; however, all field and analytical data are included in the appendixes. The uranium concentrations in waters range from below the detection limit of 0.01 ppB to 108.04 ppB, with a mean uranium concentration for all water types of 3.11 ppB. Three clusters of samples containing relatively high uranium values are defined; they are associated with the Duchesne River formation, the Mancos shale, or the Uinta Mountain group and Browns Park formations. A few of the samples having the highest uranium values are associated with host rocks favorable for significant uranium mineralization. Sediments collected in this study have uranium concentrations that range between 0.70 ppM and 56.70 ppM, with a mean of 3.46 ppM. The majority of sediment samples with relatively high uranium concentrations were collected from one area in the Sand Wash basin in the northeastern corner of the quadrangle and are associated with the Wasatch formation. None of the water clusters define areas of significant interest; however, the area having high uranium values in sediments is worthy of further study

  13. Coal supply and transportation markets during Phase One: Change, risk and opportunity. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heller, J.N.; Kaplan, S.

    1996-01-01

    The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA) required many utilities to sharply reduce sulfur emissions by January 1, 1995. This study describes and analyzes how the coal and transportation markets responded to this major development. The study focuses on five key coal supply regions and their associated transportation networks: the Uinta Basin (Colorado/Utah), Wyoming Powder River Basin, Illinois Basin, Monongahela region (Pittsburgh seam) and the central Appalachian region. From these regional studies, the report identifies key risk areas for future coal planning and general lessons for the fuels planning process. The study provides statistical information on coal production, demand, and transportation flows for each region. The analysis for each region focuses on developments which were generally unexpected; e.g., the relatively large volumes of medium-sulfur coal produced in the Illinois Basin and Monongahela region, the eastern penetration of Utah and Colorado coals, and the relatively modest growth in demand for central Appalachian coals. These developments generally worked to the advantage of utilities; i.e., medium- and low-sulfur coal was available at a lower price, in greater volumes and from a wider range of sources than many had expected. Utilities both took advantage of and helped to encourage these developments in the coal and transportation market. Looking ahead to Phase 11 strategies and future coal procurement, a major challenge will be to maintain the choice among supply and transportation alternatives which was so important to utility success in Phase 1. The report identifies rail transportation to be the major area of risk in most regions

  14. Potential impacts to perennial springs from tar sand mining, processing, and disposal on the Tavaputs Plateau, Utah, USA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johnson, William P.; Frederick, Logan E.; Millington, Mallory R.; Vala, David; Reese, Barbara K.; Freedman, Dina R.; Stenten, Christina J.; Trauscht, Jacob S.; Tingey, Christopher E.; Kip Solomon, D.; Fernandez, Diego P.; Bowen, Gabriel J.

    2015-01-01

    Similar to fracking, the development of tar sand mining in the U.S. has moved faster than understanding of potential water quality impacts. Potential water quality impacts of tar sand mining, processing, and disposal to springs in canyons incised approximately 200 m into the Tavaputs Plateau, at the Uinta Basin southern rim, Utah, USA, were evaluated by hydrogeochemical sampling to determine potential sources of recharge, and chemical thermodynamic estimations to determine potential changes in transfer of bitumen compounds to water. Because the ridgetops in an area of the Tavaputs Plateau named PR Spring are starting to be developed for their tar sand resource, there is concern for potential hydrologic connection between these ridgetops and perennial springs in adjacent canyons on which depend ranching families, livestock, wildlife and recreationalists. Samples were collected from perennial springs to examine possible progression with elevation of parameters such as temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen, isotopic tracers of phase change, water-rock interaction, and age since recharge. The groundwater age dates indicate that the springs are recharged locally. The progression of hydrogeochemical parameters with elevation, in combination with the relatively short groundwater residence times, indicate that the recharge zone for these springs includes the surrounding ridges, and thereby suggests a hydrologic connection between the mining, processing, disposal area and the springs. Estimations based on chemical thermodynamic approaches indicate that bitumen compounds will have greatly enhanced solubility in water that comes into contact with the residual bitumen–solvent mixture in disposed tailings relative to water that currently comes into contact with natural tar. - Highlights: • The potential water quality impacts of the first US tar sand development are considered. • Analyses of perennial springs in adjacent canyons indicate hydrologic

  15. Potential impacts to perennial springs from tar sand mining, processing, and disposal on the Tavaputs Plateau, Utah, USA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Johnson, William P.; Frederick, Logan E.; Millington, Mallory R. [University of Utah, Department of Geology & Geophysics, Salt lake City, UT 84112 (United States); Vala, David [Murray High School, Murray, UT 84107 (United States); Reese, Barbara K. [Butler Middle School, Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121 (United States); Freedman, Dina R. [Hillside Middle School, Salt Lake City, UT 84108 (United States); Stenten, Christina J. [Draper Park Middle School, Draper, UT 84020 (United States); Trauscht, Jacob S.; Tingey, Christopher E.; Kip Solomon, D.; Fernandez, Diego P.; Bowen, Gabriel J. [University of Utah, Department of Geology & Geophysics, Salt lake City, UT 84112 (United States)

    2015-11-01

    Similar to fracking, the development of tar sand mining in the U.S. has moved faster than understanding of potential water quality impacts. Potential water quality impacts of tar sand mining, processing, and disposal to springs in canyons incised approximately 200 m into the Tavaputs Plateau, at the Uinta Basin southern rim, Utah, USA, were evaluated by hydrogeochemical sampling to determine potential sources of recharge, and chemical thermodynamic estimations to determine potential changes in transfer of bitumen compounds to water. Because the ridgetops in an area of the Tavaputs Plateau named PR Spring are starting to be developed for their tar sand resource, there is concern for potential hydrologic connection between these ridgetops and perennial springs in adjacent canyons on which depend ranching families, livestock, wildlife and recreationalists. Samples were collected from perennial springs to examine possible progression with elevation of parameters such as temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen, isotopic tracers of phase change, water-rock interaction, and age since recharge. The groundwater age dates indicate that the springs are recharged locally. The progression of hydrogeochemical parameters with elevation, in combination with the relatively short groundwater residence times, indicate that the recharge zone for these springs includes the surrounding ridges, and thereby suggests a hydrologic connection between the mining, processing, disposal area and the springs. Estimations based on chemical thermodynamic approaches indicate that bitumen compounds will have greatly enhanced solubility in water that comes into contact with the residual bitumen–solvent mixture in disposed tailings relative to water that currently comes into contact with natural tar. - Highlights: • The potential water quality impacts of the first US tar sand development are considered. • Analyses of perennial springs in adjacent canyons indicate hydrologic

  16. Ground-water resources of the Sevier River basin between Yuba Dam and Leamington Canyon, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bjorklund, Louis Jay; Robinson, Gerald B.

    1968-01-01

    The area investigated is a segment of the Sevier River basin, Utah, comprising about 900 square miles and including a 19-mile reach of the Sevier River between Yuba Dam and Leamington Canyon. The larger valleys in the area are southern Juab, Round, and Scipio Valleys. The smaller valleys are Mills, Little, Dog, and Tinctic Wash Valleys.The geology of parts of Scipio, Little, and Mills Valleys and parts of the surrounding highlands was mapped and studied to explain the occurrence of numerous sinkholes in the thre valleys and to show their relation to the large springs in Mills Valley. The sinkholes, which are formed in the alluvium, are alined along faults, which penetrate both the alluvium and the underlying bedrock, and they have been formed by collapse of solution cavities in the underlying bedrock. The bedrock is mostly sandy limestone beds of the upper part of the North Horn Formation and of the Flagstaff Limestone. The numerous faults traversing Scipio Valley in a north-northeasterly direction trend directly toward Molter and Blue Springs in Mills Valley. One fault, which can be traced directly between the springs, probably is the principal channelway for the ground water moving from Scipio and Little Valleys to the springs.

  17. Visual aesthetics study: Gibson Dome area, Paradox Basin, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1984-03-01

    The Visual Aesthetics study was performed as an initial assessment of concerns regarding impacts to visual resources that might be associated with the construction of a geologic nuclear waste repository and associated rail routes in the Gibson Dome location of southeastern Utah. Potential impacts to visual resources were evaluated by predicting visibility of the facility and railway routes using the US Forest Service (USFS) computer program, VIEWIT, and by applying the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Visual Resource Management (VRM) methodology. Five proposed facility sites in the Gibson Dome area and three proposed railway routes were evaluated for visual impact. 10 references, 19 figures, 5 tables

  18. Geophysical Well-Log Measurements in Three Drill Holes at Salt Valley, Utah

    OpenAIRE

    Daniels, Jeffrey J.; Hite, Robert J.; Scott, James H.; U.S. Geological Survey

    1980-01-01

    Three exploratory drill holes were drilled at Salt Valley, Utah, to study the geologic, physical, geochemical, and hydrologic properties of the evaporite sequence in the Permian Paradox Member of the Hermosa Formation. The results of these studies will be used to help to determine the suitability of salt deposits in the Paradox basin as a storage medium for radioactive waste material.

  19. Geostatistical and adjoint sensitivity techniques applied to a conceptual model of ground-water flow in the Paradox Basin, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Metcalfe, D.E.; Campbell, J.E.; RamaRao, B.S.; Harper, W.V.; Battelle Project Management Div., Columbus, OH)

    1985-01-01

    Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis are important components of performance assessment activities for potential high-level radioactive waste repositories. The application of geostatistical and adjoint sensitivity techniques to aid in the calibration of an existing conceptual model of ground-water flow is demonstrated for the Leadville Limestone in Paradox Basin, Utah. The geostatistical method called kriging is used to statistically analyze the measured potentiometric data for the Leadville. This analysis consists of identifying anomalous data and data trends and characterizing the correlation structure between data points. Adjoint sensitivity analysis is then performed to aid in the calibration of a conceptual model of ground-water flow to the Leadville measured potentiometric data. Sensitivity derivatives of the fit between the modeled Leadville potentiometric surface and the measured potentiometric data to model parameters and boundary conditions are calculated by the adjoint method. These sensitivity derivatives are used to determine which model parameter and boundary condition values should be modified to most efficiently improve the fit of modeled to measured potentiometric conditions

  20. Let your fingers do the walking: A simple spectral signature model for "remote" fossil prospecting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conroy, Glenn C; Emerson, Charles W; Anemone, Robert L; Townsend, K E Beth

    2012-07-01

    Even with the most meticulous planning, and utilizing the most experienced fossil-hunters, fossil prospecting in remote and/or extensive areas can be time-consuming, expensive, logistically challenging, and often hit or miss. While nothing can predict or guarantee with 100% assurance that fossils will be found in any particular location, any procedures or techniques that might increase the odds of success would be a major benefit to the field. Here we describe, and test, one such technique that we feel has great potential for increasing the probability of finding fossiliferous sediments - a relatively simple spectral signature model using the spatial analysis and image classification functions of ArcGIS(®)10 that creates interactive thematic land cover maps that can be used for "remote" fossil prospecting. Our test case is the extensive Eocene sediments of the Uinta Basin, Utah - a fossil prospecting area encompassing ∼1200 square kilometers. Using Landsat 7 ETM+ satellite imagery, we "trained" the spatial analysis and image classification algorithms using the spectral signatures of known fossil localities discovered in the Uinta Basin prior to 2005 and then created interactive probability models highlighting other regions in the Basin having a high probability of containing fossiliferous sediments based on their spectral signatures. A fortuitous "post-hoc" validation of our model presented itself. Our model identified several paleontological "hotspots", regions that, while not producing any fossil localities prior to 2005, had high probabilities of being fossiliferous based on the similarities of their spectral signatures to those of previously known fossil localities. Subsequent fieldwork found fossils in all the regions predicted by the model. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Streamflow characteristics of the Colorado River Basin in Utah through September 1981

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christensen, R.C.; Johnson, E.B.; Plantz, G.G.

    1987-01-01

     This report summarizes discharge data and other streamflow characteristics developed from gag ing-station records collected through September 1981 at 337 stations in the Colorado River Basin in Utah. Data also are included for 14 stations in adjacent areas of the bordering states of Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming (fig. 1). The study leading to this report was done in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which needs the streamflow data in order to evaluate impacts of mining on the hydrologic system. The report also will be beneficial to other Federal, State, and county agencies and to individuals concerned with water supply and water problems in the Colorado River Basin.The streamflow characteristics in the report could be useful in many water-related studies that involve the following:Definition of baseline-hydrologic conditions; studies of the effects of man's activities on streamflow; frequency analyses of low and high flows; regional analyses of streamflow characteristics; design of water-supply systems; water-power studies; forecasting of stream discharge; time-series analyses of streamflow; design of flood-control structures; stream-pollution studies; and water-chemistry transport studies.The basic data used to develop the summaries in this report are records of daily and peak discharge collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and other Federal agencies. Much of the work of the Geological Survey was done in cooperation with Federal, State, and county agencies. Discharge recordsincluded in the report generally were for stations with at least 1 complete water year of record and nearby stations that were on the same stream and had different streamflow characteristics. A water year is a 12-month period ending September 30, and it is designated by the calendar year in which it ends. For streams that have had significant changes in regulation by reservoirs or diversions, the records before and after those changes were used separately to provide

  2. Ground-water quality in the carbonate-rock aquifer of the Great Basin, Nevada and Utah, 2003

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaefer, Donald H.; Thiros, Susan A.; Rosen, Michael R.

    2005-01-01

    The carbonate-rock aquifer of the Great Basin is named for the thick sequence of Paleozoic limestone and dolomite with lesser amounts of shale, sandstone, and quartzite. It lies primarily in the eastern half of the Great Basin and includes areas of eastern Nevada and western Utah as well as the Death Valley area of California and small parts of Arizona and Idaho. The carbonate-rock aquifer is contained within the Basin and Range Principal Aquifer, one of 16 principal aquifers selected for study by the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water- Quality Assessment Program.Water samples from 30 ground-water sites (20 in Nevada and 10 in Utah) were collected in the summer of 2003 and analyzed for major anions and cations, nutrients, trace elements, dissolved organic carbon, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides, radon, and microbiology. Water samples from selected sites also were analyzed for the isotopes oxygen-18, deuterium, and tritium to determine recharge sources and the occurrence of water recharged since the early 1950s.Primary drinking-water standards were exceeded for several inorganic constituents in 30 water samples from the carbonate-rock aquifer. The maximum contaminant level was exceeded for concentrations of dissolved antimony (6 μg/L) in one sample, arsenic (10 μg/L) in eleven samples, and thallium (2 μg/L) in one sample. Secondary drinking-water regulations were exceeded for several inorganic constituents in water samples: chloride (250 mg/L) in five samples, fluoride (2 mg/L) in two samples, iron (0.3 mg/L) in four samples, manganese (0.05 mg/L) in one sample, sulfate (250 mg/L) in three samples, and total dissolved solids (500 mg/L) in seven samples.Six different pesticides or metabolites were detected at very low concentrations in the 30 water samples. The lack of VOC detections in water sampled from most of the sites is evidence thatVOCs are not common in the carbonate-rock aquifer. Arsenic values for water range from 0.7 to 45.7

  3. HETEROGENEOUS SHALLOW-SHELF CARBONATE BUILDUPS IN THE PARADOX BASIN, UTAH AND COLORADO: TARGETS FOR INCREASED OIL PRODUCTION AND RESERVES USING HORIZONTAL DRILLING TECHNIQUES. Semi-Annual Technical Progress Report April 6, 2000 - October 5, 2002

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chidsey, Thomas C. Jr.

    2002-01-01

    The Paradox Basin of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico contains nearly 100 small oil fields producing from carbonate buildups within the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation. These fields typically have one to 10 wells with primary production ranging from 700,000 to 2,000,000 barrels (111,300-318,000 m 3 ) of oil per field and a 15 to 20 percent recovery rate. At least 200 million barrels (31.8 million m 3 ) of oil will not be recovered from these small fields because of inefficient recovery practices and undrained heterogeneous reservoirs. Several fields in southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado are being evaluated as candidates for horizontal drilling and enhanced oil recovery from existing, vertical, field wells based upon geological characterization and reservoir modeling case studies. Geological characterization on a local scale is focused on reservoir heterogeneity, quality, and lateral continuity, as well as possible reservoir compartmentalization, within these fields. This study utilizes representative cores, geophysical logs, and thin sections to characterize and grade each field's potential for drilling horizontal laterals from existing development wells. The results of these studies can be applied to similar fields elsewhere in the Paradox Basin and the Rocky Mountain region, the Michigan and Illinois Basins, and the Midcontinent region. This report covers research activities for the first half of the third project year (April 6 through October 5, 2002). This work included capillary pressure/mercury injection analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and pore casting on selected samples from Cherokee and Bug fields, Utah. The diagenetic fabrics and porosity types found at these fields are indicators of reservoir flow capacity, storage capacity, and potential for enhanced oil recovery via horizontal drilling. The reservoir quality of Cherokee and Bug fields has been affected by multiple generations of dissolution, anhydrite plugging

  4. Utah's New Mathematics Core

    Science.gov (United States)

    Utah State Office of Education, 2011

    2011-01-01

    Utah has adopted more rigorous mathematics standards known as the Utah Mathematics Core Standards. They are the foundation of the mathematics curriculum for the State of Utah. The standards include the skills and understanding students need to succeed in college and careers. They include rigorous content and application of knowledge and reflect…

  5. National Uranium Resource Evaluation: Wells Quadrangle, Nevada, Idaho, and Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Proffitt, J.L.; Mayerson, D.L.; Parker, D.P.; Wolverson, N.; Antrim, D.; Berg, J.; Witzel, F.

    1982-08-01

    The Wells 2 0 Quadrangle, Nevada, Idaho, and Utah, was evaluated using National Uranium Resource Evaluation criteria to delineate areas favorable for uranium deposits. Our investigation has resulted in the delineation of areas that contain Tertiary sedimentary rocks favorable for hydroallogenic deposits in the Mountain City area (Favorable Area A) and in the Oxley Peak area north of Wells (Favorable Area B). Environments considered to be unfavorable for uranium deposits include Tertiary felsic volcanic, felsic plutonic, intermediate to mafic volcanic, Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks, Precambrian rocks, and most Tertiary sedimentary rocks located outside the favorable areas. Present-day basins are unevaluated environments because of a paucity of adequate outcrop and subsurface data. However, the scarce data indicate that some characteristics favorable for uranium deposits are present in the Susie Creek-Tule Valley-Wild Horse basin, the Contact-Granite Range-Tijuana John stocks area, the Charleston Reservoir area, and the Wells-Marys River basin

  6. Geology, selected geophysics, and hydrogeology of the White River and parts of the Great Salt Lake Desert regional groundwater flow systems, Utah and Nevada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rowley, Peter D.; Dixon, Gary L.; Watrus , James M.; Burns, Andrews G.; Mankinen, Edward A.; McKee, Edwin H.; Pari, Keith T.; Ekren, E. Bartlett; Patrick , William G.; Comer, John B.; Inkenbrandt, Paul C.; Krahulec, K.A.; Pinnell, Michael L.

    2016-01-01

    The east-central Great Basin near the Utah-Nevada border contains two great groundwater flow systems. The first, the White River regional groundwater flow system, consists of a string of hydraulically connected hydrographic basins in Nevada spanning about 270 miles from north to south. The northernmost basin is Long Valley and the southernmost basin is the Black Mountain area, a valley bordering the Colorado River. The general regional groundwater flow direction is north to south. The second flow system, the Great Salt Lake Desert regional groundwater flow system, consists of hydrographic basins that straddle

  7. A detailed study of heat flow at the Fifth Water Site, Utah, in the Basin and Range-Colorado Plateaus transition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Powell, William G.; Chapman, David S.

    1990-05-01

    A detailed heat flow study has been conducted at a site in the southern Wasatch Mountains, Utah, in the thermal transition between the Colorado Plateau and Basin and Range tectonic provinces of the western U.S.A. Two wells, 600 m deep and only 400 m apart, in rugged terrain provided constraints on topographic and microclimatic effects and helped demonstrate the efficacy but also some inadequacies of commonly used heat flow corrections. Microclimatic effects changed the subsurface thermal gradients by up to 6%; atmospheric temperature lapse, insolation and vegetation all contribute about equally to the subsurface effects. The topographic disturbance decreased gradients by as much as 25%. Paleoclimate effects may decrease the heat flow by 7%, but the local paleoclimate is not well constrained and this value is uncertain. The rate of erosion in the Wasatch Mountains is also very poorly known, but is an important influence on the borehole temperature measurements. For reasonable bounds on the erosion rate of 0.1-1.0 mm y -1, acting over the past 10-20 My, the erosional history of the Wasatch Mountains contributes from 10% to 50% of the observed heat flow; lower values are more probable. The heat flow at Fifth Water is greater than 90 mW m -2, and possibly as high as 210 mW m -2, depending upon the paleoclimatic and erosional scenarios assumed. Our preferred value of corrected heat flow is 150 ± 10 mWm -2. This value is significantly higher than nearby heat flow determinations in both the Colorado Plateau and Basin and Range provinces, although well within the range of all Basin and Range heat flow estimates. Cooling of magma bodies in the upper crust and upwelling groundwater are unlikely mechanisms for the elevated heat flow at this site.

  8. Thermal Water of Utah Topical Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goode, Harry D.

    1978-11-01

    Western and central Utah has 16 areas whose wells or springs yield hot water (35 C or higher), warm water (20-34.5 C), and slightly warm water (15.5-19.5 C). These areas and the highest recorded water temperature for each are: Lower Bear River Area, 105 C; Bonneville Salt Flats, 88 C; Cove Fort-Sulphurdale, 77 C; Curlew Valley, 43 C; East Shore Area, 60 C; Escalante Desert, 149 C; Escalante Valley (Roosevelt, 269 C, and Thermo, 85C); Fish Springs, 60.5 C; Grouse Creek Valley, 42 C; Heber Valley (Midway, 45 C); Jordan Valley, 58.5 C; Pavant Valley-Black Rock Desert, 67 C; Sevier Desert ( Abraham-Crater Hot Springs, 82 C); Sevier Valley (Monroe-Red Hill, 76.5 C, and Joseph Hot Spring, 64 C); Utah Valley, 46 C; and Central Virgin River Basin, 42 C. The only hot water in eastern Utah comes from the oil wells of the Ashley Valley Oil Field, which in 1977 yielded 4400 acre-feet of water at 43 C to 55 C. Many other areas yield warm water (20 to 34.5 C) and slightly warm water (15.5 to 19.5 C). With the possible exception of the Roosevelt KGRA, Crater Hot Springs in the Sevier Desert, Escalante Desert, Pavant-Black Rock, Cove Fort-Sulphurdale, and Coyote Spring in Curlew Valley, which may derive their heat from buried igneous bodies, the heat that warms the thermal water is derived from the geothermal gradient. Meteoric water circulates through fractures or permeable rocks deep within the earth, where it is warmed; it then rises by convection or artesian pressure and issues at the surface as springs or is tapped by wells. Most thermal springs thus rise along faults, but some thermal water is trapped in confined aquifers so that it spreads laterally as it mixes with and warms cooler near-surface water. This spreading of thermal waters is evident in Cache Valley, in Jordan Valley, and in southern Utah Valley; likely the spreading occurs in many other artesian basins where it has not yet been recognized. In the East Shore Area thermal water trapped in confined aquifers warms

  9. Oil Recovery Increases by Low-Salinity Flooding: Minnelusa and Green River Formations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eric P. Robertson

    2010-09-01

    Waterflooding is by far the most widely used method in the world to increase oil recovery. Historically, little consideration has been given in reservoir engineering practice to the effect of injection brine composition on waterflood displacement efficiency or to the possibility of increased oil recovery through manipulation of the composition of the injected water. However, recent work has shown that oil recovery can be significantly increased by modifying the injection brine chemistry or by injecting diluted or low salinity brine. This paper reports on laboratory work done to increase the understanding of improved oil recovery by waterflooding with low salinity injection water. Porous media used in the studies included outcrop Berea sandstone (Ohio, U.S.A.) and reservoir cores from the Green River formation of the Uinta basin (Utah, U.S.A.). Crude oils used in the experimental protocols were taken from the Minnelusa formation of the Powder River basin (Wyoming, U.S.A.) and from the Green River formation, Monument Butte field in the Uinta basin. Laboratory corefloods using Berea sandstone, Minnelusa crude oil, and simulated Minnelusa formation water found a significant relationship between the temperature at which the oil- and water-saturated cores were aged and the oil recovery resulting from low salinity waterflooding. Lower aging temperatures resulted in very little to no additional oil recovery, while cores aged at higher temperatures resulted in significantly higher recoveries from dilute-water floods. Waterflood studies using reservoir cores and fluids from the Green River formation of the Monument Butte field also showed significantly higher oil recoveries from low salinity waterfloods with cores flooded with fresher water recovering 12.4% more oil on average than those flooded with undiluted formation brine.

  10. Groundwater flow and its effect on salt dissolution in Gypsum Canyon watershed, Paradox Basin, southeast Utah, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reitman, Nadine G.; Ge, Shemin; Mueller, Karl

    2014-09-01

    Groundwater flow is an important control on subsurface evaporite (salt) dissolution. Salt dissolution can drive faulting and associated subsidence on the land surface and increase salinity in groundwater. This study aims to understand the groundwater flow system of Gypsum Canyon watershed in the Paradox Basin, Utah, USA, and whether or not groundwater-driven dissolution affects surface deformation. The work characterizes the groundwater flow and solute transport systems of the watershed using a three-dimensional (3D) finite element flow and transport model, SUTRA. Spring samples were analyzed for stable isotopes of water and total dissolved solids. Spring water and hydraulic conductivity data provide constraints for model parameters. Model results indicate that regional groundwater flow is to the northwest towards the Colorado River, and shallow flow systems are influenced by topography. The low permeability obtained from laboratory tests is inconsistent with field observed discharges, supporting the notion that fracture permeability plays a significant role in controlling groundwater flow. Model output implies that groundwater-driven dissolution is small on average, and cannot account for volume changes in the evaporite deposits that could cause surface deformation, but it is speculated that dissolution may be highly localized and/or weaken evaporite deposits, and could lead to surface deformation over time.

  11. Geochemistry and hydrothermal alteration at selected Utah hot springs. Final report: Volume 3 (revised)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Parry, W.T.; Benson, N.L.; Miller, C.D.

    1976-07-01

    Application of Na-K-Ca geothermometry to warm springs in Utah indicates several areas with sufficiently high apparent temperatures to be of interest as geothermal exploration targets. A zone of warm springs in the Bonneville Basin show Na-K-Ca temperatures from 150/sup 0/C to 233/sup 0/C. Examination of Great Salt Lake, Bonneville sediment pore water, and Jordan Valley well-water chemistry indicates that mixing a small percent of these fluids with warm spring water can cause substantial errors in Na-K-Ca temperature estimates. Other saline deposits which may influence Na-K-Ca temperature estimates are the Paradox formation in southeastern Utah, the Muddy Creek formation in southwestern Utah, the Arapien shale in central Utah, the Preuss formation in northeastern Utah, and Playa salts in much of western Utah. The Roosevelt KGRA is the most attractive target identified by Na-K-Ca geothermometry. Hydrothermal alteration, heavy metal distribution, and water chemistry provide additional characterization of the Roosevelt system. Chemistry of a cool water seep (25/sup 0/C) shows Na-K-Ca temperature of 241/sup 0/C and SiO/sub 2/ temperature of 125/sup 0/C. A Phillips well flowing from below 1500' (457m) shows Na-K-Ca temperature of 262/sup 0/C, SiO/sub 2/ temperature of 262/sup 0/C, and K of 1.5 times the surface spring value. The near surface alteration assemblage is best explained in terms of a decrease in pH of near surface fluids as sulfide oxidizes. Increasing potassium and pH with depth indicates that a K-feldspar stable zone may be intersected with deeper drilling. Geology and alteration were mapped in the Monroe KGRA. (JGB)

  12. Heterogeneous Shallow-Shelf Carbonate Buildups in the Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado: Targets for Increased Oil Production and Reserves Using Horizontal Drilling Techniques. Semi-Annual Technical Progress Report April 6, 2003 - October 5, 2006

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomas C. Chidsey; Kevin McClure; Craig D. Morgan

    2003-01-01

    The Paradox Basin of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico contains nearly 100 small oil fields producing from carbonate buildups within the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation. These fields typically have one to 10 wells with primary production ranging from 700,000 to 2,000,000 barrels (111,300-318,000 m 3 ) of oil per field and a 15 to 20 percent recovery rate. At least 200 million barrels (31.8 million m 3 ) of oil will not be recovered from these small fields because of inefficient recovery practices and undrained heterogeneous reservoirs. Several fields in southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado are being evaluated as candidates for horizontal drilling and enhanced oil recovery from existing vertical wells based upon geological characterization and reservoir modeling case studies. Geological characterization on a local scale is focused on reservoir heterogeneity, quality, and lateral continuity, as well as possible reservoir compartmentalization, within these fields. This study utilizes representative cores, geophysical logs, and thin sections to characterize and grade each field's potential for drilling horizontal laterals from existing development wells. The results of these studies can be applied to similar fields elsewhere in the Paradox Basin and the Rocky Mountain region, the Michigan and Illinois Basins, and the Midcontinent region. This report covers research activities for the first half of the fourth project year (April 6 through October 5, 2003). The work included (1) analysis of well-test data and oil production from Cherokee and Bug fields, San Juan County, Utah, and (2) diagenetic evaluation of stable isotopes from the upper Ismay and lower Desert Creek zones of the Paradox Formation in the Blanding sub-basin, Utah. Production ''sweet spots'' and potential horizontal drilling candidates were identified for Cherokee and Bug fields. In Cherokee field, the most productive wells are located in the thickest part of the mound facies of

  13. Geohydrology surrounding a potential high-level nuclear waste repository in the Paradox Basin, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brandstetter, A.; Kroitoru, L.; Andrews, R.W.; Thackston, J.W.

    1984-01-01

    The Gibson Dome area in the Paradox Basin in southeastern Utah has been identified as a potential location for a high-level nuclear waste repository on the basis of an adequate thickness of bedded salt formations at desirable depths, suitable topography for surface facilities, few known archaeological sites, less resource potential than otherwise similar areas, and long-term geologic and tectonic stability. The area appears also suitable from a geohydrologic viewpoint, on the basis of data collected and analyses performed to date. The upper, near-surface, geologic formations include both regionally continuous water-bearing formations and locally perched ground waters that discharge into nearby surface streams and into the Colorado River. Below the Paradox salts, the formations of interest with respect to repository safety include regionally continuous water-bearing formations, with the Leadville limestone being the principal water-transmitting unit. Flows in all water-bearing formations are essentially horizontal. If a vertical connection were established through a potential repository, hydraulic gradients indicate that the flow would first be downward from the upper to the lower formations and then laterally, principally in the Leadville formation. There are some indications that minor leakage could occur into the Colorado River as close as Cataract Canyon, about 20 to 25 km (10 to 15 miles) from a potential repository location in Davis Canyon, or into the Colorado River in Marble Canyon (Arizona), about 240 km (150 miles) to the southwest. Groundwater flow from a repository to these locations is unlikely, however, since water would first have to penetrate the essentially impermeable salt layers before it would reach the Leadville formation. 11 references, 4 figures

  14. Introduction to Envirocare of Utah's low activity radioactive waste disposal site located at Clive, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1988-01-01

    Envirocare of Utah was licensed by the state of Utah on February 2, 1988, to become fully operational to receive low-activity radioactive waste at its disposal site near Clive, Utah. This paper discusses the organization of the firm, political support, acceptable materials, benefits of the operation, site characteristics, construction, health physics program, and environmental program

  15. Organizational factors in fire prevention: roles, obstacles, and recommendations

    Science.gov (United States)

    John R. Christiansen; William S. Folkman; Keith W. Warner; Michael L. Woolcott

    1976-01-01

    Problems being encountered in implementing fire prevention programs were explored by studying the organization for fire prevention at the Fish Lake, Uinta, and Wasatch National Forests in Utah. The study focused on role congruency in fire prevention activities and on the social and organizational obstacles to effective programs. The problems identified included lack of...

  16. Ecological Observations of Native Geocoris pallens and G. punctipes Populations in the Great Basin Desert of Southwestern Utah

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meredith C. Schuman

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Big-eyed bugs (Geocoris spp. Fallén, Hemiptera: Lygaeidae are ubiquitous, omnivorous insect predators whose plant feeding behavior raises the question of whether they benefit or harm plants. However, several studies have investigated both the potential of Geocoris spp. to serve as biological control agents in agriculture and their importance as agents of plant indirect defense in nature. These studies have demonstrated that Geocoris spp. effectively reduce herbivore populations and increase plant yield. Previous work has also indicated that Geocoris spp. respond to visual and olfactory cues when foraging and choosing their prey and that associative learning of prey and plant cues informs their foraging strategies. For these reasons, Geocoris spp. have become models for the study of tritrophic plant-herbivore-predator interactions. Here, we present detailed images and ecological observations of G. pallens Stål and G. punctipes (Say native to the Great Basin Desert of southwestern Utah, including observations of their life histories and color morphs, dynamics of their predatory feeding behavior and prey choice over space and time, and novel aspects of Geocoris spp.’s relationships to their host plants. These observations open up new areas to be explored regarding the behavior of Geocoris spp. and their interactions with plant and herbivore populations.

  17. Planning Documents Known Releases SWMUs Tooele Army Depot Tooele, Utah. Volume 1: Corrective Measures Study Work Plan

    Science.gov (United States)

    2000-02-01

    groundwater. B.3.6.1 Bioremediation . In situ bioremediation uses the microorganisms in groundwater and saturated zone soil to biologically transform...also contained a series of former evaporation ponds used for pesticides disposal. Old sewage evaporation basin located just north of the asbestos...groundwater LANDFILL/ monitoring, and land use restrictions PESTICIDE Construct multilayer landfill cap in accordance DISPOSAL with State of Utah solid

  18. 1999 ESH&Q Liability Assessment Report of Envirocare of Utah, Inc. Clive, Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Trump, D. E. [INEEL; Vilord, C. E.

    1999-07-01

    This report contains the results of an environment, safety, health, and quality (ESH&Q) assessment of the treatment technologies and treatment-related operations that was conducted of Envirocare of Utah, Inc. (EOU). EOU is a lowlevel radioactive and mixed Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)- regulated haz.ardous low-level radioactive waste (mixed low-level waste) treatment/disposal facility located near Clive, Utah. An ESH&Q assessment of the EOU Clive, Utah facility treatment technologies and related treatment operations was conducted in mid-April 1999. The assessment was required as part of the technical evaluation of proposals received by Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies Company (LMITCO) for modification of a mixed low-level radioactive waste disposal subcontract (No.K79-180572). The EOU Clive, Utah facility is proposed as a potential treatment/disposal facility for mixed low-level radioactive waste regulated under the RCRA and the Atomic Energy Act

  19. Characterization of habitat and biological communities at fixed sites in the Great Salt Lake basins, Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, water years 1999-2001

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albano, Christine M.; Giddings, Elise M.P.

    2007-01-01

    Habitat and biological communities were sampled at 10 sites in the Great Salt Lake Basins as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment program to assess the occurrence and distribution of biological organisms in relation to environmental conditions. Sites were distributed among the Bear River, Weber River, and Utah Lake/Jordan River basins and were selected to represent stream conditions in different land-use settings that are prominent within the basins, including agriculture, rangeland, urban, and forested.High-gradient streams had more diverse habitat conditions with larger substrates and more dynamic flow characteristics and were typically lower in discharge than low-gradient streams, which had a higher degree of siltation and lacked variability in geomorphic channel characteristics, which may account for differences in habitat. Habitat scores were higher at high-gradient sites with high percentages of forested land use within their basins. Sources and causes of stream habitat impairment included effects from channel modifications, siltation, and riparian land use. Effects of hydrologic modifications were evident at many sites.Algal sites where colder temperatures, less nutrient enrichment, and forest and rangeland uses dominated the basins contained communities that were more sensitive to organic pollution, siltation, dissolved oxygen, and salinity than sites that were warmer, had higher degrees of nutrient enrichment, and were affected by agriculture and urban land uses. Sites that had high inputs of solar radiation and generally were associated with agricultural land use supported the greatest number of algal species.Invertebrate samples collected from sites where riffles were the richest-targeted habitat differed in species composition and pollution tolerance from those collected at sites that did not have riffle habitat (nonriffle sites), where samples were collected in depositional areas, woody snags, or macrophyte beds

  20. Spatial Analysis of Gravity Data in the California, Nevada, and Utah (US)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferani, NA; Hartantyo, E.; Niasari, SW

    2018-04-01

    The geological condition of western North America is very complex because of the encounter of three major plates namely North America, Juan de Fuca, and Pacific Plate. The process of Juan de Fuca subduction and Pacific transform against North America plate created many mountains and produced Great Basin that we can see extending across California, Nevada, and Utah. The varied natural condition causes the varied value of gravity anomaly distribution. Using Topex free-air anomaly analyzed with second vertical derivative (SVD), we can analyze the fracture structures that occur in the Great Basin. The results show that the maximal SVD anomaly value is higher than the minimal SVD anomaly value at the western and eastern border of Great Basin. This explains that the two of Great Basin border are normal faults with trend direction NW-SE in the western boundary and NE-SW trending in the eastern boundary. This research result corresponds with the high seismicity data along the fault. Through this research, we can know that topex free-air anomaly data can be used to determine the type and trend of fault on a regional scale.

  1. Danburite in evaporites of the Paradox basin, Utah.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raup, O.B.; Madsen, B.M.

    1986-01-01

    Danburite (CaB2Si2O8) has been found as nodules in Pennsylvanian age marine evaporites. The occurrence of danburite and its relation to the host rock in the Paradox basin evaporites indicates that it most likely formed by diagenetic reaction of boron-rich, high-salinity brines with constituents in the anhydrite host rock.-from Authors

  2. Paradox Basin site characterization report: preparation papers, Gibson Dome location

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1982-11-01

    This document contains Part C, Identification of Pertinent Issues, of the site characterization report. The site characterization report, preparation papers, includes a description of detailed field studies and efforts to collect data to resolve key geologic and environmental issues in the Gibson Dome location within the Paradox Basin Region of Utah

  3. Utah Delivers Opportunities for Career Exploration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dobson, Kristine; Fischio, Shannon

    2006-01-01

    Providing information and resources to support career exploration is key to the mission of career and technical education (CTE) in Utah. Utah CTE has responded in a variety of ways to meet the career exploration needs of students of all ages. This article discusses how the career and technical education in Utah delivers opportunities for career…

  4. DELIVERABLE 2.1.2 PRODUCTION ANALYSIS: CHEROKEE AND BUG FIELDS, SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chidsey, Thomas C. Jr.

    2003-01-01

    Over 400 million barrels (64 million m 3 ) of oil have been produced from the shallow-shelf carbonate reservoirs in the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation in the Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado. With the exception of the giant Greater Aneth field, the other 100 plus oil fields in the basin typically contain 2 to 10 million barrels (0.3-1.6 million m 3 ) of original oil in place. Most of these fields are characterized by high initial production rates followed by a very short productive life (primary), and hence premature abandonment. Only 15 to 25 percent of the original oil in place is recoverable during primary production from conventional vertical wells. An extensive and successful horizontal drilling program has been conducted in the giant Greater Aneth field. However, to date, only two horizontal wells have been drilled in small Ismay and Desert Creek fields. The results from these wells were disappointing due to poor understanding of the carbonate facies and diagenetic fabrics that create reservoir heterogeneity. These small fields, and similar fields in the basin, are at high risk of premature abandonment. At least 200 million barrels (31.8 million m 3 ) of oil will be left behind in these small fields because current development practices leave compartments of the heterogeneous reservoirs undrained. Through proper geological evaluation of the reservoirs, production may be increased by 20 to 50 percent through the drilling of low-cost single or multilateral horizontal legs from existing vertical development wells. In addition, horizontal drilling from existing wells minimizes surface disturbances and costs for field development, particularly in the environmentally sensitive areas of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado

  5. Upper Ordovician-Lower Silurian shelf sequences of the Eastern Great Basin: Barn Hills and Lakeside Mountains, Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Harris, M.T. (Univ. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI (United States). Dept. of Geosciences); Sheehan, P.M. (Milwaukee Public Museum, WI (United States). Dept of Geology)

    1993-04-01

    Detailed stratigraphic sections through Upper Ordovician-Lower Silurian shelf strata of the Eastern Great Basin were measured in two Utah localities, Barn Hills (Confusion Range) and Lakeside Mountains. Six major subfacies occur in these strata: mud-cracked and crinkly laminated subfacies, Laminated mudstone subfacies, cross-bedded grainstone subfacies, cross-laminated packstone subfacies, grainy bioturbated subfacies, muddy bioturbated subfacies, and thalassinoides burrowed subfacies. These occur in 1--10 m thick cycles in three facies: muddy cyclic laminite facies (tidal flats), cross-bedded facies (subtidal shoals), and bioturbated facies (moderate to low-energy shelf). The vertical facies succession, stacking patterns of meter-scale cycles, and exposure surfaces define correlatable sequences. The authors recognize four Upper Ordovician sequences (Mayvillian to Richmondian). An uppermost Ordovician (Hirnantian) sequence is missing in these sections but occurs basinward. Lower Silurian sequences are of early Llandoverian (A), middle Llandoverian (B), early late Llandoverian (C1--C3), late late Llandoverian (C4--C5), latest Llandoverian (C6) to early Wenlock age. In general, Upper Ordovician and latest Llandoverian-Wenlockian facies are muddier than intervening Llandoverian facies. The shift to muddier shelf facies in latest Llandoverian probably corresponds to the development of a rimmed shelf. The sequence framework improves correlation of these strata by combining sedimentologic patterns with the biostratigraphic data. For example, in the Lakesides, the Ordovician-Silurian boundary is shifted 37 m downward from recent suggestions. In addition, the sequence approach highlights intervals for which additional biostratigraphic information is needed.

  6. Mineralogical, chemical, organic and microbial properties of subsurface soil cores from Mars Desert Research Station (Utah, USA): Phyllosilicate and sulfate analogues to Mars mission landing sites

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stoker, C.R.; Clarke, J.; Oliveira Lebre Direito, M.S.; Martin, K.; Zavaleta, J.; Blake, D.; Foing, B.H.

    2011-01-01

    We collected and analysed soil cores from four geologic units surrounding Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) Utah, USA, including Mancos Shale, Dakota Sandstone, Morrison formation (Brushy Basin member) and Summerville formation. The area is an important geochemical and morphological analogue to

  7. Boom, Doom and Rocks - The Intersection of Physics, Video Games and Geology

    Science.gov (United States)

    McBride, J. H.; Keach, R. W.

    2008-12-01

    Geophysics is a field that incorporates the rigor of physics with the field methods of geology. The onset and rapid development of the computer games that students play bring new hardware and software technologies that significantly improve our understanding and research capabilities. Together they provide unique insights to the subsurface of the earth in ways only imagined just a few short years ago. 3D geological visualization has become an integral part of many petroleum industry exploration efforts. This technology is now being extended to increasing numbers of universities through grants from software vendors. This talk will explore 3D visualization techniques and how they can be used for both teaching and research. Come see examples of 3D geophysical techniques used to: image the geology of ancient river systems off the coast of Brazil and in the Uinta Basin of Utah, guide archaeological excavations on the side of Mt. Vesuvius, Italy, and to study how volcanoes were formed off the coast of New Zealand.

  8. CARBON AND OXYGEN ISOTOPIC ANALYSIS: BUG, CHEROKEE, AND PATTERSON CANYON FIELDS, SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    David E. Eby; Thomas C. Chidsey Jr; Kevin McClure; Craig D. Morgan; Stephen T. Nelson

    2003-12-01

    Over 400 million barrels (64 million m{sup 3}) of oil have been produced from the shallow-shelf carbonate reservoirs in the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation in the Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado. With the exception of the giant Greater Aneth field, the other 100 plus oil fields in the basin typically contain 2 to 10 million barrels (0.3-1.6 million m{sup 3}) of original oil in place. Most of these fields are characterized by high initial production rates followed by a very short productive life (primary), and hence premature abandonment. Only 15 to 25 percent of the original oil in place is recoverable during primary production from conventional vertical wells. An extensive and successful horizontal drilling program has been conducted in the giant Greater Aneth field. However, to date, only two horizontal wells have been drilled in small Ismay and Desert Creek fields. The results from these wells were disappointing due to poor understanding of the carbonate facies and diagenetic fabrics that create reservoir heterogeneity. These small fields, and similar fields in the basin, are at high risk of premature abandonment. At least 200 million barrels (31.8 million m{sup 3}) of oil will be left behind in these small fields because current development practices leave compartments of the heterogeneous reservoirs undrained. Through proper geological evaluation of the reservoirs, production may be increased by 20 to 50 percent through the drilling of low-cost single or multilateral horizontal legs from existing vertical development wells. In addition, horizontal drilling from existing wells minimizes surface disturbances and costs for field development, particularly in the environmentally sensitive areas of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado.

  9. 77 FR 73966 - Utah Regulatory Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-12-12

    ...)293-5012, [email protected] . John R. Baza, Director, Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining, 1594 West... on the Utah program, including the Secretary's findings, the disposition of comments, and the...

  10. Hydrogeologic testing of the E.J. Kubat borehole, San Juan County, Utah: utilization of a high pressure instrumented flow control system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoexter, D.F.

    1982-01-01

    The E.J. Kubat borehole, located in San Juan County, Utah, in the SW 1/4, Section 23, T37S, R19E, was drilled in 1958 as a petroleum exploration (wildcat) well. Drilling records and geophysical logs were examined as a part of the Paradox Basin Project, a feasibility and siting study for a high-level nuclear waste repository to be located in bedded salt deposits in the Utah portion of the Paradox Basin. This project is part of the Department of Energy National Waste Terminal Storage Program, and is being conducted by Woodward-Clyde Consultants under subcontract to Battelle Memorial Institute, Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation. The geophysical logs of the Kubat and nearby wells showed that salt cycles potentially suitable as a possible repository horizon existed within the Pennsylvanian-age Paradox Formation in the area. Thus, it was decided to re-enter the well and extend it deeper into the Mississippian Leadville Limestone, the major water-bearing formation underlying the repository horizon. A series of hydrogeologic tests was conducted to evaluate hydrogeologic properties of the Leadville Limestone. These tests provided data on potentiometric level, transmissivity and permeability of the test interval. Although testing of relatively highly permeable formations is common, obtaining reliable data from formations of low permeability is more difficult, and is a special aspect of the paradox Basin Project

  11. Clean and Secure Energy from Domestic Oil Shale and Oil Sands Resources

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Spinti, Jennifer [Inst. for Clean and Secure Energy, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Birgenheier, Lauren [Inst. for Clean and Secure Energy, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Deo, Milind [Inst. for Clean and Secure Energy, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Facelli, Julio [Inst. for Clean and Secure Energy, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Hradisky, Michal [Inst. for Clean and Secure Energy, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Kelly, Kerry [Inst. for Clean and Secure Energy, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Miller, Jan [Inst. for Clean and Secure Energy, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); McLennan, John [Inst. for Clean and Secure Energy, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Ring, Terry [Inst. for Clean and Secure Energy, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Ruple, John [Inst. for Clean and Secure Energy, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Uchitel, Kirsten [Inst. for Clean and Secure Energy, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)

    2015-09-30

    (March, 2012); Conjunctive Surface and Groundwater Management in Utah: Implications for Oil Shale and Oil Sands Development (May, 2012); Development of CFD-Based Simulation Tools for In Situ Thermal Processing of Oil Shale/Sands (February, 2012); Core-Based Integrated Sedimentologic, Stratigraphic, and Geochemical Analysis of the Oil Shale Bearing Green River Formation, Uinta Basin, Utah (April, 2011); Atomistic Modeling of Oil Shale Kerogens and Asphaltenes Along with their Interactions with the Inorganic Mineral Matrix (April, 2011); Pore Scale Analysis of Oil Shale/Sands Pyrolysis (March, 2011); Land and Resource Management Issues Relevant to Deploying In-Situ Thermal Technologies (January, 2011); Policy Analysis of Produced Water Issues Associated with In-Situ Thermal Technologies (January, 2011); and Policy Analysis of Water Availability and Use Issues for Domestic Oil Shale and Oil Sands Development (March, 2010)

  12. 75 FR 12562 - Central Utah Project Completion Act

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-16

    ...-- Water and Science; Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission; and the Central Utah Water... Commission (Mitigation Commission), and the Central Utah Water Conservancy District (District), as Joint Lead... Diamond Fork System Final Supplement to the Diamond Fork Power System Final Environmental Impact Statement...

  13. Magnetic Signature of Glacial Flour in Sediments From Bear Lake, Utah/Idaho

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenbaum, J. G.; Dean, W. E.; Colman, S. M.; Reynolds, R. L.

    2002-12-01

    Variations in magnetic properties within an interval of Bear Lake sediments correlative with oxygen isotope stage 2 (OIS 2) and OIS 3 provide a record of glacial flour production for the Uinta Mountains. Like sediments of the same age from Upper Klamath Lake (OR), these Bear Lake sediments have high magnetic susceptibilities (MS) relative to non-glacial-age sediments and contain well-defined millennial-scale variations in magnetic properties. In contrast to glacial flour derived from volcanic rocks surrounding Upper Klamath Lake, glacial flour derived from the Uinta Mountains and deposited in Bear Lake by the Bear River has low magnetite content but high hematite content. The relatively low MS values of younger and older non-glacial-age sediments are due entirely to dilution by non-magnetic endogenic carbonate and to the effects of sulfidic alteration of detrital Fe-oxides. Analysis of samples from streams entering Bear Lake and from along the course of the Bear River demonstrates that, in comparison to other areas of the catchment, sediment derived from the Uinta Mountains is rich in hematite (high HIRM) and aluminum, and poor in magnetite (low MS) and titanium. Within the glacial-age lake sediments, there are strong positive correlations among HIRM, Al/Ti, and fine sediment grain size. MS varies inversely with theses three variables. These relations indicate that the observed millennial-scale variations in magnetic and chemical properties arise from varying proportions of two detrital components: (1) very fine-grained glacial flour derived from Proterozoic metasedimentary rocks in the Uinta Mountains and characterized by high HIRM and low MS, and (2) somewhat coarser material, characterized by higher MS and lower HIRM, derived from widespread sedimentary rocks along the course of the Bear River and around Bear Lake. Measurement of glacial flour incorporated in lake sediments can provide a continuous history of alpine glaciation, because the rate of accumulation

  14. The Late Cambrian SPICE (δ13C) event and the Sauk II-Sauk III regression: new evidence from Laurentian basins in Utah, Iowa, and Newfoundland

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saltzman, Matthew R.; Cowan, Clinton A.; Runkel, Anthony C.; Runnegar, Bruce; Stewart, Michael C.; Palmer, Allison R.

    2004-01-01

    Carbon isotope data from Upper Cambrian sections in three Laurentian basins in northern Utah, central Iowa, and western Newfoundland record a large positive ??13C excursion (SPICE event) of up to + 5???. Peak ??13C ratios are well dated by trilobite collections to the middle of the Steptoean Stage (Dunderbergia Zone) and occur during maximum regression associated with formation of the Sauk II-Sauk III subsequence boundary on the North American craton. Maximum regression was marked by an influx of quartz sand into carbonate-platform settings in all three widely separated basins. In northern Utah, this quartz sand formed a thick sequence known as the Worm Creek Quartzite, which marks a conspicuous interruption of carbonate deposition during the Middle to Late Cambrian in the region. In western Newfoundland, the thickness of the quartz sand unit is much reduced but still marks a brief shutdown of the carbonate factory that is unique to the Cambrian shelf succession of the area. In the central Iowa area of the cratonic interior, an upward-shallowing carbonate succession culminates in cross-stratified trilobite grainstones at the peak of the SPICE in Dunderbergia Zone time, and the lowest point on the relative-sea-level curve is associated with the occurrence of coarse quartz sand derived from the encroaching shoreface. Although it is difficult to determine precisely the departure from baseline ??13C that marks the beginning of the SPICE excursion in the stratigraphic successions analyzed, our results are consistent with a rise and subsequent fall in ??13C tracking a major regressive-transgressive event recorded across northern Laurentia. The correlation of a major ??13C excursion with regression is similar to that described for the Late Ordovician, for which the pattern has been attributed to either increased carbonate relative to terrigenous weathering rates as ice sheets covered up organic-matter-containing silicates at high latitudes or high productivity and organic

  15. Cancer mortality and radioactive fallout in southwestern Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Machado, S.G.; Land, C.E.; McKay, F.W.

    1987-01-01

    Cancer mortality was compared between a three-county region in southwestern Utah and the remainder of Utah in an investigation of reported excess cancer risks associated with residence in southwestern Utah during the period of above-ground nuclear tests at the Nevada Test Site. Because most of the fallout in southwestern Utah was deposited during 1953-1957, comparisons were limited to persons born before 1958, and deaths from leukemia and bone cancer during 1955-1980 and from other cancers during 1964-1980. There was no excess risk of cancer mortality in southwestern Utah, for single or grouped sites, with the single exception of leukemia which showed statistically significant odds ratios of 1.45 based on 62 deaths at all ages, and 2.84 based on nine deaths at ages 0-14. The finding for childhood leukemia was based on different time periods and geographic comparisons from those of two earlier studies in which no such excess was found. Mortality from all cancer sites combined was significantly lower in southwestern Utah than in the remainder of the state, even after adjustment for the higher proportion of (lower risk) Mormons in southwestern Utah. The present results, including the positive association for leukemia, are inconsistent with the high excess risks reported by Johnson (JAMA 1984;251:230-6) based on an interview survey of cancer incidence among long-term Mormon residents of southwestern Utah

  16. Geologic nuclear waste repository site selection studies in the Paradox Basin, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rogers, T.H.; Conwell, F.R.

    1981-01-01

    During Phase I regional-level studies, a literature review was conducted to ascertain geologic characteristics pertinent to repository siting factors. On the basis of the regional screening results, four areas in southeastern Utah were selected as being suitable for more detailed study in Phase II: Elk Ridge and Gibson Dome, containing nearly horizontal bedded salt deposits; Salt Valley, containing a diapiric salt anticline; and Lisbon Valley, containing a non-diapiric salt anticline. During current Phase II area studies, the four study areas are being characterized in greater detail than in Phase I. Phase II will culminate in the identification of a potentially suitable location(s), if any, that will be recommended for study in still greater detail in a subsequent phase of work. 5 refs

  17. DELIVERABLE 1.2.1A THIN SECTION DESCRIPTIONS: CHEROKEE AND BUG FIELDS, SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chidsey, Thomas C. Jr; Eby, David E.

    2003-01-01

    Over 400 million barrels (64 million m 3 ) of oil have been produced from the shallow-shelf carbonate reservoirs in the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation in the Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado. With the exception of the giant Greater Aneth field, the other 100 plus oil fields in the basin typically contain 2 to 10 million barrels (0.3-1.6 million m 3 ) of original oil in place. Most of these fields are characterized by high initial production rates followed by a very short productive life (primary), and hence premature abandonment. Only 15 to 25 percent of the original oil in place is recoverable during primary production from conventional vertical wells. An extensive and successful horizontal drilling program has been conducted in the giant Greater Aneth field. However, to date, only two horizontal wells have been drilled in small Ismay and Desert Creek fields. The results from these wells were disappointing due to poor understanding of the carbonate facies and diagenetic fabrics that create reservoir heterogeneity. These small fields, and similar fields in the basin, are at high risk of premature abandonment. At least 200 million barrels (31.8 million m 3 ) of oil will be left behind in these small fields because current development practices leave compartments of the heterogeneous reservoirs undrained. Through proper geological evaluation of the reservoirs, production may be increased by 20 to 50 percent through the drilling of low-cost single or multilateral horizontal legs from existing vertical development wells. In addition, horizontal drilling from existing wells minimizes surface disturbances and costs for field development, particularly in the environmentally sensitive areas of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado

  18. Groundwater conditions in Utah, spring of 2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burden, Carole B.; Birken, Adam S.; Derrick, V. Noah; Fisher, Martel J.; Holt, Christopher M.; Downhour, Paul; Smith, Lincoln; Eacret, Robert J.; Gibson, Travis L.; Slaugh, Bradley A.; Whittier, Nickolas R.; Howells, James H.; Christiansen, Howard K.

    2013-01-01

    This is the fiftieth in a series of annual reports that describe groundwater conditions in Utah. Reports in this series, published cooperatively by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Quality, provide data to enable interested parties to maintain awareness of changing groundwater conditions. This report, like the others in the series, contains information on well construction, groundwater withdrawals from wells, water-level changes, precipitation, streamflow, and chemical quality of water. Information on well construction included in this report refers only to wells constructed for new appropriations of groundwater. Supplementary data are included in reports of this series only for those years or areas that are important to a discussion of changing groundwater conditions and for which applicable data are available.This report includes individual discussions of selected significant areas of groundwater development in the State for calendar year 2012. Most of the reported data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Quality. This report is also available online at http://www.waterrights.utah.gov/techinfo/ and http://ut.water. usgs.gov/publications/GW2013.pdf. Groundwater conditions in Utah for calendar year 2011 are reported in Burden and others (2012) and available online at http://ut.water.usgs.gov/ publications/GW2012.pdf

  19. Environmental assessment overview, Davis Canyon site, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1986-05-01

    In February 1983, the US Department of Energy (DOE) identified the Davis Canyon site in Utah as one of the nine potentially acceptable sites for a mined geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. To determine their suitability, the Davis Canyon site and the eight other potentially acceptable sites have been evaluated in accordance with the DOE's General Guidelines for the Recommendation of Sites for the Nuclear Waste Repositories. The Davis Canyon site is in the Paradox Basin, which is one of five distinct geohydrologic settings considered for the first repository. On the basis of the evaluations reported in this EA, the DOE has found that the Davis Canyon site is not disqualified under the guidelines. On the basis of these findings, the DOE is nominating the Davis Canyon site as one of five sites suitable for characterization. 3 figs

  20. 77 FR 66480 - Final Environmental Impact Statement, Narrows Project, Sanpete County, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-11-05

    ..., Utah 84501 Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, 701 East University Parkway, Provo, Utah 84602-6800 Manti Public Library, 50 South Main Street, Manti, Utah 84642 Marriott Library, University of Utah, 295 South 1500 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University...

  1. Groundwater conditions in Utah, spring of 2014

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burden, Carole B.; Birken, Adam S.; Gerner, Steven J.; Carricaburu, John P.; Derrick, V. Noah; Downhour, Paul; Smith, Lincoln; Eacret, Robert J.; Gibson, Travis L.; Slaugh, Bradley A.; Whittier, Nickolas R.; Howells, James H.; Christiansen, Howard K.; Fisher, Martel J.

    2014-01-01

    This is the fifty-first in a series of annual reports that describe groundwater conditions in Utah. Reports in this series, published cooperatively by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Quality, provide data to enable interested parties to maintain awareness of changing groundwater conditions.This report, like the others in the series, contains information on well construction, groundwater withdrawal from wells, water-level changes, precipitation, streamflow, and chemical quality of water. Information on well construction included in this report refers only to wells constructed for new appropriations of groundwater. Supplementary data are included in reports of this series only for those years or areas that are important to a discussion of changing groundwater conditions and for which applicable data are available.This report includes individual discussions of selected significant areas of groundwater development in the State for calendar year 2013. Most of the reported data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Quality. This report is also available online at http://www.waterrights.utah.gov/techinfo/ and http://ut.water. usgs.gov/publications/GW2014.pdf. Groundwater conditions in Utah for calendar year 2012 are reported in Burden and others (2013) and are available online at http://ut.water.usgs. gov/publications/GW2013.pdf

  2. Groundwater conditions in Utah, spring of 2012

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burden, Carole B.; Allen, David V.; Holt, Christopher M.; Fisher, Martel J.; Downhour, Paul; Smith, Lincoln; Eacret, Robert J.; Gibson, Travis L.; Slaugh, Bradley A.; Whittier, Nickolas R.; Howells, James H.; Christiansen, Howard K.

    2012-01-01

    This is the forty-ninth in a series of annual reports that describe groundwater conditions in Utah. Reports in this series, published cooperatively by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Quality, provide data to enable interested parties to maintain awareness of changing groundwater conditions. This report, like the others in the series, contains information on well construction, groundwater withdrawal from wells, water-level changes, precipitation, streamflow, and chemical quality of water. Information on well construction included in this report refers only to wells constructed for new appropriations of groundwater. Supplementary data are included in reports of this series only for those years or areas that are important to a discussion of changing groundwater conditions and for which applicable data are available.This report includes individual discussions of selected significant areas of groundwater development in the State for calendar year 2011. Most of the reported data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Quality. This report is also available online at http:// www.waterrights.utah.gov/techinfo/ and http://ut.water.usgs. gov/publications/GW2012.pdf. Groundwater conditions in Utah for calendar year 2010 are reported in Burden and others (2011) and available online at http://ut.water.usgs.gov/ publications/GW2011.pdf.

  3. Dendrochronology of Utah Juniper (Juniperus osteosperma (Torr.) Little)

    Science.gov (United States)

    R. Justin Derose; Matthew F. Bekker; Roger Kjelgren; Brendan M. Buckley; James H. Speer; Eric B. Allen

    2016-01-01

    Utah juniper was a foundational species for the discipline of dendrochronology, having been used in the early 20th Century investigations of Mesa Verde, but has been largely ignored by dendrochronologists since. Here we present dendrochronological investigations of Utah juniper core and cross-sectional samples from four sites in northern Utah. We demonstrate that,...

  4. DELIVERABLE 1.2.2 CAPILLARY PRESSURE/MERCURY INJECTION ANALYSIS: CHEROKEE AND BUG FIELDS, SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chidsey, Thomas C. Jr; Eby, David E.

    2003-01-01

    Over 400 million barrels (64 million m 3 ) of oil have been produced from the shallow-shelf carbonate reservoirs in the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation in the Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado. With the exception of the giant Greater Aneth field, the other 100 plus oil fields in the basin typically contain 2 to 10 million barrels (0.3-1.6 million m 3 ) of original oil in place. Most of these fields are characterized by high initial production rates followed by a very short productive life (primary), and hence premature abandonment. Only 15 to 25 percent of the original oil in place is recoverable during primary production from conventional vertical wells. An extensive and successful horizontal drilling program has been conducted in the giant Greater Aneth field. However, to date, only two horizontal wells have been drilled in small Ismay and Desert Creek fields. The results from these wells were disappointing due to poor understanding of the carbonate facies and diagenetic fabrics that create reservoir heterogeneity. These small fields, and similar fields in the basin, are at high risk of premature abandonment. At least 200 million barrels (31.8 million m 3 ) of oil will be left behind in these small fields because current development practices leave compartments of the heterogeneous reservoirs undrained. Through proper geological evaluation of the reservoirs, production may be increased by 20 to 50 percent through the drilling of low-cost single or multilateral horizontal legs from existing vertical development wells. In addition, horizontal drilling from existing wells minimizes surface disturbances and costs for field development, particularly in the environmentally sensitive areas of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado

  5. A Methodology for the Assessment of Unconventional (Continuous) Resources with an Application to the Greater Natural Buttes Gas Field, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Olea, Ricardo A.; Cook, Troy A.; Coleman, James L.

    2010-01-01

    The Greater Natural Buttes tight natural gas field is an unconventional (continuous) accumulation in the Uinta Basin, Utah, that began production in the early 1950s from the Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Group. Three years later, production was extended to the Eocene Wasatch Formation. With the exclusion of 1100 non-productive ('dry') wells, we estimate that the final recovery from the 2500 producing wells existing in 2007 will be about 1.7 trillion standard cubic feet (TSCF) (48.2 billion cubic meters (BCM)). The use of estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) per well is common in assessments of unconventional resources, and it is one of the main sources of information to forecast undiscovered resources. Each calculated recovery value has an associated drainage area that generally varies from well to well and that can be mathematically subdivided into elemental subareas of constant size and shape called cells. Recovery per 5-acre cells at Greater Natural Buttes shows spatial correlation; hence, statistical approaches that ignore this correlation when inferring EUR values for untested cells do not take full advantage of all the information contained in the data. More critically, resulting models do not match the style of spatial EUR fluctuations observed in nature. This study takes a new approach by applying spatial statistics to model geographical variation of cell EUR taking into account spatial correlation and the influence of fractures. We applied sequential indicator simulation to model non-productive cells, while spatial mapping of cell EUR was obtained by applying sequential Gaussian simulation to provide multiple versions of reality (realizations) having equal chances of being the correct model. For each realization, summation of EUR in cells not drained by the existing wells allowed preparation of a stochastic prediction of undiscovered resources, which range between 2.6 and 3.4 TSCF (73.6 and 96.3 BCM) with a mean of 2.9 TSCF (82.1 BCM) for Greater Natural Buttes

  6. Regional Hydrology of the Green River-Moab Area, Northwestern Paradox Basin, Utah

    OpenAIRE

    United States Geological Survey

    1982-01-01

    The Green River-Moab area encompasses about 7,800 square kilometers or about 25 percent of the Paradox basin. The entire Paradox basin is a part of the Colorado Plateaus that is underlain by a thick sequence of evaporite (salt) beds of Pennsylvanian age. The rock units that underlie the area have been grouped into hydrogeologic units based on their water-transmitting ability. Confining beds consist of evaporite beds of mostly salt, and overlying and underlying thick sequences of rocks with...

  7. An Examination of Avoided Costs in Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bolinger, Mark; Wiser, Ryan

    2005-01-07

    The Utah Wind Working Group (UWWG) believes there are currently opportunities to encourage wind power development in the state by seeking changes to the avoided cost tariff paid to qualifying facilities (QFs). These opportunities have arisen as a result of a recent renegotiation of Pacificorp's Schedule 37 tariff for wind QFs under 3 MW, as well as an ongoing examination of Pacificorp's Schedule 38 tariff for wind QFs larger than 3 MW. It is expected that decisions made regarding Schedule 38 will also impact Schedule 37. Through the Laboratory Technical Assistance Program (Lab TAP), the UWWG has requested (through the Utah Energy Office) that LBNL provide technical assistance in determining whether an alternative method of calculating avoided costs that has been officially adopted in Idaho would lead to higher QF payments in Utah, and to discuss the pros and cons of this method relative to the methodology recently adopted under Schedule 37 in Utah. To accomplish this scope of work, I begin by summarizing the current method of calculating avoided costs in Utah (per Schedule 37) and Idaho (the ''surrogate avoided resource'' or SAR method). I then compare the two methods both qualitatively and quantitatively. Next I present Pacificorp's four main objections to the use of the SAR method, and discuss the reasonableness of each objection. Finally, I conclude with a few other potential considerations that might add value to wind QFs in Utah.

  8. DELIVERABLE 1.2.3 SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY AND PORE CASTING: CHEROKEE AND BUG FIELDS, SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chidsey, Thomas C. Jr; Eby, David E.; Taylor, Louis H.

    2003-01-01

    Over 400 million barrels (64 million m 3 ) of oil have been produced from the shallow-shelf carbonate reservoirs in the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation in the Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado. With the exception of the giant Greater Aneth field, the other 100 plus oil fields in the basin typically contain 2 to 10 million barrels (0.3-1.6 million m 3 ) of original oil in place. Most of these fields are characterized by high initial production rates followed by a very short productive life (primary), and hence premature abandonment. Only 15 to 25 percent of the original oil in place is recoverable during primary production from conventional vertical wells. An extensive and successful horizontal drilling program has been conducted in the giant Greater Aneth field. However, to date, only two horizontal wells have been drilled in small Ismay and Desert Creek fields. The results from these wells were disappointing due to poor understanding of the carbonate facies and diagenetic fabrics that create reservoir heterogeneity. These small fields, and similar fields in the basin, are at high risk of premature abandonment. At least 200 million barrels (31.8 million m 3 ) of oil will be left behind in these small fields because current development practices leave compartments of the heterogeneous reservoirs undrained. Through proper geological evaluation of the reservoirs, production may be increased by 20 to 50 percent through the drilling of low-cost single or multilateral horizontal legs from existing vertical development wells. In addition, horizontal drilling from existing wells minimizes surface disturbances and costs for field development, particularly in the environmentally sensitive areas of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado

  9. Vegetative communities, Davis and Lavender Canyons, Paradox Basin, Utah: ecosystem studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-04-01

    The major vegetative communities of Davis and Lavender canyons located in southeastern Utah are characterized. The report identifies potential secondary impacts and appropriate mitigation options. The Davis Canyon and Lavender Canyon Study Area contains nine major vegetative communities: galleta-shadscale, juniper-blackbrush, juniper-shadscale-ephedra, shadscale-ephedra, grayia-shadscale, juniper, drywash, greasewood, and riparian. The natural recovery times of these communities are exceedingly long. Natural reinvasion of various species would take from 15 to 100 years. No threatened or endangered plant species were identified in the study area. Davis and Lavender canyons have been subject to off-road vehicle activity and extensive grazing. The plant communities may be subject to additional impacts as a result of increased human activity and off-highway activities such as camping, hiking, and hunting could result in changes in cover, composition, and frequency of plant species. Mitigation options for potential impacts include shuttle-busing workers to the site from the highway and fencing site access roads to prevent vehicles from leaving the roads

  10. Using 87Sr/86Sr ratios to investigate changes in stream chemistry during snowmelt in the Provo River, Utah, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hale, C. A.; Carling, G. T.; Fernandez, D. P.; Nelson, S.; Aanderud, Z.; Tingey, D. G.; Dastrup, D.

    2017-12-01

    Water chemistry in mountain streams is variable during spring snowmelt as shallow groundwater flow paths are activated in the watershed, introducing solutes derived from soil water. Sr isotopes and other tracers can be used to differentiate waters that have interacted with soils and dust (shallow groundwater) and bedrock (deep groundwater). To investigate processes controlling water chemistry during snowmelt, we analyzed 87Sr/86Sr ratios, Sr and other trace element concentrations in bulk snowpack, dust, soil, soil water, ephemeral channels, and river water during snowmelt runoff in the upper Provo River watershed in northern Utah, USA, over four years (2014-2017). Strontium concentrations in the river averaged 20 ppb during base flow and decreased to 10 ppb during snowmelt runoff. 87Sr/86Sr ratios were around 0.717 during base flow and decreased to 0.715 in 2014 and 0.713 in 2015 and 2016 during snowmelt, trending towards less radiogenic values of mineral dust inputs in the Uinta Mountain soils. Ephemeral channels, representing shallow flow paths with soil water inputs, had Sr concentrations between 7-20 ppb and 87Sr/86Sr ratios between 0.713-0.716. Snowpack Sr concentrations were generally soils that contain accumulated dust deposits with a less radiogenic 87Sr/86Sr ratio. These results suggest that flow paths and atmospheric dust are important to consider when investigating variable solute loads in mountain streams.

  11. Environmental assessment: Davis Canyon site, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1986-05-01

    In February 1983, the US Department of Energy (DOE) identified the Davis Canyon site in Utah as one of the nine potentially acceptable sites for a mined geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. To determine their suitability, the Davis Canyon site and the eight other potentially acceptable sites have been evaluated in accordance with the DOE's General Guidelines for the Recommendation of Sites for the Nuclear Waste Repositories. These evaluations were reported in draft environmental assessments (EAs), which were issued for public review and comment. After considering the comments received on the draft EAs, the DOE prepared the final EA. The Davis Canyon site is in the Paradox Basin, which is one of five distinct geohydrologic settings considered for the first repository. This setting contains one other potentially acceptable site -- the Lavender Canyon site. Although the Lavender Canyon site is suitable for site characterization, the DOE has concluded that the Davis Canyon site is the preferred site in the Paradox Basin. On the basis of the evaluations reported in this EA, the DOE has found that the Davis Canyon site is not disqualified under the guidelines. Furthermore, the DOE has fond that the site is suitable for site characterization because the evidence does not support a conclusion that the site will not be able to meet each of the qualifying conditions specified in the guidelines. On the basis of these findings, the DOE is nominating the Davis Canyon site as one of five sites suitable for characterization. 181 figs., 175 tabs

  12. Environmental assessment: Davis Canyon site, Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    none,

    1986-05-01

    In February 1983, the US Department of Energy (DOE) identified the Davis Canyon site in Utah as one of the nine potentially acceptable sites for a mined geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high- level radioactive waste. To determine their suitability, the Davis Canyon site and the eight other potentially acceptable sites have been evaluated in accordance with the DOE's General Guidelines for the Recommendation of Sites for the Nuclear Waste Repositories. These evaluations were reported in draft environmental assessments (EAs), which were issued for public review and comment. After considering the comments received on the draft EAs, the DOE prepared the final EA. The Davis Canyon site is in the Paradox Basin, which is one of five distinct geohydrologic settings considered for the first repository. This setting contains one other potentially acceptable site -- the Lavender Canyon site. Although the Lavender Canyon site is suitable for site characterization, the DOE has concluded that the Davis Canyon site is the preferred site in the Paradox Basin. On the basis of the evaluations reported in this EA, the DOE has found that the Davis Canyon site is not disqualified under the guidelines. Furthermore, the DOE has found that the site is suitable for site characterization because the evidence does not support a conclusion that the site will not be able to meet each of the qualifying conditions specified in the guidelines. On the basis of these findings, the DOE is nominating the Davis Canyon site as one of the five sites suitable for characterization.

  13. Environmental assessment: Davis Canyon site, Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    none,

    1986-05-01

    In February 1983, the US Department of Energy (DOE) identified the Davis Canyon site in Utah as one of the nine potentially acceptable sites for a mined geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. To determine their suitability, the Davis Canyon site and the eight other potentially acceptable sites have been evaluated in accordance with the DOE's General Guidelines for the Recommendation of Sites for the Nuclear Waste Repositories. These evaluations were reported in draft environmental assessments (EAs), which were issued for public review and comment. After considering the comments received on the draft EAs, the DOE prepared the final EA. The Davis Canyon site is in the Paradox Basin, which is one of five distinct geohydrologic settings considered for the first repository. This setting contains one other potentially acceptable site -- the Lavender Canyon site. Although the Lavender Canyon site is suitable for site characterization, the DOE has concluded that the Davis Canyon site is the preferred site in the Paradox Basin. On the basis of the evaluations reported in this EA, the DOE has found that the Davis Canyon site is not disqualified under the guidelines. Furthermore, the DOE has fond that the site is suitable for site characterization because the evidence does not support a conclusion that the site will not be able to meet each of the qualifying conditions specified in the guidelines. On the basis of these findings, the DOE is nominating the Davis Canyon site as one of five sites suitable for characterization. 181 figs., 175 tabs.

  14. Environmental assessment: Davis Canyon site, Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    none,

    1986-05-01

    In February 1983, the US Department of Energy (DOE) identified the Davis Canyon site in Utah as one of the nine potentially acceptable sites for a mined geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. To determine their suitability, the Davis Canyon site and the eight other potentially acceptable sites have been evaluated in accordance with the DOE's General Guidelines for the Recommendation of Sites for the Nuclear Waste Repositories. These evaluations were reported in draft environmental assessments (EAs), which were issued for public review and comment. After considering the comments received on the draft EAs, the DOE prepared the final EA. The Davis Canyon site is in the Paradox Basin, which is one of five distinct geohydrologic settings considering for the first repository. This setting contains one other potentially acceptable site -- the Lavender Canyon site. Although the Lavender Canyon site is suitable for site characterization, the DOE has concluded that the Davis Canyon site is the preferred site in the Paradox Basin. On the basis of the evaluations reported in this EA, the DOE has found that the Davis Canyon site is not disqualified under the guidelines. Furthermore, the DOE has found that the site is suitable for site characterization because the evidence does not support a conclusion that the site will not be able to meet each of the qualifying conditions specified in the guidelines. On the basis of these findings, the DOE is nominating the Davis Canyon site as one of five sites suitable for characterization.

  15. Environmental assessment: Davis Canyon site, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1986-05-01

    In February 1983, the US Department of Energy (DOE) identified the Davis Canyon site in Utah as one of the nine potentially acceptable sites for a mined geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. To determine their suitability, the Davis Canyon site and the eight other potentially acceptable sites have been evaluated in accordance with the DOE's General Guidelines for the Recommendation of Sites for the Nuclear Waste Repositories. These evaluations were reported in draft environmental assessments (EAs), which were issued for public review and comment. After considering the comments received on the draft EAs, the DOE prepared the final EA. The Davis Canyon site is in the Paradox Basin, which is one of five distinct geohydrologic settings considering for the first repository. This setting contains one other potentially acceptable site -- the Lavender Canyon site. Although the Lavender Canyon site is suitable for site characterization, the DOE has concluded that the Davis Canyon site is the preferred site in the Paradox Basin. On the basis of the evaluations reported in this EA, the DOE has found that the Davis Canyon site is not disqualified under the guidelines. Furthermore, the DOE has found that the site is suitable for site characterization because the evidence does not support a conclusion that the site will not be able to meet each of the qualifying conditions specified in the guidelines. On the basis of these findings, the DOE is nominating the Davis Canyon site as one of five sites suitable for characterization

  16. Environmental assessment: Davis Canyon site, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1986-05-01

    In February 1983, the US Department of Energy (DOE) identified the Davis Canyon site in Utah as one of the nine potentially acceptable sites for a mined geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high- level radioactive waste. To determine their suitability, the Davis Canyon site and the eight other potentially acceptable sites have been evaluated in accordance with the DOE's General Guidelines for the Recommendation of Sites for the Nuclear Waste Repositories. These evaluations were reported in draft environmental assessments (EAs), which were issued for public review and comment. After considering the comments received on the draft EAs, the DOE prepared the final EA. The Davis Canyon site is in the Paradox Basin, which is one of five distinct geohydrologic settings considered for the first repository. This setting contains one other potentially acceptable site -- the Lavender Canyon site. Although the Lavender Canyon site is suitable for site characterization, the DOE has concluded that the Davis Canyon site is the preferred site in the Paradox Basin. On the basis of the evaluations reported in this EA, the DOE has found that the Davis Canyon site is not disqualified under the guidelines. Furthermore, the DOE has found that the site is suitable for site characterization because the evidence does not support a conclusion that the site will not be able to meet each of the qualifying conditions specified in the guidelines. On the basis of these findings, the DOE is nominating the Davis Canyon site as one of the five sites suitable for characterization

  17. Preliminary isostatic gravity map of the Grouse Creek and east part of the Jackpot 30 by 60 quadrangles, Box Elder County, Utah, and Cassia County, Idaho

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langenheim, Victoria; Willis, H.; Athens, N.D.; Chuchel, Bruce A.; Roza, J.; Hiscock, H.I.; Hardwick, C.L.; Kraushaar, S.M.; Knepprath, N.E.; Rosario, Jose J.

    2013-01-01

    A new isostatic residual gravity map of the northwest corner of Utah is based on compilation of preexisting data and new data collected by the Utah and United States Geological Surveys. Pronounced gravity lows occur over Junction, Grouse Creek, and upper Raft River Valleys, indicating significant thickness of low-density Tertiary sedimentary rocks and deposits. Gravity highs coincide with exposures of dense pre-Cenozoic rocks in the Raft River Mountains. Higher values in the eastern part of the map may be produced in part by deeper crustal density variations or crustal thinning. Steep linear gravity gradients coincide with mapped Neogene normal faults near Goose Creek and may define basin-bounding faults concealed beneath Junction and Upper Raft River Valleys.

  18. Clumped isotopes reveal the influence of deformation style on fluid flow and cementation along the Moab Fault, Paradox Basin, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huntington, K. W.; Bergman, S.; Crider, J. G.

    2012-12-01

    Brittle fault systems can serve as either conduits or barriers to fluid flow, impacting mass and heat transfer in the crust and influencing the potential storage and migration of hydrocarbons and geothermal fluids. For fault systems in porous sandstones, different classes of structures control both hydrological and mechanical behavior during fault evolution: while cataclastic deformation bands form zones of localized deformation and crushed grains that reduce permeability within and across fault zones, joints can act as significant conduits for fluid. We investigate the relationship between structures and fluid flow in porous sandstones by studying calcite cements along the Moab Fault, a large normal fault system in the Paradox Basin, Utah. We use clumped isotope thermometry of fault cements to independently determine both the temperature and δ18O of the water from which the cements grew, placing new constraints on the source and path of diagenetic fluids in the basin. Based on fluid inclusion micro-thermometry and stable isotopic analysis of calcite cements from the Moab Fault, previous workers have hypothesized that joints served as conduits for the ascension of warm (84-125 °C) basinal fluids and deeply circulating meteoric waters. At the minor joint-dominated fault segment from which these data were collected, clumped isotope temperatures range from 57±10 to 101±2°C (2 SE), consistent with this hypothesis. However, at the nearby intersection of two major fault segments - in a zone characterized by both deformation bands and abundant joints - we find a broad range of temperatures (12±4 to 78±4°C) that vary spatially with distance from the fault and correlate with variations in secondary deformation structures (joints and deformation bands). These data provide the first evidence for cement growth from Earth surface-temperature fluids along the Moab Fault and suggests that the Fault served as a conduit for both ascending and descending fluids. The spatial

  19. DELIVERABLE 1.2.4 CARBON AND OXYGEN ISOTOPIC ANALYSIS: BUG, CHEROKEE, AND PATTERSON CANYON FIELDS, SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eby, David E.; Chidsey, Thomas C. Jr; Kevin McClure; Morgan, Craig D.; Nelson, Stephen T.

    2003-01-01

    Over 400 million barrels (64 million m 3 ) of oil have been produced from the shallow-shelf carbonate reservoirs in the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation in the Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado. With the exception of the giant Greater Aneth field, the other 100 plus oil fields in the basin typically contain 2 to 10 million barrels (0.3-1.6 million m 3 ) of original oil in place. Most of these fields are characterized by high initial production rates followed by a very short productive life (primary), and hence premature abandonment. Only 15 to 25 percent of the original oil in place is recoverable during primary production from conventional vertical wells. An extensive and successful horizontal drilling program has been conducted in the giant Greater Aneth field. However, to date, only two horizontal wells have been drilled in small Ismay and Desert Creek fields. The results from these wells were disappointing due to poor understanding of the carbonate facies and diagenetic fabrics that create reservoir heterogeneity. These small fields, and similar fields in the basin, are at high risk of premature abandonment. At least 200 million barrels (31.8 million m 3 ) of oil will be left behind in these small fields because current development practices leave compartments of the heterogeneous reservoirs undrained. Through proper geological evaluation of the reservoirs, production may be increased by 20 to 50 percent through the drilling of low-cost single or multilateral horizontal legs from existing vertical development wells. In addition, horizontal drilling from existing wells minimizes surface disturbances and costs for field development, particularly in the environmentally sensitive areas of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado

  20. Annotated geothermal bibliography of Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Budding, K.E.; Bugden, M.H. (comps.)

    1986-01-01

    The bibliography includes all the Utah geothermal references through 1984. Some 1985 citations are listed. Geological, geophysical, and tectonic maps and reports are included if they cover a high-temperature thermal area. The references are indexed geographically either under (1) United States (national studies), (2) regional - western United States or physiographic province, (3) Utah - statewide and regional, or (4) county. Reports concerning a particular hot spring or thermal area are listed under both the thermal area and the county names.

  1. HCMM hydrological analysis in Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1982-01-01

    Data reduction and preliminary comparisons and correlations of Heat Capacity Mapping Mission data to ground truth measurements were made. The data covered Utah Lake and the surrounding area. Output modes include a digital hard copy record of the intensity value for each pixel and color graphics. Analyses of non-diatom net plankton (algae), turbidity, nitrogen, phosphorus, and temperatures were made. In addition, infrared data for the agricultural area around Utah lake were also preliminarily examined and compared to depth to groundwater data

  2. Hydrologic properties and ground-water flow systems of the Paleozoic rocks in the upper Colorado River basin in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, excluding the San Juan Basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geldon, Arthur L.

    2003-01-01

    The hydrologic properties and ground-water flow systems of Paleozoic sedimentary rocks in the Upper Colorado River Basin were investigated under the Regional Aquifer-System Analysis (RASA) program of the U.S. Geological Survey in anticipation of the development of water supplies from bedrock aquifers to fulfill the region's growing water demands. The study area, in parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, covers about 100,000 square miles. It includes parts of four physiographic provinces--the Middle Rocky Mountains, Wyoming Basin, Southern Rocky Mountains, and Colorado Plateaus. A variety of landforms, including mountains, plateaus, mesas, cuestas, plains, badlands, and canyons, are present. Altitudes range from 3,100 to 14,500 feet. Precipitation is distributed orographically and ranges from less than 6 inches per year at lower altitudes to more than 60 inches per year in some mountainous areas. Most of the infrequent precipitation at altitudes of less than 6,000 feet is consumed by evapotranspiration. The Colorado and Green Rivers are the principal streams: the 1964-82 average discharge of the Colorado River where it leaves the Upper Colorado River Basin is 12,170 cubic feet per second (a decrease of 5,680 cubic feet per second since construction of Glen Canyon Dam in 1963). On the basis of their predominant lithologic and hydrologic properties, the Paleozoic rocks are classified into four aquifers and three confining units. The Flathead aquifer, Gros Ventre confining unit, Bighorn aquifer, Elbert-Parting confining unit, and Madison aquifer (Redwall-Leadville and Darwin-Humbug zones) make up the Four Corners aquifer system. A thick sequence, composed mostly of Mississippian and Pennsylvanian shale, anhydrite, halite, and carbonate rocks--the Four Corners confining unit (Belden-Molas and Paradox-Eagle Valley subunits)--overlies the Four Corners aquifer system in most areas and inhibits vertical ground-water flow between the Four Corners aquifer

  3. Uranium favorability of the San Rafael Swell area, east-central Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mickle, D.G.; Jones, C.A.; Gallagher, G.L.; Young, P.; Dubyk, W.S.

    1977-10-01

    The San Rafael Swell project area in east-central Utah is approximately 3,000 sq mi and includes the San Rafael Swell anticline and the northern part of the Waterpocket Fold monocline at Capitol Reef. Rocks in the area are predominantly sedimentary rocks of Pennsylvanian through Cretaceous age. Important deposits of uranium in the project area are restricted to two formations, the Chinle (Triassic) and Morrison (Jurassic) Formations. A third formation, the White Rim Sandstone (Permian), was also studied because of reported exploration activity. The White Rim Sandstone is considered generally unfavorable on the basis of lithologic characteristics, distance from a possible source of uranium, lack of apparent mineralization, and the scarcity of anomalies on gamma-ray logs or in rock, water, and stream-sediment samples. The lower Chinle from the Moss Back Member down to the base of the formation is favorable because it is a known producer. New areas for exploration are all subsurface. Both Salt Wash and Brushy Basin Members of the Morrison Formation are favorable. The Salt Wash Member is favorable because it is a known producer. The Brushy Basin Member is favorable as a low-grade resource

  4. Data from modeling

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Simulation output from CMAQ runs for Uinta Basin. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Matichuk, R., G. Tonnesen, D. Luecken, R. Gilliam, S....

  5. Aeromagnetic map of northwest Utah and adjacent parts of Nevada and Idaho

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langenheim, Victoria

    2016-01-01

    Two aeromagnetic surveys were flown to promote further understanding of the geology and structure in northwest Utah and adjacent parts of Nevada and Idaho by serving as a basis for geophysical interpretations and by supporting geological mapping, water and mineral resource investigations, and other topical studies. Although this area is in general sparsely populated, (except for cities and towns along the Wasatch Front such as Ogden and Brigham City), it encompasses metamorphic core complexes in the Grouse Creek and Raft River Mountains (figure 1) of interest to earth scientists studying Cenozoic extension. The region was shaken in 1909 and 1934 by M6+ earthquakes east of the Hansel Mountains (Doser, 1989; Arabasz and others, 1994); damage from the 1934 earthquake occurred as far east as Logan, Utah (http:// www.seis.utah.edu/lqthreat/nehrp_htm/1934hans/n1934ha1. shtml#urbse). The presence of Quaternary shield volcanoes and bimodal Pleistocene volcanism in Curlew Valley (Miller and others, 1995; Felger and others, 2016) as well as relatively high temperature gradients encountered in the Indian Cove drillhole in the north arm of Great Salt Lake (Blackett and others, 2014) may indicate some potential for geothermal energy development in the area (Miller and others, 1995). The area also hosts four significant mining districts, in the northern Pilot Range, the Goose Creek Mountains in the northwest corner of the map, the southern end of the Promontory Mountains, and the southwest part of the Raft River Mountains, although production notably waned after World War II (Doelling, 1980). Other prospects of interest include those in the southern Grouse Creek Mountains, Silver Island, and the northern Newfoundland Mountains.Large areas of northwest Utah are covered by young, surficial deposits or by Great Salt Lake or are down-dropped into deep Cenozoic basins, making extrapolation of bedrock geology from widely spaced exposures difficult or tenuous (figure 1). Local spatial

  6. Regional hydrology of the Dolores River Basin, eastern Paradox Basin, Colorado and Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weir, J.E. Jr.; Maxfield, E.B.; Zimmerman, E.A.

    1983-01-01

    The Dolores River Basin, is in the eastern part of the Paradox Basin and includes the eastern slope of the La Sal Mountains, the western slopes of the Rico and La Plata Mountains, and the southwest flank of the Uncompahgre Plateau. The climate of this area is more humid than most of the surrounding Colorado Plateau region. Precipitation ranges from slightly 200 mm/yr to 1000 mm/yr; the estimated volume of water falling on the area is 4000 x 10 6 cm 3 /yr. Of this total, about 600 x 10 6 cm 3 /yr is runoff; 190 x 10 6 cm 3 /yr recharges the upper ground-water system; and an estimated 55 x 10 6 cm 3 returns to the atmosphere via evapotranspiration from stream valleys. The remainder evaporates. Principal hydrogeologic units are permeable sandstone and limestone and nearly impermeable salt (halitic) deposits. Structurally, the area is dominated by northwest-trending salt anticlines and contiguous faults paralleled by synclinal structures. The Uncompahgre Plateau lies along the north and northeast sides of the area. The instrusive masses that form the La Sal Mountains are laccoliths with bysmaliths and other complex intrusive forms comprising, in gross form, moderately faulted omal structures. Intrusive rocks underlie the La Plata and Rico Mountains along the southeastern edge of the area. These geologic structures significantly modify ground-water flow patterns in the upper ground-water system, but have no conspicuous effect on the flow regime in the lower ground-water system. The water in the upper ground-water system generally is fresh except where it is affected by evaporite dissolution from salt anticlines. The water of the lower ground-water system is slightly saline to briny. Water quality of the Dolores River is slightly saline to fresh, based on dissolved chemical constituents; some of the smaller tributaries of the river have saline water

  7. Geology and total petroleum systems of the Paradox Basin, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whidden, Katherine J.; Lillis, Paul G.; Anna, Lawrence O.; Pearson, Krystal M.; Dubiel, Russell F.

    2014-01-01

    The geological model for the development of the Total Petroleum Systems (TPSs) within the Paradox Basin formed the foundation of the recent U.S. Geological Survey assessment of undiscovered, technically recoverable resources in the basin. Five TPSs were defined, of which three have known production and two are hypothetical. These TPSs are based on geologic elements of the basin and the potential development of Precambrian, Devonian, Pennsylvanian, Permian-Mississippian, and Cretaceous source rock intervals.

  8. Geological status of NWTS repository siting activities in the paradox basin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frazier, N.A.; Conwell, F.R.

    1981-01-01

    Emplacement of waste packages in mined geological repositories is one method being evaluated for isolating high-level nuclear wastes. Granite, dome salt, tuff, basalt and bedded salt are among the rock types being investigated. Described in this paper is the status of geological activities in the Paradox Basin of Utah and Colorado, one region being explored as a part of the National Waste Terminal Storage (NWTS) program to site a geological repository in bedded salt

  9. Geohydrology and numerical simulation of groundwater flow in the central Virgin River Basin of Iron and Washington Counties, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heilweil, V.M.; Freethey, G.W.; Wilkowske, C.D.; Stolp, B.J.; Wilberg, D.E.

    2000-01-01

    Because rapid growth of communities in Washington and Iron Counties, Utah, is expected to cause an increase in the future demand for water resources, a hydrologic investigation was done to better understand ground-water resources within the central Virgin River basin. This study focused on two of the principal ground-water reservoirs within the basin: the upper Ash Creek basin ground-water system and the Navajo and Kayenta aquifer system.The ground-water system of the upper Ash Creek drainage basin consists of three aquifers: the uppermost Quaternary basin-fill aquifer, the Tertiary alluvial-fan aquifer, and the Tertiary Pine Valley monzonite aquifer. These aquifers are naturally bounded by the Hurricane Fault and by drainage divides. On the basis of measurements, estimates, and numerical simulations of reasonable values for all inflow and outflow components, total water moving through the upper Ash Creek drainage basin ground-water system is estimated to be about 14,000 acre-feet per year. Recharge to the upper Ash Creek drainage basin ground-water system is mostly from infiltration of precipitation and seepage from ephemeral and perennial streams. The primary source of discharge is assumed to be evapotranspiration; however, subsurface discharge near Ash Creek Reservoir also may be important.The character of two of the hydrologic boundaries of the upper Ash Creek drainage basin ground-water system is speculative. The eastern boundary provided by the Hurricane Fault is assumed to be a no-flow boundary, and a substantial part of the ground-water discharge from the system is assumed to be subsurface outflow beneath Ash Creek Reservoir along the southern boundary. However, these assumptions might be incorrect because alternative numerical simulations that used different boundary conditions also proved to be feasible. The hydrogeologic character of the aquifers is uncertain because of limited data. Differences in well yield indicate that there is considerable

  10. Geology of the central Mineral Mountains, Beaver County, Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sibbett, B.S.; Nielson, D.L.

    1980-03-01

    The Mineral Mountains are located in Beaver and Millard Counties, southwestern Utah. The range is a horst located in the transition zone between the Basin and Range and Colorado Plateau geologic provinces. A multiple-phase Tertiary pluton forms most of the range, with Paleozoic rocks exposed on the north and south and Precambrian metamorphic rocks on the west in the Roosevelt Hot Springs KGRA (Known Geothermal Resource Area). Precambrian banded gneiss and Cambrian carbonate rocks have been intruded by foliated granodioritic to monzonitic rocks of uncertain age. The Tertiary pluton consists of six major phases of quartz monzonitic to leucocratic granitic rocks, two diorite stocks, and several more mafic units that form dikes. During uplift of the mountain block, overlying rocks and the upper part of the pluton were partially removed by denudation faulting to the west. The interplay of these low-angle faults and younger northerly trending Basin and Range faults is responsible for the structural control of the Roosevelt Hot Springs geothermal system. The structural complexity of the Roosevelt Hot Springs KGRA is unique within the range, although the same tectonic style continues throughout the range. During the Quaternary, rhyolite volcanism was active in the central part of the range and basaltic volcanism occurred in the northern portion of the map area. The heat source for the geothermal system is probably related to the Quaternary rhyolite volcanic activity.

  11. Stratigraphy, structure, and lithofacies relationships of Devonian through Permian sedimentary rocks: Paradox Basin and adjacent areas - southeastern Utah. Technical report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McCleary, J.; Rogers, T.; Ely, R.

    1983-08-01

    Geophysical well log analysis, literature review, and field work were conducted to develop isopach, structure contour, outcrop, and facies maps and cross sections for the Devonian through Permian strata of a 14,586-km 2 (5632-square-mile) area in southeastern Utah. The study area includes part of the Paradox Basin, the salt deposits of which are of interest in siting studies for a nuclear waste repository. For this reason hydrologic models of this area are needed. This study, part of which included the development of a three-dimensional stratigraphic computer model utilizing Geographic Information System software, can serve as a base for hydrologic or other models for this area. Within and adjacent to the study area, 730 wells were screened to select the 191 wells analyzed for the study. It was found that the Elbert through Molas formations did not exhibit noticeable facies changes within the study area. The Pinkerton Trail Formation exhibits moderate changes: anhydrite and shale become somewhat more abundant toward the northeast. Facies changes in the Paradox Formation are more dramatic. Thick saline facies deposits are present in the northeast, grading to thinner anhydrite and then to carbonate facies in the south and west. The lithology of the Honaker Trail Formation appears to be fairly uniform throughout the area. Facies changes in the Cutler Group are numerous and sometimes dramatic, and generally correspond to the named formations of the group. Other factors that could affect groundwater flow, such as stratigraphic cover of fine-grained rocks, area of formation outcrops, and fracturing and faulting are discussed and delineated on maps

  12. Selected hydrologic data for the central Virgin River basin area, Washington and Iron counties, Utah, 1915-97

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkowske, Christopher D.; Heilweil, Victor M.; Wilberg, Dale E.

    1998-01-01

    Hydrologic data were collected in Washington and Iron Counties, Utah, from 1995 to 1997 to better understand the hydrologic system. Data from earlier years also are presented. Data collected from wells include well-completion data, water-level measurements, and physical properties of the water. Data collected from springs and surface-water sites include discharge and physical properties of the water. Selected water samples collected from ground- and surface-water sites were analyzed for isotopes, chlorofluorocarbons, and dissolved gases.

  13. Volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions characterization during the flow-back phase of a hydraulically refractured well in the Uintah Basin, Utah using mobile PTR-MS measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geiger, F.; Warneke, C.; Brown, S. S.; De Gouw, J. A.; Dube, W. P.; Edwards, P.; Gilman, J.; Graus, M.; Helleis, F.; Kofler, J.; Lerner, B. M.; Orphal, J.; Petron, G.; Roberts, J. M.; Zahn, A.

    2014-12-01

    Ongoing improvements in advanced technologies for crude oil and natural gas extraction from unconventional reserves, such as directional drilling and hydraulic fracturing, have greatly increased the production of fossil fuels within recent years. The latest forecasts even estimate an enhancement of 56% in total natural gas production due to increased development of shale gas, tight gas and offshore natural gas resources from 2012 to 2040 with the largest contribution from shale formations [US EIA: Annual Energy Outlook 2014]. During the field intensive 'Energy and Environment - Uintah Basin Winter Ozone Study (UBWOS)', measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were made using proton-transfer-reactions mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) at the ground site Horse Pool and using a mobile laboratory in the Uintah Basin, Utah, which is a region well known for intense fossil fuel production. A reworked gas well in the Red Wash fields was sampled regularly within two weeks performing mobile laboratory measurements downwind of the well site. The well had been recently hydraulically refractured at that time and waste water was collected into an open flow-back pond. Very high mixing ratios of aromatic hydrocarbons (C6-C13) up to the ppm range were observed coming from condensate and flow-back reservoirs. The measurements are used to determine sources of specific VOC emissions originating from the different parts of the well site and mass spectra are used to classify the air composition in contrast to samples taken at the Horse Pool field site and crude oil samples from South Louisiana. Enhancement ratios and time series of measured peak values for aromatics showed no clear trend, which indicates changes in emissions with operations at the site.

  14. 75 FR 64741 - Notice of Utah's Resource Advisory Council (RAC) Subcommittee Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-20

    ...: The UDAF is located at 350 North Redwood Road, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION... 45155, Salt Lake City, Utah 84145-0155; phone (801) 539-4195. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Utah RAC...

  15. Growing Safflower in Utah

    OpenAIRE

    Pace, M. G.; Israelsen, C. E.; Creech, E.; Allen, N.

    2015-01-01

    This fact sheet provides information on growing safflower in Utah. It has become popular on dryland farms in rotation with winter wheat. Safflower seed provides three products, oil, meal, and birdseed.

  16. NORTH HILL CREEK 3-D SEISMIC EXPLORATION PROJECT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marc T. Eckels; David H. Suek; Denise H. Harrison; Paul J. Harrison

    2004-05-06

    Wind River Resources Corporation (WRRC) received a DOE grant in support of its proposal to acquire, process and interpret fifteen square miles of high-quality 3-D seismic data on non-allotted trust lands of the Uintah and Ouray (Ute) Indian Reservation, northeastern Utah, in 2000. Subsequent to receiving notice that its proposal would be funded, WRRC was able to add ten square miles of adjacent state and federal mineral acreage underlying tribal surface lands by arrangement with the operator of the Flat Rock Field. The twenty-five square mile 3-D seismic survey was conducted during the fall of 2000. The data were processed through the winter of 2000-2001, and initial interpretation took place during the spring of 2001. The initial interpretation identified multiple attractive drilling prospects, two of which were staked and permitted during the summer of 2001. The two initial wells were drilled in September and October of 2001. A deeper test was drilled in June of 2002. Subsequently a ten-well deep drilling evaluation program was conducted from October of 2002 through March 2004. The present report discusses the background of the project; design and execution of the 3-D seismic survey; processing and interpretation of the data; and drilling, completion and production results of a sample of the wells drilled on the basis of the interpreted survey. Fifteen wells have been drilled to test targets identified on the North Hill Creek 3-D Seismic Survey. None of these wildcat exploratory wells has been a dry hole, and several are among the best gas producers in Utah. The quality of the data produced by this first significant exploratory 3-D survey in the Uinta Basin has encouraged other operators to employ this technology. At least two additional 3-D seismic surveys have been completed in the vicinity of the North Hill Creek Survey, and five additional surveys are being planned for the 2004 field season. This project was successful in finding commercial oil, natural gas

  17. National Waterways Study. Commercial Water Transportation Users.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1981-08-01

    green and stored in covered or pit silos for feed. When corn in used for its grain only, the ears are picked off the plant and the corn is shelled from...among -egions creates a need for the domestic transportation of products and crude to satisfy 206 net demand. The actual behavor of the regions may...distributed as follows: 531 million tons of reserves in the Green River-Hams Fork region (Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado); 109 million tons in the Uinta

  18. Testing the Extensional Detachment Paradigm: A Borehole Observatory in the Sevier Desert Basin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gianreto Manatschal

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Low-angle normal faults or detachments are widely regarded as playing an important role in crustal extension and the development of rifted continental margins (Manatschal et al., 2007. However, no consensus exists on how to resolve the mechanical paradox implied by the gentledips of these faults and by the general absence of evidence for associated seismicity (Sibson, 1985; Wernicke, 1995; Axen, 2004. As part of a new initiative to rationalize geological and geophysical evidence and our theoretical understanding of how rocks deform, a group of forty-seven scientists and drilling experts from five countries met for four days on 15–18 July 2008 to discuss the present status of the paradox and a borehole-based strategy for resolving it. The workshop was held at two venues in Utah (the Utah Department ofNatural Resources in Salt Lake City, and Solitude Mountain Resort in the adjacent Wasatch Range, with a one-day field trip to the Sevier Desert basin of west-central Utah (Figs. 1, 2 to examine the general setting of potential drill sites and the footwall geology of the Sevier Desert detachment (Canyon Range.

  19. Geohydrology and numerical simulation of ground-water flow in the central Virgin River basin of Iron and Washington Countries, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heilweil, V.M.; Freethey, G.W.; Wilkowske, C.D.; Stolp, B.J.; Wilberg, D.E.

    2000-01-01

    Because rapid growth of communities in Washington and Iron Counties, Utah, is expected to cause an increase in the future demand for water resources, a hydrologic investigation was done to better understand ground-water resources within the central Virgin River basin. This study focused on two of the principal ground-water reservoirs within the basin: the upper Ash Creek basin ground-water system and the Navajo and Kayenta aquifer system. The ground-water system of the upper Ash Creek drainage basin consists of three aquifers: the uppermost Quaternary basin-fill aquifer, the Tertiary alluvial-fan aquifer, and the Tertiary Pine Valley monzonite aquifer. These aquifers are naturally bounded by the Hurricane Fault and by drainage divides. On the basis of measurements, estimates, and numerical simulations of reasonable values for all inflow and outflow components, total water moving through the upper Ash Creek drainage basin ground-water system is estimated to be about 14,000 acre-feet per year. Recharge to the upper Ash Creek drainage basin ground-water system is mostly from infiltration of precipitation and seepage from ephemeral and perennial streams. The primary source of discharge is assumed to be evapotranspiration; however, subsurface discharge near Ash Creek Reservoir also may be important. The character of two of the hydrologic boundaries of the upper Ash Creek drainage basin ground-water system is speculative. The eastern boundary provided by the Hurricane Fault is assumed to be a no-flow boundary, and a substantial part of the ground-water discharge from the system is assumed to be subsurface outflow beneath Ash Creek Reservoir along the southern boundary. However, these assumptions might be incorrect because alternative numerical simulations that used different boundary conditions also proved to be feasible. The hydrogeologic character of the aquifers is uncertain because of limited data. Difference in well yield indicate that there is considerable

  20. Wolves in Utah: An analysis of potential impacts and recommendations for management

    OpenAIRE

    Switalski, T. Adam; Simmons, Trey; Duncan, Shiree L.; Chavez, Andreas S.; Schmidt, Robert H.

    2002-01-01

    The historic range of gray wolves (Canis lupus) in Utah was essentially statewide. Although their presence cannot be disputed, the historic abundance of wolves in Utah is unknown. The release of gray wolves into Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho in 1995 established growing populations, and increasing dispersal is bringing these wolves closer to Utah. It seems likely that wolves will commingle with Utah's other native mammals in the near future. The potential presence of wolves in Ut...

  1. Technical basis for high-level waste repository land control requirements for Palo Duro Basin, Paradox Basin, and Richton Dome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, C.P.; Raines, G.E.

    1987-02-01

    Three sites, the Palo Duro Basin in Texas, the Paradox Basin in Utah, and the Richton Dome in Mississippi, are being investigated by the US Department of Energy for high-level radioactive-waste disposal in mined, deep geologic repositories in salt. This report delineates the use of regulatory, engineering, and performance assessment information to establish the technical basis for controlled area requirements. Based on the size of the controlled area determined, plus that of the geologic repository operations area, recommendations of possible land control or ownership area requirements for each locale are provided. On a technical basis, the following minimum land control or ownership requirements are recommended, assuming repository operations area of 2240 ac (907 ha), or 3.5 mi 2 (9.1 km 2 ): Palo Duro Basin - 4060 ac (1643 ha), or 6.3 mi 2 (16.4 km 2 ); Paradox Basin - 4060 ac (1643 ha), or 6.3 mi 2 (16.4 km 2 ); and Richton Dome - 5000 ac (2024 ha), or 7.8 mi 2 (20.2 km 2 ). Of the factors used to determine the technically based recommendations, one was found to dominate each locale. For the Palo Duro and Paradox Basins, the dominant factor was the need to limit potential radionuclide release by ground-water flow to the accessible environment. For the Richton Dome, the dominant factor was the need to limit the potential effects of solution mining on dome and repository integrity

  2. The Newcastle geothermal system, Iron County, Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blackett, R.E.; Shubat, M.A.; Bishop, C.E. (Utah Geological and Mineral Survey, Salt Lake City, UT (USA)); Chapman, D.S.; Forster, C.B.; Schlinger, C.M. (Utah Univ., Salt Lake City, UT (USA). Dept. of Geology and Geophysics)

    1990-03-01

    Geological, geophysical and geochemical studies contributed to conceptual hydrologic model of the blind'' (no surface expression), moderate-temperature (greater than 130{degree}C) Newcastle geothermal system, located in the Basin and Range-Colorado Plateau transition zone of southwestern Utah. Temperature gradient measurements define a thermal anomaly centered near the surface trace of the range-bounding Antelope Range fault with and elongate dissipative plume extending north into the adjacent Escalante Valley. Spontaneous potential and resistivity surveys sharply define the geometry of the dominant upflow zone (not yet explored), indicating that most of the thermal fluid issues form a short segment along the Antelope Range fault and discharges into a gently-dipping aquifer. Production wells show that this aquifer lies at a depth between 85 and 95 meter. Electrical surveys also show that some leakage of thermal fluid occurs over a 1.5 km (minimum) interval along the trace of the Antelope Range fault. Major element, oxygen and hydrogen isotopic analyses of water samples indicate that the thermal fluid is a mixture of meteoric water derived from recharge areas in the Pine Valley Mountains and cold, shallow groundwater. A northwest-southeast trending system of faults, encompassing a zone of increased fracture permeability, collects meteoric water from the recharge area, allows circulation to a depth of 3 to 5 kilometers, and intersects the northeast-striking Antelope Range fault. We postulate that mineral precipitates form a seal along the Antelope Range fault, preventing the discharge of thermal fluids into basin-fill sediments at depth, and allowing heated fluid to approach the surface. Eventually, continued mineral deposition could result in the development of hot springs at the ground surface.

  3. Relationship of engineering geology to conceptual repository design in the Gibson Dome area, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Helgerson, R.; Henderson, N.

    1984-01-01

    The Paradox Basin in Southeastern Utah is being investigated as a potential site for development of a high-level nuclear waste repository. Geologic considerations are key areas of concern and influence repository design from a number of aspects: depth to the host rock, thickness of the host rock, and hydrologic conditions surrounding the proposed repository are of primary concern. Surface and subsurface investigations have provided data on these key geologic factors for input to the repository design. A repository design concept, based on the surface and subsurface geologic investigations conducted at Gibson Dome, was synthesized to provide needed information on technical feasibility and cost for repository siting decision purposes. Significant features of the surface and subsurface repository facilities are presented. 5 references, 4 figures

  4. Rb-Sr ages of Precambrian sedimentary rocks in the U.S.A

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morton, J.P.; Long, L.E.

    1982-01-01

    Dating of Precambrian sedimentary rocks to determine the age of deposition has not been pursued as diligently in the U.S.A. as in other areas. Ages (which must be regarded as tentative) are summarized for the younger Precambrian stratified rocks of the Grand Canyon (Arizona), the Nonesuch Shale of the Keweenawan Series (Michigan), the Uinta Mountain Group (Utah), and the Belt-Supergroup (Idaho-Montana). An important question of interpretation is whether the ages correspond to times of deposition or of later diagenesis. (Auth.)

  5. Preliminary isostatic residual gravity map of the Tremonton 30' x 60' quadrangle, Box Elder and Cache Counties, Utah, and Franklin and Oneida Counties, Idaho

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langenheim, Victoria; Oaks, R.Q.; Willis, H.; Hiscock, A.I.; Chuchel, Bruce A.; Rosario, Jose J.; Hardwick, C.L.

    2014-01-01

    A new isostatic residual gravity map of the Tremonton 30' x 60' quadrangle of Utah is based on compilation of preexisting data and new data collected by the Utah and U.S. Geological Surveys. Pronounced gravity lows occur over North Bay, northwest of Brigham City, and Malad and Blue Creek Valleys, indicating significant thickness of low-density Tertiary sedimentary rocks and deposits. Gravity highs coincide with exposures of dense pre-Cenozoic rocks in the Promontory, Clarkston, and Wellsville Mountains. The highest gravity values are located in southern Curlew Valley and may be produced in part by deeper crustal density variations or crustal thinning. Steep, linear gravity gradients coincide with Quaternary faults bounding the Wellsville and Clarkston Mountains. Steep gradients also coincide with the margins of the Promontory Mountains, Little Mountain, West Hills, and the eastern margin of the North Promontory Mountains and may define concealed basin-bounding faults.

  6. 76 FR 18245 - West Tavaputs Plateau Road Restriction Order, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-04-01

    ... Road Salt Lake Meridian, Utah T. 11 S., R. 18 E., sec. 27, SE\\1/4\\SE\\1/4\\; sec. 33, S\\1/2\\SE\\1/4\\; sec... Road Salt Lake Meridian, Utah T. 13 S., R. 17 E., sec. 8, S\\1/2\\SW\\1/4\\; sec. 17, NW\\1/4\\NW\\1/4\\; sec...\\. Jack Ridge Road Salt Lake Meridian, Utah T. 13 S., R. 16 E., sec. 8, NE\\1/4\\; sec. 9, SE\\1/4\\NE\\1/4...

  7. Regional ground-water flow modeling for the Paradox Basin, Utah: Second status report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1986-09-01

    Regional ground-water flow within the principal geohydrologic units of the Paradox Basin is evaluated by developing a conceptual model of the flow regime between the shallow aquifers, the Paradox salt and the deep-basin brine aquifers. This model is tested using a three-dimensional, finite-difference flow code. Sensitivity analyses (a limited parametric study) are conducted to define the system responses to changes in the conceptual model. The conceptual model is described in terms of its areal and vertical discretization, aquifer properties, fluid properties, and hydrologic boundary conditions. The simulated results are described with potentiometric surfaces, tables summarizing the areal and vertical volumetric flows through the principal units, and Darcy velocities at specified points. The reported work is the second stage of an ongoing evaluation of the Gisbon Dome area within the Paradox Basin as a potential repository for high-level radioactive wastes. The results and conclusions should thus be considered preliminary and subject to modification with the collection of additional data. However, the report does provide a useful basis for describing the sensitivity of the present conceptualization of ground-water flow to the hydrologic parameters and, to a lesser extent, the uncertainties of the present conceptualization. 20 refs., 17 figs., 9 tabs

  8. Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of the Residential Provisions of the 2015 IECC for Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mendon, Vrushali V. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Zhao, Mingjie [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Taylor, Zachary T. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Poehlman, Eric A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

    2016-02-15

    The 2015 IECC provides cost-effective savings for residential buildings in Utah. Moving to the 2015 IECC from the 2012 Utah State Code base code is cost-effective for residential buildings in all climate zones in Utah.

  9. Investigation of potential alternate study areas in the Paradox Basin region, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grant, T.A.

    1984-03-01

    The Paradox Basin was re-evaluated to determine if any parts of the Basin that had not been identified in previous studies might be suitable for a more detailed evaluation as a nuclear waste repository site. The factors used in this re-evaluation were depth to salt and dedicated lands, because these factors directly address the engineering and environmental feasibility of a repository. Six areas (Happy Canyon, Green River, Dolores River, Expectation Mountain, Dark Canyon, and Kane Springs Canyon) were identified on this basis as potentially suitable areas for further study. These areas were assessed in more detail to review the feasibility of siting a repository. None of the six areas was recommended for further study as a repository site because the size of the areas, thickness of the salt beds, topography, and engineering factors resulting from the loading of nearby mesas generally did not allow the construction of a feasible repository. The content of this report was effective as of May 1983. 41 references, 17 figures

  10. Potential Hydrogeomechanical Impacts of Geological CO2 Sequestration

    Science.gov (United States)

    McPherson, B. J.; Haerer, D.; Han, W.; Heath, J.; Morse, J.

    2006-12-01

    Long-term sequestration of anthropogenic "greenhouse gases" such as CO2 is a proposed approach to managing climate change. Deep brine reservoirs in sedimentary basins are possible sites for sequestration, given their ubiquitous nature. We used a mathematical sedimentary basin model, including coupling of multiphase CO2-groundwater flow and rock deformation, to evaluate residence times in possible brine reservoir storage sites, migration patterns and rates away from such sites, and effects of CO2 injection on fluid pressures and rock strain. Study areas include the Uinta and Paradox basins of Utah, the San Juan basin of New Mexico, and the Permian basin of west Texas. Regional-scale hydrologic and mechanical properties, including the presence of fracture zones, were calibrated using laboratory and field data. Our initial results suggest that, in general, long-term (~100 years or more) sequestration in deep brine reservoirs is possible, if guided by robust structural and hydrologic data. However, specific processes must be addressed to characterize and minimize risks. In addition to CO2 migration from target sequestration reservoirs into other reservoirs or to the land surface, another environmental issue is displacement of brines into freshwater aquifers. We evaluated the potential for such unintended aquifer contamination by displacement of brines out of adjacent sealing layers such as marine shales. Results suggest that sustained injection of CO2 may incur significant brine displacement out of adjacent sealing layers, depending on the injection history, initial brine composition, and hydrologic properties of both reservoirs and seals. Model simulations also suggest that as injection-induced overpressures migrate, effective stresses may follow this migration under some conditions, as will associated rock strain. Such "strain migration" may lead to induced or reactivated fractures or faults, but can be controlled through reservoir engineering.

  11. Summary of sediment data from the Yampa river and upper Green river basins, Colorado and Utah, 1993-2002

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elliott, John G.; Anders, Steven P.

    2004-01-01

    The water resources of the Upper Colorado River Basin have been extensively developed for water supply, irrigation, and power generation through water storage in upstream reservoirs during spring runoff and subsequent releases during the remainder of the year. The net effect of water-resource development has been to substantially modify the predevelopment annual hydrograph as well as the timing and amount of sediment delivery from the upper Green River and the Yampa River Basins tributaries to the main-stem reaches where endangered native fish populations have been observed. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Colorado Division of Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, began a study to identify sediment source reaches in the Green River main stem and the lower Yampa and Little Snake Rivers and to identify sediment-transport relations that would be useful in assessing the potential effects of hydrograph modification by reservoir operation on sedimentation at identified razorback spawning bars in the Green River. The need for additional data collection is evaluated at each sampling site. Sediment loads were calculated at five key areas within the watershed by using instantaneous measurements of streamflow, suspended-sediment concentration, and bedload. Sediment loads were computed at each site for two modes of transport (suspended load and bedload), as well as for the total-sediment load (suspended load plus bedload) where both modes were sampled. Sediment loads also were calculated for sediment particle-size range (silt-and-clay, and sand-and-gravel sizes) if laboratory size analysis had been performed on the sample, and by hydrograph season. Sediment-transport curves were developed for each type of sediment load by a least-squares regression of logarithmic-transformed data. Transport equations for suspended load and total load had coefficients of determination of at least 0.72 at all of the sampling sites except Little Snake River near

  12. Preliminary isostatic residual gravity map of the Newfoundland Mountains 30' by 60' quadrangle and east part of the Wells 30' by 60' quadrangle, Box Elder County, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langenheim, Victoria; Athens, N.D.; Churchel, B.A.; Willis, H.; Knepprath, N.E.; Rosario, Jose J.; Roza, J.; Kraushaar, S.M.; Hardwick, C.L.

    2013-01-01

    A new isostatic residual gravity map of the Newfoundland Mountains and east of the Wells 30×60 quadrangles of Utah is based on compilation of preexisting data and new data collected by the Utah and U.S. Geological Surveys. Pronounced gravity lows occur over Grouse Creek Valley and locally beneath the Great Salt Lake Desert, indicating significant thickness of low-density Tertiary sedimentary rocks and deposits. Gravity highs coincide with exposures of dense pre-Cenozoic rocks in the Newfoundland, Silver Island, and Little Pigeon Mountains. Gravity values measured on pre-Tertiary basement to the north in the Bovine and Hogup Mountains are as much as 10mGal lower. Steep, linear gravity gradients may define basin-bounding faults concealed along the margins of the Newfoundland, Silver Island, and Little Pigeon Mountains, Lemay Island and the Pilot Range.

  13. Employment Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Utah

    OpenAIRE

    Mallory, Christy; Liebowitz, Sarah

    2014-01-01

    Approximately 37,000 LGBT workers in Utah are vulnerable to employment discrimination absent state or federal legal protections.  At least 17 localities in Utah prohibit private employment discrimination against LGBT people, yet 53 percent of the workforce remains unprotected by local ordinances.  A statewide non-discrimination law would result in 17 additional complaints being filed with the Utah Anti-discrimination and Labor Division each year.  The cost of enforcing the additional complain...

  14. Exploratory shaft facility preliminary designs - Paradox Basin. Technical report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-09-01

    The purpose of the Preliminary Design Report, Paradox Basin, is to provide a description of the preliminary design for an Exploratory Shaft Facility in the Paradox Basin, Utah. This issue of the report describes the preliminary design for constructing the exploratory shaft using the Large Hole Drilling Method of construction and outlines the preliminary design and estimates of probable construction cost. The Preliminary Design Report is prepared to complement and summarize other documents that comprise the design at the preliminary stage of completion, December 1982. Other design documents include drawings, cost estimates and schedules. The preliminary design drawing package, which includes the construction schedule drawing, depicts the descriptions in this report. For reference, a list of the drawing titles and corresponding numbers is included in the Appendix. The report is divided into three principal sections: Design Basis, Facility Description, and Construction Cost Estimate. 30 references

  15. Utah Bouguer Gravity Grid

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A 2.5 kilometer Bouguer anomaly grid for the state of Utah. Number of columns is 196 and number of rows is 245. The order of the data is from the lower left to the...

  16. Utah State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1981-10-01

    The Utah State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Utah. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Utah. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed through personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Utah.

  17. Utah State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-10-01

    The Utah State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Utah. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Utah. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed through personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Utah

  18. Fish Lake, Utah - a promising long core site straddling the Great Basin to Colorado Plateau transition zone

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marchetti, D. W.; Abbott, M. B.; Bailey, C.; Wenrich, E.; Stoner, J. S.; Larsen, D. J.; Finkenbinder, M. S.; Anderson, L.; Brunelle, A.; Carter, V.; Power, M. J.; Hatfield, R. G.; Reilly, B.; Harris, M. S.; Grimm, E. C.; Donovan, J.

    2015-12-01

    Fish Lake (~7x1.5 km and 2696 m asl) is located on the Fish Lake Plateau in central Utah. The Lake occupies a NE-striking tectonic graben; one of a suite of grabens on the Plateau that cut 21-26 Ma volcanic rocks. The lake outflows via Lake Creek to the NE where it joins Sevenmile Creek to become the Fremont River, a tributary to the Colorado River. A bathymetric survey reveals a mean depth of 27 m and a max depth of 37.2 m. The lake bottom slopes from NW to SE with the deepest part near the SE wall, matching the topographic expression of the graben. Nearby Fish Lake Hightop (3545 m) was glaciated with an ice field and outlet glaciers. Exposure ages indicate moraine deposition during Pinedale (15-23 ka) and Bull Lake (130-150 ka) times. One outlet glacier at Pelican Canyon deposited moraines and outwash into the lake but the main basin of the lake was never glaciated. Gravity measurements indicate that lake sediments thicken toward the SE side of the lake and the thickest sediment package is modeled to be between 210 and 240 m. In Feb 2014 we collected cores from Fish Lake using a 9-cm diameter UWITECH coring system in 30.5 m of water. A composite 11.2-m-long core was constructed from overlapping 2 m drives that were taken in triplicate to ensure total recovery and good preservation. Twelve 14C ages and 3 tephra layers of known age define the age model. The oldest 14C age of 32.3±4.2 cal ka BP was taken from 10.6 m. Core lithology, CT scans, and magnetic susceptibility (ms) reveal three sediment packages: an organic-rich, low ms Holocene to post-glacial section, a fine-grained, minerogenic glacial section with high ms, and a short section of inferred pre-LGM sediment with intermediate composition. Extrapolating the age model to the maximum estimated sediment thicknesses suggest sediments may be older than 500-700 ka. Thus Fish Lake is an ideal candidate for long core retrieval as it likely contains paleoclimatic records extending over multiple glacial cycles.

  19. National Uranium Resource Evaluation: Salina Quadrangle, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lupe, R.D.; Campbell, J.A.; Franczyk, K.J.; Luft, S.J.; Peterson, F.; Robinson, K.

    1982-09-01

    Two stratigraphic units, the Late Jurassic Salt Wash Member of the Morrison Formation and the Triassic Chinle Formation, were determined to be favorable for the occurrence of uranium deposits that meet the minimum size and grade requirements of the US Department of Energy in the Salina 1 x 2 0 Quadrangle, Utah. Three areas judged favorable for the Salt Wash Member are the Tidwell and Notom districts, and the Henry Mountains mineral belt. The criteria used to establish favorability were the presence of: (1) fluvial sandstone beds deposited by low-energy streams; (2) actively moving major and minor structures such as the Paradox basin and the many folds within it; (3) paleostream transport directions approximately perpendicular to the trend of many of the paleofolds; (4) presence of favorable gray lacustrine mudstone beds; and (5) known uranium occurrences associated with the favorable gray mudstones. Four favorable areas have been outlined for the Chinle Formation. These are the San Rafael Swell, Inter River, and the Orange Cliffs subareas and the Capitol Reef area. The criteria used to establish these areas are: the sandstone-to-mudstone ratios and the geographic distribution of the Petrified Forest Member of the Chinle Formation which is considered as the probable source for the uranium

  20. Geology of Paleozoic Rocks in the Upper Colorado River Basin in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, Excluding the San Juan Basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geldon, Arthur L.

    2003-01-01

    The geology of the Paleozoic rocks in the Upper Colorado River Basin in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, was studied as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's Regional Aquifer-System Analysis Program to provide support for hydrogeological interpretations. The study area is segmented by numerous uplifts and basins caused by folding and faulting that have recurred repeatedly from Precambrian to Cenozoic time. Paleozoic rocks in the study area are 0-18,000 feet thick. They are underlain by Precambrian igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks and are overlain in most of the area by Triassic formations composed mostly of shale. The overlying Mesozoic and Tertiary rocks are 0-27,000 feet thick. All Paleozoic systems except the Silurian are represented in the region. The Paleozoic rocks are divisible into 11 hydrogeologic units. The basal hydrogeologic unit consisting of Paleozoic rocks, the Flathead aquifer, predominantly is composed of Lower to Upper Cambrian sandstone and quartzite. The aquifer is 0-800 feet thick and is overlain gradationally to unconformably by formations of Cambrian to Mississippian age. The Gros Ventre confining unit consists of Middle to Upper Cambrian shale with subordinate carbonate rocks and sandstone. The confining unit is 0-1,100 feet thick and is overlain gradationally to unconformably by formations of Cambrian to Mississippian age. The Bighom aquifer consists of Middle Cambrian to Upper Ordovician limestone and dolomite with subordinate shale and sandstone. The aquifer is 0-3,000 feet thick and is overlain unconformably by Devonian and Mississipplan rocks. The Elbert-Parting confining unit consists of Lower Devonian to Lower Mississippian limestone, dolomite, sandstone, quartzite, shale, and anhydrite. It is 0-700 feet thick and is overlain conformably to unconformably by Upper Devonian and Mississippian rocks. The Madison aquifer consists of two zones of distinctly different lithology. The lower (Redwall-Leadville) zone

  1. The Money Mentors Program: Increasing Financial Literacy in Utah Youths

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, Zurishaddai A.; Francis, Dave; Christensen, Amanda; MacArthur, Stacey S.; Memmott, Margie; Hill, Paul A.

    2017-01-01

    Utah 4-H and Fidelity Investments collaborated on a program for increasing the financial literacy of teens and children. The collaboration resulted in positive impacts for both Extension and Utah youths. Extension benefited through partnership with a corporation that provided content expertise, volunteers, and funding for a financial literacy…

  2. DELIVERABLE 2.1.1 POROSITY/PERMEABILITY CROSS-PLOTS: CHEROKEE AND BUG FIELDS, SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH, AND LITTLE UTE AND SLEEPING UTE FIELDS, MONTEZUMA COUNTY, COLORADO

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chidsey, Thomas C. Jr.; Eby, David E.; Wray, Laura L.

    2003-01-01

    Over 400 million barrels (64 million m 3 ) of oil have been produced from the shallow-shelf carbonate reservoirs in the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation in the Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado. With the exception of the giant Greater Aneth field, the other 100 plus oil fields in the basin typically contain 2 to 10 million barrels (0.3-1.6 million m 3 ) of original oil in place. Most of these fields are characterized by high initial production rates followed by a very short productive life (primary), and hence premature abandonment. Only 15 to 25 percent of the original oil in place is recoverable during primary production from conventional vertical wells. An extensive and successful horizontal drilling program has been conducted in the giant Greater Aneth field. However, to date, only two horizontal wells have been drilled in small Ismay and Desert Creek fields. The results from these wells were disappointing due to poor understanding of the carbonate facies and diagenetic fabrics that create reservoir heterogeneity. These small fields, and similar fields in the basin, are at high risk of premature abandonment. At least 200 million barrels (31.8 million m 3 ) of oil will be left behind in these small fields because current development practices leave compartments of the heterogeneous reservoirs undrained. Through proper geological evaluation of the reservoirs, production may be increased by 20 to 50 percent through the drilling of low-cost single or multilateral horizontal legs from existing vertical development wells. In addition, horizontal drilling from existing wells minimizes surface disturbances and costs for field development, particularly in the environmentally sensitive areas of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado

  3. Drug Poisoning Deaths according to Ethnicity in Utah

    OpenAIRE

    Merrill, Ray M.; Hedin, Riley J.; Fondario, Anna; Sloan, Arielle A.; Hanson, Carl L.

    2013-01-01

    This study characterizes drug-related deaths according to ethnicity in Utah during 2005–2010, based on data from the Utah Violent Death Reporting System (UTVDRS). Hispanics made up 12.1% (12.5% male and 11.7% female) of deaths. The most frequently identified drugs among decedents were opiates, then illicit drugs, benzodiazepines, over-the-counter medication, and antidepressants. Death rates for each drug were significantly greater in non-Hispanics than Hispanics. Most decedents used a combina...

  4. Residential Energy Efficiency Potential: Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wilson, Eric J [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

    2017-11-22

    Energy used by Utah single-family homes that can be saved through cost-effective improvements. Prepared by Eric Wilson and Noel Merket, NREL, and Erin Boyd, U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis.

  5. Quaternary studies in the Paradox Basin, southeastern Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Biggar, N.

    1987-08-01

    Studies have included paleoclimatic assessments and evaluation of the Needles Fault zone, and an assessment of geologic age dating results and techniques. Fossil pollen, snail shells, pack rat middens, and Holocene stratigraphic units have been examined as potential paleoclimatic indicators. Of these, the most definitive data have been an interpreted 13,000-year vegetation record found in the pack rat middens. This record defines the late Pleistocene-Holocene climatic transition at approximately 10,000 years ago, and indicates that temperature decreased and precipitation increased during the late Pleistocene relative to the present. In the Needles Fault zone, age dating results and geomorphic studies indicate that the northeastern grabens may be the youngest and that the system is at least 65,000 years old. Using this date and an assumed Colorado River incision rate, the maximum rate at which grabens have spread eastward from the river canyon can be estimated. The most useful age dating techniques for the Paradox Basin are the accumulation of pedogenic carbonate in the soil profile, radiocarbon dating, thermoluminescence dating, amino acid diagenesis of mollusk shells, paleomagnetic analysis of early Pleistocene deposits, and topographic position of deposits and surfaces. Method applicability depends on the datable materials present, the estimated age of the sample or deposit, and potential contaminants that could affect analysis. 108 refs., 64 figs., 35 tabs

  6. Floods of December 1966 in southwestern Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butler, Elmer; Mundorff, J.C.

    1970-01-01

    Severe floods occurred in parts of southwestern Utah on December 5-6, 1966, as a result of precipitation of about 1 inch to more than 12 inches during December 3-6. The flood on the Virgin River was the greatest since the first settlers arrived in 1860.The peak discharge of the Virgin River at Virgin, Utah, was 22,830 cubic feet per second on December 6; this exceeded the previous maximum discharge of 13,500 cubic feet per second on March 3, 1938, and September 17, 1961, and probably has a recurrence interval of 100 years. At eight other gage sites in the flood area, the peak discharge in December 1966 was the highest of record; the recurrence intervals of some of the peak discharges may be 100 years. The flood peaks were generally of short duration and most streams receded to near base flow within 24 hours.The dissolved-solids content was significantly lower in the Virgin River at Virgin than at St. George, about 25 miles downstream; the water was of the calcium sulfate type at both sites. Data for the Santa Clara River above Winsor Dam and the Santa Clara River near Santa Clara show a significant increase in dissolved solids between the two sites. The water above Winsor Dam was of the calcium bicarbonate type, and the water near Santa Clara was of the calcium bicarbonate sulfate type.The suspended-sediment discharge, during the period December 5-8, 1966, at Santa Clara River above Winsor Dam, near Santa Clara was about foyer times greater than all the suspended-sediment discharge during the preceding 3 years ; the suspended-sediment discharge of the Virgin River at Virgin was greater during the 4-day period than during any one of the preceding 3 years.Nearly all the flood damage in the area occurred in the Virgin River basin. According to the Soil Conservation Service, total damage in the Dixie Soil Conservation District in Washington County was about $835,000; 60 percent of the damage was caused by floodwater and 40 percent by deposited sediment.

  7. DELIVERABLE 1.3.1 GEOPHYSICAL WELL LOG/CORE DESCRIPTIONS, CHEROKEE AND BUG FIELDS, SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH, AND LITTLE UTE AND SLEEPING UTE FIELDS, MONTEZUMA COUNTY, COLORADO

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chidsey, Thomas C. Jr.; Eby, David E.; Wray, Laura L.

    2003-01-01

    Over 400 million barrels (64 million m 3 ) of oil have been produced from the shallow-shelf carbonate reservoirs in the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation in the Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado. With the exception of the giant Greater Aneth field, the other 100 plus oil fields in the basin typically contain 2 to 10 million barrels (0.3-1.6 million m 3 ) of original oil in place. Most of these fields are characterized by high initial production rates followed by a very short productive life (primary), and hence premature abandonment. Only 15 to 25 percent of the original oil in place is recoverable during primary production from conventional vertical wells. An extensive and successful horizontal drilling program has been conducted in the giant Greater Aneth field. However, to date, only two horizontal wells have been drilled in small Ismay and Desert Creek fields. The results from these wells were disappointing due to poor understanding of the carbonate facies and diagenetic fabrics that create reservoir heterogeneity. These small fields, and similar fields in the basin, are at high risk of premature abandonment. At least 200 million barrels (31.8 million m 3 ) of oil will be left behind in these small fields because current development practices leave compartments of the heterogeneous reservoirs undrained. Through proper geological evaluation of the reservoirs, production may be increased by 20 to 50 percent through the drilling of low-cost single or multilateral horizontal legs from existing vertical development wells. In addition, horizontal drilling from existing wells minimizes surface disturbances and costs for field development, particularly in the environmentally sensitive areas of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado

  8. Earthquake Clustering on the Bear River Fault—Influence of Preexisting Structure on the Rupture Behavior of a New Normal Fault

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hecker, S.; Schwartz, D. P.

    2017-12-01

    The Bear River normal fault is located on the eastern margin of basin and range extension in the Rocky Mountains of Utah and Wyoming. Interpretation of paleoseismic data from three sites supports the conclusion of an earlier study (West, 1993) that the fault, which appears to have reactivated a thrust ramp in the Sevier orogenic belt, first ruptured to the surface in the late Holocene. Our observations provide evidence and additional age control for two previously identified large earthquakes ( 4500 and 3000 yr B.P.) and for a newly recognized earthquake that occurred c. 200-300 yr B.P. (after development of a topsoil above a deposit with a date of A.D. 1630 and before the beginning of the historical period in 1850). These earthquakes, which were likely high-stress-drop events, cumulatively produced about 6-8 m of net vertical displacement on a zone 40 km long and up to 5 km wide. The complexity and evolution of rupture at the south end of the fault, mapped in detail using airborne lidar imagery, is strongly influenced by interaction with the Uinta arch, an east-west-trending (orthogonal) basement-cored uplift. The relatively rapid flurry of strain release and high slip rate ( 2 mm/yr), which make the Bear River fault one of the most active in the Basin and Range, occurred in a region of low crustal extension (geodetic velocity of 7) that should be considered for seismic hazard analysis.

  9. Fracture detection, mapping, and analysis of naturally fractured gas reservoirs using seismic technology. Final report, November 1995

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1995-10-01

    Many basins in the Rocky Mountains contain naturally fractured gas reservoirs. Production from these reservoirs is controlled primarily by the shape, orientation and concentration of the natural fractures. The detection of gas filled fractures prior to drilling can, therefore, greatly benefit the field development of the reservoirs. The objective of this project was to test and verify specific seismic methods to detect and characterize fractures in a naturally fractured reservoir. The Upper Green River tight gas reservoir in the Uinta Basin, Northeast Utah was chosen for the project as a suitable reservoir to test the seismic technologies. Knowledge of the structural and stratigraphic geologic setting, the fracture azimuths, and estimates of the local in-situ stress field, were used to guide the acquisition and processing of approximately ten miles of nine-component seismic reflection data and a nine-component Vertical Seismic Profile (VSP). Three sources (compressional P-wave, inline shear S-wave, and cross-line, shear S-wave) were each recorded by 3-component (3C) geophones, to yield a nine-component data set. Evidence of fractures from cores, borehole image logs, outcrop studies, and production data, were integrated with the geophysical data to develop an understanding of how the seismic data relate to the fracture network, individual well production, and ultimately the preferred flow direction in the reservoir. The multi-disciplinary approach employed in this project is viewed as essential to the overall reservoir characterization, due to the interdependency of the above factors.

  10. MX Siting Investigation. Gravity Survey - Sevier Desert Valley, Utah.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1981-01-24

    Cheyenne, Wyoming. DMAHTC reduces the data to Simple Bouguer Anomaly (see Section A1.4, Appendix Al.0). The Defense Mapping Agency Aerospace Center...Desert Valley, Utah ......... 2 2 Topographic Setting - Sevier Desert Valley, Utah . 3 LIST OF DRAWINGS Drawing Number 1 Complete Bouguer Anomaly...gravity stations were distributed throughout the valley at an approxi- mate interval of 1.4 miles (2.3 km). Drawing 1 is a Complete Bouguer Anomaly

  11. Map showing selected surface-water data for the Alton-Kolob coal-fields area, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Price, Don

    1982-01-01

    This is one of a series of maps that describe the geology and related natural resources of the Alton-Kolob coal-fields area, Utah. Streamflow records used to compile the map and the following table were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, and the Utah Department of Transportation. The principal runoff-producing areas were delineated form a work map (scale 1:250,000) compiled to estimate water yields in Utah (Bagley and others, 1964).

  12. Analysis of Neogene deformation between Beaver, Utah and Barstow, California: Suggestions for altering the extensional paradigm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, R. Ernest; Beard, Sue; Mankinen, Edward A.; Hillhouse, John W.

    2013-01-01

    For more than two decades, the paradigm of large-magnitude (~250 km), northwest-directed (~N70°W) Neogene extensional lengthening between the Colorado Plateau and Sierra Nevada at the approximate latitude of Las Vegas has remained largely unchallenged, as has the notion that the strain integrates with coeval strains in adjacent regions and with plate-boundary strain. The paradigm depends on poorly constrained interconnectedness of extreme-case lengthening estimated at scattered localities within the region. Here we evaluate the soundness of the inferred strain interconnectedness over an area reaching 600 km southwest from Beaver, Utah, to Barstow, California, and conclude that lengthening is overestimated in most areas and, even if the estimates are valid, lengthening is not interconnected in a way that allows for published versions of province-wide summations.We summarize Neogene strike slip in 13 areas distributed from central Utah to Lake Mead. In general, left-sense shear and associated structures define a broad zone of translation approximately parallel to the eastern boundary of the Basin and Range against the Colorado Plateau, a zone we refer to as the Hingeline shear zone. Areas of steep-axis rotation (ranging to 2500 km2) record N-S shortening rather than unevenly distributed lengthening. In most cases, the rotational shortening and extension-parallel folds and thrusts are coupled to, or absorb, strike slip, thus providing valuable insight into how the discontinuous strike-slip faults are simply parts of a broad zone of continuous strain. The discontinuous nature of strike slip and the complex mixture of extensional, contractional, and steep-axis rotational structures in the Hingeline shear zone are similar to those in the Walker Lane belt in the west part of the Basin and Range, and, together, the two record southward displacement of the central and northern Basin and Range relative to the adjacent Colorado Plateau. Understanding this province

  13. Subsurface geology of a potential waste emplacement site, Salt Valley Anticline, Grand County, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hite, R.J.

    1977-01-01

    The Salt Valley anticline, which is located about 32 km northeast of Moab, Utah, is perhaps one of the most favorable waste emplacement sites in the Paradox basin. The site, which includes about 7.8 km 2, is highly accessible and is adjacent to a railroad. The anticline is one of a series of northwest-trending salt anticlines lying along the northeast edge of the Paradox basin. These anticlines are cored by evaporites of the Paradox Member of the Hermosa Formation of Middle Pennsylvanian age. The central core of the Salt Valley anticline forms a ridgelike mass of evaporites that has an estimated amplitude of 3,600 m. The evaporite core consists of about 87 percent halite rock, which includes some potash deposits; the remainder is black shale, silty dolomite, and anhydrite. The latter three lithologies are referred to as 'marker beds.' Using geophysical logs from drill holes on the anticline, it is possible to demonstrate that the marker beds are complexly folded and faulted. Available data concerning the geothermal gradient and heatflow at the site indicate that heat from emplaced wastes should be rapidly dissipated. Potentially exploitable resources of potash and petroleum are present at Salt Valley. Development of these resources may conflict with use of the site for waste emplacement.

  14. Subsurface geology of a potential waste emplacement site, Salt Valley Anticline, Grand County, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hite, R.J.

    1977-01-01

    The Salt Valley anticline, which is located about 32 km northeast of Moab, Utah, is perhaps one of the most favorable waste emplacement sites in the Paradox basin. The site, which includes about 7.8 km 2 , is highly accessible and is adjacent to a railroad. The anticline is one of a series of northwest-trending salt antilcines lying along the northeast edge of the Paradox basin. These anticlines are cored by evaporites of the Paradox Member of the Hermosa Formation of Middle Pennsylvanian age. The central core of the Salt Valley anticline forms a ridgelike mass of evaporites that has an estimated amplitude of 3,600 m. The evaporite core consists of about 87 percent halite rock, which includes some potash deposits; the remainder is black shale, silty dolomite, and anhydrite. The latter three lithologies are referred to as ''marker beds.'' Using geophysical logs from drill holes on the anticline, it is possible to demonstrate that the marker beds are complexly folded and faulted. Available data concerning the geothermal gradient and heatflow at the site indicate that heat from emplaced wastes should be rapidly dissipated. Potentially exploitable resources of potash and petroleum are present at Salt Valley. Development of these resources may conflict with use of the site for waste emplacement

  15. Hydrogeology of the Mammoth Spring groundwater basin and vicinity, Markagunt Plateau, Garfield, Iron, and Kane Counties, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spangler, Lawrence E.

    2012-01-01

    The Markagunt Plateau, in southwestern Utah, lies at an altitude of about 9,500 feet, largely within Dixie National Forest. The plateau is capped primarily by Tertiary- and Quaternary-age volcanic rocks that overlie Paleocene- to Eocene-age limestone of the Claron Formation, which forms escarpments on the west and south sides of the plateau. In the southwestern part of the plateau, an extensive area of sinkholes has formed that resulted primarily from dissolution of the underlying limestone and subsequent subsidence and (or) collapse of the basalt, producing sinkholes as large as 1,000 feet across and 100 feet deep. Karst development in the Claron Formation likely has been enhanced by high infiltration rates through the basalt. Numerous large springs discharge from the volcanic rocks and underlying limestone on the Markagunt Plateau, including Mammoth Spring, one of the largest in Utah, with discharge that ranges from less than 5 to more than 300 cubic feet per second (ft3/s). In 2007, daily mean peak discharge of Mammoth Spring was bimodal, reaching 54 and 56 ft3/s, while daily mean peak discharge of the spring in 2008 and in 2009 was 199 ft3/s and 224 ft3/s, respectively. In both years, the rise from baseflow, about 6 ft3/s, to peak flow occurred over a 4- to 5-week period. Discharge from Mammoth Spring accounted for about 54 percent of the total peak streamflow in Mammoth Creek in 2007 and 2008, and about 46 percent in 2009, and accounted for most of the total streamflow during the remainder of the year. Results of major-ion analyses for water samples collected from Mammoth and other springs on the plateau during 2006 to 2009 indicated calcium-bicarbonate type water, which contained dissolved-solids concentrations that ranged from 91 to 229 milligrams per liter. Concentrations of major ions, trace elements, and nutrients did not exceed primary or secondary drinking-water standards; however, total and fecal coliform bacteria were present in water from Mammoth and

  16. Beginnings of range management: an anthology of the Sampson-Ellison photo plots (1913 to 2003) and a short history of the Great Basin Experiment Station

    Science.gov (United States)

    David A. Prevedel; E. Durant McArthur; Curtis M. Johnson

    2005-01-01

    High-elevation watersheds on the Wasatch Plateau in central Utah were severely overgrazed in the late 1800s, resulting in catastrophic flooding and mudflows through adjacent communities. Affected citizens petitioned the Federal government to establish a Forest Reserve (1902), and the Manti National Forest was established by the Transfer Act of 1905. The Great Basin...

  17. Institutional support for the Utah Consortium for Energy Research and Education. Annual report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1979-06-01

    The Utah Consortium for Energy Research and Education is made up of three colleges and universities in Utah. The scope of the Consortium plan is the marshalling of the academic research resources, as well as the appropriate non-academic resources within Utah to pursue, as appropriate, energy-related research activities. The heart of this effort has been the institutional contract between DOE and the University of Utah, acting as fiscal agent for the Consortium. Sixteen programs are currently being funded, but only ten of the projects are described in this report. Three projects are on fission/fusion; three on environment and safety; four on fossil energy; three on basic energy sciences; one each on conservation, geothermal, and solar.

  18. 75 FR 52551 - Notice of Utah's Resource Advisory Council (RAC) Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-08-26

    ... public land management in Utah. Planned agenda topics include a welcome and introduction by the BLM's new... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLUT91000-L10400000-PH0000-24-1A] Notice of Utah's Resource Advisory Council (RAC) Meeting AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION...

  19. Utah Public Library Trustee Handbook.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Utah State Library, Salt Lake City.

    Designed to answer basic questions and to assist the Utah public library trustee in the performance of his duties, this handbook's brief, informative sections cover efficiency guidelines, policies and procedures, standards, money, personnel services, travel costs, operations, capital outlay, trustee checklist, job description for librarian,…

  20. Mountain Pine Beetle Dynamics and Reproductive Success in Post-Fire Lodgepole and Ponderosa Pine Forests in Northeastern Utah.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew P Lerch

    Full Text Available Fire injury can increase tree susceptibility to some bark beetles (Curculionidae, Scolytinae, but whether wildfires can trigger outbreaks of species such as mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins is not well understood. We monitored 1173 lodgepole (Pinus contorta var. latifolia Doug. and 599 ponderosa (Pinus ponderosa Doug. ex Law pines for three years post-wildfire in the Uinta Mountains of northeastern Utah in an area with locally endemic mountain pine beetle. We examined how the degree and type of fire injury influenced beetle attacks, brood production, and subsequent tree mortality, and related these to beetle population changes over time. Mountain pine beetle population levels were high the first two post-fire years in lodgepole pine, and then declined. In ponderosa pine, populations declined each year after initial post-fire sampling. Compared to trees with strip or failed attacks, mass attacks occurred on trees with greater fire injury, in both species. Overall, a higher degree of damage to crowns and boles was associated with higher attack rates in ponderosa pines, but additional injury was more likely to decrease attack rates in lodgepole pines. In lodgepole pine, attacks were initially concentrated on fire-injured trees, but during subsequent years beetles attacked substantial numbers of uninjured trees. In ponderosa pine, attacks were primarily on injured trees each year, although these stands were more heavily burned and had few uninjured trees. In total, 46% of all lodgepole and 56% of ponderosa pines underwent some degree of attack. Adult brood emergence within caged bole sections decreased with increasing bole char in lodgepole pine but increased in ponderosa pine, however these relationships did not scale to whole trees. Mountain pine beetle populations in both tree species four years post-fire were substantially lower than the year after fire, and wildfire did not result in population outbreaks.

  1. Mountain Pine Beetle Dynamics and Reproductive Success in Post-Fire Lodgepole and Ponderosa Pine Forests in Northeastern Utah.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lerch, Andrew P; Pfammatter, Jesse A; Bentz, Barbara J; Raffa, Kenneth F

    2016-01-01

    Fire injury can increase tree susceptibility to some bark beetles (Curculionidae, Scolytinae), but whether wildfires can trigger outbreaks of species such as mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) is not well understood. We monitored 1173 lodgepole (Pinus contorta var. latifolia Doug.) and 599 ponderosa (Pinus ponderosa Doug. ex Law) pines for three years post-wildfire in the Uinta Mountains of northeastern Utah in an area with locally endemic mountain pine beetle. We examined how the degree and type of fire injury influenced beetle attacks, brood production, and subsequent tree mortality, and related these to beetle population changes over time. Mountain pine beetle population levels were high the first two post-fire years in lodgepole pine, and then declined. In ponderosa pine, populations declined each year after initial post-fire sampling. Compared to trees with strip or failed attacks, mass attacks occurred on trees with greater fire injury, in both species. Overall, a higher degree of damage to crowns and boles was associated with higher attack rates in ponderosa pines, but additional injury was more likely to decrease attack rates in lodgepole pines. In lodgepole pine, attacks were initially concentrated on fire-injured trees, but during subsequent years beetles attacked substantial numbers of uninjured trees. In ponderosa pine, attacks were primarily on injured trees each year, although these stands were more heavily burned and had few uninjured trees. In total, 46% of all lodgepole and 56% of ponderosa pines underwent some degree of attack. Adult brood emergence within caged bole sections decreased with increasing bole char in lodgepole pine but increased in ponderosa pine, however these relationships did not scale to whole trees. Mountain pine beetle populations in both tree species four years post-fire were substantially lower than the year after fire, and wildfire did not result in population outbreaks.

  2. Ground-water conditions in Utah, spring of 1995

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, D.V.; Steiger, J.I.; Sory, J.D.; Garrett, R.B.; Burden, Carole B.; Danner, M.R.; Herbert, L.R.; Gerner, S.J.; Slaugh, B.A.; Swenson, R.L.; Howells, J.H.; Christiansen, H.K.; Bagley, A.D.

    1995-01-01

    This is the thirty-second in a series of annual reports that describe ground-water conditions in Utah. Reports in this series, published cooperatively by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Resources, provide data to enable interested parties to keep abreast of changing ground-water conditions.This report, like the others in the series, contains information on well construction, ground-water withdrawal from wells, water-level changes, related changes in precipitation and streamflow, and chemical quality of water. Supplementary data, such as maps showing water-level contours, are included in reports of this series only for those years or areas for which applicable data are available and are important to a discussion of changing ground-water conditions.This report includes individual discussions of selected significant areas of ground-water development in the State for calendar year 1994. Much of the reported data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Divisions of Water Rights and Water Resources.

  3. Triggered Seismicity in Utah from the November 3, 2002, Denali Fault Earthquake

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pankow, K. L.; Nava, S. J.; Pechmann, J. C.; Arabasz, W. J.

    2002-12-01

    Coincident with the arrival of the surface waves from the November 3, 2002, Mw 7.9 Denali Fault, Alaska earthquake (DFE), the University of Utah Seismograph Stations (UUSS) regional seismic network detected a marked increase in seismicity along the Intermountain Seismic Belt (ISB) in central and north-central Utah. The number of earthquakes per day in Utah located automatically by the UUSS's Earthworm system in the week following the DFE was approximately double the long-term average during the preceding nine months. From these preliminary data, the increased seismicity appears to be characterized by small magnitude events (M = 3.2) and concentrated in five distinct spatial clusters within the ISB between 38.75°and 42.0° N. The first of these earthquakes was an M 2.2 event located ~20 km east of Salt Lake City, Utah, which occurred during the arrival of the Love waves from the DFE. The increase in Utah earthquake activity at the time of the arrival of the surface waves from the DFE suggests that these surface waves triggered earthquakes in Utah at distances of more than 3,000 km from the source. We estimated the peak dynamic shear stress caused by these surface waves from measurements of their peak vector velocities at 43 recording sites: 37 strong-motion stations of the Advanced National Seismic System and six broadband stations. (The records from six other broadband instruments in the region of interest were clipped.) The estimated peak stresses ranged from 1.2 bars to 3.5 bars with a mean of 2.3 bars, and generally occurred during the arrival of Love waves of ~15 sec period. These peak dynamic shear stress estimates are comparable to those obtained from recordings of the 1992 Mw 7.3 Landers, California, earthquake in regions where the Landers earthquake triggered increased seismicity. We plan to present more complete analyses of UUSS seismic network data, further testing our hypothesis that the DFE remotely triggered seismicity in Utah. This hypothesis is

  4. First status report on regional ground-water flow modeling for the Paradox Basin, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andrews, R.W.

    1984-05-01

    Regional ground-water flow within the principal hydrogeologic units of the Paradox Basin is evaluated by developing a conceptual model of the flow regime in the shallow aquifers and the deep-basin brine aquifers and testing these models using a three-dimensional, finite-difference flow code. Semiquantitative sensitivity analysis (a limited parametric study) is conducted to define the system response to changes in hydrologic properties or boundary conditions. A direct method for sensitivity analysis using an adjoint form of the flow equation is applied to the conceptualized flow regime in the Leadville limestone aquifer. All steps leading to the final results and conclusions are incorporated in this report. The available data utilized in this study is summarized. The specific conceptual models, defining the areal and vertical averaging of litho-logic units, aquifer properties, fluid properties, and hydrologic boundary conditions, are described in detail. Two models were evaluated in this study: a regional model encompassing the hydrogeologic units above and below the Paradox Formation/Hermosa Group and a refined scale model which incorporated only the post Paradox strata. The results are delineated by the simulated potentiometric surfaces and tables summarizing areal and vertical boundary fluxes, Darcy velocities at specific points, and ground-water travel paths. Results from the adjoint sensitivity analysis include importance functions and sensitivity coefficients, using heads or the average Darcy velocities to represent system response. The reported work is the first stage of an ongoing evaluation of the Gibson Dome area within the Paradox Basin as a potential repository for high-level radioactive wastes

  5. Preparing Soil for Turfgrass Establishment - Southern Utah

    OpenAIRE

    Caron, Michael; Schaible, Candace; Heflebower, Rick; Cardon, Grant; Beddes, Taun; Kopp, Kelly

    2017-01-01

    This fact sheet provides information for successfully establishing a lawn including planning, soil preparation, appropriate seed or sod choice, and an understanding of turfgrass requirements in southern Utah.

  6. Regional hydrology of the Green River-Moab area, northwestern Paradox Basin, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rush, F.E.; Whitfield, M.S.; Hart, I.M.

    1982-12-01

    The Green River-Moab area encompasses about 7800 square kilometers or about 25% of the Paradox basin. The entire Paradox basin is a part of the Colorado Plateaus that is underlain by a thick sequence of evaporite (salt) beds of Pennsylvanian age. The rock units that underlie the area have been grouped into hydrogeologic units based on their water-transmitting ability. Confining beds consist of evaporite beds of mostly salt, and overlying and underlying thick sequences of rocks with minimal permeability; above and below these confining beds are aquifers. The upper Mesozoic sandstone aquifer, probably is the most permeable hydrogeologic unit of the area and is the subject of this investigation. The principal component of groundwater outflow from this aquifer probably is subsurface flow to regional streams (the Green and Colorado Rivers) and is about 100 million cubic meters per year. All other components of outflow are relatively small. The average annual recharge to the aquifer is about 130 million cubic meters, of which about 20 million cubic meters is from local precipitation. For the lower aquifer, all recharge and discharge probably is by subsurface flow and was not estimated. The aquifers are generally isolated from the evaporite beds by the bounding confining beds; as a result, most ground water has little if any contact with the evaporites. Brines are present in the confining beds, but solution of beds of salt probably is very slow in most parts of the area. No brine discharges have been identified

  7. National Uranium Resource Evaluation: Cortez quadrangle, Colorado and Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Campbell, J A

    1982-09-01

    Six stratigraphic units are recognized as favorable for the occurrence of uranium deposits that meet the minimum size and grade requirements of the U.S. Department of Energy in the Cortez 1/sup 0/ x 2/sup 0/ Quadrangle, Utah and Colorado. These units include the Jurassic Salt Wash, Recapture, and Brushy Basin Members of the Morrison Formation and the Entrada Sandstone, the Late Triassic Chinle Formation, and the Permian Cutler Formation. Four areas are judged favorable for the Morrison members which include the Slick Rock, Montezuma Canyon, Cottonwood Wash and Hatch districts. The criteria used to determine favorability include the presence of the following (1) fluvial sandstone beds deposited by low-energy streams; (2) actively moving major and minor structures such as the Paradox Basin and the many folds within it; (3) paleostream transport directions approximately perpendicular to the trend of many of the paleofolds; (4) presence of favorable gray lacustrine mudstone beds; and (5) known uranium occurrences associated with the favorable gray mudstones. Two areas of favorability are recognized for the Chinle Formation. These areas include the Abajo Mountain and Aneth-Ute Mountain areas. The criteria used to determine favorability include the sandstone-to-mudstone ratio for the Chinle Formation and the geographic distribution of the Petrified Forest Member of the Chinle Formation. Two favorable areas are recognized for the Cutler Formation. Both of these areas are along the northern border of the quadrangle between the Abajo Mountains and the Dolores River Canyon area. Two areas are judged favorable for the Entrada Sandstone. One area is in the northeast corner of the quadrangle in the Placerville district and the second is along the eastern border of the quadrangle on the southeast flank of the La Plata Mountains.

  8. National Uranium Resource Evaluation: Cortez quadrangle, Colorado and Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Campbell, J.A.

    1982-09-01

    Six stratigraphic units are recognized as favorable for the occurrence of uranium deposits that meet the minimum size and grade requirements of the U.S. Department of Energy in the Cortez 1 0 x 2 0 Quadrangle, Utah and Colorado. These units include the Jurassic Salt Wash, Recapture, and Brushy Basin Members of the Morrison Formation and the Entrada Sandstone, the Late Triassic Chinle Formation, and the Permian Cutler Formation. Four areas are judged favorable for the Morrison members which include the Slick Rock, Montezuma Canyon, Cottonwood Wash and Hatch districts. The criteria used to determine favorability include the presence of the following (1) fluvial sandstone beds deposited by low-energy streams; (2) actively moving major and minor structures such as the Paradox Basin and the many folds within it; (3) paleostream transport directions approximately perpendicular to the trend of many of the paleofolds; (4) presence of favorable gray lacustrine mudstone beds; and (5) known uranium occurrences associated with the favorable gray mudstones. Two areas of favorability are recognized for the Chinle Formation. These areas include the Abajo Mountain and Aneth-Ute Mountain areas. The criteria used to determine favorability include the sandstone-to-mudstone ratio for the Chinle Formation and the geographic distribution of the Petrified Forest Member of the Chinle Formation. Two favorable areas are recognized for the Cutler Formation. Both of these areas are along the northern border of the quadrangle between the Abajo Mountains and the Dolores River Canyon area. Two areas are judged favorable for the Entrada Sandstone. One area is in the northeast corner of the quadrangle in the Placerville district and the second is along the eastern border of the quadrangle on the southeast flank of the La Plata Mountains

  9. 76 FR 28074 - Notice of Inventory Completion: Utah Museum of Natural History, Salt Lake City, UT

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-13

    ... of the Utah Museum of Natural History, Salt Lake City, UT. The human remains were removed from Snow.... A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Utah Museum of Natural History... with the human remains should contact Duncan Metcalfe, Utah Museum of Natural History, 1390 E...

  10. Induced seismicity in Carbon and Emery counties, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Megan R. M.

    Utah is one of the top producers of oil and natural gas in the United States. Over the past 18 years, more than 4.2 billion gallons of wastewater from the petroleum industry have been injected into the Navajo Sandstone, Kayenta Formation, and Wingate Sandstone in two areas in Carbon and Emery County, Utah, where seismicity has increased during the same period. In this study, I investigated whether or not wastewater injection is related to the increased seismicity. Previous studies have attributed all of the seismicity in central Utah to coal mining activity. I found that water injection might be a more important cause. In the coal mining area, seismicity rate increased significantly 1-5 years following the commencement of wastewater injection. The increased seismicity consists almost entirely of earthquakes with magnitudes of less than 3, and is localized in areas seismically active prior to the injection. I have established the spatiotemporal correlations between the coal mining activities, the wastewater injection, and the increased seismicity. I used simple groundwater models to estimate the change in pore pressure and evaluate the observed time gap between the start of injection and the onset of the increased seismicity in the areas surrounding the injection wells. To ascertain that the increased seismicity is not fluctuation of background seismicity, I analyzed the magnitude-frequency relation of these earthquakes and found a clear increase in the b-value following the wastewater injection. I conclude that the marked increase of seismicity rate in central Utah is induced by both mining activity and wastewater injection, which raised pore pressure along pre-existing faults.

  11. Evaluation of potential gas clogging associated with managed aquifer recharge from a spreading basin, southwestern Utah, U.S.A.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heilweil, Victor M.; Marston, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    Sand Hollow Reservoir in southwestern Utah, USA, is operated for both surface-water storage and managed aquifer recharge via infiltration from surface basin spreading to the underlying Navajo Sandstone. The total volume of estimated recharge from 2002 through 2011 was 131 Mm3., resulting in groundwater levels rising as much as 40 m. Hydraulic and hydrochemical data from the reservoir and various monitoring wells in Sand Hollow were used to evaluate the timing and location or reservoir recharge moving through the aquifer, along either potential clogging from trapped gases in pore throats, siltation, or algal mats. Several hyrdochemical tracers indicated this recharge had arrived at four monitoring wells located within about 300 m of the reservoir by 2012. At these wells, peak total dissolved-gas pressures exceeded two atmospheres (>1,500 mm mercury) and dissolved oxygen approached three times atmospherically equilibrated concentrations (>25 mg/L). these field parameters indicate that large amounts of gas trapped in pore spaces beneath the water table have dissolved. Lesser but notable increases in these dissolved-gas parameters (without increases in other indicators such as chloride-to-bromide ratios) at monitoring wells farther away (>300 m) indicate moderate amounts of in-situ sir entrapment and dissolution caused by the rise in regional groundwater levels. This is confirmed by hydrochemical difference between these sites and wells closer to the reservoir where recharge had already arrived. As the reservoir was being filled by 2002, managed aquifer recharge rates were initially very high (1.5 x 10-4 cm/s) with the vadose zone becoming saturated beneath and surrounding the reservoir. These rates declined to less than 3.5 x 10-6 cm/s during 2008. The 2002-08 decrease was likely associated with a declining regional hydraulic gradient and clogging. Increasing recharge rates during mid-2009 through 2010 may have been partly caused by dissolution of air bubbles

  12. Ground-water conditions in Utah, spring of 1994

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, D.V.; Garrett, R.B.; Sory, J.D.; Burden, Carole B.; Danner, M.R.; Herbert, L.R.; Steiger, J.I.; ReMillard, M.D.; Slaugh, B.A.; Swenson, R.L.; Howells, J.H.; Christiansen, H.K.; Bagley, A.D.

    1994-01-01

    This is the thirty-first in a series of annual reports that describe ground-water conditions in Utah. Reports in this series, published cooperatively by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Utah Division of Water Resources, provide data to enable interested parties to keep abreast of changing ground-water conditions.This report, like the others in the series, contains information on well construction, ground-water withdrawal from wells, water-level changes, related changes in precipitation and streamflow, and chemical quality of water. Supplementary data, such as maps showing water-level contours, are included in reports of this series only for those years or areas for which applicable data are available and are important to a discussion of changing ground-water conditions.This report includes individual discussions of selected significant areas of ground-water development in the State for calendar year 1993. Water-level fluctuations and selected related data, however, are described from the spring of 1989 to the spring of 1994. Much of the data used in this report were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Divisions of Water Rights and Water Resources, Utah Department of Natural Resources.

  13. DELIVERABLE 1.4.1 AND 1.4.2 CROSS SECTIONS AND FIELD MAPS: CHEROKEE AND BUG FIELDS, SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH, AND LITTLE UTE AND SLEEPING UTE FIELDS, MONTEZUMA COUNTY, COLORADO

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chidsey, Thomas C. Jr; Morgan, Craig D.; McClure, Kevin; Eby, David E.; Wray, Laura L.

    2003-01-01

    Over 400 million barrels (64 million m 3 ) of oil have been produced from the shallow-shelf carbonate reservoirs in the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation in the Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado. With the exception of the giant Greater Aneth field, the other 100 plus oil fields in the basin typically contain 2 to 10 million barrels (0.3-1.6 million m 3 ) of original oil in place. Most of these fields are characterized by high initial production rates followed by a very short productive life (primary), and hence premature abandonment. Only 15 to 25 percent of the original oil in place is recoverable during primary production from conventional vertical wells. An extensive and successful horizontal drilling program has been conducted in the giant Greater Aneth field. However, to date, only two horizontal wells have been drilled in small Ismay and Desert Creek fields. The results from these wells were disappointing due to poor understanding of the carbonate facies and diagenetic fabrics that create reservoir heterogeneity. These small fields, and similar fields in the basin, are at high risk of premature abandonment. At least 200 million barrels (31.8 million m 3 ) of oil will be left behind in these small fields because current development practices leave compartments of the heterogeneous reservoirs undrained. Through proper geological evaluation of the reservoirs, production may be increased by 20 to 50 percent through the drilling of low-cost single or multilateral horizontal legs from existing vertical development wells. In addition, horizontal drilling from existing wells minimizes surface disturbances and costs for field development, particularly in the environmentally sensitive areas of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado

  14. 78 FR 9807 - Utah Regulatory Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-02-12

    ... VER determinations, establishing application requirements, evaluation procedures and decision making...) Findings IV. Summary and Disposition of Comments V. OSM's Decision VI. Procedural Determinations I... Code (UAC) that Utah proposed to revise and/or add were: R645-100-200, Definition of Valid Existing...

  15. Utah's Mobile Earth Science Outreach Vehicle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoessow, F. S.; Christian, L.

    2016-12-01

    Students at Utah State University's College of Natural Resources have engineered the first mobile Earth Science outreach platform capable of delivering high-tech and interactive solar-powered educational resources to the traditionally-underserved, remote communities of rural Utah. By retrofitting and modifying an industrial box-truck, this project effectively created a highly mobile and energy independent "school in a box" which seeks to help change the way that Earth science is communicated, eliminate traditional barriers, and increase science accessibility - both physically and conceptually. The project's education platform is focused on developing a more effective, sustainable, and engaging platform for presenting Earth science outreach curricula to community members of all ages in an engaging fashion. Furthermore, this project affords university students the opportunity to demonstrate innovative science communication techniques, translating vital university research into educational outreach operations aimed at doing real, measurable good for local communities.

  16. Understanding Utah's Native Plant Market: Coordinating Public and Private Interest

    OpenAIRE

    Hooper, Virginia Harding

    2003-01-01

    Changes in Lone Peak Conservation Nursery customer profiles cause state nursery leaders to question what their products are being used for and how trends in native plant use are changing the market for Utah native plants. The Utah native plant market is changing as interest in native plants is expanding to meet new conservation objectives, oftentimes in urban settings. This newer demand for native plants appears to be motivated by current changes in urban conservation behavior, continued popu...

  17. 78 FR 5489 - Notice of Utah's Recreation Resource Advisory Council/Resource Advisory Council Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-25

    ... for Utah public lands within the BLM's National Landscape Conservation System; and the RAC's involvement with the Utah Film Commission. On February 22, the RecRAC will listen to fee presentations from...

  18. Characterizing the Fate and Mobility of Phosphorus in Utah Lake Sediments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carling, G. T.; Randall, M.; Nelson, S.; Rey, K.; Hansen, N.; Bickmore, B.; Miller, T.

    2017-12-01

    An increasing number of lakes worldwide are impacted by eutrophication and harmful algal blooms due to anthropogenic nutrient inputs. Utah Lake is a unique eutrophic freshwater lake that is naturally shallow, turbid, and alkaline with high dissolved oxygen levels that has experienced severe algal blooms in recent years. Recently, the Utah Division of Water Quality has proposed a new limitation of phosphorus (P) loading to Utah Lake from wastewater treatment plants in an effort to mitigate eutrophication. However, reducing external P loads may not lead to immediate improvements in water quality due to the legacy pool of nutrients in lake sediments. The purpose of this study was to characterize the fate and mobility of P in Utah Lake sediments to better understand P cycling in this unique system. We analyzed P speciation, mineralogy, and binding capacity in lake sediment samples collected from 15 locations across Utah Lake. P concentrations in sediment ranged from 615 to 1894 ppm, with highest concentrations in Provo Bay near the major metropolitan area. Sequential leach tests indicate that 25-50% of P is associated with Ca (CaCO₃/ Ca10(PO4)6(OH,F,Cl)2 ≈ P) and 40-60% is associated with Fe (Fe(OOH) ≈ P). Ca-associated P was confirmed by SEM images, which showed the highest P concentrations correlating with Ca (carbonate minerals/apatite). The Ca-associated P fraction is likely immobile, but the Fe-bound P is potentially bioavailable under changing redox conditions. Batch sorption results indicate that lake sediments have a high capacity to absorb and remove P from the water column, with an average uptake of 70-96% removal over the range of 1-10 mg/L P. Mineral precipitation and sorption to bottom sediments is an efficient removal mechanism of P in Utah Lake, but a significant portion of P may be temporarily available for resuspension and cycling in surface waters. Mitigating lake eutrophication is a complex problem that goes beyond decreasing external nutrient

  19. Hydrology and snowmelt simulation of Snyderville Basin, Park City, and adjacent areas, Summit County, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, Lynette E.; Mason, James L.; Susong, David D.

    1998-01-01

    Increasing residential and commercial development is placing increased demands on the ground- and surface-water resources of Snyderville Basin, Park City, and adjacent areas in the southwestern corner of Summit County, Utah. Data collected during 1993-95 were used to assess the quantity and quality of the water resources in the study area.Ground water within the study area is present in consolidated rocks and unconsolidated valley fill. The complex geology makes it difficult to determine the degree of hydraulic connection between different blocks of consolidated rocks. Increased ground-water withdrawal during 1983- 95 generally has not affected ground-water levels. Ground-water withdrawal in some areas, however, caused seasonal fluctuations and a decline in ground-water levels from 1994 to 1995, despite greater-than-normal recharge in the spring of 1995.Ground water generally has a dissolved-solids concentration that ranges from 200 to 600 mg/L. Higher sulfate concentrations in water from wells and springs near Park City and in McLeod Creek and East Canyon Creek than in other parts of the study area are the result of mixing with water that discharges from the Spiro Tunnel. The presence of chloride in water from wells and springs near Park City and in streams and wells near Interstate Highway 80 is probably caused by the dissolution of applied road salt. Chlorofluorocarbon analyses indicate that even though water levels rise within a few weeks of snowmelt, the water took 15 to 40 years to move from areas of recharge to areas of discharge.Water budgets for the entire study area and for six subbasins were developed to better understand the hydrologic system. Ground-water recharge from precipitation made up about 80 percent of the ground-water recharge in the study area. Ground-water discharge to streams made up about 40 percent of the surface water in the study area and ground-water discharge to springs and mine tunnels made up about 25 percent. Increasing use of

  20. Draft environmental assessment: Lavender Canyon site, Utah. Nuclear Waste Policy Act (Section 112)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1984-12-01

    In February 1983, the US Department of Energy (DOE) identified the Lavender Canyon site in Utah, as one of nine potentially acceptable sites for a mined geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. To determine their suitability, the Lavender Canyon site and the eight other potentially acceptable sites have been evaluated in accordance with the DOE's General Guidelines for the Recommendation of Sites for Nuclear Waste Repositories. These evaluations are reported in this draft environmental assessment (EA), which is being issued for public review and comment. The DOE findings and determinations that are based on these evaluations are preliminary and subject to public review and comment. A final EA will be prepared after considering the comments received. On the basis of the evaluations contained in this draft EA, the DOE has found that the Lavender Canyon site is not disqualified under the guidelines. The site is contained in the Paradox Basin, which is one of five distinct geohydrologic settings considered for the first repository. This setting contains one other potentially acceptable site - the Davis Canyon site. Although the Lavender Canyon site appears to be suitable for site characterization, the DOE has concluded that the Davis Canyon site is the preferred site in the Paradox Basin. On the basis of these findings, the DOE is proposing to nominate the Davis Canyon site rather than the Lavender Canyon site as one of the five sites suitable for characterization

  1. Cerebrovascular disease in Utah, 1968--1971.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyon, J L; Bishop, C T; Nielsen, N S

    1981-01-01

    Utah mortality rates for cerebrovascular disease (ICD numbers 430--438) are 13% below U.S. rates. About 70% of Utahns are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly called Mormons of LDS, which proscribes use of tobacco and alcohol. Other studies on this group have found significantly lower occurrence of many cancers and ischemic heart disease. We tested the hypothesis that Utah's lower cerebrovascular disease (CBVD) mortality was contributed by the LDS population. We classified by religion all CBVD deaths (2,521) (except subarachnoid hemorrhage and cerebral embolism) occurring in the state in 1968--1971. No significant difference was found between LDS and non-LDS, but both groups had mortality rates below U.S. expectation. Although recent studies have reported smoking to be a risk factor for CBVD, we found no consistent difference between the LDS and non-LDS, even in the younger age groups. The results do not support the hypothesis that tobacco is an important etiologic agent in CBVD mortality.

  2. 77 FR 24975 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revised Recovery Plan for the Utah Prairie Dog

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-04-26

    ...-FF06E00000] Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revised Recovery Plan for the Utah Prairie Dog... Utah prairie dog (Cynomys parvidens). This species is federally listed as threatened under the... recovery plan for the Utah prairie dog. The Service and other Federal agencies also will take these...

  3. 75 FR 57055 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Revised Recovery Plan for Utah Prairie Dog

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-17

    ...] Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Revised Recovery Plan for Utah Prairie Dog AGENCY: Fish... recovery plan for the Utah prairie dog (Cynomys parvidens). This species is federally listed as threatened... and peer reviewers in an appendix to the approved recovery plan. The Utah prairie dog (Cynomys...

  4. Utah Youth Suicide Study: Psychological Autopsy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moskos, Michelle; Olson, Lenora; Halbern, Sarah; Keller, Trisha; Gray, Doug

    2005-01-01

    We conducted a psychological autopsy study to further understand youth suicide in Utah. While traditional psychological autopsy studies primarily focus on the administration of psychometric measures to identify any underlying diagnosis of mental illness for the suicide decedent, we focused our interviews to identify which contacts in the…

  5. 78 FR 34160 - Union Pacific Railroad Company-Abandonment Exemption-In Iron County, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-06

    ... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Surface Transportation Board [Docket No. AB 33 (Sub-No. 283X)] Union Pacific Railroad Company--Abandonment Exemption--In Iron County, Utah Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP... Cedar City, a total distance of 1.03 miles in Iron County, Utah (the Line). The Line traverses United...

  6. Exploratory shaft conceptual design report: Permian Basin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-07-01

    This conceptual design report summarizes the conceptualized design for an exploratory shaft facility at a representative site in the Permian Basin locatd in the western part of Texas. Conceptualized designs for other possible locations (Paradox Basin in Utah and Gulf Interior Region salt domes in Louisiana and Mississippi) are summarized in separate reports. The purpose of the exploratory shaft facility is to provide access to the reference repository horizon to permit in situ testing of the salt. The in situ testing is necessary to verify repository salt design parameters, evaluate isotropy and homogeneity of the salt, and provide a demonstration of the constructability and confirmation of the design to gain access to the repository. The fundamental purpose of this conceptual design report is to assure the feasibility of the exploratory shaft project and to develop a reliable cost estimate and realistic schedule. Because a site has not been selected and site-specific subsurface data are not available, it has been necessary to make certain assumptions in order to develop a conceptual design for an exploratory shaft facility in salt. As more definitive information becomes available to support the design process, adjustments in the projected schedule and estimated costs will be required

  7. Exploratory shaft conceptual design report: Paradox Basin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-07-01

    This conceptual design report summarizes the conceptualized design for an exploratory shaft facility at a representative site in the Paradox Basin located in the southeastern part of Utah. Conceptualized designs for other possible locations (Permian Basin in Texas and Gulf Interior Region salt domes in Louisiana and Mississippi) are summarized in separate reports. The purpose of the exploratory shaft facility is to provide access to the reference repository horizon to permit in situ testing of the salt. The in-situ testing is necessary to verify repository salt design parameters, evaluate isotropy and homogeneity of the salt, and provide a demonstration of the constructability and confirmation of the design to gain access to the repository. The fundamental purpose of this conceptual design report is to assure the feasibility of the exploratory shaft project and to develop a reliable cost estimate and realistic schedule. Because a site has not been selected and site-specific subsurface data are not available, it has been necessary to make certain assumptions in order to develop a conceptual design for an exploratory shaft facility in salt. As more definitive information becomes available to support the design process, adjustments in the projected schedule and estimated costs will be required

  8. Map showing selected surface-water data for the Huntington 30 x 60-minute quadrangle, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Price, Don

    1984-01-01

    This is one of a series of maps that describe the geology and related natural resources of the Huntington 30 x 60-minute quadrangle, Utah. Streamflow records used to compile this map were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, and the Utah Department of Transportation. The principal runoff-producing area shown on the map was delineated from a work map (scale 1:250,000) compiled to estimate water yields in Utah (Bagley and others, 1964). Sources of information about recorded floods resulting from cloudbursts included Woolley (1946) and Butler and Marsell (1972); sources of information about the chemical quality of streamflow included Mundorff (1972) and Mundorff and Thompson (1982).

  9. Map showing selected surface-water data for the Price 30 x 60-minute Quadrangle, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Price, Don

    1984-01-01

    This is one of a series of maps that describe the geology and related natural resources of the Price 30 x 60-minute quadrangle, Utah. Streamflow records used to compile this map were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, and the Utah Department of Transportation. The principal runoff-producing areas shown on the map were delineated from a work map (scale 1:250,000) compiled to estimate water yields in Utah (Bagley and others, 1964). Sources of information about recorded floods resulting from cloudbursts included Woolley (1946) and Butler and Marsell (1972); sources of information about the chemical quality of streamflow included Mundorff (1972; 1977), and Waddell and others (1982).

  10. Groundwater flow and potential effects on evaporite dissolution in the Paradox Basin, SE Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reitman, N.; Ge, S.; Mueller, K. J.

    2012-12-01

    A hydrogeologic study was conducted in the portion of the Paradox Basin south of the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, Utah. Geology of the study area comprises fractured and faulted Paleozoic sandstone, limestone, and shale, which are underlain by evaporite cycles of the Paradox Formation. The evaporite deposits deform and dissolve when they come in contact with groundwater, generating land subsidence, saline groundwater, and salt input to the Colorado River. Active faults in the region slip at a rate of approximately 2 mm/year, likely due to evaporite dissolution. The objective of this study is to better understand groundwater flow and solute transport dynamics and to help determine the rate and timing of subsurface salt dissolution, which is an important control on the salt tectonics in the region. Study methods include hydrologic fieldwork, laboratory tests, and numerical modeling. No groundwater wells exist in the study area. Water samples from springs and seeps were collected throughout the study area. Analysis of total dissolved solids (TDS), stable oxygen (δ18O) and deuterium (δD) isotopes, spring and seep locations, and prior data are used to gain a preliminary understanding of the shallow groundwater flow in the region. Stable isotope ratios of oxygen (18O/16O) and deuterium (D/H) are used to constrain the source of spring water. Measured δ values are compared to predicted δ values for precipitation from WaterIsotopes.org for each sample site. Measured isotopic values range from -14.9 ‰ to -10.7 ‰ for δ18O and -108 ‰ to -78 ‰ for δD. The majority of samples from above 2000 m match predicted isotopic values for precipitation. Most samples taken below 2000 m are lighter than predicted isotopic values for precipitation. The TDS of spring samples measured in the lab show they range from 184 mg/L to 1552 mg/L with the majority of samples between 220 - 430 mg/L. TDS shows a weak correlation (R2 = 0.54) with altitude, where lower TDS

  11. Do You Really Want to Know? Elementary Music Personnel and Potential in Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Loretta Niebur

    2015-01-01

    This is the second of two articles reporting the results of a study by the author regarding the status of elementary music education in the state of Utah. This article focuses on the qualifications of Utah's elementary music teachers (music certified, elementary classroom certified, artists-in-residence, volunteers, and paraprofessionals) and the…

  12. Map showing selected surface-water data for the Nephi 30 x 60-minute quadrangle, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Price, Don

    1984-01-01

    This is one of a series of maps that describe the geology and related natural resources of the Nephi 30 x 60 minute quadrangle, Utah. Streamflow records used to compile this map were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, and the Utah Department of Transportation. The principal runoff-producing areas shown on the map were delineated from a work map (scale 1:250,000) compiled to estimate water yields in Utah (Bagley and others, 1964). Sources of information about recorded floods resulting from cloudbursts included Woolley (1946) and Butler and Marsell (1972); sources of information about the chemical quality of streamflow included Hahl and Cabell (1965) Mundorff (1972 and 1974), and Waddell and others (1982).

  13. Seismicity of the Paradox Basin and the Colorado Plateau interior

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wong, I.G.

    1984-04-01

    National Waste Terminal Storage Program site qualification criteria require that a nuclear waste repository be located so that ground motion associated with the maximum credible and maximum probable earthquakes or other earthquake-associated effects will not have an unacceptable adverse impact on system performance. To determine whether a potential repository site located in the Paradox salt formation in the Paradox Basin of southeastern Utah satisfies these criteria, seismological studies were undertaken by Woodward-Clyde Consultants (WCC) in March 1978. These studies included: (1) analysis of historical seismicity; (2) analysis of contemporary seismicity and tectonics of both the Paradox Basin and surrounding Colorado Plateau, including an extensive program of microearthquake monitoring; (3) evaluation of the Paradox Basin crustal structure; (4) evaluation of mining-induced seismicity; and (5) characterization of design-related earthquake-induced ground motions pertinent to a potential repository site through studies of attentation and subsurface ground motions. A detailed discussion of the results of the seismological studies performed through December 1980 is contained in WCC (1982). The purpose of this topical report is to update and summarize the studies on the local, regional, and mining-induced seismicity conducted through December 1982. The limitations of any interpretations are also discussed and additional information that remains to be acquired is identified. 56 references, 45 figures, 4 tables

  14. 77 FR 46157 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revising the Special Rule for the Utah Prairie Dog

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-08-02

    ... Utah Prairie Dog; Final Rule #0;#0;Federal Register / Vol. 77 , No. 149 / Thursday, August 2, 2012...-AW02 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revising the Special Rule for the Utah Prairie Dog... special regulations for the conservation of the Utah prairie dog. We are revising our special regulations...

  15. Volatile organic compound emissions from the oil and natural gas industry in the Uintah Basin, Utah: oil and gas well pad emissions compared to ambient air composition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warneke, C.; Geiger, F.; Edwards, P. M.; Dube, W.; Pétron, G.; Kofler, J.; Zahn, A.; Brown, S. S.; Graus, M.; Gilman, J. B.; Lerner, B. M.; Peischl, J.; Ryerson, T. B.; de Gouw, J. A.; Roberts, J. M.

    2014-10-01

    Emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with oil and natural gas production in the Uintah Basin, Utah were measured at a ground site in Horse Pool and from a NOAA mobile laboratory with PTR-MS instruments. The VOC compositions in the vicinity of individual gas and oil wells and other point sources such as evaporation ponds, compressor stations and injection wells are compared to the measurements at Horse Pool. High mixing ratios of aromatics, alkanes, cycloalkanes and methanol were observed for extended periods of time and for short-term spikes caused by local point sources. The mixing ratios during the time the mobile laboratory spent on the well pads were averaged. High mixing ratios were found close to all point sources, but gas well pads with collection and dehydration on the well pad were clearly associated with higher mixing ratios than other wells. The comparison of the VOC composition of the emissions from the oil and natural gas well pads showed that gas well pads without dehydration on the well pad compared well with the majority of the data at Horse Pool, and that oil well pads compared well with the rest of the ground site data. Oil well pads on average emit heavier compounds than gas well pads. The mobile laboratory measurements confirm the results from an emissions inventory: the main VOC source categories from individual point sources are dehydrators, oil and condensate tank flashing and pneumatic devices and pumps. Raw natural gas is emitted from the pneumatic devices and pumps and heavier VOC mixes from the tank flashings.

  16. Quality of life on the Colorado Plateau: A report to camera-survey collaborators in southeast Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Jonathan G.; Reis-Ruehrwein, Jessica B.; Sexton, Natalie R.; Blahna, Dale J.

    1999-01-01

    What constitutes quality of life among community residents in southeastern and central Utah? What critical areas, elements, and special outdoor places are essential to quality of life in those areas? Answering these questions was the goal of this "quality-of-life" research collaboration in the Colorado Plateau region. Collaborators include the Utah Travel Council (UTC), Canyon Country Partnership, Utah State University, and the county governments of Carbon, Emery, Grand, San Juan, and Wayne counties.

  17. Assessing Vulnerability under Uncertainty in the Colorado River Basin: The Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jerla, C.; Adams, P.; Butler, A.; Nowak, K.; Prairie, J. R.

    2013-12-01

    Spanning parts of the seven states, of Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming, the Colorado River is one of the most critical sources of water in the western United States. Colorado River allocations exceed the long-term supply and since the 1950s, there have been a number of years when the annual water use in the Colorado River Basin exceeded the yield. The Basin is entering its second decade of drought conditions which brings challenges that will only be compounded if projections of climate change are realized. It was against this backdrop that the Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study was conducted. The Study's objectives are to define current and future imbalances in the Basin over the next 50 years and to develop and analyze adaptation and mitigation strategies to resolve those imbalances. Long-term planning in the Basin involves the integration of uncertainty with respect to a changing climate and other uncertainties such as future demand and how policies may be modified to adapt to changing reliability. The Study adopted a scenario planning approach to address this uncertainty in which thousands of scenarios were developed to encompass a wide range of plausible future water supply and demand conditions. Using Reclamation's long-term planning model, the Colorado River Simulation System, the reliability of the system to meet Basin resource needs under these future conditions was projected both with and without additional future adaptation strategies in place. System reliability metrics were developed in order to define system vulnerabilities, the conditions that lead to those vulnerabilities, and sign posts to indicate if the system is approaching a vulnerable state. Options and strategies that reduce these vulnerabilities and improve system reliability were explored through the development of portfolios. Four portfolios, each with different management strategies, were analyzed to assess their effectiveness at

  18. Physical characteristics and quality of water from selected springs and wells in the Lincoln Point-Bird Island area, Utah Lake, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baskin, R.L.; Spangler, L.E.; Holmes, W.F.

    1994-01-01

    From February 1991 to October 1992, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Central Utah Water Conservancy District, investigated the hydrology of the Lincoln Point - Bird Island area in the southeast part of Utah Lake, Utah. The investigation included measurements of the discharge of selected springs and measurements of the physical and chemical characteristics of water from selected springs and wells in the LincolnPoint - Bird Island area. This report contains data for twenty-one distinct springs in the study area including two springs beneath the surface of Utah Lake at Bird Island. Data from this study, combined with data from previous studies, indicate that the location of springs in the Lincoln Point - Bird Island area probably is controlled by fractures that are the result of faulting. Measured discharge of springs in the Lincoln Point - Bird Island area ranged from less than 0.01 cubic foot per second to 0.84 cubic foot per second. Total discharge in the study area, including known unmeasured springs and seeps, is estimated to be about 5 cubic feet per second. Reported and measured temperatures of water from springs and wells in the Lincoln Point - Bird Island area ranged from 16.0 degrees Celsius to 36.5 degrees Celsius. Dissolved-solids con-centrations ranged from 444 milligrams per liter to 7,932 milligrams per liter, and pH ranged from 6.3 to 8.1. Physical and chemical characteristics of spring and well water from the west side of Lincoln Point were virtually identical to the physical and chemical characteristics of water from the submerged Bird Island springs, indicating a similar source for the water. Water chemistry, isotope analyses, and geothermometer calculations indicate deep circulation of water discharging from the springs and indicate that the source of recharge for the springs at Lincoln Point and Bird Island does not appear to be localized in the LincolnPoint - Bird Island area.

  19. 76 FR 46805 - Notice of Utah Adoption by Reference of the Pesticide Container Containment Rule

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-08-03

    ... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9447-8] Notice of Utah Adoption by Reference of the Pesticide Container Containment Rule AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This... Pesticide Container Containment (PCC) Rule regulations. In accordance with State of Utah Agricultural Code...

  20. Study of the Utah uranium-milling industry. Volume I. A policy analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Turley, R.E.

    1980-05-01

    This is the first volume of a two volume study of the Utah Uranium Milling Industry. The study was precipitated by a 1977 report issued by the Western Interstate Nuclear Board entitled Policy Recommendations on Financing Stabilization. Perpetual Surveillance and Maintenance of Uranium Mill Tailings. Volume I of this study is a policy analysis or technology assessment of the uranium milling industry in the state of Utah; specifically, the study addresses issues that deal with the perpetual surveillance, monitoring, and maintenance of uranium tailings piles at the end of uranium milling operations, i.e., following shutdown and decommissioning. Volume II of this report serves somewhat as an appendix. It represents a full description of the uranium industry in the state of Utah, including its history and statements regarding its future. The topics covered in volume I are as follows: today's uranium industry in Utah; management of the industry's characteristic nuclear radiation; uranium mill licensing and regulation; state licensing and regulation of uranium mills; forecast of future milling operations; policy needs relative to perpetual surveillance, monitoring, and maintenance of tailings; policy needs relative to perpetual oversight; economic aspects; state revenue from uranium; and summary with conclusions and recommendations. Appendices, figures and tables are also presented

  1. Evaluating natural and anthropogenic trace element inputs along an alpine to urban gradient in the Provo River, Utah, USA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carling, Gregory T.; Tingey, David G.; Fernandez, Diego P.; Nelson, Stephen T.; Aanderud, Zachary T.; Goodsell, Timothy H.; Chapman, Tucker R.

    2015-01-01

    Numerous natural and anthropogenic processes in a watershed produce the geochemical composition of a river, which can be altered over time by snowmelt and rainfall events and by built infrastructure (i.e., dams and diversions). Trace element concentrations coupled with isotopic ratios offer valuable insights to disentangle the effects of these processes on water quality. In this study, we measured a suite of 40+ trace and major elements (including As, Cd, Ce, Cr, Cs, Fe, La, Li, Mo, Pb, Rb, Sb, Se, Sr, Ti, Tl, U, and Zn), Sr isotopes ("8"7Sr/"8"6Sr), and stable isotopes of H and O (δD and δ"1"8O) to investigate natural and anthropogenic processes impacting the Provo River in northern Utah, USA. The river starts as a pristine mountain stream and passes through agricultural and urban areas, with two major reservoirs and several major diversions to and from the river. We sampled the entire 120 km length of the Provo River at 13 locations from the Uinta Mountains to Utah Valley, as well as two important tributaries, across the range of hydrologic conditions from low flow to snowmelt runoff during the 2013 water year. We also sampled the furthest downstream site in the Utah Valley urban area during a major flood event. Trace element concentrations indicate that a variety of factors potentially influence Provo River chemistry, including inputs from weathering of carbonate/siliciclastic rocks (Sr) and black shales (Se and U), geothermal groundwater (As, Cs, Li, and Rb), soil erosion during snowmelt runoff (Ce, Cr, Fe, La, Pb, and Ti), legacy mining operations (Mo, Sb, and Tl), and urban runoff (Cr, Pb, and Zn). Although specific elements overlap between different groups, the combination of different elements together with isotopic measurements and streamflow observations may act as diagnostic tools to identify sources. "8"7Sr/"8"6Sr ratios indicate a strong influence of siliciclastic bedrock in the headwaters with values exceeding 0.714 and carbonate bedrock in the

  2. Rock mechanics evaluation of potential repository sites in the Paradox, Permian, and Gulf Coast Basins: Volume 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-09-01

    Thermal and thermomechanical analyses of a conceptual radioactive waste repository containing commercial and defense high-level wastes and spent fuel have been performing using finite element models. The thermal and thermomechanical responses of the waste package, disposal room, and repository regions were evaluated. four bedded salt formations, in Davis and Lavender Canyons in the Paradox Basin of southeastern Utah and in Deaf Smith and Swisher counties in the Permian Basin of northwestern Texas, and three salt domes, Vacherie Dome in northwestern Louisiana and Richton and Cypress Creek Domes in southeastern Mississippi, located in the Gulf Coast Basin, were examined. In the Paradox Basin, the pressure exerted on the waste package overpack was much greater than the initial in situ stress. The disposal room closure was less than 10 percent after 5 years. Surface uplift was nominal, and no significant thermomechanical perturbation of the aquitards was observed. In the Permian Basin, the pressure exerted on the waste package overpack was greater than the initial in situ stress. The disposal room closures were greater than 10 percent in less than 5 years. Surface uplift was nominal, and no significant thermomechanical perturbation of the aquitards was observed. In the Gulf Coast Basin, the pressure exerted on the waste package overpack was greater than the initial in situ stress. The disposal room closures were greater than 10 percent in less than 5 years. No significant thermomechanical perturbation of the overlying geology was observed. 40 refs., 153 figs., 32 tabs

  3. Trends in indices for extremes in daily air temperature over Utah, USA Tendências de indices de extremos para temperatura do ar diária sobre Utah, EUA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Antonio Costa dos Santos

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available The main objective of this study was to obtain analysis of the trends in eleven annual extreme indices of temperature for Utah, United State of America (USA. The analyses have been obtained for 28 meteorological stations, in general, for the period of 1930 to 2006, characterizing a long-term period and with high quality data. The software used to process the data was the RClimdex 1.0. The analysis has identified that the temperature increased in Utah during the last century, evidencing the importance of the ongoing research on climate change in many parts of the world.O principal objetivo desse estudo foi analisar as tendências de onze indices de extremos climáticos baseados em dados diários de temperatura do ar, obtidos a partir de 28 estações meteorológicas localizadas em Utah, Estados Unidos da America (EUA. Em geral, os dados foram coletados entre 1930 e 2006, apresentando coerente resolução temporal e espacial. O software utilizado no processamento dos dados foi o RClimdex 1.0. As análises dos índices extremos mostraram que a temperatura aumentou em Utah durante o último século, evidenciando a importância das pesquisas sobre mudanças climáticas em diferentes partes do mundo.

  4. Bibliography of Utah radioactive occurrences. Volume I

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doelling, H.H.

    1983-07-01

    The references in this bibliography were assembled by reviewing published bibliographies of Utah geology, unpublished reports of the US Geological Survey and the Department of Energy, and various university theses. Each of the listings is cross-referenced by location and subject matter. This report is published in two volumes

  5. Bibliography of Utah radioactive occurrences. Volume II

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doelling, H.H.

    1983-07-01

    The references in this bibliography were assembled by reviewing published bibliographies of Utah geology, unpublished reports of the US Geological Survey and the Department of Energy, and various university theses. Each of the listings is cross-referenced by location and subject matter. This report is published in two volumes

  6. Hole-to-surface resistivity measurements at Gibson Dome (drill hole GD-1) Paradox basin, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniels, J.J.

    1984-01-01

    Hole-to-surface resistivity measurements were made in a deep drill hole (GD-1), in San Juan County, Utah, which penetrated a sequence of sandstone, shale, and evaporite. These measurements were made as part of a larger investigation to study the suitability of an area centered around the Gibson Dome structure for nuclear waste disposal. The magnitude and direction of the total electric field resulting from a current source placed in a drill hole is calculated from potential difference measurements for a grid of closely-spaced stations. A contour map of these data provides a detailed map of the distribution of the electric field away from the drill hole. Computation of the apparent resistivity from the total electric field helps to interpret the data with respect to the ideal situation of a layered earth. Repeating the surface measurements for different source depths gives an indication of variations in the geoelectric section with depth. The quantitative interpretation of the field data at Gibson Dome was hindered by the pressure of a conductive borehole fluid. However, a qualitative interpretation of the field data indicates the geoelectric section around drill hole GD-1 is not perfectly layered. The geoelectric section appears to dip to the northwest, and contains anomalies in the resistivity distribution that may be representative of localized thickening or folding of the salt layers.

  7. Stratigraphy and petroleum possibilities of lower Upper Devonian (Frasnian and lower Framennian) strata, Southwestern Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biller, Edward J.

    1976-01-01

    The lower Upper Devonian rocks in southwestern Utah--the Guilmette Formation and equivalents--represent a final regressive pulse of the major Late Devonian marine inundation of the Western Interior of the United States and record marine carbonate deposition on a wide continental shelf. They consist primarily of limestone, dolomite, and quartz arenite deposited in a shallow north-trending miogeosyncline, which constituted a single major basin of accumulation on this shelf. The Guilmette Formation and equivalents were deposited in shallow normal to hypersaline marine waters. The environments of deposition include: a moderate- to high-energy intertidal environment, a moderate-energy subtidal environment, a lower energy, deeper subtidal environment below effective wave base, and a high-energy environment in local shallow areas of mud mounds and bioherms. The carbonate deposition of the Guilmette Formation and equivalents was interrupted periodically by the deposition of quartz arenites. These may represent the breaking up of the miogeosynclinal-cratonic pattern of deposition. In most areas, the Guilmette and equivalents are overlain by a thin transgressive marine quartz arenite deposit--the Cove Fort Quartzite and basal Leatham equivalent. Previous paleontologic evidence indicated a general Middle to Late Devonian age for the Guilmette Formation. The present study narrows this range and suggests that the age of the Guilmette Formation and its equivalents is late Middle Devonian (Stringocephalus brachiopod zone) to early Late Devonian (Uppermost Palmatolepis gigas conodont zone). Available subsurface data suggest that the petroleum possibilities of the Guilmette Formation and equivalents in southwestern Utah are poor. Several tests have penetrated .the interval with only minor shows of oil in rocks with low porosity and permeability. Nevertheless, many outcrop samples of the same interval, appear to have excellent porosity and permeability and a strongly fetid odor,

  8. Familial aggregation of age-related macular degeneration in the Utah population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Ling; Harmon, Jennifer; Yang, Xian; Chen, Haoyu; Patel, Shrena; Mineau, Geraldine; Yang, Zhenglin; Constantine, Ryan; Buehler, Jeanette; Kaminoh, Yuuki; Ma, Xiang; Wong, Tien Y; Zhang, Maonian; Zhang, Kang

    2008-02-01

    We examined familial aggregation and risk of age-related macular degeneration in the Utah population using a population-based case-control study. Over one million unique patient records were searched within the University of Utah Health Sciences Center and the Utah Population Database (UPDB), identifying 4764 patients with AMD. Specialized kinship analysis software was used to test for familial aggregation of disease, estimate the magnitude of familial risks, and identify families at high risk for disease. The population-attributable risk (PAR) for AMD was calculated to be 0.34. Recurrence risks in relatives indicate increased relative risks in siblings (2.95), first cousins (1.29), second cousins (1.13), and parents (5.66) of affected cases. There were 16 extended large families with AMD identified for potential use in genetic studies. Each family had five or more living affected members. The familial aggregation of AMD shown in this study exemplifies the merit of the UPDB and supports recent research demonstrating significant genetic contribution to disease development and progression.

  9. Discriminant of validity the Wender Utah rating scale in Iranian adults.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Farideh Farokhzadi

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study is the normalization of the Wender Utah rating scale which is used to detect adults with Attention-Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD. Available sampling method was used to choose 400 parents of children (200 parents of children with ADHD as compared to 200 parents of normal children. Wender Utah rating scale, which has been designed to diagnose ADHD in adults, is filled out by each of the parents to most accurately diagnose of ADHD in parents. Wender Utah rating scale was divided into 6 sub scales which consist of dysthymia, oppositional defiant disorder; school work problems, conduct disorder, anxiety, and ADHD were analyzed with exploratory factor analysis method. The value of (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin KMO was 86.5% for dysthymia, 86.9% for oppositional defiant disorder, 77.5% for school related problems, 90.9% for conduct disorder, 79.6% for anxiety and 93.5% for Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, also the chi square value based on Bartlett's Test was 2242.947 for dysthymia, 2239.112 for oppositional defiant disorder, 1221.917 for school work problems, 5031.511 for conduct, 1421.1 for anxiety, and 7644.122 for ADHD. Since mentioned values were larger than the chi square critical values (P<0.05, it found that the factor correlation matrix is appropriate for factor analysis. Based on the findings, we can conclude that Wender Utah rating scale can be appropriately used for predicting dysthymia, oppositional defiant disorder, school work problems, conduct disorder, anxiety, in adults with ADHD.

  10. Discriminant of validity the Wender Utah rating scale in Iranian adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farokhzadi, Farideh; Mohammadi, Mohammad Reza; Salmanian, Maryam

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study is the normalization of the Wender Utah rating scale which is used to detect adults with Attention-Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Available sampling method was used to choose 400 parents of children (200 parents of children with ADHD as compared to 200 parents of normal children). Wender Utah rating scale, which has been designed to diagnose ADHD in adults, is filled out by each of the parents to most accurately diagnose of ADHD in parents. Wender Utah rating scale was divided into 6 sub scales which consist of dysthymia, oppositional defiant disorder; school work problems, conduct disorder, anxiety, and ADHD were analyzed with exploratory factor analysis method. The value of (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin) KMO was 86.5% for dysthymia, 86.9% for oppositional defiant disorder, 77.5% for school related problems, 90.9% for conduct disorder, 79.6% for anxiety and 93.5% for Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, also the chi square value based on Bartlett's Test was 2242.947 for dysthymia, 2239.112 for oppositional defiant disorder, 1221.917 for school work problems, 5031.511 for conduct, 1421.1 for anxiety, and 7644.122 for ADHD. Since mentioned values were larger than the chi square critical values (P<0.05), it found that the factor correlation matrix is appropriate for factor analysis. Based on the findings, we can conclude that Wender Utah rating scale can be appropriately used for predicting dysthymia, oppositional defiant disorder, school work problems, conduct disorder, anxiety, in adults with ADHD.

  11. Late quaternary geomorphology of the Great Salt Lake region, Utah, and other hydrographically closed basins in the western United States: A summary of observations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Currey, Donald R.

    1989-01-01

    Attributes of Quaternary lakes and lake basins which are often important in the environmental prehistory of semideserts are discussed. Basin-floor and basin-closure morphometry have set limits on paleolake sizes; lake morphometry and basin drainage patterns have influenced lacustrine processes; and water and sediment loads have influenced basin neotectonics. Information regarding inundated, runoff-producing, and extra-basin spatial domains is acquired directly from the paleolake record, including the littoral morphostratigraphic record, and indirectly by reconstruction. Increasingly detailed hypotheses regarding Lake Bonneville, the largest late Pleistocene paleolake in the Great Basin, are subjects for further testing and refinement. Oscillating transgression of Lake Bonneville began about 28,000 yr B.P.; the highest stage occurred about 15,000 yr B.P., and termination occurred abruptly about 13,000 yr B.P. A final resurgence of perennial lakes probably occurred in many subbasins of the Great Basin between 11,000 and 10,000 yr B.P., when the highest stage of Great Salt Lake (successor to Lake Bonneville) developed the Gilbert shoreline. The highest post-Gilbert stage of Great Salt Lake, which has been one of the few permanent lakes in the Great Basin during Holocene time, probably occurred between 3,000 and 2,000 yr B.P.

  12. Geologic and geophysical maps and volcanic history of the Kelton Pass SE and Monument Peak SW Quadrangles, Box Elder County, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Felger, Tracey J.; Miller, David; Langenheim, Victoria; Fleck, Robert J.

    2016-01-01

    The Kelton Pass SE and Monument Peak SW 7.5' quadrangles are located in Box Elder County, northwestern Utah (figure 1; plate 1). The northern boundary of the map area is 8.5 miles (13.7 km) south of the Utah-Idaho border, and the southern boundary reaches the edge of mud flats at the north end of Great Salt Lake. Elevations range from 4218 feet (1286 m) along the mud flats to 5078 feet (1548 m) in the Wildcat Hills. Deep Creek forms a prominent drainage between the Wildcat Hills and Cedar Hill. The closest towns are the ranching communities of Snowville, Utah (10 miles [16 km] to the northeast) (figure 1), and Park Valley, Utah (10 miles [16 km] to the west).The Kelton Pass SE and Monument Peak SW 7.5' quadrangles are located entirely within southern Curlew Valley, which drains south into Great Salt Lake, and extends north of the area shown on figure 1 into Idaho. Curlew Valley is bounded on the west by the Raft River Mountains and on the east by the Hansel Mountains (figure 1). Sedimentary and volcanic bedrock exposures within the quadrangles form the Wildcat Hills, Cedar Hill, and informally named Middle Shield (figure 1). Exposed rocks and deposits are Permian to Holocene in age, and include the Permian quartz sandstone and orthoquartzite of the Oquirrh Formation (Pos), tuffaceous sedimentary rocks of the Miocene Salt Lake Formation (Ts), Pliocene basaltic lava flows (Tb) and dacite (Tdw), Pleistocene rhyolite (Qrw) and basalt (Qb), and Pleistocene and Holocene surficial deposits of alluvial, lacustrine, and eolian origin. Structurally, the map area is situated in the northeastern Basin and Range Province, and is inferred to lie within the hanging wall of the late Miocene detachment faults exposed in the Raft River Mountains to the northwest (e.g., Wells, 1992, 2009; figure 1).This mapping project was undertaken to produce a comprehensive, large-scale geologic map of the Wildcat Hills, as well as to improve understanding of the volcanic and tectonic evolution of

  13. Conservation planning for the Colorado River in Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christine Rasmussen,; Shafroth, Patrick B.

    2016-01-01

    Strategic planning is increasingly recognized as necessary for providing the greatest possible conservation benefits for restoration efforts. Rigorous, science-based resource assessment, combined with acknowledgement of broader basin trends, provides a solid foundation for determining effective projects. It is equally important that methods used to prioritize conservation investments are simple and practical enough that they can be implemented in a timely manner and by a variety of resource managers. With the help of local and regional natural resource professionals, we have developed a broad-scale, spatially-explicit assessment of 146 miles (~20,000 acres) of the Colorado River mainstem in Grand and San Juan Counties, Utah that will function as the basis for a systematic, practical approach to conservation planning and riparian restoration prioritization. For the assessment we have: 1) acquired, modified or created spatial datasets of Colorado River bottomland conditions; 2) synthesized those datasets into habitat suitability models and estimates of natural recovery potential, fire risk and relative cost; 3) investigated and described dominant ecosystem trends and human uses, and; 4) suggested site selection and prioritization approaches. Partner organizations (The Nature Conservancy, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and Utah Forestry Fire and State Lands) are using the assessment and datasets to identify and prioritize a suite of restoration actions to increase ecosystem resilience and improve habitat for bottomland species. Primary datasets include maps of bottomland cover types, bottomland extent, maps of areas inundated during high and low flow events, as well as locations of campgrounds, roads, fires, invasive vegetation treatment areas and other features. Assessment of conditions and trends in the project area entailed: 1) assemblage of existing data on geology, changes in stream flow, and predictions of future conditions; 2) identification

  14. Overview of the regional geology of the Paradox Basin Study Region

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-03-01

    The Geologic Project Manager for the Paradox Basin Salt Region (PBSR), Woodward-Clyde Consultants, has conducted geologic studies to characterize the region and evaluate selected geologic formations as potential repositories for the storage and disposal of nuclear waste. Evaluations have been made from the standpoint of engineering feasibility, safety, public health, and resource conflicts. The Regulatory Project Manager for the PBSR, Bechtel National, Inc., has performed environmental characterizations to ensure that data on ecological, socioeconomic, and other environmental factors required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 are considered. This report characterizes, at a regional overview level of detail, the Paradox Basin Study Region Geology. Information sources include the published literature, field trip guidebooks, open file data of the US Geological Survey (USGC) and Utah Geologic and Mineral Survey, university theses, Geo-Ref Computer Search, and various unpublished sources of subsurface data such as well logs. Existing information has been synthesized and characterized. No field work was conducted as part of this study. Where possible, attempts were made to evaluate the data. All results of this study are subject to change as more data become available

  15. Reviving Passions: A Brief Examination of Opera, Past and Present in Utah

    OpenAIRE

    Brunson, McKenna

    2017-01-01

    From its first recognized performance in Italy at a royal wedding in 1597, opera gained the reputation of being elite, the highest form of art. Walter B. Rudolph, program director of KBYU-FM radio in Utah and a renowned expert on opera and its history, gave a lecture at Utah State University in which he comically quoted from Armando Iannucci's book, Hear Me Out that opera is a "coming together of music, theatre, design, people, and coughing in the greatest synthesis of art." Opera has long be...

  16. VSP Monitoring of CO2 Injection at the Aneth Oil Field in Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, L.; Rutledge, J.; Zhou, R.; Denli, H.; Cheng, A.; Zhao, M.; Peron, J.

    2008-12-01

    Remotely tracking the movement of injected CO2 within a geological formation is critically important for ensuring safe and long-term geologic carbon sequestration. To study the capability of vertical seismic profiling (VSP) for remote monitoring of CO2 injection, a geophone string with 60 levels and 96 channels was cemented into a monitoring well at the Aneth oil field in Utah operated by Resolute Natural Resources and Navajo National Oil and Gas Company. The oil field is located in the Paradox Basin of southeastern Utah, and was selected by the Southwest Regional Partnership on Carbon Sequestration, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, to demonstrate combined enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and CO2 sequestration. The geophones are placed at depths from 805 m to 1704 m, and the oil reservoir is located approximately from 1731 m to 1786 m in depth. A baseline VSP dataset with one zero-offset and seven offset source locations was acquired in October, 2007 before CO2 injection. The offsets/source locations are approximately 1 km away from the monitoring well with buried geophone string. A time-lapse VSP dataset with the same source locations was collected in July, 2008 after five months of CO2/water injection into a horizontal well adjacent to the monitoring well. The total amount of CO2 injected during the time interval between the two VSP surveys was 181,000 MCF (million cubic feet), or 10,500 tons. The time-lapse VSP data are pre-processed to balance the phase and amplitude of seismic events above the oil reservoir. We conduct wave-equation migration imaging and interferometry analysis using the pre-processed time-lapse VSP data. The results demonstrate that time-lapse VSP surveys with high-resolution migration imaging and scattering analysis can provide reliable information about CO2 migration. Both the repeatability of VSP surveys and sophisticated time-lapse data pre-processing are essential to make VSP as an effective tool for monitoring CO2 injection.

  17. Geology of the Pennsylvanian and Permian Culter Group and Permian Kaibab Limestone in the Paradox Basin, southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado

    Science.gov (United States)

    Condon, Steven M.

    1997-01-01

    The Cutler Formation is composed of thick, arkosic, alluvial sandstones shed southwestward from the Uncompahgre highlands into the Paradox Basin. Salt tectonism played an important role in deposition of the Cutler in some areas. In the northeast part of the basin, more than 8,000 ft, and as much as 15,000 ft, of arkose was trapped between rising salt anticlines - this arkose is thin to absent over the crests of some anticlines. In the western and southern parts of the basin, the Cutler is recognized as a Group consisting of, in ascending order: the lower Cutler beds, Cedar Mesa Sandstone, Organ Rock Formation, White Rim Sandstone, and De Chelly Sandstone. The aggregate thickness of these formations is less than 2,000 ft. The formations of the Cutler Group were deposited in a complex system of alluvial, eolian, and marine environments characterized by abrupt vertical and lateral lithologic changes. The basal Cutler is Pennsylvanian in age, but the bulk of the Group was deposited during the Permian. The Cutler is conformably underlain by the Pennsylvanian Hermosa Group across most of the basin. It is overlain unconformably by the Permian Kaibab Limestone in the western part of the Paradox Basin. The Cutler or Kaibab are overlain unconformably by the Triassic Moenkopi or Chinle Formations.

  18. Sequence and facies architecture of the upper Blackhawk Formation and the Lower Castlegate Sandstone (Upper Cretaceous), Book Cliffs, Utah, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshida, S.

    2000-11-01

    High-frequency stratigraphic sequences that comprise the Desert Member of the Blackhawk Formation, the Lower Castlegate Sandstone, and the Buck Tongue in the Green River area of Utah display changes in sequence architecture from marine deposits to marginal marine deposits to an entirely nonmarine section. Facies and sequence architecture differ above and below the regionally extensive Castlegate sequence boundary, which separates two low-frequency (106-year cyclicity) sequences. Below this surface, high-frequency sequences are identified and interpreted as comprising the highstand systems tract of the low-frequency Blackhawk sequence. Each high-frequency sequence has a local incised valley system on top of the wave-dominated delta, and coastal plain to shallow marine deposits are preserved. Above the Castlegate sequence boundary, in contrast, a regionally extensive sheet sandstone of fluvial to estuarine origin with laterally continuous internal erosional surfaces occurs. These deposits above the Castlegate sequence boundary are interpreted as the late lowstand to early transgressive systems tracts of the low-frequency Castlegate sequence. The base-level changes that generated both the low- and high-frequency sequences are attributed to crustal response to fluctuations in compressive intraplate stress on two different time scales. The low-frequency stratigraphic sequences are attributed to changes in the long-term regional subsidence rate and regional tilting of foreland basin fill. High-frequency sequences probably reflect the response of anisotropic basement to tectonism. Sequence architecture changes rapidly across the faulted margin of the underlying Paleozoic Paradox Basin. The high-frequency sequences are deeply eroded and stack above the Paradox Basin, but display less relief and become conformable updip. These features indicate that the area above the Paradox Basin was more prone to vertical structural movements during formation of the Blackhawk

  19. Controls on the deposition and preservation of the Cretaceous Mowry Shale and Frontier Formation and equivalents, Rocky Mountain region, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirschbaum, Mark A.; Mercier, Tracey J.

    2013-01-01

    Regional variations in thickness and facies of clastic sediments are controlled by geographic location within a foreland basin. Preservation of facies is dependent on the original accommodation space available during deposition and ultimately by tectonic modification of the foreland in its postthrusting stages. The preservation of facies within the foreland basin and during the modification stage affects the kinds of hydrocarbon reservoirs that are present. This is the case for the Cretaceous Mowry Shale and Frontier Formation and equivalent strata in the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. Biostratigraphically constrained isopach maps of three intervals within these formations provide a control on eustatic variations in sea level, which allow depositional patterns across dip and along strike to be interpreted in terms of relationship to thrust progression and depositional topography. The most highly subsiding parts of the Rocky Mountain foreland basin, near the fold and thrust belt to the west, typically contain a low number of coarse-grained sandstone channels but limited sandstone reservoirs. However, where subsidence is greater than sediment supply, the foredeep contains stacked deltaic sandstones, coal, and preserved transgressive marine shales in mainly conformable successions. The main exploration play in this area is currently coalbed gas, but the enhanced coal thickness combined with a Mowry marine shale source rock indicates that a low-permeability, basin-centered play may exist somewhere along strike in a deep part of the basin. In the slower subsiding parts of the foreland basin, marginal marine and fluvial sandstones are amalgamated and compartmentalized by unconformities, providing conditions for the development of stratigraphic and combination traps, especially in areas of repeated reactivation. Areas of medium accommodation in the most distal parts of the foreland contain isolated marginal marine shoreface and deltaic sandstones

  20. Landsat investigations of the northern Paradox basin, Utah and Colorado: implications for radioactive waste emplacement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friedman, Jules D.; Simpson, Shirley L.

    1978-01-01

    The first stages of a remote-sensing project on the Paradox basin, part of the USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) radioactive waste-emplacement program, consisted of a review and selection of the best available satellite scanner images to use in geomorphologic and tectonic investigations of the region. High-quality Landsat images in several spectral bands (E-2260-17124 and E-5165-17030), taken under low sun angle October 9 and 10, 1975, were processed via computer for planimetric rectification, histogram analysis, linear transformation of radiance values, and edge enhancement. A lineament map of the northern Paradox basin was subsequently compiled at 1:400,000 using the enhanced Landsat base. Numerous previously unmapped northeast-trending lineaments between the Green River and Yellowcat dome; confirmatory detail on the structural control of major segments of the Colorado, Gunnison, and Dolores Rivers; and new evidence for late Phanerozoic reactivation of Precambrian basement structures are among the new contributions to the tectonics of the region. Lineament trends appear to be compatible with the postulated Colorado lineament zone, with geophysical potential-field anomalies, and with a northeast-trending basement fault pattern. Combined Landsat, geologic, and geophysical field evidence for this interpretation includes the sinuousity of the composite Salt Valley anticline, the transection of the Moab-Spanish Valley anticline on its southeastern end by northeast-striking faults, and possible transection (?) of the Moab diapir. Similarly, northeast-trending lineaments in Cottonwood Canyon and elsewhere are interpreted as manifestations of structures associated with northeasterly trends in the magnetic and gravity fields of the La Sal Mountains region. Other long northwesterly lineaments near the western termination of the Ryan Creek fault zone. may be associated with the fault zone separating the Uncompahgre horst uplift from the Paradox basin. Implications of the

  1. Emerging Drug Threats and Perils Facing Utah's Youth. Hearing before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Second Session (Salt Lake City and Cedar City, Utah, July 6-7, 2000).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Senate Committee on the Judiciary.

    This report documents the proceedings of a two-day hearing held in Utah to begin a public dialogue on how professionals can work together to combat the dangers of substance abuse problems among adolescents. The introductory comments by the presiding chairman, Senator Orin Hatch, spell out the present problem in Utah. The senator points out how…

  2. The male-female health-survival paradox and sex differences in cohort life expectancy in Utah, Denmark, and Sweden 1850-1910.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindahl-Jacobsen, Rune; Hanson, Heidi A; Oksuzyan, Anna; Mineau, Geraldine P; Christensen, Kaare; Smith, Ken R

    2013-04-01

    In Utah, the prevalence of unhealthy male risk behaviors are lower than in most other male populations, whereas women experience higher mortality risk because of higher fertility rates. Therefore, we hypothesize that the Utah sex differential in mortality would be small and less than in Sweden and Denmark. Life tables from Utah, Denmark, and Sweden were used to calculate cohort life expectancies for men and women born in 1850-1910. The sex difference in cohort life expectancy was similar or larger in Utah when compared with Denmark and Sweden. The change over time in the sex differences in cohort life expectancy was approximately 2 years smaller for active Mormons in Utah than for other groups suggesting lifestyle as an important component for the overall change seen in cohort life expectancy. Sex differences in cohort life expectancy at the age of 50 years were similar for individuals actively affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and for Denmark and Sweden. The hypothesis that a smaller sex difference in cohort life expectancies in Utah would be detected in relation to Denmark and Sweden was not supported. In Utah, the male-female differences in life expectancy remain substantial pointing toward biological mechanisms or other unmeasured risk factors. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. A survey of valleys and basins of the Western USA for the capacity to produce winter ozone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansfield, Marc L; Hall, Courtney F

    2018-04-18

    High winter ozone in the Uintah Basin, Utah, and the Upper Green River Basin, Wyoming, occurs because of the confluence of three separate factors: (1) extensive oil or natural gas production, (2) topography conducive to strong multi-day thermal inversions, and (3) snow cover. We surveyed 13 basins and valleys in the western USA for the existence and magnitude of these factors. Seven of the basins, because winter ozone measurements were available, were assigned to four different behavioral classes. Based on similarities among the basins, the remaining six were also given a tentative assignment. Two classes (1 and 2) correspond to basins with high ozone because all three factors listed above are present at sufficient magnitude. Class 3 corresponds to rural basins with ozone at background levels, and occurs because at least one of the three factors is weak or absent. Class 4 corresponds to ozone below background levels, and occurs, for example, in urban basins whose emissions scavenge ozone. All three factors are present in the Wind River Basin, Wyoming, but compared to the Uintah or the Upper Green Basins, it has only moderate oil and gas production, and is assigned to class 3. We predict that the Wind River Basin, as well as other class 3 basins that have inversions and snow cover, would transition from background (class 3) to high ozone behavior (class 1 or 2) if oil or gas production were to intensify, or to class 4 (low winter ozone) if they were to become urban. Implication Statement High ozone concentrations in winter only occur in basins or valleys that have an active oil and natural gas production industry, multi-day thermal inversions, and snow cover; and have only been documented in two basins worldwide. We have examined a number of other candidate basins in the Western USA and conclude that these factors are either absent or too weak to produce high winter ozone. This study illustrates how strong each factor needs to be before winter ozone can be expected

  4. Evaluation of the groundwater flow model for southern Utah and Goshen Valleys, Utah, updated to conditions through 2011, with new projections and groundwater management simulations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, Lynette E.

    2013-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Southern Utah Valley Municipal Water Association, updated an existing USGS model of southern Utah and Goshen Valleys for hydrologic and climatic conditions from 1991 to 2011 and used the model for projection and groundwater management simulations. All model files used in the transient model were updated to be compatible with MODFLOW-2005 and with the additional stress periods. The well and recharge files had the most extensive changes. Discharge to pumping wells in southern Utah and Goshen Valleys was estimated and simulated on an annual basis from 1991 to 2011. Recharge estimates for 1991 to 2011 were included in the updated model by using precipitation, streamflow, canal diversions, and irrigation groundwater withdrawals for each year. The model was evaluated to determine how well it simulates groundwater conditions during recent increased withdrawals and drought, and to determine if the model is adequate for use in future planning. In southern Utah Valley, the magnitude and direction of annual water-level fluctuation simulated by the updated model reasonably match measured water-level changes, but they do not simulate as much decline as was measured in some locations from 2000 to 2002. Both the rapid increase in groundwater withdrawals and the total groundwater withdrawals in southern Utah Valley during this period exceed the variations and magnitudes simulated during the 1949 to 1990 calibration period. It is possible that hydraulic properties may be locally incorrect or that changes, such as land use or irrigation diversions, occurred that are not simulated. In the northern part of Goshen Valley, simulated water-level changes reasonably match measured changes. Farther south, however, simulated declines are much less than measured declines. Land-use changes indicate that groundwater withdrawals in Goshen Valley are possibly greater than estimated and simulated. It is also possible that irrigation

  5. 78 FR 2434 - Notice of Inventory Completion: Natural History Museum of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-11

    ... Inventory Completion: Natural History Museum of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT AGENCY: National Park Service..., 2013. ADDRESSES: Duncan Metcalfe, Natural History Museum of Utah, 301 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT... lot of horse tack, a metal punch, 1 piece of worked wood, gunshot, two mirrors, a harness ring, an awl...

  6. Knowledge Assessment of Food Safety Managers in Utah and Its Implications on the Exam and Instruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nummer, Brian A.; Guy, Stanley M.; Bentley, Joanne P. H.

    2010-01-01

    Food Safety Manager's Certification is offered through a state-local Extension partnership in Utah using an online course management system. Exams and course materials were created by an Extension Specialist at Utah State Univ. Extension Agents provide exam and curriculum facilitation in each county. This form of distance education enables access…

  7. Petrophysical and Petrographic Characterization, Mixed Carbonate - Siliciclastic - Evaporite Cclic System, upper Desmoinesian (Middle Pennsylvanian) of the Paradox Basin (SE Utah, U.S.A.)

    OpenAIRE

    Nussbaumer, Christophe

    1999-01-01

    Pour la caractérisation pétrophysique et pétrographique des roches du système mixte carbonaté, siliciclastique et évaporitique du Desmoinesien supérieur du Bassin du Paradox (Utah, USA), trois affleurements de terrain et six carottes de forage ont été visités. Les données pétrophysiques mesurées sur échantillon sont la densité, la porosité, la perméabilité, et les vitesses ultrasoniques des ondes P et S. Pour la pétrographie, les observations en lame mince (texture, composants, porosité, type...

  8. Cancer incidence in Mormons and non-Mormons in Utah during 1967--75.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyon, J L; Gardner, J W; West, D W

    1980-11-01

    Data from the Utah Cancer Registry were used to compare cancer incidence in Mormons and non-Mormons in Utah for the period 1967--75. Church membership was identified for 97.8% of the 20,379 cases in Utah by a search of the central membership files of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (or Mormon Church). Sites associated with smoking (lung, larynx, pharynx, oral cavity, esophagus, and urinary bladder) showed an incidence in Mormons at about one-half that of non-Mormons. Rates of cancers of the breast, cervix, and ovary were low in Mormon women; the rate for cervical cancer was about one-half of that observed in non-Mormons. Cancers of the stomach, colon-rectum, and pancreas were about one-third lower in Mormons than in others who are not members of this religious group. Most of the differences seen in cancer incidence can be explained by Mormon teachings regarding sexual activity and alcohol and tobacco use, but some differences (e.g., colon and stomach) remain unexplained.

  9. Map showing selected surface-water data for the Manti 30 x 60-minute Quadrangle, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Price, Don

    1984-01-01

    This is one of a series of maps that describe the geology and related natural resources of the Manti 30 x 60 minute quadrangle. Streamflow records used to compile this map were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, and the Utah Department of Transportation. The principal runoff-producing areas shown on the map were delineated from a work map (scale 1:250,000) compiled to estimate water yields in Utah (Bagley and others, 1964). Sources of information about recorded floods resulting from cloudbursts included Woolley (1946) and Butler and Marsell (1972); sources of information about the chemical quality of streamflow included Hahl and Cabell (1965) and Mundorff and Thompson (1982).

  10. 78 FR 2430 - Notice of Inventory Completion: Natural History Museum of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-11

    ... Inventory Completion: Natural History Museum of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT AGENCY: National Park Service...: Duncan Metcalfe, Natural History Museum of Utah, 301 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, telephone (801... fragments, 13 pieces of horse tack, 3 saddle fragments, 1 knife sheath, 1 rifle and barrel, 1 lot of bullet...

  11. Geospatial data to support analysis of water-quality conditions in basin-fill aquifers in the southwestern United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKinney, Tim S.; Anning, David W.

    2009-01-01

    The Southwest Principal Aquifers study area consists of most of California and Nevada and parts of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado; it is about 409,000 square miles. The Basin-fill aquifers extend through about 201,000 square miles of the study area and are the primary source of water for cities and agricultural communities in basins in the arid and semiarid southwestern United States (Southwest). The demand on limited ground-water resources in areas in the southwestern United States has increased significantly. This increased demand underscores the importance of understanding factors that affect the water quality in basin-fill aquifers in the region, which are being studied through the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program. As a part of this study, spatial datasets of natural and anthropogenic factors that may affect ground-water quality of the basin-fill aquifers in the southwestern United States were developed. These data include physical characteristics of the region, such as geology, elevation, and precipitation, as well as anthropogenic factors, including population, land use, and water use. Spatial statistics for the alluvial basins in the Southwest have been calculated using the datasets. This information provides a foundation for the development of conceptual and statistical models that relate natural and anthropogenic factors to ground-water quality across the Southwest. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to determine and illustrate the spatial distribution of these basin-fill variables across the region. One hundred-meter resolution raster data layers that represent the spatial characteristics of the basins' boundaries, drainage areas, population densities, land use, and water use were developed for the entire Southwest.

  12. Seismic-refraction survey to the top of salt in the north end of the Salt Valley Anticline, Grand County, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ackermann, Hans D.

    1979-01-01

    A seismic-refraction survey, consisting of three lines about 2700, 2760, and 5460 meters long, was made at the north end of the Salt Valley anticline of the Paradox Basin in eastern Utah. The target was the crest of a diapiric salt mass and the overlying, deformed caprock. The interpretations reveal an undulating salt surface with as much as 80 meters of relief. The minimum depth of about 165 meters is near the location of three holes drilled by the U.S. Department of Energy for the purpose of evaluating the Salt Valley anticline as a potential site for radioactive waste storages Caprock properties were difficult to estimate because the contorted nature of these beds invalidated a geologic interpretation in terms of velocity layers. However, laterally varying velocities of the critically refracted rays throughout the area suggest differences in the gross physical properties of the caprock.

  13. Seismic-refraction survey to the top of salt in the north end of the Salt valley anticline, Grand County, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Achermann, H.D.

    1979-01-01

    A sesimic-refraction survey, consisting of three lines about 2700, 2760, and 5460 meters long, was made at the north end of the Salt valley anticline of the Paradox Basin in eastern Utah. The target was the crest of a diapiric salt mass and the overlying, deformed caprock. The interpretations reveal an undulating salt surface with as much as 80 meters of relief. The minimum depth of about 165 meters is near the location of three holes drilled by the US Department of Energy for the purpose of evaluating the Salt Valley anticline as a potential site for radioactive waste storage. Caprock properties were difficult to estimate because the contorted nature of these beds invalidated a goelogic interpretation in terms of velocity layers. However, laterally varying velocities of the critically refracted rays throughout the area suggest differences in the gross physical properties of the caprock

  14. Perceived Factors Influencing Post-Secondary Enrollment and Economic Stability of Single and Married Mothers in Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campos-Rosenthal, Angelina M.

    2009-01-01

    This research explored the perceived factors that influenced the decisions of single and married mothers to enroll or not enroll in post-secondary education. The study then investigated the relationship between educational level and income for single mothers in Utah. From a survey of 1197 Utah mothers, this study concluded that mothers enroll in…

  15. Utah Heavy Oil Program

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    J. Bauman; S. Burian; M. Deo; E. Eddings; R. Gani; R. Goel; C.K. Huang; M. Hogue; R. Keiter; L. Li; J. Ruple; T. Ring; P. Rose; M. Skliar; P.J. Smith; J.P. Spinti; P. Tiwari; J. Wilkey; K. Uchitel

    2009-10-20

    The Utah Heavy Oil Program (UHOP) was established in June 2006 to provide multidisciplinary research support to federal and state constituents for addressing the wide-ranging issues surrounding the creation of an industry for unconventional oil production in the United States. Additionally, UHOP was to serve as an on-going source of unbiased information to the nation surrounding technical, economic, legal and environmental aspects of developing heavy oil, oil sands, and oil shale resources. UHOP fulGilled its role by completing three tasks. First, in response to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 Section 369(p), UHOP published an update report to the 1987 technical and economic assessment of domestic heavy oil resources that was prepared by the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission. The UHOP report, entitled 'A Technical, Economic, and Legal Assessment of North American Heavy Oil, Oil Sands, and Oil Shale Resources' was published in electronic and hard copy form in October 2007. Second, UHOP developed of a comprehensive, publicly accessible online repository of unconventional oil resources in North America based on the DSpace software platform. An interactive map was also developed as a source of geospatial information and as a means to interact with the repository from a geospatial setting. All documents uploaded to the repository are fully searchable by author, title, and keywords. Third, UHOP sponsored Give research projects related to unconventional fuels development. Two projects looked at issues associated with oil shale production, including oil shale pyrolysis kinetics, resource heterogeneity, and reservoir simulation. One project evaluated in situ production from Utah oil sands. Another project focused on water availability and produced water treatments. The last project considered commercial oil shale leasing from a policy, environmental, and economic perspective.

  16. The Chuar Petroleum System, Arizona and Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lillis, Paul G.

    2016-01-01

    The Neoproterozoic Chuar Group consists of marine mudstone, sandstone and dolomitic strata divided into the Galeros and Kwagunt Formations, and is exposed only in the eastern Grand Canyon, Arizona. Research by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in the late 1980s identified strata within the group to be possible petroleum source rocks, and in particular the Walcott Member of the Kwagunt Formation. Industry interest in a Chuar oil play led to several exploratory wells drilled in the 1990s in southern Utah and northern Arizona to test the overlying Cambrian Tapeats Sandstone reservoir, and confirm the existence of the Chuar in subcrop. USGS geochemical analyses of Tapeats oil shows in two wells have been tentatively correlated to Chuar bitumen extracts. Distribution of the Chuar in the subsurface is poorly constrained with only five well penetrations, but recently published gravity/aeromagnetic interpretations provide further insight into the Chuar subcrop distribution. The Chuar petroleum system was reexamined as part of the USGS Paradox Basin resource assessment in 2011. A map was constructed to delineate the Chuar petroleum system that encompasses the projected Chuar source rock distribution and all oil shows in the Tapeats Sandstone, assuming that the Chuar is the most likely source for such oil shows. Two hypothetical plays were recognized but not assessed: (1) a conventional play with a Chuar source and Tapeats reservoir, and (2) an unconventional play with a Chuar source and reservoir. The conventional play has been discouraging because most surface structures have been tested by drilling with minimal petroleum shows, and there is some evidence that petroleum may have been flushed by CO2 from Tertiary volcanism. The unconventional play is untested and remains promising even though the subcrop distribution of source facies within the Chuar Group is largely unknown.

  17. Draft environmental assessment: Davis Canyon site, Utah. Nuclear Waste Policy Act (Section 112)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1984-12-01

    In February 1983, the US Department of Energy (DOE) identified the Davis Canyon site in Utah, as one of nine potentially acceptable sites for a mined geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. To determine their suitability, the Davis Canyon site and the eight other potentially acceptable sites have been evaluated in accordance with the DOE's General Guidelines for the Recommendation of Sites for Nuclear Waste Repositories. These evaluations are reported in this draft environmental assessment (EA), which is being issued for public review and comment. The DOE findings and determinations that are based on these evaluations are preliminary and subject to public review and comment. A final EA will be prepared after considering the comments received. On the basis of the evaluations reported in this draft EA, the DOE has found that the Davis Canyon site is not disqualified under the guidelines. The site is in the Paradox Basin, which is one of five distinct geohydrologic settings considered for the first repository. This setting contains one other potentially acceptable site - the Lavender Canyon site. Although the Lavender Canyon site appears to be suitable for site characterization, the DOE has concluded that the Davis Canyon site is the preferred site in the Paradox Basin. Furthermore, the DOE finds that the site is suitable for site characterization because the evidence does not support a conclusion that the site will not be able to meet each of the qualifying conditions specified in the guidelines. On the basis of these findings, the DOE is proposing to nominate the Davis Canyon site as one of five sites suitable for characterization. Having compared the Davis Canyon site with the other four sites proposed for nomination, the DOE has determined that the Davis Canyon site is not one of the three preferred sites for recommendation to the President as candidates for characterization

  18. Silt and gas accumulation beneath an artificial recharge spreading basin, Southwestern Utah, U.S.A.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heilweil, V.M.; Solomon, D.K.; Ortiz, G.

    2009-01-01

    Sand Hollow Reservoir in southwestern Utah, USA, is operated for both surface-water storage and artificial recharge to the underlying Navajo Sandstone. The total volume of estimated artificial recharge between 2002 and 2007 is 85 million cubic meters (69,000 acre-feet). Since 2002, artificial recharge rates have generally been declining and are inversely correlated with the increasing surface area of the reservoir. Permeability testing of core samples retrieved from beneath the reservoir indicates that this decline may not be due to silt accumulation. Artificial recharge rates also show much seasonal variability. Calculations of apparent intrinsic permeability show that these variations can only partly be explained by variation in water viscosity associated with seasonal changes in water temperature. Sporadic seasonal trends in recharge rates and intrinsic permeability during 2002-2004 could be associated with the large fluctuations in reservoir elevation and wetted area. From 2005 through 2007, the reservoir was mostly full and there has been a more consistent seasonal pattern of minimum recharge rates during the summer and maximum rates during the autumn. Total dissolved-gas pressure measurements indicate the presence of biogenic gas bubbles in the shallow sediments beneath the shallower parts of Sand Hollow Reservoir when the water is warmer. Permeability reduction associated with this gas clogging may contribute to the decrease in artificial recharge rates during the spring and summer, with a subsequently increasing recharge rates in the autumn associated with a decline in volume of gas bubbles. Other possible causes for seasonal variation in artificial recharge rates require further investigation.

  19. Agricultural Influences on Cache Valley, Utah Air Quality During a Wintertime Inversion Episode

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, P. J.

    2017-12-01

    Several of northern Utah's intermountain valleys are classified as non-attainment for fine particulate matter. Past data indicate that ammonium nitrate is the major contributor to fine particles and that the gas phase ammonia concentrations are among the highest in the United States. During the 2017 Utah Winter Fine Particulate Study, USDA brought a suite of online and real-time measurement methods to sample particulate matter and potential gaseous precursors from agricultural emissions in the Cache Valley. Instruments were co-located at the State of Utah monitoring site in Smithfield, Utah from January 21st through February 12th, 2017. A Scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) and aerodynamic particle sizer (APS) acquired size distributions of particles from 10 nm - 10 μm in 5-min intervals. A URG ambient ion monitor (AIM) gave hourly concentrations for gas and particulate ions and a Chromatotec Trsmedor gas chromatograph obtained 10 minute measurements of gaseous sulfur species. High ammonia concentrations were detected at the Smithfield site with concentrations above 100 ppb at times, indicating a significant influence from agriculture at the sampling site. Ammonia is not the only agricultural emission elevated in Cache Valley during winter, as reduced sulfur gas concentrations of up to 20 ppb were also detected. Dimethylsulfide was the major sulfur-containing gaseous species. Analysis indicates that particle growth and particle nucleation events were both observed by the SMPS. Relationships between gas and particulate concentrations and correlations between the two will be discussed.

  20. Utah Public Education Funding: The Fiscal Impact of School Choice. School Choice Issues in the State

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aud, Susan

    2007-01-01

    This study examines Utah's funding system for public education and provides an analysis of the fiscal impact of allowing parents to use a portion of their child's state education funding to attend a school of their choice, public or private. Like many states, Utah is facing pressure to improve its system of public education funding. The state's…

  1. 76 FR 34211 - Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Kennecott Utah Copper...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-06-13

    ... Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Kennecott Utah Copper LLC Tailings Expansion Project, Near Magna... Copper Tailings Expansion Project, an expansion of an active commercial mining operation near Magna, Salt Lake County, UT. Kennecott Utah Copper LLC (KUC) has applied for a Department of the Army (DA) permit...

  2. 76 FR 39434 - Notice of Utah's Resource Advisory Council (RAC)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-07-06

    ...-N-Ride, Exit 405 (South Weber Drive), from Highway 89 (South Ogden). The South Weber Park & Ride is... held at the BLM's Utah State Office, 440 West 200 South, fifth floor Monument Conference Room, Salt...

  3. Female breast cancer incidence and survival in Utah according to religious preference, 1985-1999.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merrill, Ray M; Folsom, Jeffrey A

    2005-05-18

    Female breast cancer incidence rates in Utah are among the lowest in the U.S. The influence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint (LDS or Mormon) religion on these rates, as well as on disease-specific survival, will be explored for individuals diagnosed with breast cancer in Utah from 1985 through 1999. Population-based records for incident female breast cancer patients were linked with membership records from the LDS Church to determine religious affiliation and, for LDS Church members, level of religiosity. Incidence rates were age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population using the direct method. Cox proportional hazards model was used to compare survival among religiously active LDS, less religiously active LDS, and non-LDS with simultaneous adjustment for prognostic factors. Age-adjusted breast cancer incidence rates were consistently lower for LDS than non-LDS in Utah from 1985 through 1999. Rates were lower among LDS compared with non-LDS across the age span. In 1995-99, the age-adjusted incidence rates were 107.6 (95% CI: 103.9 - 111.3) for LDS women and 130.5 (123.2 - 137.9) for non-LDS women. If non-LDS women in Utah had the same breast cancer risk profile as LDS women, an estimated 214 (4.8%) fewer malignant breast cancer cases would have occurred during 1995-99. With religiously active LDS serving as the reference group, the adjusted death hazard ratio for religiously less active LDS was 1.09 (0.94 - 1.27) and for non-LDS was 0.86 (0.75 - 0.98). In Utah, LDS lifestyle is associated with lower incidence rates of female breast cancer. However, LDS experience poorer survivability from breast cancer than their non-LDS counterparts. Parity and breastfeeding, while protective factors against breast cancer, may contribute to poorer prognosis of female breast cancer in LDS women.

  4. Water resources of Parowan Valley, Iron County, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marston, Thomas M.

    2017-08-29

    Parowan Valley, in Iron County, Utah, covers about 160 square miles west of the Red Cliffs and includes the towns of Parowan, Paragonah, and Summit. The valley is a structural depression formed by northwest-trending faults and is, essentially, a closed surface-water basin although a small part of the valley at the southwestern end drains into the adjacent Cedar Valley. Groundwater occurs in and has been developed mainly from the unconsolidated basin-fill aquifer. Long-term downward trends in groundwater levels have been documented by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) since the mid-1950s. The water resources of Parowan Valley were assessed during 2012 to 2014 with an emphasis on refining the understanding of the groundwater and surface-water systems and updating the groundwater budget.Surface-water discharge of five perennial mountain streams that enter Parowan Valley was measured from 2013 to 2014. The total annual surface-water discharge of the five streams during 2013 to 2014 was about 18,000 acre-feet (acre-ft) compared to the average annual streamflow of about 22,000 acre-ft from USGS streamgages operated on the three largest of these streams from the 1940s to the 1980s. The largest stream, Parowan Creek, contributes more than 50 percent of the annual surface-water discharge to the valley, with smaller amounts contributed by Red, Summit, Little, and Cottonwood Creeks.Average annual recharge to the Parowan Valley groundwater system was estimated to be about 25,000 acre-ft from 1994 to 2013. Nearly all recharge occurs as direct infiltration of snowmelt and rainfall on the Markagunt Plateau east of the valley. Smaller amounts of recharge occur as infiltration of streamflow and unconsumed irrigation water near the east side of the valley on alluvial fans associated with mountain streams at the foot of the Red Cliffs. Subsurface flow from the mountain block to the east of the valley is a significant source of groundwater recharge to the basin-fill aquifer

  5. Best practices: the Utah Youth Suicide Study: best practices for suicide prevention through the juvenile court system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, Doug; Dawson, Kristin L; Grey, Todd C; McMahon, William M

    2011-12-01

    Utah is among a group of Western Mountain states in which suicide rates among youths are consistently high. The Utah Youth Suicide Study incorporated data from every government agency in Utah, utilizing a statewide Office of the Medical Examiner. A key finding was that 63% of suicide decedents had contact with the juvenile courts. The group developed a best practices model within the juvenile court system for early mental health intervention. Significant cost savings were demonstrated. The model includes screening at-risk teenagers with the Youth Outcome Questionnaire. Treatment includes both psychiatric care and in-home behavioral intervention. Services were effectively delivered on a large scale.

  6. Meteorological Observations Available for the State of Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wharton, S. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

    2017-09-12

    The National Weather Service’s Meteorological Assimilation Data Ingest System (MADIS) contains a large number of station networks of surface and upper air meteorological observations for the state of Utah. In addition to MADIS, observations from individual station networks may also be available. It has been confirmed that LLNL has access to the data sources listed below.

  7. Injection Induced Seismicity in Carbon and Emery Counties, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, M. R. M.; Liu, M.

    2014-12-01

    Utah is one of the top producers of oil and natural gas in the country. Over the past 18 years, more than 4.2 billion gallons of wastewater from the petroleum industry has been injected into the Navajo Sandstone, Kayenta Formation, and Wingate Sandstone in two areas in Carbon and Emery County, Utah. We found that the seismicity rate increased significantly 3 to 5 years following the commencement of wastewater injection. The increased seismicity consists almost entirely of earthquakes with magnitudes of less than 3 and is localized in areas seismically active prior to the injection. We suggest that the marked increase in the seismicity rate was induced by pore pressure increase along pre-existing faults in these areas. We have used simple groundwater models to estimate the change in pore pressure, calculate the pore pressure diffusion rate, and evaluate the observed time gap between the start of injection and the onset of the increased seismicity in the areas surrounding the injection wells.

  8. Implications of diapir-derived detritus and gypsic paleosols in Lower Triassic strata near the Castle Valley salt wall, Paradox Basin, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawton, Timothy F.; Buck, Brenda J.

    2006-10-01

    Gypsum-bearing growth strata and sedimentary facies of the Moenkopi Formation on the crest and NE flank of the Castle Valley salt wall in the Paradox Basin record salt rise, evaporite exposure, and salt-withdrawal subsidence during the Early Triassic. Detrital gypsum and dolomite clasts derived from the middle Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation were deposited in strata within a few kilometers of the salt wall and indicate that salt rise rates roughly balanced sediment accumulation, resulting in long-term exposure of mobile evaporite. Deposition took place primarily in flood-basin or inland sabkha settings that alternated between shallow subaqueous and subaerial conditions in a hyperarid climate. Matrix-supported and clast-supported conglomerates with gypsum fragments represent debris-flow deposits and reworked debris-flow deposits, respectively, interbedded with flood-basin sandstone and siltstone during development of diapiric topography. Mudstone-rich flood-basin deposits with numerous stage I to III gypsic paleosols capped by eolian gypsum sand sheets accumulated during waning salt-withdrawal subsidence. Association of detrital gypsum, eolian gypsum, and gypsic paleosols suggests that the salt wall provided a common source for gypsum in the surrounding strata. This study documents a previously unrecognized salt weld with associated growth strata containing diapir-derived detritus and gypsic palesols that can be used to interpret halokinesis.

  9. Late Quaternary sedimentary features of Bear Lake, Utah and Idaho

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smoot, J.P.

    2009-01-01

    Bear Lake sediments were predominantly aragonite for most of the Holocene, reflecting a hydrologically closed lake fed by groundwater and small streams. During the late Pleistocene, the Bear River flowed into Bear Lake and the lake waters spilled back into the Bear River drainage. At that time, sediment deposition was dominated by siliciclastic sediment and calcite. Lake-level fluctuation during the Holocene and late Pleistocene produced three types of aragonite deposits in the central lake area that are differentiated primarily by grain size, sorting, and diatom assemblage. Lake-margin deposits during this period consisted of sandy deposits including well-developed shoreface deposits on margins adjacent to relatively steep gradient lake floors and thin, graded shell gravel on margins adjacent to very low gradient lake-floor areas. Throughout the period of aragonite deposition, episodic drops in lake level resulted in erosion of shallow-water deposits, which were redeposited into the deeper lake. These sediment-focusing episodes are recognized by mixing of different mineralogies and crystal habits and mixing of a range of diatom fauna into poorly sorted mud layers. Lake-level drops are also indicated by erosional gaps in the shallow-water records and the occurrence of shoreline deposits in areas now covered by as much as 30 m of water. Calcite precipitation occurred for a short interval of time during the Holocene in response to an influx of Bear River water ca. 8 ka. The Pleistocene sedimentary record of Bear Lake until ca. 18 ka is dominated by siliciclastic glacial fl our derived from glaciers in the Uinta Mountains. The Bear Lake deep-water siliciclastic deposits are thoroughly bioturbated, whereas shallow-water deposits transitional to deltas in the northern part of the basin are upward-coarsening sequences of laminated mud, silt, and sand. A major drop in lake level occurred ca. 18 ka, resulting in subaerial exposure of the lake floor in areas now covered by

  10. Identification of sites within the Palo Duro Basin. Volume 3. Responses to comments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1984-11-01

    This document responds to comments received by the US Department of Energy (DOE) on the draft report entitled Identification of Sites Within the Palo Duro Basin: Volume I - Palo Duro Location A (in Deaf Smith County) and Volume II - Palo Duro Location B (in Swisher County), BMI/ONWI-531, February 1984. The purpose of the report was to review existing geologic, environmental, and socioeconomic data for previously identified potentially acceptable sites consisting of approximately 200 square miles in Swisher County and 400 square miles in Deaf Smith County in the Texas Panhandle and to narrow them to preferred smaller sites for possible further study for a nuclear waste repository. The smaller sites thus identified within the two counties would then be more comparable in size to those in salt deposits in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Utah

  11. The Gothic shale of the Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation Greater Aneth Field (Aneth Unit) Southeastern Utah U.S.A.: Seal for Hydrocarbons and Carbon Dioxide Storage.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Heath, Jason E. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Dewers, Thomas [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Chidsey, Thomas C. [Utah Geoglogical Survey, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Carney, Stephanie M. [Utah Geoglogical Survey, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Bereskin, S. R. [Bereskin and Associates, Salt Lake City (United States)

    2017-05-01

    Greater Aneth oil field, Utah’s largest oil producer, was discovered in 1956 and has produced over 483 million barrels of oil. Located in the Paradox Basin of southeastern Utah, Greater Aneth is a stratigraphic trap producing from the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation. Because Greater Aneth is a mature, major oil field in the western U.S., and has a large carbonate reservoir, it was selected to demonstrate combined enhanced oil recovery and carbon dioxide storage. The Aneth Unit in the northwestern part of the field has produced over 160 million barrels of the estimated 386 million barrels of original oil in place—a 42% recovery rate. The large amount of remaining oil made the Aneth Unit ideal to enhance oil recovery by carbon dioxide flooding and demonstrate carbon dioxide storage capacity.

  12. Parental Attitudes Regarding School-Based Sexuality Education in Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steadman, Mindy; Crookston, Benjamin; Page, Randy; Hall, Cougar

    2014-01-01

    Sexuality education programs can be broadly categorized as either risk-avoidance or risk-reduction approaches. Health educators in Utah public schools must teach a state mandated risk-avoidance curriculum which prohibits the advocacy or encouragement of contraception. Multiple national surveys indicate that parents prefer a risk-reduction approach…

  13. Bioaccumulation of PCB Contaminants in Five Fish Species in Utah Lake as Affected by Carp Removal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanjinez-Guzmán, V. A.; Cadet, E. L.; Crandall, T.; Chamberlain, T.; Rakotoarisaona, H.; Morris, P.

    2017-12-01

    State reports published by the Utah Department of Health (2005) and the Utah Department of Water Quality (2008) determined that there were elevated levels of PCBs (Polychlorinated biphenyls) that exceeded the EPA's cancer (0.02 𝑚𝑔 𝑘𝑔-1) and non-cancer screening levels (0.08 𝑚𝑔 𝑘𝑔-1) in two fish species from Utah Lake, the Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) and the Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). Fish consumption advisories were issued for both of these fish species due to their health effects of PCBs. The Common Carp is a non-native predatory species that comprise 90% of the biomass in Utah Lake. As of September 2009, an extensive carp removal program was instituted by the Department of Natural Resources and began the removal of 75% of the carp population. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of carp removal on PCB levels in five sport fish species consumed by Utah citizens. The fish being analyzed are the Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio), Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), Black Bullhead (Ameiurus melas), Walleye (Sander vitreus), and White Bass (Morone chrysops). One-hundred twenty (120) fish were collected from Utah Lake and subcategorized by their gender, tissue type (fillet and offal), weight, and size: small (under 33 cm), medium (33 cm - 43 cm), and large (greater than 43 cm). This was done in order to determine the variation of contaminant levels in each subcategory. PCB analysis was performed by Utility Testing Laboratory in Salt Lake City, Utah. Results show there has been a significant increase in PCB levels in all fish species in comparison with the state reports (2008). All fish species have exceeded the EPA cancer screening level, except for the fillet tissue of the White Bass species. In Common Carp fillet, and offal decreased concentrations of 11.80% and 23.72%, respectively. In Channel catfish: the PCB levels in the fillet increase by 87.93%, however, the offal levels

  14. Digital Soil Mapping Using Landscape Stratification for Arid Rangelands in the Eastern Great Basin, Central Utah

    OpenAIRE

    Fonnesbeck, Brook B.

    2015-01-01

    Digital soil mapping typically involves inputs of digital elevation models, remotely sensed imagery, and other spatially explicit digital data as environmental covariates to predict soil classes and attributes over a landscape using statistical models. Digital imagery from Landsat 5, a digital elevation model, and a digital geology map were used as environmental covariates in a 67,000-ha study area of the Great Basin west of Fillmore, UT. A “pre-map” was created for selecting sampling locatio...

  15. Digital Learning Compass: Distance Education State Almanac 2017. Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seaman, Julia E.; Seaman, Jeff

    2017-01-01

    This brief report uses data collected under the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Fall Enrollment survey to highlight distance education data in the state of Utah. The sample for this analysis is comprised of all active, degree-granting…

  16. Remedial Action Plan and final design for stabilization of the inactive uranium mill tailings at Green River, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matthews, M.L.; Alkema, K.

    1991-03-01

    This Remedial Action Plan (RAP) has been developed to serve a threefold purpose. It presents the series of activities that are proposed by the US Department of Energy (DOE) to accomplish long-term stabilization and control of radioactive materials at the inactive uranium processing site located near Green River, Utah. It provides a characterization of the present conditions of the site. It also serves to document the concurrence of the state of Utah and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in the remedial action. This agreement, upon execution by the DOE and the state of Utah, and concurrence by the NRC, becomes Appendix 8 of the Cooperative Agreement

  17. Ammonia emissions from Swine waste lagoons in the Utah great basin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harper, Lowry A; Weaver, Kim H; Dotson, Richard A

    2006-01-01

    In animal production systems (poultry, beef, and swine), current production, storage, and disposal techniques present a challenge to manage wastes to minimize the emissions of trace gases within relatively small geographical areas. Physical and chemical parameters were measured on primary and secondary lagoons on three different swine farming systems, three replicates each, in the Central Great Basin of the United States to determine ammonia (NH3) emissions. Nutrient concentrations, lagoon water temperature, and micrometeorological data from these measurements were used with a published process model to calculate emissions. Annual cycling of emissions was determined in relation to climatic factors and wind speed was found the predominating factor when the lagoon temperatures were above about 3 degrees C. Total NH3 emissions increased in the order of smallest to largest: nursery, sow, and finisher farms. However, emissions on an animal basis increased from nursery animals being lowest to sow animals being highest. When emissions were compared to the amount of nitrogen (N) fed to the animals, NH3 emissions from sows were lowest with emissions from finisher animals highest. Ammonia emissions were compared to similar farm production systems in the humid East of the United States and found to be similar for finisher animals but had much lower emissions than comparable humid East sow production. Published estimates of NH3 emissions from lagoons ranged from 36 to 70% of feed input (no error range) compared to our emissions determined from a process model of 9.8% with an estimated range of +/-4%.

  18. Comprehensive outreach, prevention education, and skin cancer screening for Utah ski resorts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Varedi, Amir; Secrest, Aaron M; Harding, Garrett; Maness, Lori; Branson, Donna; Smith, Kristi; Hull, Christopher M

    2018-02-15

    Outdoor recreation can lead to substantial sun exposure. Employees of outdoor recreation establishments with extended time outdoors have amplified cumulative exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and an increased risk of skin cancer. The "Sun Safe on the Slopes" program was created by Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah and the Utah Cancer Action Network to address increased UV exposure and skin cancer risk with free skin cancer screenings, outreach, and prevention education to local ski resorts. Herein, we describe the processes and barriers to implementation of a ski resort skin screening and education program and our 5-year report of the experience and screening data. Nine free skin cancer screenings were held at Utah ski resorts between 2011 and 2016, resulting in the presumptive diagnosis of 38 skin cancers (9.6%) in 394 participants. Behavioral data collected from participants indicates suboptimal sun safety practices, including underuse of sunscreen and protective clothing. Ski resort employees who experience sun exposure during peak hours at high altitudes and UV reflection from the snow are at an increased risk of skin cancer. These data indicate a need for emphasis on sun safety education and screening and can serve as a model for future endeavors.

  19. Hydrogeologic characterization of the former Vitro processing site, Salt Lake City, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-01-01

    During fiscal year (FY) 1992, the US Department of Energy received Congressional direction to investigate whether contamination from former processing activities is present in groundwater and soils at the former Vitro processing site in Salt Lake City, Utah. A total of $100,000 was appropriated for this activity. The surface of the Vitro site was cleaned up by the state of Utah under the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project during the mid- to late 1980s. The basis for the directive was the desire of the site owners, the Central Valley Water Reclamation Facility (CVWRF), to develop the site. This report, as well as the final Vitro Site Certification Report and the Clive Completion Report (both to be prepared and submitted by the state of Utah), will have to be reviewed and concurred with by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) prior to release of the Vitro site for restricted development. The groundwater and soil investigation was performed by the Technical Assistance Contractor (TAC) to the DOE UMTRA Project Office during FY92. The investigation at the Vitro site consisted of the installation of monitoring wells and soil borings, aquifer testing, and the collection and analyses of groundwater and soil samples. This report presents the results of this hydrogeologic investigation

  20. Utah System of Higher Education 2015-16 Annual Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Utah System of Higher Education, 2016

    2016-01-01

    This annual report describes Utah System of Higher Education's progress in the 2015-2016 academic year in the following areas: (1) Strategic plan; (2) Enrollment and completion; (3) Paying for college; (4) Funding higher education; (5) College preparation; (6) Concurrent enrollment and math; (7) Outreach and access; and (8) Industry and the…

  1. Microearthquake studies in the vicinity of the Cane Creek Potash Mine, Paradox Basin, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wong, I.G.; Humphrey, J.R.; Silva, W.J.

    1987-08-01

    For a 12-week period in 1984, a 5- to 9-station high-resolution network of analog and digital microearthquake recorders operated monitoring seismicity. The solution mine, previously a room-and-pillar mine located at an average depth of 1 km in the late-Paleozoic Paradox Formation, was undergoing a major brine extraction and refilling. The objective was to determine whether the seismicity previously observed in the vicinity of the mine by the Paradox Basin microearthquake network was associated with the mining activities. Several thousand events of two types were recorded: (1) events identical in appearance to tectonic microearthquakes that occurred throughout the region, and (2) unusual harmonic surface-wave-like events thought to be caused by the collapsing of a column of salt in the main shaft. 31 refs., 36 figs., 3 tabs

  2. Increased oil production and reserves from improved completion techniques in the Bluebell Field, Uinta Basin, Utah. Annual report, October 1, 1996--September 30, 1997

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deo, M.D.; Morgan, C.D.

    1998-05-01

    Wells in the Bluebell field are typically completed by perforating 40 or more beds over 1,000 to 3,000 vertical ft, them stimulating the entire interval with hydrochloric acid. This technique is often referred to as the shot gun completion. The shot-gun technique is believed to leave many potentially productive beds damaged and/or untreated, while allowing water-bearing and low-pressure (thief) zones to communicate with the wellbore. A two-year characterization study involved detailed examination of outcrop, core, well logs, surface and subsurface fractures, produced oil-field waters, engineering parameters of the two demonstration wells, and analysis of past completion techniques and effectiveness. The study was intended to improve the geologic characterization of the producing formations and thereby develop completion techniques specific to the producing beds or facies instead of a shot gun approach to stimulating all the beds. The characterization did not identify predictable-facies or predictable-fracture trends within the vertical stratigraphic column as originally hoped. Advanced logging techniques can identify productive beds in individual wells. A field-demonstration program was developed to use cased-hole advanced logging techniques in two wells and recompletion the wells at two different scales based on the logging. The first well was going to be completed at the interval scale using a multiple stage completion technique (about 500 ft per stage). The second well will be recompleted at the bed-scale using bridge plug and packer to isolate three or more beds for stimulation. These recompletion will show which logs are most effective in identifying productive beds and what scale of completion is most cost effective. The third demonstration will be the logging and completion of a new well using the logs and completion scale or technique most effective in the previous demonstrations.

  3. The male-female health-survival paradox and sex differences in cohort life expectancy in Utah, Denmark, and Sweden 1850-1910

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindahl-Jacobsen, Rune; Hanson, Heidi A; Oksuzyan, Anna

    2013-01-01

    PURPOSE: In Utah, the prevalence of unhealthy male risk behaviors are lower than in most other male populations, whereas women experience higher mortality risk because of higher fertility rates. Therefore, we hypothesize that the Utah sex differential in mortality would be small and less than...... in the sex differences in cohort life expectancy was approximately 2 years smaller for active Mormons in Utah than for other groups suggesting lifestyle as an important component for the overall change seen in cohort life expectancy. Sex differences in cohort life expectancy at the age of 50 years were...

  4. Upheaval Dome, Utah, USA: Impact Origin Confirmed

    OpenAIRE

    Buchner, Elmar; Kenkmann, Thomas

    2008-01-01

    Upheaval Dome is a unique circular structure on the Colorado Plateau in SE Utah, the origin of which has been controversially discussed for decades. It has been interpreted as a crypto volcanic feature, a salt diapir, a pinched-off salt diapir, and an eroded impact crater. While recent structural mapping, modeling, and analyses of deformation mechanisms strongly support an impact origin, ultimate proof, namely the documentation of unambiguous shock features, has yet to be successfully provide...

  5. Neonatal mortality in Utah.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woolley, F R; Schuman, K L; Lyon, J L

    1982-09-01

    A cohort study of neonatal mortality (N = 106) in white singleton births (N = 14,486) in Utah for January-June 1975 was conducted. Using membership and activity in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon) as a proxy for parental health practices, i.e., tobacco and alcohol abstinence, differential neonatal mortality rates were calculated. The influence of potential confounding factors was evaluated. Low activity LDS members were found to have an excess risk of neonatal death five times greater than high activity LDS, with an upper bound of a two-sided 95% confidence interval of 7.9. The data consistently indicate a lower neonatal mortality rate for active LDS members. Non-LDS were found to have a lower rate than either medium or low activity LDS.

  6. Bedrock aquifers of eastern San Juan County, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avery, Charles

    1986-01-01

    This study is one of a series of studies appraising the waterbearing properties of the Navajo Sandstone and associated formations in southern Utah.  The study area is about 4,600 square miles, extending from the Utah-Arizona State line northward to the San Juan-Grand County line and westward from the Utah-Colorado State line to the longitude of about 109°50'.Some of the water-yielding formations are grouped into aquifer systems. The C aquifer is comprised of the DeChelly Sandstone Member of the Cutler Formation.  The P aquifer is comprised of the Cedar Mesa Member of the Cutler Formation and the undifferentiated Cutler Formation. The N aquifer is comprised of the sedimentary section that includes the Wingate Sandstone, Kayenta Formation, Navajo Sandstone, Carmel Formation, and Entrada sandstone.  The M aquifer is comprised of the Bluff Sandstone Member and other sandstone units of the Morrison Formation.  The D aquifer is comprised of the Burro Canyon Formation and Dakota Sandstone.  Discharge from the ground-water reservoir to the San Juan River between gaging stations at Four Corners and Mexican Hat is about 66 cubic feet per second.The N aquifer is the main aquifer in the study area. Recharge by infiltration of precipitation is estimated to be 25,000 acre-feet per year.  A major ground-water divide exists under the broad area east of Monticello.  The thickness of the N aquifer, where the sedimentary section is fully preserved and saturated, generally is 750 to 1,250 feet.   Hydraulic conductivity values obtained from aquifer tests range from 0.02 to 0.34 foot per day.  The total volume of water in transient storage is about 11 million acre-feet. Well discharge somewhat exceeded 2,340 acre-feet during 1981.  Discharge to the San Juan River from the N aquifer is estimated to be 6.9 cubic feet per second. Water quality ranges from a calcium bicarbonate to sodium chloride type water

  7. Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance data release for the Red Creek quartzite special study area, Vernal NTMS Quadrangle, Utah/Colorado, including concentrations of forty-six additional elements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goff, S.; George, W.E.; Apel, C.T.; Hansel, J.M.; Fuka, M.A.; Bunker, M.E.; Hanks, D.

    1981-04-01

    Totals of 22 water and 140 sediment samples were collected from 148 locations in the study area. The study area, in the north-central portion of the Vernal NTMS quadrangle, is covered by four 7-1/2' topographic maps: Dutch John, Goslin Mountain, and Clav Basin, Utah; and Willow Creek Butte, Utah/Colorado. Additional HSSR data are available for the entire Vernal quadrangle (Purson, 1980). All field and analytical data are presented in Appendix I. Figure 1 is an index and sample location map that can be used in conjunction with the 1:250,000-scale topographic map of the Vernal quadrangle (USGS, 1954). Standarized field, analytical, and data base management procedures were followed in all phases of the study. These procedures are described briefly in Appendix II-A and in reports by Sharp (1977), Hues et al (1977), Sharp and Aamodt (1978), Cheadle (1977), and Kosiewicz (1979). The data presented in Appendix I are available on magnetic tape from GJOIS Project, Union Carbide Corporation (UCC-ND), Computer Applications Department, 4500 North Building, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box X, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830. Because this is simply a data release, intended to make the data available to the DOE and the public as quickly as possible, no discussion of the geology of the region, uranium occurrences, or data evaluation is included

  8. National Uranium Resource Evaluation: Moab Quadrangle, Colorado and Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Campbell, J.A.; Franczyk, K.J.; Lupe, R.D.; Peterson, F.

    1982-09-01

    Portions of the Salt Wash Member of the Morrison, the Chinle, the Rico, the Cutler, and the Entrada Formations are favorable for uranium deposits that meet the minimum size and grade requirements of the US Department of Energy within the Moab 1' x 2' Quadrangle, Utah and Colorado. Nine areas are judged favorable for the Late Jurassic Salt Wash Member. The criteria used to evaluate these areas as favorable include the presence of (1) fluvial sandstone beds deposited by low-energy streams; (2) actively moving major and minor structures such as the Paradox basin and the many folds within it; (3) paleostream transport directions approximately perpendicular to the trend of many of the paleofolds; (4) presence of favorable gray lacustrine mudstone beds; and (5) known uranium occurrences associated with the favorable gray mudstones. Three favorable areas have been outlined for the Late Triassic Chinle Formation. The criteria used to evaluate these areas are the sandstone-to-shale ratios for the Chinle Formation and the distribution of the Petrified Forest Member of the Chinle, which is considered the source for the uranium. Two favorable areas have been delineated for the Permian Cutler Formation, and one for the Permian Rico Formation. The criteria used to outline favorable areas are the distribution of favorable facies within each formation. Favorable facies are those that are a result of deposition in environments that are transitional between fluvial and marine. One favorable area is outlined in the Jurassic Entrada Sandstone in the southeastern corner of the quadrangle in the Placerville district. Boundaries for this area were established by geologic mapping

  9. Geomorphic Change Induced by 100 years of Flow Alteration on the Diamond Fork River, Central Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, J.; Belmont, P.; Wilcock, P. R.

    2017-12-01

    Changes in hydrology and sediment supply affect the form of rivers. The rate of change of fluvial form is controlled by a variety of factors, including valley confinement, sediment size, and antecedent condition. The Diamond Fork River in central Utah has been altered by trans-basin flows delivered from the Colorado River system for over a century. Beginning in 1915, water used for irrigation was delivered through a tributary, Sixth Water Creek, with daily summer flows regularly exceeding the 50 - 100 year flood. Elevated flows caused drastic geomorphic change - resulting in incision and widening of the channel, and the destruction of riparian vegetation. Beginning in 1997, the outlet for the trans-basin diversion was moved downstream on Sixth Water, bypassing a large landslide, and flows were drastically reduced in 2004 through management actions. We delineated eight distinct process domains for the Sixth Water-Diamond Fork system and examined the response of each process domain to the altered flow and sediment regimes through the analysis of aerial photographs and repeat cross-sections. We measured a variety of channel metrics, including channel width, areal extent of bars and islands, and sinuosity in ArcGIS. Results indicate that unconfined reaches that were wide and braided during the period of elevated flows have narrowed to become single threaded and meandering in response to the reduced flows. Confined reaches have experienced minor changes since the reduction in flows, suggesting that confinement is a primary control on the degree of channel response. These findings and complimentary studies will provide managers of Sixth Water and Diamond Fork with a greater understanding of the physical response of the streams, and the resulting effects on ecological communities.

  10. Decadal-scale changes in dissolved-solids concentrations in groundwater used for public supply, Salt Lake Valley, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thiros, Susan A.; Spangler, Larry

    2010-01-01

    Basin-fill aquifers are a major source of good-quality water for public supply in many areas of the southwestern United States and have undergone increasing development as populations have grown over time. During 2005, the basin-fill aquifer in Salt Lake Valley, Utah, provided approximately 75,000 acre-feet, or about 29 percent of the total amount of water used by a population of 967,000. Groundwater in the unconsolidated basin-fill deposits that make up the aquifer occurs under unconfined and confined conditions. Water in the shallow unconfined part of the groundwater system is susceptible to near-surface contamination and generally is not used as a source of drinking water. Groundwater for public supply is withdrawn from the deeper unconfined and confined parts of the system, termed the principal aquifer, because yields generally are greater and water quality is better (including lower dissolved-solids concentrations) than in the shallower parts of the system. Much of the water in the principal aquifer is derived from recharge in the adjacent Wasatch Range (mountain-block recharge). In many areas, the principal aquifer is separated from the overlying shallow aquifer by confining layers of less permeable, fine-grained sediment that inhibit the downward movement of water and any potential contaminants from the surface. Nonetheless, under certain hydrologic conditions, human-related activities can increase dissolved-solids concentrations in the principal aquifer and result in groundwater becoming unsuitable for consumption without treatment or mixing with water having lower dissolved-solids concentrations. Dissolved-solids concentrations in areas of the principal aquifer used for public supply typically are less than 500 milligrams per liter (mg/L), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) secondary (nonenforceable) drinking-water standard. However, substantial increases in dissolved-solids concentrations in the principal aquifer have been documented in some

  11. Hospital administrators in a market environment: the case of Utah.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dwore, R B; Murray, B P

    1987-11-01

    This study describes selected characteristics of hospital administrators in Utah, who are implementing a market strategy of cost containment. A mail survey was used to query hospital administrators concerning their personal backgrounds, professional practice patterns, and perceived role performance. The questionnaire elicited a 75.6 percent return from a limited universe sample. Analytical results disclose that Utah hospital administrators are relatively young, professionally dynamic, well educated, and subject to frequent career-motivated moves. Using Mintzberg's ten administrative roles, respondents identified two as key: "Leader" ranks as the role performed best, the role second most critical to survival, second best prepared for, second most time-consuming, and second most satisfying. "Entrepreneur" ranks as the role most critical to survival, most satisfying, most deserving of improvement, second least prepared for, and second best performed. Suggestions for innovative ways in which administrators can develop their skills to be better prepared to meet future challenges are listed.

  12. Long-term surveillance plan for the Green River, Utah, disposal site

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1997-06-01

    The long-term surveillance plan (LTSP) for the Green River, Utah, Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project disposal site describes the surveillance activities for the Green River disposal cell. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will carry out these activities to ensure that the disposal cell continues to function as designed. This final LTSP was prepared as a requirement for acceptance under the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) general license for custody and long-term care of residual radioactive materials (RRM). This LTSP documents whether the land and interests are owned by the United States or an Indian tribe and details how the long-term care of the disposal site will be carried out. The Green River, Utah, LTSP is based on the DOE's Guidance for Implementing the UMTRA Project Long-term Surveillance Program (DOE, 1992a)

  13. Environmental Report Utah State Prison Geothermal Project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    1980-03-01

    This environmental report assesses the potential impact of developing a geothermal resource for space heating at the Utah State Prison. Wells will be drilled on prison property for production and for injection to minimize reservoir depletion and provide for convenient disposal of cooled fluid. The most significant environmental concerns are the proper handling of drilling muds during well drilling and the disposal of produced water during well testing. These problems will be handled by following currently accepted practices to reduce the potential risks.

  14. Evolution of anuran assemblages in the Late Cretaceous of Utah, USA

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Roček, Zbyněk; Eaton, J. G.; Gardner, J.; Přikryl, Tomáš

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 90, č. 4 (2010), s. 341-393 ISSN 1867-1594 R&D Projects: GA MŠk ME08066 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30130516 Keywords : Anura * evolution * Late Cretaceous * fossil frogs * stratigraphy * Utah Subject RIV: EG - Zoology

  15. Engineering assessment of inactive uranium mill tailings, Green River Site, Green River, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-08-01

    Ford, Bacon and Davis Utah Inc. has reevaluated the Green River site in order to revise the December 1977 engineering assessment of the problems resulting from the existence of radioactive uranium mill tailings at Green River, Utah. This evaluation has included the preparation of topographic maps, the performance of core drillings and radiometric measurements sufficient to determine areas and volumes of tailings and radiation exposures of individuals and nearby populations, the investigations of site hydrology and meteorology, and the evaluation and costing of alternative remedial actions. Radon gas released from the 123,000 tons of tailings at the Green River site constitutes the most significant environmental impact, although windblown tailings and external gamma radiation also are factors

  16. Female breast cancer incidence and survival in Utah according to religious preference, 1985–1999

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merrill, Ray M; Folsom, Jeffrey A

    2005-01-01

    Background Female breast cancer incidence rates in Utah are among the lowest in the U.S. The influence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint (LDS or Mormon) religion on these rates, as well as on disease-specific survival, will be explored for individuals diagnosed with breast cancer in Utah from 1985 through 1999. Methods Population-based records for incident female breast cancer patients were linked with membership records from the LDS Church to determine religious affiliation and, for LDS Church members, level of religiosity. Incidence rates were age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population using the direct method. Cox proportional hazards model was used to compare survival among religiously active LDS, less religiously active LDS, and non-LDS with simultaneous adjustment for prognostic factors. Results Age-adjusted breast cancer incidence rates were consistently lower for LDS than non-LDS in Utah from 1985 through 1999. Rates were lower among LDS compared with non-LDS across the age span. In 1995–99, the age-adjusted incidence rates were 107.6 (95% CI: 103.9 – 111.3) for LDS women and 130.5 (123.2 – 137.9) for non-LDS women. If non-LDS women in Utah had the same breast cancer risk profile as LDS women, an estimated 214 (4.8%) fewer malignant breast cancer cases would have occurred during 1995–99. With religiously active LDS serving as the reference group, the adjusted death hazard ratio for religiously less active LDS was 1.09 (0.94 – 1.27) and for non-LDS was 0.86 (0.75 – 0.98). Conclusion In Utah, LDS lifestyle is associated with lower incidence rates of female breast cancer. However, LDS experience poorer survivability from breast cancer than their non-LDS counterparts. Parity and breastfeeding, while protective factors against breast cancer, may contribute to poorer prognosis of female breast cancer in LDS women. PMID:15904509

  17. Drug Poisoning Deaths according to Ethnicity in Utah

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ray M. Merrill

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This study characterizes drug-related deaths according to ethnicity in Utah during 2005–2010, based on data from the Utah Violent Death Reporting System (UTVDRS. Hispanics made up 12.1% (12.5% male and 11.7% female of deaths. The most frequently identified drugs among decedents were opiates, then illicit drugs, benzodiazepines, over-the-counter medication, and antidepressants. Death rates for each drug were significantly greater in non-Hispanics than Hispanics. Most decedents used a combination of drugs. For each combination, rates were significantly greater for non-Hispanics than Hispanics, with an exception for opiates and illicit drugs combined, where there was no significant difference. Approximately 79% of non-Hispanics and 65% of Hispanics had one or more of the selected problems (e.g., mental, physical, or crisis related. Rates for each combination of problems were significantly greater in non-Hispanics, with the exception of crisis. Hispanics were less affected by the rise in prescription drug abuse. Hispanic decedents had a greater proportion of illegal drugs, consistent with it being more difficult to obtain prescription drugs. Hispanic decedents were less likely to have physical and mental health problems, which may be related to a smaller chance of diagnosis of such problems through the healthcare system.

  18. University of Utah, Energy Commercialization Center

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thompson, James [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)

    2014-01-17

    During the Energy Commercialization Center’s (ECC) three years in operation, the only thing constant was change. The world of commercialization and cleantech evolved significantly during the time the ECC was formed and operating, including: the availability of cleantech funding lessoned, the growth of incubators and accelerators skyrocketed, the State of Utah created an office dedicated to energy development, the University of Utah was both praised and criticized for its success in commercialization, and the Federal government temporarily shut down. During the three-year grant there were three principle investigators on the grant, as well as three directors for the University’s Commercialization Office. Change can be hard for an organization,but as we instruct the companies we support, “Fail fast and fail often, because it is the fastest path to success.” Although there were some unanticipated challenges along the way, the local ecosystem is stronger because of the ECC’s efforts. Perhaps the greatest lesson learned was the importance of aligned incentives between key stakeholders in the commercialization process and the need for resources at the company and individual entrepreneur levels. The universities have systems and incentives to commercialize technologies, but creating value and companies generally rest with the individuals and entrepreneurs. Unfortunately the ECC was unable to create a viable mechanism to transfer the commercialization process that successfully aligned incentives and achieve a more effective ecosystem within the Rocky Mountain West. However, the ECC was successful in adding value to the individual ecosystems, and connecting national resources to regional and local needs. Regarding the ECC’s effectiveness in developing a cleantech commercialization ecosystem, initial inroads and relationships were established with key stakeholders. However, incentives, perceived or real competition, differences in commercialization processes, and

  19. Deployment of a Pair of 3 M telescopes in Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Finnegan, G; Adams, B; Butler, K; Cardoza, J; Colin, P; Hui, C M; Kieda, D; Kirkwood, D; Kress, D; Kress, M; LeBohec, S; McGuire, C; Newbold, M; Nunez, P; Pham, K [University of Utah, Department of Physics, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 (United States)

    2008-12-24

    Two 3 m telescopes are being installed in Grantsville Utah. They are intended for the testing of various approaches to the implementation of intensity interferometry using Cherenkov Telescopes in large arrays as receivers as well as for the testing of novel technology cameras and electronics for ground based gamma-ray astronomy.

  20. Comparison of facility-level methane emission rates from natural gas production well pads in the Marcellus, Denver-Julesburg, and Uintah Basins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omara, M.; Li, X.; Sullivan, M.; Subramanian, R.; Robinson, A. L.; Presto, A. A.

    2015-12-01

    The boom in shale natural gas (NG) production, brought about by advances in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, has yielded both economic benefits and concerns about environmental and climate impacts. In particular, leakages of methane from the NG supply chain could substantially increase the carbon footprint of NG, diminishing its potential role as a transition fuel between carbon intensive fossil fuels and renewable energy systems. Recent research has demonstrated significant variability in measured methane emission rates from NG production facilities within a given shale gas basin. This variability often reflect facility-specific differences in NG production capacity, facility age, utilization of emissions capture and control, and/or the level of facility inspection and maintenance. Across NG production basins, these differences in facility-level methane emission rates are likely amplified, especially if significant variability in NG composition and state emissions regulations are present. In this study, we measured methane emission rates from the NG production sector in the Marcellus Shale Basin (Pennsylvania and West Virginia), currently the largest NG production basin in the U.S., and contrast these results with those of the Denver-Julesburg (Colorado) and Uintah (Utah) shale basins. Facility-level methane emission rates were measured at 106 NG production facilities using the dual tracer flux (nitrous oxide and acetylene), Gaussian dispersion simulations, and the OTM 33A techniques. The distribution of facility-level average methane emission rate for each NG basin will be discussed, with emphasis on how variability in NG composition (i.e., ethane-to-methane ratios) and state emissions regulations impact measured methane leak rates. While the focus of this presentation will be on the comparison of methane leak rates among NG basins, the use of three complimentary top-down methane measurement techniques provides a unique opportunity to explore the

  1. Maps of estimated nitrate and arsenic concentrations in basin-fill aquifers of the southwestern United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beisner, Kimberly R.; Anning, David W.; Paul, Angela P.; McKinney, Tim S.; Huntington, Jena M.; Bexfield, Laura M.; Thiros, Susan A.

    2012-01-01

    Human-health concerns and economic considerations associated with meeting drinking-water standards motivated a study of the vulnerability of basin-fill aquifers to nitrate contamination and arsenic enrichment in the southwestern United States. Statistical models were developed by using the random forest classifier algorithm to predict concentrations of nitrate and arsenic across a model grid representing about 190,600 square miles of basin-fill aquifers in parts of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The statistical models, referred to as classifiers, reflect natural and human-related factors that affect aquifer vulnerability to contamination and relate nitrate and arsenic concentrations to explanatory variables representing local- and basin-scale measures of source and aquifer susceptibility conditions. Geochemical variables were not used in concentration predictions because they were not available for the entire study area. The models were calibrated to assess model accuracy on the basis of measured values.Only 2 percent of the area underlain by basin-fill aquifers in the study area was predicted to equal or exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standard for nitrate as N (10 milligrams per liter), whereas 43 percent of the area was predicted to equal or exceed the standard for arsenic (10 micrograms per liter). Areas predicted to equal or exceed the drinking-water standard for nitrate include basins in central Arizona near Phoenix; the San Joaquin Valley, the Santa Ana Inland, and San Jacinto Basins of California; and the San Luis Valley of Colorado. Much of the area predicted to equal or exceed the drinking-water standard for arsenic is within a belt of basins along the western portion of the Basin and Range Physiographic Province that includes almost all of Nevada and parts of California and Arizona. Predicted nitrate and arsenic concentrations are substantially lower than the drinking-water standards in much of

  2. Geophysical well-log measurements in three drill holes at Salt Valley, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Daniels, J.J.; Hite, R.J.; Scott, J.H.

    1980-01-01

    Three exploratory drill holes were drilled at Salt Valley, Utah, to study the geologic, physical, geochemical, and hydrologic properties of the evaporite sequence in the Permian Paradox Member of the Hermosa Formation. The results of these studies will be used to help to determine the suitability of salt deposits in the Paradox basin as a storage medium for radioactive waste material. The following geophysical well-log measurements were made in each of the three drill holes: (1) density, (2) neutron, (3) acoustic velocity, (4) normal resistivity, and (5) gamma ray. Widely spaced resistivity and conductivity well-log measurements were made in the deep drill hole. Each of these well-log measurements shows the division of the evaporite sequence into halite and interbed sections. At the present time the most useful well-logging measurements for determining the individual lithologies in an evaporite sequence are gamma ray, neutron, density, and acoustic velocity. The high resistivity contrast between the drilling fluid (0.5 ohm-m) and salt (10,000 ohm-m) makes it difficult to obtain quantitative measurements of electrical properties in an evaporite sequence. Tests of widely spaced electrode configurations show that the effects of the brine on the resistivity measurements can be reduced, and the depth of investigation increased, by increasing the source-receiver electrode spacing. Tests of a single-coil induction probe show good resolution of the contrasting electrical properties of the various interbed lithologies

  3. Crust and Upper Mantle Structure from Joint Inversion of Body Wave and Gravity Data (Postprint). Annual Report 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-05-10

    Basin, China , the crust and subduction zone beneath western Colombia, and a thermally active region within Utah in the central United States...Burlacu, R., Rowe, C., and Y. Yang (2009). Joint geophysical imaging of the geothermal sites in the Utah area using seismic body waves, surface waves and

  4. Associations between breast cancer risk factors and religious practices in Utah.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniels, Melissa; Merrill, Ray M; Lyon, Joseph L; Stanford, Joseph B; White, George L

    2004-01-01

    Utah has the lowest female malignant breast cancer incidence rates in the United States, due in part to low rates among women who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon). Several established reproductive and non-reproductive breast cancer risk factors may be lower among LDS women because of their religious doctrine related to marriage, family, and health. This paper investigates the association between selected breast cancer risk factors and religious preference and religiosity in Utah. A 37-item anonymous cross-sectional telephone survey was developed and conducted during March and April 2002. Results are based on 848 non-Hispanic white female respondents. Number of births (parity), prevalence of breastfeeding, and lifetime total duration of breastfeeding were highest among LDS women who attended church weekly. Average months of breastfeeding per child were greatest among weekly church attendees, regardless of religious preference. Oral contraceptive use and total duration of hormone replacement therapy use were greatest for individuals of any religion attending church less than weekly and for individuals with no religious preference. Comparisons of divergent reproductive behaviors between LDS and non-LDS, and between weekly and less than weekly church goers, provide strong support for the relatively low breast cancer incidence rates previously identified among LDS and, therefore, in Utah. High parity and breastfeeding coincide with comparatively low breast cancer incidence rates among LDS and are consistent with recent findings of the Collaborative Group on Hormonal Factors in Breast Cancer, showing the primary role parity and breastfeeding play in reducing breast cancer.

  5. Slippery Slope? Assessing the Economic Impact of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah

    OpenAIRE

    Robert Baade; Robert Baumann; Victor Matheson

    2008-01-01

    This paper provides an empirical examination of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. Our analysis of taxable sales in the counties in which Olympic events took place finds that some sectors such as hotels and restaurants prospered while other retailers such as general merchandisers and department stores suffered. Overall the gains in the hospitality industry are lower than the losses experienced by other sectors in the economy. Given the experience of Utah, potential Olympic...

  6. Factors affecting Bromus tectorum seed bank carryover in western Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duane C. Smith; Susan E. Meyer; V. J. Anderson

    2008-01-01

    Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) is a winter annual weed that presents a serious obstacle to rangeland restoration in the Intermountain West. The objective of this study was to evaluate factors regulating the size and persistence of cheatgrass carryover seed banks on semiarid sites in western Utah. We prevented current-year seed production in each of...

  7. Urbanization effects on stream habitat characteristics in Boston, Massachusetts; Birmingham, Alabama; and Salt Lake City, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Short, T.M.; Giddings, E.M.P.; Zappia, H.; Coles, J.F.

    2005-01-01

    Relations between stream habitat and urban land-use intensity were examined in 90 stream reaches located in or near the metropolitan areas of Salt Lake City, Utah (SLC); Birmingham, Alabama (BIR); and Boston, Massachusetts (BOS). Urban intensity was based on a multi-metric index (urban intensity index or UII) that included measures of land cover, socioeconomic organization, and urban infrastructure. Twenty-eight physical variables describing channel morphology, hydraulic properties, and streambed conditions were examined. None of the habitat variables was significantly correlated with urbanization intensity in all three study areas. Urbanization effects on stream habitat were less apparent for streams in SLC and BIR, owing to the strong influence of basin slope (SLC) and drought conditions (BIR) on local flow regimes. Streamflow in the BOS study area was not unduly influenced by similar conditions of climate and physiography, and habitat conditions in these streams were more responsive to urbanization. Urbanization in BOS contributed to higher discharge, channel deepening, and increased loading of fine-grained particles to stream channels. The modifying influence of basin slope and climate on hydrology of streams in SLC and BIR limited our ability to effectively compare habitat responses among different urban settings and identify common responses that might be of interest to restoration or water management programs. Successful application of land-use models such as the UII to compare urbanization effects on stream habitat in different environmental settings must account for inherent differences in natural and anthropogenic factors affecting stream hydrology and geomorphology. The challenge to future management of urban development is to further quantify these differences by building upon existing models, and ultimately develop a broader understanding of urbanization effects on aquatic ecosystems. ?? 2005 by the American Fisheries Society.

  8. Geochemistry of great Salt Lake, Utah II: Pleistocene-Holocene evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spencer, R.J.; Eugster, H.P.; Jones, B.F.

    1985-01-01

    Sedimentologic and biostratigraphic evidence is used to develop a geochemical model for Great Salt Lake, Utah, extending back some 30,000 yrs. B.P. Hydrologie conditions as defined by the water budget equation are characterized by a lake initially at a low, saline stage, rising by about 17,000 yrs. B.P. to fresh water basin-full conditions (Bonneville level) and then, after about 15,000 yrs. B.P., dropping rapidly to a saline stage again, as exemplified by the present situation. Inflow composition has changed through time in response to the hydrologie history. During fresh-water periods high discharge inflow is dominated by calcium bicarbonate-type river waters; during saline stages, low discharge, NaCl-rich hydrothermal springs are significant solute sources. This evolution in lake composition to NaCl domination is illustrated by the massive mirabilite deposition, free of halite, following the rapid drawdown until about 8,000 years ago, while historic droughts have yielded principally halite. Hydrologic history can be combined with inferred inflow composition to derive concentration curves with time for each major solute in the lake. Calcium concentrations before the drawdown were controlled by calcite solubility, and afterwards by aragonite. Significant amounts of solutes are removed from the lake by diffusion into the sediments. Na+, Cl- and SO42- are also involved in salt precipitation. By including pore fluid data, a surprisingly good fit has been obtained between solute input over the time period considered and the amounts actually found in lake brines, pore fluids, salt beds and sediments. Excess amounts are present for calcium, carbonate and silica, indicating detrital input. ?? 1985.

  9. Applications of research from the U.S. Geological Survey program, assessment of regional earthquake hazards and risk along the Wasatch Front, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gori, Paula L.

    1993-01-01

    INTERACTIVE WORKSHOPS: ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF THE EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS RESEARCH AND REDUCTION PROGRAM IN THE WASATCH FRONT, UTAH: Interactive workshops provided the forum and stimulus necessary to foster collaboration among the participants in the multidisciplinary, 5-yr program of earthquake hazards reduction in the Wasatch Front, Utah. The workshop process validated well-documented social science theories on the importance of interpersonal interaction, including interaction between researchers and users of research to increase the probability that research will be relevant to the user's needs and, therefore, more readily used. REDUCING EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS IN UTAH: THE CRUCIAL CONNECTION BETWEEN RESEARCHERS AND PRACTITIONERS: Complex scientific and engineering studies must be translated for and transferred to nontechnical personnel for use in reducing earthquake hazards in Utah. The three elements needed for effective translation, likelihood of occurrence, location, and severity of potential hazards, and the three elements needed for effective transfer, delivery, assistance, and encouragement, are described and illustrated for Utah. The importance of evaluating and revising earthquake hazard reduction programs and their components is emphasized. More than 30 evaluations of various natural hazard reduction programs and techniques are introduced. This report was prepared for research managers, funding sources, and evaluators of the Utah earthquake hazard reduction program who are concerned about effectiveness. An overview of the Utah program is provided for those researchers, engineers, planners, and decisionmakers, both public and private, who are committed to reducing human casualties, property damage, and interruptions of socioeconomic systems. PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EARTHQUAKE MITIGATION POLICIES ALONG THE WASATCH FRONT IN UTAH: The earthquake hazard potential along the Wasatch Front in Utah has been well defined by a number of scientific and

  10. Wintertime Ambient Ammonia Concentrations in Northern Utah's Urban Valleys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammond, I. A.; Martin, R. S.; Silva, P.; Baasandorj, M.

    2017-12-01

    Many of the population centers in northern Utah are currently classified as non-attainment or serious non-attainment, Wasatch Front, for PM2.5 and previous studies have shown ammonium nitrate to often be the largest contributor to the particulate mass. Furthermore, measurements have shown several of the Wasatch Front cities and Cache Valley (UT/ID) consistently recorded some of the highest ambient ammonia (NH3) concentrations in the continental United States. As a part of the multi-organization 2017 Utah Winter Fine Particulate Study real-time NH3 concentrations were monitored in the Cache Valley at the Logan, UT site, collocated at an EPA sampling trailer near the Utah State University (USU) campus. A Picarro model G2508 was to used collect 5-sec averaged concentrations of NH3, carbon dioxide (CO2), and methane (CH4) from January 16th to February 14th, 2017. Parts of three inversion events, wherein the PM2.5 concentrations approached or exceeded the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, were captured during the sampling period, including a 10-day event from January 25th to February 4th. Concentrations of all three of the observed species showed significant accumulation during the events, with NH3 concentrations ranging from below the detection limit (70 ppb. Preliminary analysis suggested the temporal NH3 changes tracked the increase in PM2.5 throughout the inversion events; however, a one-day period of NH3 depletion during the main inversion event was observed while PM2.5 continued to increase. Additionally, a network of passive NH3 samplers (Ogawa Model 3300) were arrayed at 25 sites throughout the Cache Valley and at 11 sites located along the Wasatch Front. These networks sampled for three 7-day periods, during the same study time frame. Ion chromatographic (IC) analyses of the sample pads are not yet finalized; however, preliminary results show concentrations in the tens of ppb and seemingly spatially correlate with previous studies showing elevated

  11. Effects of natural and human factors on groundwater quality of basin-fill aquifers in the southwestern United States-conceptual models for selected contaminants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bexfield, Laura M.; Thiros, Susan A.; Anning, David W.; Huntington, Jena M.; McKinney, Tim S.

    2011-01-01

    As part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program, the Southwest Principal Aquifers (SWPA) study is building a better understanding of the factors that affect water quality in basin-fill aquifers in the Southwestern United States. The SWPA study area includes four principal aquifers of the United States: the Basin and Range basin-fill aquifers in California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona; the Rio Grande aquifer system in New Mexico and Colorado; and the California Coastal Basin and Central Valley aquifer systems in California. Similarities in the hydrogeology, land- and water-use practices, and water-quality issues for alluvial basins within the study area allow for regional analysis through synthesis of the baseline knowledge of groundwater-quality conditions in basins previously studied by the NAWQA Program. Resulting improvements in the understanding of the sources, movement, and fate of contaminants are assisting in the development of tools used to assess aquifer susceptibility and vulnerability.This report synthesizes previously published information about the groundwater systems and water quality of 15 information-rich basin-fill aquifers (SWPA case-study basins) into conceptual models of the primary natural and human factors commonly affecting groundwater quality with respect to selected contaminants, thereby helping to build a regional understanding of the susceptibility and vulnerability of basin-fill aquifers to those contaminants. Four relatively common contaminants (dissolved solids, nitrate, arsenic, and uranium) and two contaminant classes (volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and pesticide compounds) were investigated for sources and controls affecting their occurrence and distribution above specified levels of concern in groundwater of the case-study basins. Conceptual models of factors that are important to aquifer vulnerability with respect to those contaminants and contaminant classes were subsequently formed. The

  12. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: Garbett Homes, Herriman, Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    none,

    2013-09-01

    As the first net zero-energy production home certified in Utah, this house incorporates two 94% efficient tankless water heaters and two roof-mounted solar panels that preheat the home's water supply. This home won a 2013 Housing Innovation Award in the production builder category.

  13. Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation: Facility Utilizes Energy Assessments to Identify $930,000 in Potential Annual Savings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2004-07-01

    Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation (KUCC) used targeted energy assessments in the smelter and refinery at its Bingham Canyon Mine, near Salt Lake City, Utah. The assessment focused mainly on the energy-intensive processes of copper smelting and refining. By implementing the projects identified, KUCC could realize annual cost savings of $930,000 and annual energy savings of 452,000 MMBtu. The projects would also reduce maintenance, repair costs, waste, and environmental emissions. One project would use methane gas from an adjacent municipal dump to replace natural gas currently used to heat the refinery electrolyte.

  14. A Schoolmarm All My Life: Personal Narratives from Frontier Utah.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinkead, Joyce, Ed.

    This book presents edited versions of the personal narratives of 24 Mormon women who taught school in frontier Utah. Drawn primarily from the archives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the accounts detail the women's lives as Mormons, as pioneers, and as teachers and have been edited to focus on the education of women,…

  15. Cancer incidence among Mormons and non-Mormons in Utah (United States) 1971-85.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyon, J L; Gardner, K; Gress, R E

    1994-03-01

    We calculated age-adjusted incidence rates per 100,000 by religion (Mormon, non-Mormon) for Utah (United States) using the 49,182 cancer cases occurring between 1971-85. For all causes of cancer, the rate in Utah for male members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormons) was about 24 percent less than the comparable US rate. There was a 50-percent lower rate of cancers associated with cigarette smoking among LDS men. Non-LDS (NLDS) men in Utah experienced an incidence of smoking-associated cancers slightly higher than other US men. LDS men had an incidence of those cancers not associated with smoking slightly lower than US men, and NLDS men had a 40-percent higher rate than US men because of higher rates of melanoma and cancers of the lip and prostate gland. LDS women had an all-sites cancer rate 24 percent below the comparable US rate, and a 60-percent lower rate of smoking-associated cancers. The incidence of cancer not associated with smoking was 20 percent lower for LDS women compared with US women and was the result of lower rates of cancers of the colon, breast, and uterine cervix. NLDS women had a 13-percent higher incidence of cancers not associated with smoking because of higher rates of cancers of the lip and breast.

  16. Overcoming the toxic influence of subtle messaging: Utah women who persist in STEM

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thackeray, Susan L.

    It is important to train more females to support the needs of a national and global economy workforce. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the proposition of the effect subtle messaging has on a Utah young woman's future career choice. The literature review will approach the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects with historical, psychological, and cultural vantage points. An examination of three interconnected topics of research will include a history of women in the workforce and identified barriers to STEM education and careers to identify what types of messages are delivered to women as it relates to STEM and how it influences their career interest decisions. While there are historical barriers towards women in training for and entering STEM careers, no strong evidence is identified for sustained improvement. The changing concepts of social cognitive career theory can potentially provide a framework for constructivist assumptions regarding the topic of what can focus Utah young women learners to influence their own career development and surroundings to persist into STEM careers. Interpretative Phenomenology Analysis (IPA) provides increased understanding of the experiences of how Utah young women come to their decision and what role their environment contributes to that experience. Preliminary research outcomes demonstrate that the participants describe feelings of self-efficacy along with cultural expectations that do not align with their personal goals to enter into STEM education and careers.

  17. Completion report for the UMTRA project Vitro processing site, Salt Lake City, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1996-08-01

    This completion report provides evidence that the final Salt Lake City, Utah, processing site property conditions are in accordance with the approval design and that all U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards have been satisfied. Included as appendixes to support the stated conclusions are the record drawings; a summary of grid test results; contract specifications and construction drawing and the EPA standards; the audit, inspection, and surveillance summary; the permit information; and project photographs. The principal objectives of remedial action at Salt Lake City were to remove the tailings from the former processing site, render the site free of contamination to EPA standards, and restore the site to the final design grade elevations. The final remedial action plan, which is approved by the U.S. Department of Energy and concurred upon by the U.S. Nuclear Regulator Commission and the state of Utah, contains the conceptual design used to develop the final approved design. During remedial action construction operations, conditions were encountered that required design features that differed form the conceptual design. These conditions and the associated design changes are noted in the record drawings. All remedial action activities were completed in conformance with the specifications and drawings. In the opinion of the state of Utah, the record drawings accurately reflect existing property conditions at the processing site

  18. Utah Marbles and Mars Blueberries: Comparitive Terrestrial Analogs for Hematite Concretions on Mars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, M. A.; Beitler, B.; Parry, W. T.; Ormö, J.; Komatsu, G.

    2005-03-01

    Compelling comparisons show why Utah iron oxide-cemented "marbles" are a good analog for Mars hematite "blueberries". Terrestrial examples offer valuable models for interpreting the diagenetic history and importance of water on Mars.

  19. Individual external exposures from Nevada Test Site fallout for Utah leukemia cases and controls

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lloyd, R.D.; Gren, D.C.; Simon, S.L.; Wrenn, M.E.; Hawthorne, H.A.; Lotz, T.M.; Stevens, W.; Till, J.E.

    1990-01-01

    External gamma-ray exposures from fallout originating at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) have been assigned to 6,507 individual subjects (1,177 leukemia cases and 5,330 control subjects) who died as Utah residents between 1952 and 1981. Leukemia cases were identified, confirmed, and classified by cell type from the Utah Cancer Registry, Utah State vital records, and medical records. Residential histories were obtained from the Deceased Membership File (DMF) of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), supplemented by information from the LDS Church Census Records that were taken in 1950, 1955, and 1960-62. Control subjects were selected randomly within age strata from the DMF and were frequency-matched to the cases by age at death and for sex. Individual radiation exposures were assigned as a function of residence location and time interval for each residence during the fallout period (1951-1958) using geographic exposure data taken from the literature. Temporal distribution of exposure for subjects who resided in more than one locality or who were born or died during the fallout period was determined from data of other investigators. Calculated gamma-ray exposures for each place of residence were summed for each subject to yield the exposure to fallout from the NTS

  20. Research Reactor Utilization at the University of Utah for Nuclear Education, Training and Services

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jevremovic, T.; Choe, D.O.

    2013-01-01

    In the years of nuclear renaissance we all recognize a need for modernizing the approaches in fostering nuclear engineering and science knowledge, in strengthening disciplinary depth in students’ education for their preparation for workforce, and in helping them learn how to extend range of skills, develop habits of mind and subject matter knowledge. The education infrastructure at the University of Utah has been recently revised to incorporate the experiential learning using our research reactor as integral part of curriculum, helping therefore that all of our students build sufficient level of nuclear engineering literacy in order to be able to contribute productively to nuclear engineering work force or continue their education toward doctoral degrees. The University of Utah TRIGA Reactor built 35 years ago represents a university wide facility to promote research, education and training, as well as is used for various applications of nuclear engineering, radiation science and health physics. Our curriculum includes two consecutive classes for preparation of our students for research reactor operating license. Every year the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s representatives hold the final exam for our students. Our activities serve the academic community of the University of Utah, commercial and government entities, other universities and national laboratories as well. (author)

  1. Conceptual understanding and groundwater quality of selected basin-fill aquifers in the Southwestern United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thiros, Susan A.; Bexfield, Laura M.; Anning, David W.; Huntington, Jena M.

    2010-01-01

    The National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program of the U.S. Geological Survey has been conducting a regional analysis of water quality in the principal aquifer systems in the southwestern United States (hereinafter, “Southwest”) since 2005. Part of the NAWQA Program, the objective of the Southwest Principal Aquifers (SWPA) study is to develop a better understanding of water quality in basin-fill aquifers in the region by synthesizing information from case studies of 15 basins into a common set of important natural and human-related factors found to affect groundwater quality.The synthesis consists of three major components:1. Summary of current knowledge about the groundwater systems, and the status of, changes in, and influential factors affecting quality of groundwater in basin-fill aquifers in 15 basins previously studied by NAWQA (this report).2. Development of a conceptual model of the primary natural and human-related factors commonly affecting groundwater quality, thereby building a regional understanding of the susceptibility and vulnerability of basin-fill aquifers to contaminants.3. Development of statistical models that relate the concentration or occurrence of specific chemical constituents in groundwater to natural and human-related factors linked to the susceptibility and vulnerability of basin-fill aquifers to contamination.Basin-fill aquifers occur in about 200,000 mi2 of the 410,000 mi2 SWPA study area and are the primary source of groundwater supply for cities and agricultural communities. Four of the principal aquifers or aquifer systems of the United States are included in the basin-fill aquifers of the study area: (1) the Basin and Range basin-fill aquifers in California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona; (2) the Rio Grande aquifer system in New Mexico and Colorado; (3) the California Coastal Basin aquifers; and (4) the Central Valley aquifer system in California. Because of the generally limited availability of surface-water supplies in

  2. 76 FR 61476 - Notice of Final Federal Agency Actions on Proposed Highway in Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-10-04

    ... population, employment, student enrollment, and travel demand in the year 2030; improve multimodal... on University Parkway from State Street to University Avenue in Provo, Utah; New high-occupancy/toll...

  3. Utah Fly's Eye detector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baltrusaitis, R.M.; Cady, R.; Cassiday, G.L.; Cooper, R.; Elbert, J.W.; Gerhardy, P.R.; Ko, S.; Loh, E.C.; Salamon, M.; Steck, D.; Sokolsky, P.

    1985-10-15

    We report the details of the design, operation and performance of the University of Utah Fly's Eye detector which was built to record the passage of ultra-high energy cosmic rays through the atmosphere via atmospheric fluorescence. Emphasized in the presentation are (1) light production by charged particles in the atmosphere, (2) kinematics of an EAS as seen by the Fly's Eye, (3) signal to noise considerations and its impact on detector design, (4) details of detector hardware and software, (5) detector calibration, (6) techniques employed in measurement of shower longitudinal development profiles and primary particle energy, and (7) assessment of detector performance by a comparison of Monte Carlo and real data distributions. (orig.).

  4. Analyses of infrequent (quasi-decadal) large groundwater recharge events in the northern Great Basin: Their importance for groundwater availability, use, and management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masbruch, Melissa D.; Rumsey, Christine; Gangopadhyay, Subhrendu; Susong, David D.; Pruitt, Tom

    2016-01-01

    There has been a considerable amount of research linking climatic variability to hydrologic responses in the western United States. Although much effort has been spent to assess and predict changes in surface water resources, little has been done to understand how climatic events and changes affect groundwater resources. This study focuses on characterizing and quantifying the effects of large, multiyear, quasi-decadal groundwater recharge events in the northern Utah portion of the Great Basin for the period 1960–2013. Annual groundwater level data were analyzed with climatic data to characterize climatic conditions and frequency of these large recharge events. Using observed water-level changes and multivariate analysis, five large groundwater recharge events were identified with a frequency of about 11–13 years. These events were generally characterized as having above-average annual precipitation and snow water equivalent and below-average seasonal temperatures, especially during the spring (April through June). Existing groundwater flow models for several basins within the study area were used to quantify changes in groundwater storage from these events. Simulated groundwater storage increases per basin from a single recharge event ranged from about 115 to 205 Mm3. Extrapolating these amounts over the entire northern Great Basin indicates that a single large quasi-decadal recharge event could result in billions of cubic meters of groundwater storage. Understanding the role of these large quasi-decadal recharge events in replenishing aquifers and sustaining water supplies is crucial for long-term groundwater management.

  5. Hydrology of area 53, Northern Great Plains and Rocky Mountain coal provinces, Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Driver, N.E.; Norris, J.M.; Kuhn, Gerhard; ,

    1984-01-01

    Hydrologic information and analysis are needed to aid in decisions to lease Federally owned coal and for the preparation of the necessary Environmental Assessments and Impact Study Reports. This need has become even more critical with the enactment of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (Public Law 95-87). This report, one in a series of nationwide coal province reports, presents information thematically by describing single hydrologic topics through the use of brief texts and accompanying maps, graphs, or other illustrations. The report broadly characterizes the hydrology of Area 53 in northwestern Colorado, south-central Wyoming, and northeastern Utah. The report area, located primarily in the Wyoming Basin and Colorado Plateau physiographic provinces, consists of 14,650 square miles of diverse geology, topography, and climate. This diversity results in contrasting hydrologic characteristics. The two major rivers, the Yampa and the White Rivers, originate in humid granitic and basaltic mountains, then flow over sedimentary rocks underlying semiarid basins to their respective confluences with the Green River. Altitudes range from 4,800 to greater than 12,000 feet above sea level. Annual precipitation in the mountains, as much as 60 inches, is generally in the form of snow. Snowmelt produces most streamflow. Precipitation in the lower altitude sedimentary basins, ranging from 8 to 16 inches, is generally insufficient to sustain streamflow; therefore, most streams originating in the basins (where most of the streams in coal-mining areas originate) are ephemeral. Streamflow quality is best in the mountains where dissolved-solids concentrations generally are small. As streams flow across the sedimentary basins, mineral dissolution from the sedimentary rocks and irrigation water with high mineral content increase the dissolved-solids concentrations in a downstream direction. Due to the semiarid climate of the basins, soils are not adequately leached

  6. MX Siting Investigation Gravity Survey - Wah Wah Valley, Utah.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1981-05-15

    Bouguer Anomaly (see Section A1.4, Appendix A1.0). The Defense Mapping Agency Aerospace Center (DMAAC), St. Louis, Missouri, calculates outer zone...Utah .... 12 LIST OF DRAWINGS Drawing Number 1 Complete Bouguer Anomaly Contours In Pocket at 2 Deptn to Rock - Interpreted from End of Report...DMAHTC/GSS obtained the basic observations for the new stations and reduced them to Simple Bouguer Anomalies (SBA) as described in Appendix A1.0. Up to

  7. Utah Science Vol. 46 No. 1, Spring 1985

    OpenAIRE

    1985-01-01

    1 POISON-IVY IN UTAH R. J. Shaw and M. C. Williams Conditions seem to favor the spread of this plant, now found in 17 of the state's 29 counties. 7 TRICHOMES: A POTENTIAL DEFENSE AGAINST GRASS BUGS W. F. Campbell and Y. H. Ling Insect-resistant grasses may be a practical method of controlling range pests and serve as the foundation for an integrated system of pest control. 10 INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT FOR POTATOES T. W. Helms and J. L. Bushnell Better irrigation scheduling and disease ...

  8. Uranium deposits at the Jomac mine, White Canyon area, San Juan County, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trites, A.F.; Hadd, G.A.

    1955-01-01

    The Jomac mine is in the White Canyon area. San Juan County, Utah, about 13 miles northeast of the town of White Canyon, Utah. The mine is owned by the Ellihill Mining Company, White Canyon, Utah. Mine workings consist pf two adits connected by a crosscut. Two hundred feet of exploratory drifting and 2,983.5 feet of exploratory core drilling were completed during 1953 by the owners with Defense Minerals Exploration Administration assistance. Sedimentary rocks exposed in the area of the Jomac mine are of Permian to Late Triassic age, having a combined thickness of more than 1,700 feet. An ancient channel, from 200 to 400 feet wide and about 4 feet deep, enters the mine area from the southwest, swinging abruptly northwest near the mine workings and continuing to the northern tip of the Jomac Hillo This channel was cut into the upper beds of the Moenkopi formation and filled in part by Chinle and in part by Shinarump sediments. This channel is marked by depressions that apparently were scoured into its floor; a tributary channel may have joined it from the southeast at a point near the mine workings. Chinle beds Intertongue with Shinarump beds along the southwestern part of the channel. After the main channel was partly filled by siltstone of the Chinle formation, the stream was apparently diverted into the tributary channel, and scours were cut into

  9. Class I cultural resource overview for oil shale and tar sands areas in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    O' Rourke, D.; Kullen, D.; Gierek, L.; Wescott, K.; Greby, M.; Anast, G.; Nesta, M.; Walston, L.; Tate, R.; Azzarello, A.; Vinikour, B.; Van Lonkhuyzen, B.; Quinn, J.; Yuen, R.; Environmental Science Division

    2007-11-01

    In August 2005, the U.S. Congress enacted the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Public Law 109-58. In Section 369 of this Act, also known as the 'Oil Shale, Tar Sands, and Other Strategic Unconventional Fuels Act of 2005', Congress declared that oil shale and tar sands (and other unconventional fuels) are strategically important domestic energy resources that should be developed to reduce the nation's growing dependence on oil from politically and economically unstable foreign sources. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is developing a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to evaluate alternatives for establishing commercial oil shale and tar sands leasing programs in Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah. This PEIS evaluates the potential impacts of alternatives identifying BLM-administered lands as available for application for commercial leasing of oil shale resources within the three states and of tar sands resources within Utah. The scope of the analysis of the PEIS also includes an assessment of the potential effects of future commercial leasing. This Class I cultural resources study is in support of the Draft Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resource Management Plan Amendments to Address Land Use Allocations in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming and Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement and is an attempt to synthesize archaeological data covering the most geologically prospective lands for oil shale and tar sands in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. This report is based solely on geographic information system (GIS) data held by the Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs). The GIS data include the information that the BLM has provided to the SHPOs. The primary purpose of the Class I cultural resources overview is to provide information on the affected environment for the PEIS. Furthermore, this report provides recommendations to support planning decisions and the management of cultural resources that could be impacted by future

  10. UMTRA project water sampling and analysis plan, Salt Lake City, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-06-01

    Surface remedial action was completed at the Salt Lake City, Utah, Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project site in the fall of 1987. Results of water sampling for the years 1992 to 1994 indicate that site-related ground water contamination occurs in the shallow unconfined aquifer (the uppermost aquifer). With respect to background ground water quality, contaminated ground water in the shallow, unconfined aquifer has elevated levels of chloride, sodium, sulfate, total dissolved solids, and uranium. No contamination associated with the former tailings pile occurs in levels exceeding background in ground water in the deeper confined aquifer. This document provides the water sampling and analysis plan for ground water monitoring at the former uranium processing site in Salt Lake City, Utah (otherwise known as the ''Vitro'' site, named after the Vitro Chemical Company that operated the mill). All contaminated materials removed from the processing site were relocated and stabilized in a disposal cell near Clive, Utah, some 85 miles west of the Vitro site (known as the ''Clive'' disposal site). No ground water monitoring is being performed at the Clive disposal site, since concurrence of the remedial action plan by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and completion of the disposal cell occurred before the US Environmental Protection Agency issued draft ground water standards in 1987 (52 FR 36000) for cleanup, stabilization, and control of residual radioactive materials at the disposal site. In addition, the likelihood of post-closure impact on the ground water is minimal to nonexistent, due to the naturally poor quality of the ground water. Water sampling activities planned for calendar year 1994 consist of sampling ground water from nine monitor wells to assess the migration of contamination within the shallow unconfined aquifer and sampling ground water from two existing monitor wells to assess ground water quality in the confined aquifer

  11. Pennsylvanian carbonate buildups, Paradox basin: Increasing reserves in heterogeneous, shallow-shelf reservoirs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montgomery, S.L.; Chidsey, T.C.; Eby, D.E.; Lorenz, D.M.; Culham, W.E.

    1999-01-01

    Productive carbonate buildups of Pennsylvanian age in the southern Paradox basin, Utah, contain up to 200 million bbl remaining oil potentially recoverable by enhanced recovery methods. These buildups comprise over 100 satellite fields to the giant Greater Aneth field, where secondary recovery operations thus far have been concentrated. Several types of satellite buildups exist and produce oil from the Desert Creek zone of the Paradox Formation. Many of the relevant fields have undergone early abandonment; wells in Desert Creek carbonate mounds commonly produce at very high initial rates (>1000 bbl/day) and then suffer precipitous declines. An important new study focused on the detailed characterization of five separate reservoirs has resulted in significant information relevant to their future redevelopment. Completed assessment of Anasazi field suggests that phylloid algal mounds, the major productive buildup type in this area, consist of ten separate lithotypes and can be described in terms of a two-level reservoir system with an underlying high-permeability mound-core interval overlain by a lower permeability but volumetrically larger supramound (mound capping) interval. Reservoir simulations and related performance predictions indicate that CO2 flooding of these reservoirs should have considerable success in recovering remaining oil reserves.Productive carbonate buildups of Pennsylvanian age in the southern Paradox basin, Utah, contain up to 200 million bbl remaining oil potentially recoverable by enhanced recovery methods. These buildups comprise over 100 satellite fields to the giant Greater Aneth field, where secondary recovery operations thus far have been concentrated. Several types of satellite buildups exist and produce oil from the Desert Creek zone of the Paradox Formation. Many of the relevant fields have undergone early abandonment; wells in Desert Creek carbonate mounds commonly produce at very high initial rates (>1000 bbl/day) and then suffer

  12. Long-term surveillance plan for the Green River, Utah disposal site. Revision 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-08-01

    The long-term surveillance plan (LTSP) for the Green River, Utah, Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project disposal site describes the surveillance activities for the Green River disposal cell. The US Department of Energy (DOE) will carry out these activities to ensure that the disposal cell continues to function as designed. This final LTSP was prepared as a requirement for acceptance under the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) general license for custody and long-term care of residual radioactive materials (RRM). This LTSP documents whether the land and interests are owned by the United States or an Indian tribe and details how the long-term care of the disposal site will be carried out. The Green River, Utah, LTSP is based on the DOE's Guidance for Implementing the UMTRA Project Long-term Surveillance Program (DOE, 1992a)

  13. 30 CFR 944.15 - Approval of Utah regulatory program amendments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    .... January 21, 1985 June 10, 1986 Definitions for “adjacent area,” “disturbed area,” “permit area,” “mine... “abandoned site,” “other treatment facilities,” “previously mined area,” “qualified laboratory,” and...,”, “replacement of water supply,” and “State-appropriated water supply” at Utah Admin. R. 645-100-200; 645-301-525...

  14. Simulation of quaking aspen potential fire behavior in Northern Utah, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    R. Justin DeRose; A. Joshua Leffler

    2014-01-01

    Current understanding of aspen fire ecology in western North America includes the paradoxical characterization that aspen-dominated stands, although often regenerated following fire, are “fire-proof”. We tested this idea by predicting potential fire behavior across a gradient of aspen dominance in northern Utah using the Forest Vegetation Simulator and the Fire and...

  15. Use of saltcedar and Utah juniper as fillers in wood–plastic composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Craig Clemons; Nicole Stark

    2007-01-01

    Invasive and small-diameter species have become more prevalent, creating numerous environmental and ecological problems. One potential method to control and eliminate invasive species and thereby promote natural rangeland restoration is developing new, value-added uses for them. Saltcedar (Tamarisk ramosissima) and Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma) were investigated...

  16. Marital fertility and income: moderating effects of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints religion in Utah.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stanford, Joseph B; Smith, Ken R

    2013-03-01

    Utah has the highest total fertility of any state in the United States and also the highest proportion of population affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the LDS or Mormon Church). Data were used from the 1996 Utah Health Status Survey to investigate how annual household income, education and affiliation with the LDS Church affect fertility (children ever born) for married women in Utah. Younger age and higher education were negatively correlated with fertility in the sample as a whole and among non-LDS respondents. Income was negatively associated with fertility among non-LDS respondents. However, income was positively correlated with fertility among LDS respondents. This association persisted when instrumental variables were used to address the potential simultaneous equations bias arising from the potential endogeneity of income and fertility. The LDS religion's pronatalist stance probably encourages childbearing among those with higher income.

  17. Study of a conceptual nuclear energy center at Green River, Utah: water allocation issues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harper, N.J.

    1982-04-01

    According to preliminary studies, operation of a nine-reactor Nuclear Energy Center near Green River, Utah would require the acquisition of 126,630 acre-feet per year. Groundwater aquifers are a potential source of supply but do not present a viable option at this time due to insufficient data on aquifer characteristics. Surface supplies are available from the nearby Green and San Rafael Rivers, tributaries of the Colorado River, but are subject to important constraints. Because of these constraints, the demand for a dependable water supply for a Nuclear Energy Center could best be met by the acquisition of vested water rights from senior appropriators in either the Green or San Rafael Rivers. The Utah Water Code provides a set of procedures to accomplish such a transfer of water rights

  18. Preliminary analysis of the study of a Nuclear Energy Center at Green River, Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1979-03-01

    The planning phase for the study of a conceptualized Regional Nuclear Energy Center (NEC) at Green River, Utah to serve a four state area is discussed and an outline of the proposed study is presented. It is assumed that the more technical issues of a NEC have already been studied in detail for generic sites and that this study will address the site specific impacts of a NEC at a representative site. The emphasis will be on the institutional, legal, political, sociological, economic and environmental impacts of a NEC. An assessment is made of the willingness and ability of related public and private entities to participate in the study. These include local, state and regional government agencies, colleges and universities, research organizations, private firms and consultants, and relevant federal agencies in Utah and the region.

  19. Predicted nitrate and arsenic concentrations in basin-fill aquifers of the Southwestern United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anning, David W.; Paul, Angela P.; McKinney, Tim S.; Huntington, Jena M.; Bexfield, Laura M.; Thiros, Susan A.

    2012-01-01

    The National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting a regional analysis of water quality in the principal aquifer systems across the United States. The Southwest Principal Aquifers (SWPA) study is building a better understanding of the susceptibility and vulnerability of basin-fill aquifers in the region to groundwater contamination by synthesizing baseline knowledge of groundwater-quality conditions in 16 basins previously studied by the NAWQA Program. The improved understanding of aquifer susceptibility and vulnerability to contamination is assisting in the development of tools that water managers can use to assess and protect the quality of groundwater resources.Human-health concerns and economic considerations associated with meeting drinking-water standards motivated a study of the vulnerability of basin-fill aquifers to nitrate con­tamination and arsenic enrichment in the southwestern United States. Statistical models were developed by using the random forest classifier algorithm to predict concentrations of nitrate and arsenic across a model grid that represents about 190,600 square miles of basin-fill aquifers in parts of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The statistical models, referred to as classifiers, reflect natural and human-related factors that affect aquifer vulnerability to contamina­tion and relate nitrate and arsenic concentrations to explana­tory variables representing local- and basin-scale measures of source, aquifer susceptibility, and geochemical conditions. The classifiers were unbiased and fit the observed data well, and misclassifications were primarily due to statistical sampling error in the training datasets.The classifiers were designed to predict concentrations to be in one of six classes for nitrate, and one of seven classes for arsenic. Each classification scheme allowed for identification of areas with concentrations that were equal to or exceeding

  20. Feasibility study of the university of Utah TRIGA reactor power upgrade - Part I: Neutronics-based study in respect to control rod system requirements and design

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ćutić Avdo

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We present a summary of extensive studies in determining the highest achievable power level of the current University of Utah TRIGA core configuration in respect to control rod requirements. Although the currently licensed University of Utah TRIGA power of 100 kW provides an excellent setting for a wide range of experiments, we investigate the possibility of increasing the power with the existing fuel elements and core structure. Thus, we have developed numerical models in combination with experimental procedures so as to assess the potential maximum University of Utah TRIGA power with the currently available control rod system and have created feasibility studies for assessing new core configurations that could provide higher core power levels. For the maximum determined power of a new University of Utah TRIGA core arrangement, a new control rod system was proposed.

  1. Utah Text Retrieval Project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hollaar, L A

    1983-10-01

    The Utah Text Retrieval project seeks well-engineered solutions to the implementation of large, inexpensive, rapid text information retrieval systems. The project has three major components. Perhaps the best known is the work on the specialized processors, particularly search engines, necessary to achieve the desired performance and cost. The other two concern the user interface to the system and the system's internal structure. The work on user interface development is not only concentrating on the syntax and semantics of the query language, but also on the overall environment the system presents to the user. Environmental enhancements include convenient ways to browse through retrieved documents, access to other information retrieval systems through gateways supporting a common command interface, and interfaces to word processing systems. The system's internal structure is based on a high-level data communications protocol linking the user interface, index processor, search processor, and other system modules. This allows them to be easily distributed in a multi- or specialized-processor configuration. It also allows new modules, such as a knowledge-based query reformulator, to be added. 15 references.

  2. Computer-aided dispatch--traffic management center field operational test : state of Utah final report

    Science.gov (United States)

    2006-07-01

    This document provides the final report for the evaluation of the USDOT-sponsored Computer-Aided Dispatch Traffic Management Center Integration Field Operations Test in the State of Utah. The document discusses evaluation findings in the followin...

  3. 78 FR 26063 - Central Utah Project Completion Act; East Hobble Creek Restoration Project Final Environmental...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-05-03

    ...-100-00-0-0, CUPCA00] Central Utah Project Completion Act; East Hobble Creek Restoration Project Final... Creek Restoration Project. These two agencies have determined that the proposed [[Page 26064

  4. Strengthening Partnerships along the Informatics Innovation Stages and Spaces: Research and Practice Collaboration in Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Wu; Pettey, Warren; Livnat, Yarden; Gesteland, Per; Rajeev, Deepthi; Reid, Jonathan; Samore, Matthew; Evans, R. Scott; Rolfs, Robert T.; Staes, Catherine

    2011-01-01

    Collaborate, translate, and impact are key concepts describing the roles and purposes of the research Centers of Excellence (COE) in Public Health Informatics (PHI). Rocky Mountain COE integrated these concepts into a framework of PHI Innovation Space and Stage to guide their collaboration between the University of Utah, Intermountain Healthcare, and Utah Department of Health. Seven research projects are introduced that illustrate the framework and demonstrate how to effectively manage multiple innovations among multiple organizations over a five-year period. A COE is more than an aggregation of distinct research projects over a short time period. The people, partnership, shared vision, and mutual understanding and appreciation developed over a long period of time form the core and foundation for ongoing collaborative innovations and its successes. PMID:23569614

  5. The Ogaden Basin, Ethiopia: an underexplored sedimentary basin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Teitz, H.H.

    1991-01-01

    A brief article examines the Ogaden Basin in Ethiopia in terms of basin origin, basin fill and the hydrocarbon exploration history and results. The natural gas find in pre-Jurassic sandstones, which appears to contain substantial reserves, justifies continuing investigations in this largely underexplored basin. (UK).

  6. Highly elevated atmospheric levels of volatile organic compounds in the Uintah Basin, Utah.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helmig, D; Thompson, C R; Evans, J; Boylan, P; Hueber, J; Park, J-H

    2014-05-06

    Oil and natural gas production in the Western United States has grown rapidly in recent years, and with this industrial expansion, growing environmental concerns have arisen regarding impacts on water supplies and air quality. Recent studies have revealed highly enhanced atmospheric levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from primary emissions in regions of heavy oil and gas development and associated rapid photochemical production of ozone during winter. Here, we present surface and vertical profile observations of VOC from the Uintah Basin Winter Ozone Studies conducted in January-February of 2012 and 2013. These measurements identify highly elevated levels of atmospheric alkane hydrocarbons with enhanced rates of C2-C5 nonmethane hydrocarbon (NMHC) mean mole fractions during temperature inversion events in 2013 at 200-300 times above the regional and seasonal background. Elevated atmospheric NMHC mole fractions coincided with build-up of ambient 1-h ozone to levels exceeding 150 ppbv (parts per billion by volume). The total annual mass flux of C2-C7 VOC was estimated at 194 ± 56 × 10(6) kg yr(-1), equivalent to the annual VOC emissions of a fleet of ∼100 million automobiles. Total annual fugitive emission of the aromatic compounds benzene and toluene, considered air toxics, were estimated at 1.6 ± 0.4 × 10(6) and 2.0 ± 0.5 × 10(6) kg yr(-1), respectively. These observations reveal a strong causal link between oil and gas emissions, accumulation of air toxics, and significant production of ozone in the atmospheric surface layer.

  7. Toward a better understanding of the comparatively high prostate cancer incidence rates in Utah.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merrill, Ray M; Hilton, Sterling C; Wiggins, Charles L; Sturgeon, Jared D

    2003-04-29

    This study assesses whether comparatively high prostate cancer incidence rates among white men in Utah represent higher rates among members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormons), who comprise about 70% of the state's male population, and considers the potential influence screening has on these rates. Analyses are based on 14,693 histologically confirmed invasive prostate cancer cases among men aged 50 years and older identified through the Utah Cancer Registry between 1985 and 1999. Cancer records were linked to LDS Church membership records to determine LDS status. Poisson regression was used to derive rate ratios of LDS to nonLDS prostate cancer incidence, adjusted for age, disease stage, calendar time, and incidental detection. LDS men had a 31% (95% confidence interval, 26%-36%) higher incidence rate of prostate cancer than nonLDS men during the study period. Rates were consistently higher among LDS men over time (118% in 1985-88, 20% in 1989-92, 15% in 1993-1996, and 13% in 1997-99); age (13% in ages 50-59, 48% in ages 60-69, 28% in ages 70-79, and 16% in ages 80 and older); and stage (36% in local/regional and 17% in unstaged). An age- and stage-shift was observed for both LDS and nonLDS men, although more pronounced among LDS men. Comparatively high prostate cancer incidence rates among LDS men in Utah are explained, at least in part, by more aggressive screening among these men.

  8. Comparative levels of environmental radioactivity in Utah from industry and fallout. A progress report of radioecological investigations of airborne radioactivity in the Utah environment, July 1, 1972--June 30, 1973

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pendleton, R.C.

    1973-01-01

    Radioactivity in air, vegetation, soil, and wild animals in Utah was determined during July 1972 through June 1973, and results are presented. Methods for continuous measurement of the daughter products of radon and thoron were developed and used for calculations of the integrated dose to the lungs of humans

  9. Hydrosalinity studies of the Virgin River, Dixie Hot Springs, and Littlefield Springs, Utah, Arizona, and Nevada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerner, Steven J.; Thiros, Susan A.; Gerner, Steven J.; Thiros, Susan A.

    2014-01-01

    The Virgin River contributes a substantial amount of dissolved solids (salt) to the Colorado River at Lake Mead in the lower Colorado River Basin. Degradation of Colorado River water by the addition of dissolved solids from the Virgin River affects the suitability of the water for municipal, industrial, and agricultural use within the basin. Dixie Hot Springs in Utah are a major localized source of dissolved solids discharging to the Virgin River. The average measured discharge from Dixie Hot Springs during 2009–10 was 11.0 cubic feet per second (ft3/s), and the average dissolved-solids concentration was 9,220 milligrams per liter (mg/L). The average dissolved-solids load—a measurement that describes the mass of salt that is transported per unit of time—from Dixie Hot Springs during this period was 96,200 tons per year (ton/yr). Annual dissolved-solids loads were estimated at 13 monitoring sites in the Virgin River Basin from streamflow data and discrete measurements of dissolved-solids concentrations and (or) specific conductance. Eight of the sites had the data needed to estimate annual dissolved-solids loads for water years (WYs) 1999 through 2010. During 1999–2010, the smallest dissolved-solids loads in the Virgin River were upstream of Dixie Hot Springs (59,900 ton/yr, on average) and the largest loads were downstream of Littlefield Springs (298,200 ton/yr, on average). Annual dissolved-solids loads were smallest during 2002–03, which was a period of below normal precipitation. Annual dissolved-solids loads were largest during 2005—a year that included a winter rain storm that resulted in flooding throughout much of the Virgin River Basin. An average seepage loss of 26.7 ft3/s was calculated from analysis of monthly average streamflow from July 1998 to September 2010 in the Virgin River for the reach that extends from just upstream of the Utah/Arizona State line to just above the Virgin River Gorge Narrows. Seepage losses from three river reaches

  10. BENEFIT COST FOR BIOMASS CO-FIRING IN ELECTRICITY GENERATION: CASE OF UTAH, U.S.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Man-Keun Kim

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Policy making regarding biomass co-firing is difficult. The article provides a benefit-cost analysis for decision makers to facilitate policy making process to implement efficient biomass co-firing policy. The additional cost is the sum of cost of the biomass procurement and biomass transportation. Co-benefits are sales of greenhouse gas emission credits and health benefit from reducing harmful air pollutants, especially particulate matter. The benefit-cost analysis is constructed for semi-arid U.S. region, Utah, where biomass supply is limited. Results show that biomass co-firing is not economically feasible in Utah but would be feasible when co-benefits are considered. Benefit-cost ratio is critically dependent upon biomass and carbon credit prices. The procedure to build the benefit-cost ratio can be applied for any region with other scenarios suggested in this study.

  11. Job Satisfaction of Faculty and Staff at the College of Eastern Utah.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seegmiller, Jesse F.

    Faculty and staff at the College of Eastern Utah were surveyed in order to ascertain the level of job satisfaction of the college's personnel. Over 90% of the faculty completed a 94-item job satisfaction questionnaire which was based on Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene theory of motivation. College staff completed a slightly modified form of the…

  12. Determination of Summertime VOC Emission Rates from Produced Water Ponds in the Uintah Basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, R. S.; Woods, C.; Lyman, S.

    2013-12-01

    The observance of excess ozone concentrations in Utah's Uintah Basin over past several years has prompted several investigations into the extent and causes of the elevated ozone. Among these is the assessment of potential emissions of reactive VOCs. Evaporation ponds, used a remediation technique for treatment of contaminated production and other waters, are one potential source of significant VOC emissions and is estimated that there are around 160 such ponds within the Uintah Basin's oil and gas production areas. In June 2012 VOC emission rates for several reactive VOCs were derived for an evaporation facility consisting of a small inlet pond (≈0.03 acres) and two larger, serial ponds (≈4.3 acres each). The emission rates were determined over three sampling periods using an inverse modeling approach. Under this methodology, ambient VOC concentrations are determined at several downwind locations through whole-air collection into SUMMA canisters, followed by GC/MS quantification and compared with predicted concentrations using an EPA-approved dispersion model, AERMOD. The presumed emission rates used within the model were then adjusted until the modeled concentrations approach the observed concentrations. The derived emission rates for the individual VOCs were on the order of 10-3 g/s/m2 from the inlet pond and 10-6 g/s/m2 from the larger ponds. The emissions from the 1st pond in series after the inlet pond were about 3-4x the emissions from the 2nd pond. These combined emission rates are about an order of magnitude those reported for a single study in Colorado (Thoma, 2009). It should be noted, however, that the variability about each of the VOC emission rates was significant (often ×100% at the 95% confidence interval). Extrapolating these emission rates to the estimated total areas of all the evaporation ponds within Basin resulted in calculated Basin-wide VOC emissions 292,835 tons/yr. However, Bar-Ilan et al. (2009) estimated 2012 VOC oil and gas related

  13. New horned dinosaurs from Utah provide evidence for intracontinental dinosaur endemism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sampson, Scott D; Loewen, Mark A; Farke, Andrew A; Roberts, Eric M; Forster, Catherine A; Smith, Joshua A; Titus, Alan L

    2010-09-22

    During much of the Late Cretaceous, a shallow, epeiric sea divided North America into eastern and western landmasses. The western landmass, known as Laramidia, although diminutive in size, witnessed a major evolutionary radiation of dinosaurs. Other than hadrosaurs (duck-billed dinosaurs), the most common dinosaurs were ceratopsids (large-bodied horned dinosaurs), currently known only from Laramidia and Asia. Remarkably, previous studies have postulated the occurrence of latitudinally arrayed dinosaur "provinces," or "biomes," on Laramidia. Yet this hypothesis has been challenged on multiple fronts and has remained poorly tested. Here we describe two new, co-occurring ceratopsids from the Upper Cretaceous Kaiparowits Formation of Utah that provide the strongest support to date for the dinosaur provincialism hypothesis. Both pertain to the clade of ceratopsids known as Chasmosaurinae, dramatically increasing representation of this group from the southern portion of the Western Interior Basin of North America. Utahceratops gettyi gen. et sp. nov.-characterized by short, rounded, laterally projecting supraorbital horncores and an elongate frill with a deep median embayment-is recovered as the sister taxon to Pentaceratops sternbergii from the late Campanian of New Mexico. Kosmoceratops richardsoni gen. et sp. nov.-characterized by elongate, laterally projecting supraorbital horncores and a short, broad frill adorned with ten well developed hooks-has the most ornate skull of any known dinosaur and is closely allied to Chasmosaurus irvinensis from the late Campanian of Alberta. Considered in unison, the phylogenetic, stratigraphic, and biogeographic evidence documents distinct, co-occurring chasmosaurine taxa north and south on the diminutive landmass of Laramidia. The famous Triceratops and all other, more nested chasmosaurines are postulated as descendants of forms previously restricted to the southern portion of Laramidia. Results further suggest the presence of

  14. Water resources investigations: A section in Thirty-third biennial report of the State Engineer to the governor of Utah: 1960-1962

    Science.gov (United States)

    ,

    1962-01-01

    The Geological Survey is authorized by Congress to cooperate with the States and other local governmental units in water-resources investigations on a 50-50 financial basis. Principal cooperation for Utah is through the office of the Utah State Engineer. Other State offices, such as the State Road Commission, Water and Power Board, Fish and Game Department, and Oil and Gas Conservation Commission have assisted financially. Counties, cities, education institutions, and water users’ organizations also have cooperated for many years. The need for water information applies to all levels of government. It is, therefore, advantageous for the Federal Government, State governments, and other political subdivisions to share in the expense to the extent possible consistent with their common interests and responsibilities. The formal cooperative program in Utah began in 1909, and has been continuous since that date.

  15. Preliminary hydrologic evaluation of the North Horn Mountain coal-resource area, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graham, M.J.; Tooley, John E.; Price, Don

    1981-01-01

    North Horn Mountain is part of a deeply dissected plateau in central Utah which is characterized by deep, narrow, steep-walled canyons with local relief of more than 1,000 feet. Geologic units exposed in the North Horn Mountain area range in age from Late Cretaceous to Holocene and contain two mineable seams of Cretaceous coal. The area is in the drainage basin of the San Rafael River, in the Colorado River Basin. Runoff from the mountain is ephemeral. This runoff to the San Rafael River is by way of Cottonwood and Perron Creeks and represents less than 10 percent of their average annual runoff. Probable peak discharges (100-year flood) for the ephemeral streams draining North Horn Mountain are estimated to range from 200 to 380 cubic feet per second.The chemical quality of surface water in the area is good. The water is generally of a calcium magnesium bicarbonate type with average dissolved solids less than 500 milligrams per liter. Annual sediment yield in most of the area ranges from 0.1 to 0.2 acre-foot per square mile but locally is as high as 1.0 acre-foot per square mile. Most of the sediment is eroded during cloudbursts.Most of the ground water above the coal on North Horn Mountain probably is in perched aquifers. These aquifers support the flow of small seeps and springs. In some areas, the regional water table appears to extend upward into the coal. The principal source of recharge is precipitation that probably moves to aquifers along faults, joints, or fractures. This movement is apparently quite rapid. The dissolved-solids concentrations of ground water in the North Horn Mountain area range from less than 500 to about 1,000 milligrams per liter.Coal mining on North Horn Mountain should have minor "effects on the quantity and quality of surface water. The maximum predicted decrease in the annual flow of Ferron and Cottonwood Creeks is less than U percent. The sediment loads of affected streams could be significantly increased if construction were to

  16. Status report: numerical modeling of ground-water flow in the Paleozoic formations, western Paradox Basin, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dunbar, D.B.; Thackston, J.W.

    1985-10-01

    A three-dimensional finite-difference numerical model was applied to simulate the ground-water flow pattern in Paleozoic strata within the western Paradox Basin region. The primary purpose of the modeling was to test the present conceptual hydrogeologic model and evaluate data deficiencies. All available data on ground-water hydrology, although sparse in this area, were utilized as input to the model. Permeability and potentiometric levels were estimated from petroleum company drill-stem tests and water-supply wells; formation thicknesses were obtained from geologic correlation of borehole geophysical logs. Hydrogeologic judgment weighed heavily in the assignment of hydrologic values to geologic features for this preliminary modeling study. Calibration of the model was accomplished through trial-and-error matching of simulated potentiometric contours with available head data. Hypothetical flow patterns, flux rates, recharge amounts, and surface discharge amounts were produced by the model. 34 refs., 17 figs., 3 tabs

  17. Palaeoecology of fossil diatoms (the thermometers of salinity) of lake Bonneville, Utah, USA

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Setty, M.G.A.P.

    and is presently the Great Salt Lake of Utah, having a salinity of 276 ppt. It is estimated that the saline content changed at the rate of 1 ppt per foot in stages, which is due to variation in the balance between precipitation and inflow evaporation and outflow...

  18. Assessment and Evaluation of the Utah Master Naturalist Program: Implications for Targeting Audiences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larese-Casanova, Mark

    2011-01-01

    The Utah Master Naturalist Program trains citizens who provide education, outreach, and service to promote citizen stewardship of natural resources within their communities. In 2007-2008, the Watersheds module of the program was evaluated for program success, and participant knowledge was assessed. Assessment and evaluation results indicated that…

  19. Stratigraphic architecture of back-filled incised-valley systems: Pennsylvanian-Permian lower Cutler beds, Utah, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wakefield, Oliver J. W.; Mountney, Nigel P.

    2013-12-01

    The Pennsylvanian to Permian lower Cutler beds collectively form the lowermost stratigraphic unit of the Cutler Group in the Paradox Basin, southeast Utah. The lower Cutler beds represent a tripartite succession comprising lithofacies assemblages of aeolian, fluvial and shallow-marine origin, in near equal proportion. The succession results from a series of transgressive-regressive cycles, driven by repeated episodes of climatic variation and linked changes in relative sea-level. Relative sea-level changes created a number of incised-valleys, each forming through fluvial incision during lowered base-level. Aeolian dominance during periods of relative sea-level lowstand aids incised-valley identification as the erosive bounding surface juxtaposes incised-valley infill against stacked aeolian faces. Relative sea-level rises resulted in back-flooding of the incised-valleys and their infill via shallow-marine and estuarine processes. Back-flooded valleys generated marine embayments within which additional local accommodation was exploited. Back-filling is characterised by a distinctive suite of lithofacies arranged into a lowermost, basal fill of fluvial channel and floodplain architectural elements, passing upwards into barform elements with indicators of tidal influence, including inclined heterolithic strata and reactivation surfaces. The incised-valley fills are capped by laterally extensive and continuous marine limestone elements that record the drowning of the valleys and, ultimately, flooding and accumulation across surrounding interfluves (transgressive surface). Limestone elements are characterised by an open-marine fauna and represent the preserved expression of maximum transgression.

  20. Estimated medical cost savings in Utah by implementation of a primary seat belt law

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-05-01

    This report examines 2007 hospital discharge data reporting cases where the external cause of injury to : a vehicle occupant was a motor vehicle crash to predict the estimated savings to Utah if a primary seat : belt law is implemented. The savings a...

  1. Computer-aided dispatch--traffic management center field operational test final test plans : state of Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this document is to expand upon the evaluation components presented in "Computer-aided dispatch--traffic management center field operational test final evaluation plan : state of Utah". This document defines the objective, approach, an...

  2. 78 FR 53477 - Second Call for Nominations to the Utah Resource Advisory Council

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-08-29

    ... land use planning and management of the National System of Public Lands within Utah. The BLM will...: [email protected] . Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal... Secretary of the Interior to involve the public in planning and issues related to management of lands...

  3. Regional hydrology of the Blanding-Durango area, southern Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Whitfield, M.S. Jr.; Thordarson, W.; Oatfield, W.J.; Zimmerman, E.A.; Rueger, B.F.

    1983-01-01

    Principal findings of this study that are pertinent to an assessment of suitability of the hydrogeologic systems to store and contain radioactive waste in salt anticlines of adjacent areas are: water in the upper ground-water flow system discharges to the San Juan River - a major tributary of the Colorado River. Discharge of water from the upper aquifer system to streambed channels of the San Juan River and its tributaries during low-flow periods primarily is through evapotranspiration from areas on flood plains and maintenance of streamflow; the lower ground-water system does not have known recharge or discharge areas within the study area; subsurface inflow to this system comes from recharge areas located north and northeast of the study area; the upper and lower ground-water systems are separated regionally by thick salt deposits in the Blanding-Durango study area of the Paradox basin; potential exists in mountainous areas for downward leakage between the upper and lower ground-water systems, where salt deposits are thin, absent, or faulted; no brines were found in this study area with outflow to the biosphere; water in the upper ground-water system generally is fresh. Water in the lower ground-water system generally is brackish or saline; and ground-water flow disruptions by contiguous faults probably are common in the upper ground-water system. These disruptions of flow are not apparent in the lower ground-water system, perhaps because available hydrologic data for the lower ground-water system are scarce. The above major findings do not preclude the potential for waste storage in salt; however, they do not allow the prediction of detailed ground-water flow rates and directions through this area. 55 references, 13 figures, 15 tables

  4. In situ recovery of oil from Utah tar sand: a summary of tar sand research at the Laramie Energy Technology Center

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marchant, L.C.; Westhoff, J.D.

    1985-10-01

    This report describes work done by the United States Department of Energy's Laramie Energy Technology Center from 1971 through 1982 to develop technology for future recovery of oil from US tar sands. Work was concentrated on major US tar sand deposits that are found in Utah. Major objectives of the program were as follows: determine the feasibility of in situ recovery methods applied to tar sand deposits; and establish a system for classifying tar sand deposits relative to those characteristics that would affect the design and operation of various in situ recovery processes. Contents of this report include: (1) characterization of Utah tar sand; (2) laboratory extraction studies relative to Utah tar sand in situ methods; (3) geological site evaluation; (4) environmental assessments and water availability; (5) reverse combustion field experiment, TS-1C; (6) a reverse combustion followed by forward combustion field experiment, TS-2C; (7) tar sand permeability enhancement studies; (8) two-well steam injection experiment; (9) in situ steam-flood experiment, TS-1S; (10) design of a tar sand field experiment for air-stream co-injection, TS-4; (11) wastewater treatment and oil analyses; (12) economic evaluation of an in situ tar sand recovery process; and (13) appendix I (extraction studies involving Utah tar sands, surface methods). 70 figs., 68 tabs.

  5. Integrated Hydrographical Basin Management. Study Case - Crasna River Basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Visescu, Mircea; Beilicci, Erika; Beilicci, Robert

    2017-10-01

    Hydrographical basins are important from hydrological, economic and ecological points of view. They receive and channel the runoff from rainfall and snowmelt which, when adequate managed, can provide fresh water necessary for water supply, irrigation, food industry, animal husbandry, hydrotechnical arrangements and recreation. Hydrographical basin planning and management follows the efficient use of available water resources in order to satisfy environmental, economic and social necessities and constraints. This can be facilitated by a decision support system that links hydrological, meteorological, engineering, water quality, agriculture, environmental, and other information in an integrated framework. In the last few decades different modelling tools for resolving problems regarding water quantity and quality were developed, respectively water resources management. Watershed models have been developed to the understanding of water cycle and pollution dynamics, and used to evaluate the impacts of hydrotechnical arrangements and land use management options on water quantity, quality, mitigation measures and possible global changes. Models have been used for planning monitoring network and to develop plans for intervention in case of hydrological disasters: floods, flash floods, drought and pollution. MIKE HYDRO Basin is a multi-purpose, map-centric decision support tool for integrated hydrographical basin analysis, planning and management. MIKE HYDRO Basin is designed for analyzing water sharing issues at international, national and local hydrographical basin level. MIKE HYDRO Basin uses a simplified mathematical representation of the hydrographical basin including the configuration of river and reservoir systems, catchment hydrology and existing and potential water user schemes with their various demands including a rigorous irrigation scheme module. This paper analyzes the importance and principles of integrated hydrographical basin management and develop a case

  6. Final audit report of remedial action construction at the UMTRA Project Mexican Hat, Utah -- Monument Valley, Arizona, sites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1995-10-01

    The final audit report for remedial action at the Mexican Hat, Utah, Monument Valley, Arizona, Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project sites consists of a summary of the radiological surveillances/audits, quality assurance (QA) in-process surveillances, and QA remedial action close-out inspections performed by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the Technical Assistance Contractor (TAC); on-site construction reviews (OSCR) performed by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); and a surveillance performed by the Navajo Nation. This report refers to remedial action activities performed at the Mexican Hat, Utah--Monument Valley, Arizona, Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project sites

  7. Analysis of Critical Permeabilty, Capillary Pressure and Electrical Properties for Mesaverde Tight Gas Sandstones from Western U.S. Basins

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alan Byrnes; Robert Cluff; John Webb; John Victorine; Ken Stalder; Daniel Osburn; Andrew Knoderer; Owen Metheny; Troy Hommertzheim; Joshua Byrnes; Daniel Krygowski; Stefani Whittaker

    2008-06-30

    Although prediction of future natural gas supply is complicated by uncertainty in such variables as demand, liquefied natural gas supply price and availability, coalbed methane and gas shale development rate, and pipeline availability, all U.S. Energy Information Administration gas supply estimates to date have predicted that Unconventional gas sources will be the dominant source of U.S. natural gas supply for at least the next two decades (Fig. 1.1; the period of estimation). Among the Unconventional gas supply sources, Tight Gas Sandstones (TGS) will represent 50-70% of the Unconventional gas supply in this time period (Fig. 1.2). Rocky Mountain TGS are estimated to be approximately 70% of the total TGS resource base (USEIA, 2005) and the Mesaverde Group (Mesaverde) sandstones represent the principal gas productive sandstone unit in the largest Western U.S. TGS basins including the basins that are the focus of this study (Washakie, Uinta, Piceance, northern Greater Green River, Wind River, Powder River). Industry assessment of the regional gas resource, projection of future gas supply, and exploration programs require an understanding of reservoir properties and accurate tools for formation evaluation. The goal of this study is to provide petrophysical formation evaluation tools related to relative permeability, capillary pressure, electrical properties and algorithms for wireline log analysis. Detailed and accurate moveable gas-in-place resource assessment is most critical in marginal gas plays and there is need for quantitative tools for definition of limits on gas producibility due to technology and rock physics and for defining water saturation. The results of this study address fundamental questions concerning: (1) gas storage; (2) gas flow; (3) capillary pressure; (4) electrical properties; (5) facies and upscaling issues; (6) wireline log interpretation algorithms; and (7) providing a web-accessible database of advanced rock properties. The following text

  8. Safety Evaluation Report related to the renewal of the operating license for the TRIGA training and research reactor at the University of Utah (Docket No. 50-407)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1985-03-01

    This Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by the University of Utah (UU) for a renewal of operating license R-126 to continue to operate a training and research reactor facility has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The facility is owned and operated by the University of Utah and is located on its campus in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah. The staff concludes that this training reactor facility can continue to be operated by UU without endangering the health and safety of the public

  9. Do You Really Want to Know? Elementary Music Programs and Potential in Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Loretta Niebur

    2015-01-01

    This is the first of two articles reporting the results of a study by the author regarding the status of elementary music education in the state of Utah. This article focuses on how elementary music programs are structured (regular instruction with a music specialist, truncated programs, delegated programs, no formal music instruction, no music…

  10. Investigation into seed collection practices and shrub manipulations to improve sustainable seed yield in wildland stands of bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata)

    Science.gov (United States)

    F. Leland Roberts

    2007-01-01

    The Great Basin is a series of unique ecosystems. Starting at the western edge of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California it stretches east to the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. In the north it starts in central Oregon and Idaho and stretches south through out most of Nevada. In all the Great Basin is found in five states of the western U.S. The Great Basin supports...

  11. Distribution and nature of fault architecture in a layered sandstone and shale sequence: An example from the Moab fault, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davatzes, N.C.; Aydin, A.

    2005-01-01

    We examined the distribution of fault rock and damage zone structures in sandstone and shale along the Moab fault, a basin-scale normal fault with nearly 1 km (0.62 mi) of throw, in southeast Utah. We find that fault rock and damage zone structures vary along strike and dip. Variations are related to changes in fault geometry, faulted slip, lithology, and the mechanism of faulting. In sandstone, we differentiated two structural assemblages: (1) deformation bands, zones of deformation bands, and polished slip surfaces and (2) joints, sheared joints, and breccia. These structural assemblages result from the deformation band-based mechanism and the joint-based mechanism, respectively. Along the Moab fault, where both types of structures are present, joint-based deformation is always younger. Where shale is juxtaposed against the fault, a third faulting mechanism, smearing of shale by ductile deformation and associated shale fault rocks, occurs. Based on the knowledge of these three mechanisms, we projected the distribution of their structural products in three dimensions along idealized fault surfaces and evaluated the potential effect on fluid and hydrocarbon flow. We contend that these mechanisms could be used to facilitate predictions of fault and damage zone structures and their permeability from limited data sets. Copyright ?? 2005 by The American Association of Petroleum Geologists.

  12. Environmental Assessment (EA): Proposed Missile Storage Improvements, Utah Test and Training Range

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-11

    801) 451 -7872 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39.18 Hill Air Force Base, Utah Final Environmental Assessment...motors were monitored to determine their functional capability when stored in prescribed temperatures varying between -65 degrees Fahrenheit to 200...degrees Fahrenheit . One of these structures (Building 30260) was used for cryogenic or deep-freeze testing. They were hardened structures meant to

  13. 2012 Reassessment of Floodplain Wetland Connections in the Middle Green River, Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    LaGory, Kirk E. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Walston, Leroy J. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Weber, Cory C. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

    2016-12-01

    This report presents the results of floodplain wetland connection surveys conducted in 2012 at eight priority floodplain wetlands along the middle Green River between Jensen and Ouray, Utah. Surveys were conducted at levee breaches and within channels leading from the breaches to the wetlands (referred to here as connection channels) to characterize the flows needed to connect the river's main channel with the floodplain wetlands.

  14. 2014 Reassessment of Floodplain Wetland Connections in the Middle Green River, Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    LaGory, K. E. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Walston, L. J. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Weber, C. C. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

    2016-12-01

    This report presents the results of floodplain wetland connection surveys conducted in 2014 at six priority floodplain wetland sites along the middle Green River between Jensen and Ouray, Utah. Surveys were conducted at levee breaches and within channels leading from the breaches to the wetlands (referred to here as connection channels) to characterize the flows needed to connect the river’s main channel with the floodplain wetlands.

  15. Baseline risk assessment of ground water contamination at the uranium mill tailings site Salt Lake City, Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1994-09-01

    This baseline risk assessment of groundwater contamination at the uranium mill tailings site near Salt Lake City, Utah, evaluates potential public health or environmental impacts resulting from ground water contamination at the former uranium ore processing site. The tailings and other contaminated material at this site were placed in a disposal cell located at Clive, Utah, in 1987 by the US Department of Energy`s Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project. The second phase of the UMTRA Project is to evaluate residual ground water contamination at the former uranium processing site, known as the Vitro processing site. This risk assessment is the first site-specific document under the Ground Water Project. It will help determine the appropriate remedial action for contaminated ground water at the site.

  16. Baseline risk assessment of ground water contamination at the uranium mill tailings site Salt Lake City, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-09-01

    This baseline risk assessment of groundwater contamination at the uranium mill tailings site near Salt Lake City, Utah, evaluates potential public health or environmental impacts resulting from ground water contamination at the former uranium ore processing site. The tailings and other contaminated material at this site were placed in a disposal cell located at Clive, Utah, in 1987 by the US Department of Energy's Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project. The second phase of the UMTRA Project is to evaluate residual ground water contamination at the former uranium processing site, known as the Vitro processing site. This risk assessment is the first site-specific document under the Ground Water Project. It will help determine the appropriate remedial action for contaminated ground water at the site

  17. 78 FR 2685 - Central Utah Project Completion Act; East Hobble Creek Restoration Project Draft Environmental...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-14

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Office of the Secretary Central Utah Project Completion Act; East Hobble Creek Restoration Project Draft Environmental Assessment AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary... assessment for the East Hobble Creek Restoration Project is available for public review and comment. The...

  18. Geologic appraisal of Paradox basin salt deposits for water emplacement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hite, Robert J.; Lohman, Stanley William

    1973-01-01

    Thick salt deposits of Middle Pennsylvanian age are present in an area of 12,000 square miles in the Paradox basin of southeast Utah and southwest Colorado. The deposits are in the Paradox Member of the Hermosa Formation. The greatest thickness of this evaporite sequence is in a troughlike depression adjacent to the Uncompahgre uplift on the northeast side of the basin.The salt deposits consist of a cyclical sequence of thick halite units separated by thin units of black shale, dolomite, and anhydrite. Many halite units are several hundred feet thick and locally contain economically valuable potash deposits.Over much of the Paradox basin the salt deposits occur at depths of more than 5,000 feet. Only in a series of salt anticlines located along the northeastern side of the basin do the salt deposits rise to relatively shallow depths. The salt anticlines can be divided geographically and structurally into five major systems. Each system consists of a long undulating welt of thickened salt over which younger rocks are arched in anticlinal form. Locally there are areas along the axes of the anticlines where the Paradox Member was never covered by younger sediments. This allowed large-scale migration of Paradox strata toward and up through these holes in the sediment cover forming diapiric anticlines.The central or salt-bearing cores of the anticlines range in thickness from about 2,500 to 14,000 feet. Structure in the central core of the salt anticlines is the result of both regional-compression and flowage of the Paradox Member into the anticlines from adjacent synclines. Structure in the central cores of the salt anticlines ranges from relatively undeformed beds to complexly folded and faulted masses, in which stratigraphic continuity is undemonstrable.The presence of thick cap rock .over many of the salt anticlines is evidence of removal of large volumes of halite by groundwater. Available geologic and hydrologic information suggests that this is a relatively slow

  19. Atmospheric Dust in the Upper Colorado River Basin: Integrated Analysis of Digital Imagery, Total Suspended Particulate, and Meteorological Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urban, F. E.; Reynolds, R. L.; Neff, J. C.; Fernandez, D. P.; Reheis, M. C.; Goldstein, H.; Grote, E.; Landry, C.

    2012-12-01

    Improved measurement and observation of dust emission and deposition in the American west would advance understanding of (1) landscape conditions that promote or suppress dust emission, (2) dynamics of dryland and montane ecosystems, (3) premature melting of snow cover that provides critical water supplies, and (4) possible effects of dust on human health. Such understanding can be applied to issues of land management, water-resource management, as well as the safety and well-being of urban and rural inhabitants. We have recently expanded the scope of particulate measurement in the Upper Colorado River basin through the establishment of total-suspended-particulate (TSP) measurement stations located in Utah and Colorado with bi-weekly data (filter) collection, along with protocols for characterizing dust-on-snow (DOS) layers in Colorado mountains. A sub-network of high-resolution digital cameras has been co-located with several of the TSP stations, as well as at other strategic locations. These real-time regional dust-event detection cameras are internet-based and collect digital imagery every 6-15 minutes. Measurements of meteorological conditions to support these collections and observations are provided partly by CLIM-MET stations, four of which were deployed in 1998 in the Canyonlands (Utah) region. These stations provide continuous, near real-time records of the complex interaction of wind, precipitation, vegetation, as well as dust emission and deposition, in different land-use settings. The complementary datasets of dust measurement and observation enable tracking of individual regional dust events. As an example, the first DOS event of water year 2012 (Nov 5, 2011), as documented at Senator Beck Basin, near Silverton, Colorado, was also recorded by the camera at Island-in-the-Sky (200 km to the northwest), as well as in aeolian activity and wind data from the Dugout Ranch CLIM-MET station (170 km to the west-northwest). At these sites, strong winds and the

  20. Comment and response document for the UMTRA Project vitro processing site completion report Salt Lake City, Utah. Revision 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1995-03-01

    This Comment and Response Document is a series of UMTRA document review forms regarding the UMTRA Project Vitro Processing Site Completion Report for Salt Lake City, Utah in March, 1995. The completion report provides evidence that the final Salt Lake City, Utah, processing site property conditions are in accordance with the approved design and that all U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards have been satisfied. Included as appendices to support the stated conclusions are the record drawings; a summary of grid test results; contract specifications and construction drawings, the EPA standards (40 CFR Part 192); the audit, inspection, and surveillance summary; the permit information; and project photographs. The principal objective of the remedial action at Salt Lake City is to remove the tailings from the processing site, render the site free of contamination to EPA standards, and restore the site to the final design grade elevations. Each section is evaluated in detail to check all aspects of above report, especially the inclusion of adequate verification data. Each review form contains a section entitled State of Utah Response and Action, which is an explanation or correction of DOE criticisms of the report

  1. Assessing the role of detrital zircon sorting on provenance interpretations in an ancient fluvial system using paleohydraulics - Permian Cutler Group, Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado

    Science.gov (United States)

    Findlay, C. P., III; Ewing, R. C.; Perez, N. D.

    2017-12-01

    Detrital zircon age signatures used in provenance studies are assumed to be representative of entire catchments from which the sediment was derived, but the extent to which hydraulic sorting can bias provenance interpretations is poorly constrained. Sediment and mineral sorting occurs with changes in hydraulic conditions driven by both allogenic and autogenic processes. Zircon is sorted from less dense minerals due to the difference in density, and any age dependence on zircon size could potentially bias provenance interpretations. In this study, a coupled paleohydraulic and geochemical provenance approach is used to identify changes in paleohydraulic conditions and relate them to spatial variations in provenance signatures from samples collected along an approximately time-correlative source-to-sink pathway in the Permian Cutler Group of the Paradox Basin. Samples proximal to the uplift have a paleoflow direction to the southwest. In the medial basin, paleocurrent direction indicates salt movement caused fluvial pathways divert to the north and northwest on the flanks of anticlines. Channel depth, flow velocity, and discharge calculations were derived from field measurements of grain size and dune and bar cross-stratification indicate that competency of the fluvial system decreased from proximal to the medial basin by up to a factor of 12. Based upon the paleohydraulic calculations, zircon size fractionation would occur along the transect such that the larger zircons are removed from the system prior to reaching the medial basin. Analysis of the size and age distribution of zircons from the proximal and distal fluvial system of the Cutler Group tests if this hydraulic sorting affects the expected Uncompahgre Uplift age distribution.

  2. Low-temperature geothermal water in Utah: A compilation of data for thermal wells and springs through 1993

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blackett, R.E.

    1994-07-01

    The Geothermal Division of DOE initiated the Low-Temperature Geothermal Resources and Technology Transfer Program, following a special appropriation by Congress in 1991, to encourage wider use of lower-temperature geothermal resources through direct-use, geothermal heat-pump, and binary-cycle power conversion technologies. The Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT), the University of Utah Research Institute (UURI), and the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute organized the federally-funded program and enlisted the help of ten western states to carry out phase one. This first phase involves updating the inventory of thermal wells and springs with the help of the participating state agencies. The state resource teams inventory thermal wells and springs, and compile relevant information on each sources. OIT and UURI cooperatively administer the program. OIT provides overall contract management while UURI provides technical direction to the state teams. Phase one of the program focuses on replacing part of GEOTHERM by building a new database of low- and moderate-temperature geothermal systems for use on personal computers. For Utah, this involved (1) identifying sources of geothermal date, (2) designing a database structure, (3) entering the new date; (4) checking for errors, inconsistencies, and duplicate records; (5) organizing the data into reporting formats; and (6) generating a map (1:750,000 scale) of Utah showing the locations and record identification numbers of thermal wells and springs.

  3. Evaluation of low-temperature geothermal potential in Cache Valley, Utah. Report of investigation No. 174

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    de Vries, J.L.

    1982-11-01

    Field work consisted of locating 90 wells and springs throughout the study area, collecting water samples for later laboratory analyses, and field measurement of pH, temperature, bicarbonate alkalinity, and electrical conductivity. Na/sup +/, K/sup +/, Ca/sup +2/, Mg/sup +2/, SiO/sub 2/, Fe, SO/sub 4//sup -2/, Cl/sup -/, F/sup -/, and total dissolved solids were determined in the laboratory. Temperature profiles were measured in 12 additional, unused walls. Thermal gradients calculated from the profiles were approximately the same as the average for the Basin and Range province, about 35/sup 0/C/km. One well produced a gradient of 297/sup 0/C/km, most probably as a result of a near-surface occurrence of warm water. Possible warm water reservoir temperatures were calculated using both the silica and the Na-K-Ca geothermometers, with the results averaging about 50 to 100/sup 0/C. If mixing calculations were applied, taking into account the temperatures and silica contents of both warm springs or wells and the cold groundwater, reservoir temperatures up to about 200/sup 0/C were indicated. Considering measured surface water temperatures, calculated reservoir temperatures, thermal gradients, and the local geology, most of the Cache Valley, Utah area is unsuited for geothermal development. However, the areas of North Logan, Benson, and Trenton were found to have anomalously warm groundwater in comparison to the background temperature of 13.0/sup 0/C for the study area. The warm water has potential for isolated energy development but is not warm enough for major commercial development.

  4. Teacher Attrition in the USA: The Relational Elements in a Utah Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newberry, Melissa; Allsop, Yvonne

    2017-01-01

    Previous work on teacher attrition in the US has indicated that those who stay in the profession and those who leave are not separate homogenous groups. In this study, the lived experience of former teachers is examined to determine the issues that distinguish leavers from stayers. The sample is from the state of Utah, a state with one of the…

  5. UMTRA Project water sampling and analysis plan, Salt Lake City, Utah. Revision 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1995-06-01

    This water sampling and analysis plan describes planned, routine ground water sampling activities at the US Department of Energy Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project site in Salt Lake City, Utah. This plan identifies and justifies sampling locations, analytical parameters, detection limits, and sampling frequencies for routine monitoring of ground water, sediments, and surface waters at monitoring stations on the site

  6. 77 FR 26733 - Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest; Evanston-Mountain View Ranger District; Utah; Smiths Fork...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-05-07

    ... process or judicial review. Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names and... respondent with standing to participate in the objection process associated with this project under the HFRA or judicial review. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pete Gomben, Environmental Coordinator, at 801...

  7. Characterize the hydrogeological properties and probe the stress field in Salt Lake Valley, Utah using SAR imagery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, X.; Lu, Z.; Barbot, S.; Wang, T.

    2017-12-01

    Aquifer skeletons deform actively in response to the groundwater redistribution and hydraulic head changes with varied time scales of delay and sensitivity, that can also, in some instances, trigger earthquakes. However, determining the key hydrogeological properties and understanding the interactions between aquifer and seismicity generally requires the analysis of dense water level data combined with expensive drilling data (borehole breakouts). Here we investigate the spatiotemporal correlation among ground motions, hydrological changes, earthquakes, and faults in Salt Lake Valley, Utah, based on InSAR observations from ENVISAT ASAR (2004-2010) and Sentinel-1A (2015-2016). InSAR results show a clear seasonal and long-term correlation between surface uplift/subsidence and groundwater recharge/discharge, with evidence for an average net uplift of 15 mm/yr for a period of 7 years. The long-term uplift, remarkably bounded by faults, reflects a net increase in pore pressure associated with prolonged water recharge probably decades ago. InSAR-derived ground deformation and its correlation with head variations allow us to quantify hydrogeological properties - decay coefficient, storage coefficient, and bulk compressibility. We also model the long-term deformation using a shallow vertical shearing reservoir to constrain its thickness and strain rate. InSAR-derived deformation help reveal the coupled hydrological and tectonic processes in Salt Lake Valley: the embedded faults disrupt the groundwater flow and partition the hydrological units, and the pore pressure changes rearrange the aquifer skeleton and modulate the stress field, which may affect the basin-wide seismicity.

  8. Remedial Action Plan and final design for stabilization of the inactive uranium mill tailings at Green River, Utah. Volume 1, Text, Appendices A, B, and C: Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matthews, M.L. [USDOE Albuquerque Operations Office, NM (United States). Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project Office; Alkema, K. [Utah Dept. of Health, Salt Lake City, UT (United States). Environmental Health Div.

    1991-03-01

    This Remedial Action Plan (RAP) has been developed to serve a threefold purpose. It presents the series of activities that are proposed by the US Department of Energy (DOE) to accomplish long-term stabilization and control of radioactive materials at the inactive uranium processing site located near Green River, Utah. It provides a characterization of the present conditions of the site. It also serves to document the concurrence of the state of Utah and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in the remedial action. This agreement, upon execution by the DOE and the state of Utah, and concurrence by the NRC, becomes Appendix 8 of the Cooperative Agreement.

  9. Licensing and Operations of the Clive, Utah Low-Level Containerized Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility- A Continuation of Excellence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ledoux, M. R.; Cade, M. S.

    2002-01-01

    Envirocare's Containerized Waste Facility (CWF) is the first commercial low-level radioactive waste disposal facility to be licensed in the 21st century and the first new site to be opened and operated since the late 1970's. The licensing of this facility has been the culmination of over a decade's effort by Envirocare of Utah at their Clive, Utah site. With the authorization to receive and dispose of higher activity containerized Class A low-level radioactive waste (LLRW), this facility has provided critical access to disposal for the nuclear power industry, as well as the related research and medical communities. This paper chronicles the licensing history and operational efforts designed to address the disposal of containerized LLRW in accordance with state and federal regulations

  10. Radionuclide cycling in a Utah dairy farm

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomas, J.M.; Eberhardt, L.L.; Hawthorne, H.A.; Zellmer, S.D.

    1976-01-01

    Both detailed and summarized data are presented for 137 Cs and for 90 Sr which resulted from a study of the deposition of fallout radionuclides into a Utah dairy farm. In addition, mathematical models and statistical methods (including nonlinear least-squares techniques) were used to obtain estimates of key parameters for a compartmental model of the dynamics of 137 Cs transfers in the dairy system. Both the results of laboratory studies and field observations were used to derive the estimates and to construct functional relationships for the model. Two computer models were used to further analyze and evaluate consistency of the fallout-alfalfa-milk sequence of data. The results of this study are compared with two similar investigations (in Colorado and Michigan) and are used to examine earlier analyses of the general system studied. Extensive data tabulations are also presented

  11. Assessment of leukemia and thyroid disease in relation to fallout in Utah: Annual progress report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1988-01-01

    This report contains the results of one year's work on the effects of fallout on the development of leukemia and thyroid disease in humans residing in Utah. Divided into 37 subphases, this report evaluates the development of predictive models, the use of dosimetry, and various cohort studies. (FI)

  12. Geology of the north end of the Salt Valley Anticline, Grand County, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gard, L.M. Jr.

    1976-01-01

    The geology and hydrology of a portion of the Salt Valley anticline lying north of Moab, Utah, that is being studied as a potential site for underground storage of nuclear waste in salt are discussed. Selection of this area was based on recommendations made in an earlier appraisal of the potential of Paradox basin salt deposits for such use. Salt Valley anticline, a northwest-trending diapiric structure, consists of Mesozoic sedimentary rocks arched over a thick core of salt of the Paradox Member of the Middle Pennsylvanian Hermosa Formation. Salt began to migrate to form and/or develop this structure shortly after it was deposited, probably in response to faulting. This migration caused upwelling of the salt creating a linear positive area. This positive area, in turn, caused increased deposition of sediments in adjacent areas which further enhanced salt migration. Not until late Jurassic time had flowage of the salt slowed sufficiently to allow sediments of the Morrison and younger formations to be deposited across the salt welt. A thick cap of insoluble residue was formed on top of the salt diapir as a result of salt dissolution through time. The crest of the anticline is breached; it collapsed in two stages during the Tertiary Period. The first stage was graben collapse during the early Tertiary; the second stage occurred after Miocene regional uplift had caused downcutting streams to breach the salt core resulting in further collapse. The axis of the anticline is a narrow generally flat-floored valley containing a few hills composed of downdropped Mesozoic rocks foundered in thecaprock. The caprock, which underlies thin alluvium in the valley, is composed of contorted gypsum, shale, sandstone, and limestone--the insoluble residue of the Paradox salt

  13. Investigating potential effects of heli-skiing on golden eagles in the Wasatch Mountains, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teryl G. Grubb; David K. Delaney; William W. Bowerman

    2007-01-01

    Implementing further research was beyond the scope of the U.S. Forest Service's 2004 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and 2005 Wasatch Powderbird Guides (WPG) Special Use Permit Renewal process for heli-skiing in the Tri-Canyon Area in the Wasatch Mountains, just east of Salt Lake City, Utah. However, in their Record of Decision the Wasaatch-Cache (WCNF...

  14. Determining habitat potential and surveying for nine rare plant species in south-central Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deborah J. Clark; Christine M. Groebner

    2001-01-01

    In south-central Utah, lands within and adjacent to Capitol Reef National Park contain populations of nine rare plant species. In an effort to enhance the combined knowledge about these species, the Bureau of Land Management, the USDA Forest Service, and the National Park Service signed an Interagency Agreement and hired an interagency biologist and field crew to...

  15. Lithosequence of soils and associated vegetation on subalpine range of the Wasatch Plateau, Utah.

    Science.gov (United States)

    James O. Klemmedson; Arthur R. Tiedemann

    1998-01-01

    On degraded subalpine range in Utah, the authors examined the role of soil and parent material nutrients and organic carbon (Corg) in the development of soil and plants on a transect across six strata that formed visible concentric alternating bands of high and low productivity. Relations for soil and parent material phosphorus (P) and sulfur (S) were of particular...

  16. The Central European Permian Basins; Rheological and structural controls on basin history and on inter-basin connectivity

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Smit, Jeroen; van Wees, Jan-Diederik; Cloetingh, Sierd

    2014-01-01

    We analyse the relative importance of the major crustal-scale fault zones and crustal architecture in controlling basin formation, deformation and the structural connections between basins. The North and South Permian Basins of Central Europe are usually defined by the extend of Rotliegend

  17. New Horned Dinosaurs from Utah Provide Evidence for Intracontinental Dinosaur Endemism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sampson, Scott D.; Loewen, Mark A.; Farke, Andrew A.; Roberts, Eric M.; Forster, Catherine A.; Smith, Joshua A.; Titus, Alan L.

    2010-01-01

    Background During much of the Late Cretaceous, a shallow, epeiric sea divided North America into eastern and western landmasses. The western landmass, known as Laramidia, although diminutive in size, witnessed a major evolutionary radiation of dinosaurs. Other than hadrosaurs (duck-billed dinosaurs), the most common dinosaurs were ceratopsids (large-bodied horned dinosaurs), currently known only from Laramidia and Asia. Remarkably, previous studies have postulated the occurrence of latitudinally arrayed dinosaur “provinces,” or “biomes,” on Laramidia. Yet this hypothesis has been challenged on multiple fronts and has remained poorly tested. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we describe two new, co-occurring ceratopsids from the Upper Cretaceous Kaiparowits Formation of Utah that provide the strongest support to date for the dinosaur provincialism hypothesis. Both pertain to the clade of ceratopsids known as Chasmosaurinae, dramatically increasing representation of this group from the southern portion of the Western Interior Basin of North America. Utahceratops gettyi gen. et sp. nov.—characterized by short, rounded, laterally projecting supraorbital horncores and an elongate frill with a deep median embayment—is recovered as the sister taxon to Pentaceratops sternbergii from the late Campanian of New Mexico. Kosmoceratops richardsoni gen. et sp. nov.—characterized by elongate, laterally projecting supraorbital horncores and a short, broad frill adorned with ten well developed hooks—has the most ornate skull of any known dinosaur and is closely allied to Chasmosaurus irvinensis from the late Campanian of Alberta. Conclusions/Significance Considered in unison, the phylogenetic, stratigraphic, and biogeographic evidence documents distinct, co-occurring chasmosaurine taxa north and south on the diminutive landmass of Laramidia. The famous Triceratops and all other, more nested chasmosaurines are postulated as descendants of forms previously restricted

  18. New horned dinosaurs from Utah provide evidence for intracontinental dinosaur endemism.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Scott D Sampson

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: During much of the Late Cretaceous, a shallow, epeiric sea divided North America into eastern and western landmasses. The western landmass, known as Laramidia, although diminutive in size, witnessed a major evolutionary radiation of dinosaurs. Other than hadrosaurs (duck-billed dinosaurs, the most common dinosaurs were ceratopsids (large-bodied horned dinosaurs, currently known only from Laramidia and Asia. Remarkably, previous studies have postulated the occurrence of latitudinally arrayed dinosaur "provinces," or "biomes," on Laramidia. Yet this hypothesis has been challenged on multiple fronts and has remained poorly tested. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we describe two new, co-occurring ceratopsids from the Upper Cretaceous Kaiparowits Formation of Utah that provide the strongest support to date for the dinosaur provincialism hypothesis. Both pertain to the clade of ceratopsids known as Chasmosaurinae, dramatically increasing representation of this group from the southern portion of the Western Interior Basin of North America. Utahceratops gettyi gen. et sp. nov.-characterized by short, rounded, laterally projecting supraorbital horncores and an elongate frill with a deep median embayment-is recovered as the sister taxon to Pentaceratops sternbergii from the late Campanian of New Mexico. Kosmoceratops richardsoni gen. et sp. nov.-characterized by elongate, laterally projecting supraorbital horncores and a short, broad frill adorned with ten well developed hooks-has the most ornate skull of any known dinosaur and is closely allied to Chasmosaurus irvinensis from the late Campanian of Alberta. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Considered in unison, the phylogenetic, stratigraphic, and biogeographic evidence documents distinct, co-occurring chasmosaurine taxa north and south on the diminutive landmass of Laramidia. The famous Triceratops and all other, more nested chasmosaurines are postulated as descendants of forms previously

  19. Comparative Research on River Basin Management in the Sagami River Basin (Japan and the Muda River Basin (Malaysia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lay Mei Sim

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available In the world, river basins often interwoven into two or more states or prefectures and because of that, disputes over water are common. Nevertheless, not all shared river basins are associated with water conflicts. Rivers in Japan and Malaysia play a significant role in regional economic development. They also play a significant role as water sources for industrial, domestic, agricultural, aquaculture, hydroelectric power generation, and the environment. The research aim is to determine the similarities and differences between the Sagami and Muda River Basins in order to have a better understanding of the governance needed for effectively implementing the lessons drawn from the Sagami River Basin for improving the management of the Muda River Basin in Malaysia. This research adopts qualitative and quantitative approaches. Semi-structured interviews were held with the key stakeholders from both basins and show that Japan has endeavored to present policy efforts to accommodate the innovative approaches in the management of their water resources, including the establishment of a river basin council. In Malaysia, there is little or no stakeholder involvement in the Muda River Basin, and the water resource management is not holistic and is not integrated as it should be. Besides that, there is little or no Integrated Resources Water Management, a pre-requisite for sustainable water resources. The results from this comparative study concluded that full support and participation from public stakeholders (meaning the non-government and non-private sector stakeholders is vital for achieving sustainable water use in the Muda River Basin. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM approaches such as the introduction of payments for ecosystems services and the development of river basin organization in the Muda River Basin should take place in the spirit of political willingness.

  20. Chemical and isotopic investigation of warm springs associated with normal faults in Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cole, David R.

    1983-04-01

    Thermal springs associated with normal faults in Utah have been analyzed for major cations and anions, and oxygen and hydrogen isotopes. Springs with measured temperatures averaging greater than 40°C are characterized by Na + K- and SO 4 + Cl-rich waters containing 10 3 to 10 4 mg/l of dissolved solids. Lower temperature springs, averaging less than 40°C, are more enriched in Ca + Mg relative to Na + K. Chemical variations monitored through time in selected thermal springs are probably produced by mixing with non-thermal waters. During the summer months at times of maximum flow, selected hot springs exhibit their highest temperatures and maximum enrichments in most chemical constituents. Cation ratios and silica concentrations remain relatively constant through time for selected Utah thermal springs assuring the applicability of the geothermometer calculations regardless of the time of year. Geothermometer calculations utilizing either the quartz (no steam loss), chalcedony or Mg-corrected Na/K/Ca methods indicate that most thermal springs in Utah associated with normal faults have subsurface temperatures in the range of 25 to less than 120°C. This temperature range suggests fluid circulation is restricted to depths less than about three kilometers assuming an average thermal gradient of about 40°C/km. Thermodynamic calculations suggest that most thermal springs are oversaturated with respect to calcite, quartz, pyrophyllite, (Fe, Mg)-montmorillonite, microcline and hematite, and undersaturated with respect to anhydrite, gypsum, fluorite and anorthite. Chalcedony and cristobalite appear to be the only phases consistently at or near saturation in most waters. Theoretical evaluation of mixing on mineral saturation trends indicates that anhydrite and calcite become increasingly more undersaturated as cold, dilute groundwater mixes with a hot (150°C), NaCl-rich fluid. The evolution of these thermal waters issuing from faults appears to be one involving the

  1. Detecting agricultural to urban land use change from multi-temporal MSS digital data. [Salt Lake County, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ridd, M. K.; Merola, J. A.; Jaynes, R. A.

    1983-01-01

    Conversion of agricultural land to a variety of urban uses is a major problem along the Wasatch Front, Utah. Although LANDSAT MSS data is a relatively coarse tool for discriminating categories of change in urban-size plots, its availability prompts a thorough test of its power to detect change. The procedures being applied to a test area in Salt Lake County, Utah, where the land conversion problem is acute are presented. The identity of land uses before and after conversion was determined and digital procedures for doing so were compared. Several algorithms were compared, utilizing both raw data and preprocessed data. Verification of results involved high quality color infrared photography and field observation. Two data sets were digitally registered, specific change categories internally identified in the software, results tabulated by computer, and change maps printed at 1:24,000 scale.

  2. Evolution and diagenesis of Pennsylvanian phylloid algal bioherms in the Paradox basin of southeastern Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gournay, J.P. (Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States))

    1996-01-01

    Three lower Ismay (Paradox Formation) bioherms, were examined at Honaker Trail, Soda Basin, and Eight Foot Rapids along the San Juan River. Approximately 150 samples were collected at approximately 0.5 m vertically spaced intervals. Samples of unique lithologies were also collected. The lower Ismay bioherms studied lie along an east-west traverse with respect to each other and display slight differences in internal facies composition. Phylloid algae generally dominate the bioherms, but associated biota include: fusulinids, crinoids, bryozoans, ostracods, minor trilobites, and rugose corals. Facies changes and the presence of numerous stylolitized layers within the bioherms suggest distinct growth phases. Additionally, the phylloid-rich layers appear to exhibit vertical variations in total micrite. Variations in facies and micrite composition may be controlled by sea level fluctuation or may reflect microbial activity. Consistent variation in porosity and permeability within bioherms may reflect high order cyclical events, possibly sixth order. Throughout the bioherms studied, variations in porosity and permeability correspond to variations in lithology. The bioherms are homogenous laterally, but heterogeneous vertically and the porosity zones reflect this. The zones are characterized by moldic porosity, increased abundances of phylloid algae, and each is capped by a mud-rich unit. Many of the porous zones are about 2 m thick with two or three associated smaller bands. The smaller bands are completely compartmentalized from the major bands. This information is of significant importance to production from phylloid algal reservoir systems.

  3. Evolution and diagenesis of Pennsylvanian phylloid algal bioherms in the Paradox basin of southeastern Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gournay, J.P. [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)

    1996-12-31

    Three lower Ismay (Paradox Formation) bioherms, were examined at Honaker Trail, Soda Basin, and Eight Foot Rapids along the San Juan River. Approximately 150 samples were collected at approximately 0.5 m vertically spaced intervals. Samples of unique lithologies were also collected. The lower Ismay bioherms studied lie along an east-west traverse with respect to each other and display slight differences in internal facies composition. Phylloid algae generally dominate the bioherms, but associated biota include: fusulinids, crinoids, bryozoans, ostracods, minor trilobites, and rugose corals. Facies changes and the presence of numerous stylolitized layers within the bioherms suggest distinct growth phases. Additionally, the phylloid-rich layers appear to exhibit vertical variations in total micrite. Variations in facies and micrite composition may be controlled by sea level fluctuation or may reflect microbial activity. Consistent variation in porosity and permeability within bioherms may reflect high order cyclical events, possibly sixth order. Throughout the bioherms studied, variations in porosity and permeability correspond to variations in lithology. The bioherms are homogenous laterally, but heterogeneous vertically and the porosity zones reflect this. The zones are characterized by moldic porosity, increased abundances of phylloid algae, and each is capped by a mud-rich unit. Many of the porous zones are about 2 m thick with two or three associated smaller bands. The smaller bands are completely compartmentalized from the major bands. This information is of significant importance to production from phylloid algal reservoir systems.

  4. Integrated study of basins in the Four Corners region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fagbola, Olamide Olawumi

    2007-12-01

    This dissertation is an integrated study of basins in the four corners area of the central part of the Colorado Plateau. The Colorado Plateau is a structurally unique part of the Rocky Mountain region because it has only been moderately deformed when compared to the more intensely deformed areas around it. The Colorado Plateau covers a portion of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. The study area extends from latitude 34°N-40°N to longitude 106°W-111W° encompassing a series of major basins and uplifts: the San Juan, Black Mesa, Paradox, and the Blanding basins; and the Zuni, Defiance, Four Corners, Monument uplifts and the San Juan dome and volcanic field. An analysis of gravity anomalies, basement and crustal structure for basins in the four corners region was carried out. This involved using gravity, magnetic, well, outcrop, seismic estimates of crustal thickness, and geologic data in an integrated fashion. Six filtered gravity and three filtered magnetic maps were generated to aid in the interpretation of the gravity and magnetic anomalies in the study area. A detailed comparison of these maps was carried out. The results show a deep seated mafic structure in the basement acting as a crustal boundary separating the high gravity anomalies from the low. These maps also show that the sources of these anomalies are quite shallow resulting from the upper crust in the study area. The structures in the study area are characterized by northwest and northeast trends which correspond to the Precambrian and the Late Paleozoic structures, respectively. A crustal thickness map of the area was also constructed from seismic estimates of crustal thickness. A comparison was done between the crustal thickness map and the 45 km upward continuation Bouguer anomaly map. The result of this comparison shows that areas of thicker ix crust corresponded to low gravity while areas of thinner crust means mantle material is closer to the surface, thereby producing a high gravity

  5. A Victorious Defeat: Mission Command Failure of the 1857-1858 Utah Expedition

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-05-26

    glorious report” and thereby has attracted little interest from military scholars.5 The same is true of most other minor conflicts throughout US military...Army in 1857. His advanced age is evident by the fact that he was a veteran of the French Revolution and received his commission in the US Army from...wards as they are called in the Mormon Church, provided food and material aid during the Utah War. These congregations also helped organize those

  6. Licensing and Operations of the Clive, Utah Low-Level Containerized Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility- A Continuation of Excellence

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ledoux, M. R.; Cade, M. S.

    2002-02-25

    Envirocare's Containerized Waste Facility (CWF) is the first commercial low-level radioactive waste disposal facility to be licensed in the 21st century and the first new site to be opened and operated since the late 1970's. The licensing of this facility has been the culmination of over a decade's effort by Envirocare of Utah at their Clive, Utah site. With the authorization to receive and dispose of higher activity containerized Class A low-level radioactive waste (LLRW), this facility has provided critical access to disposal for the nuclear power industry, as well as the related research and medical communities. This paper chronicles the licensing history and operational efforts designed to address the disposal of containerized LLRW in accordance with state and federal regulations.

  7. 77 FR 44544 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Utah; Determination of Clean Data...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-07-30

    ... further progress plans, reasonably available control measures, and contingency measures, no longer apply... Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Utah; Determination of Clean Data for the 1987 PM 10 Standard... VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews Definitions For the purpose of this document, we are giving...

  8. Upheaval Dome, Utah, USA: Impact origin confirmed

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buchner, Elmar; Kenkmann, Thomas

    2008-03-01

    Upheaval Dome is a unique circular structure on the ColoradoPlateau in SE Utah, the origin of which has been controversiallydiscussed for decades. It has been interpreted as a crypto volcanicfeature, a salt diapir, a pinched-off salt diapir, and an erodedimpact crater. While recent structural mapping, modeling, andanalyses of deformation mechanisms strongly support an impactorigin, ultimate proof, namely the documentation of unambiguousshock features, has yet to be successfully provided. In thisstudy, we document, for the first time, shocked quartz grainsfrom this crater in sandstones of the Jurassic Kayenta Formation.The investigated grains contain multiple sets of decorated planardeformation features. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)reveals that the amorphous lamellae are annealed and exhibitdense tangles of dislocations as well as trails of fluid inclusions.The shocked quartz grains were found in the periphery of thecentral uplift in the northeastern sector of the crater, whichmost likely represents the cross range crater sector.

  9. Study of a conceptual nuclear-energy center at Green River, Utah: site-specific transportation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-10-01

    The objective of the following report is to assess the adequacy of the local and regional transportation network for handling traffic, logistics, and the transport of major power plant components to the Utah Nuclear Energy Center (UNEC) Horse Bench site. The discussion is divided into four parts: (1) system requirements; (2) description of the existing transportation network; (3) evaluation; (4) summary and conclusions

  10. Drainage basins features and hydrological behaviour river Minateda basin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alonso-Sarria, F.

    1991-01-01

    Nine basin variables (shape, size and topology) have been analyzed in four small basins with non-permanent run off (SE of Spain). These geomorphological variables have been selected for their high correlation with the Instantaneous unit hydrograph parameters. It is shown that the variables can change from one small basin to another within a very short area; because of it, generalizations about the behaviour of the run off are not possible. In conclusion, it is stated that the variations in geomorphological aspects between different basins, caused mainly by geological constraints, are a very important factor to be controlled in a study of geoecological change derived from climatic change

  11. Changes in land use as a possible factor in Mourning Dove population decline in Central Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ostrand, William D.; Meyers, P.M.; Bissonette, J.A.; Conover, M.R.

    1998-01-01

    Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) population indices for the western United States have declined significantly since 1966. Based on data collected in 1951-1952, in Fillmore, Utah, we examined whether there had been a local decline in the dove population index since the original data were collected. We then determined whether habitat had been altered, identified which foraging habitats doves preferred, and assessed whether changes in land use could be responsible, in part, for a decline in the local population index. We found that dove population indices declined 72% and 82% from 1952-1992 and 1952-1993, respectively. The most dramatic change in habitat was an 82% decline in land devoted to dry land winter wheat production and a decline in livestock feed pens. Doves foraged primarily in harvested wheat fields, feed pens, and weedy patches. We hypothesize that a decrease in wheat availability during the spring and the consolidation of the livestock industry have contributed to a population decline of Mourning Doves in central Utah.

  12. Astronomical Pacing of Relative Sea Level through OAE2 from the Expanded SH#1 Core, Southern Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, M. M.; Sageman, B. B.; Oakes, R. L.; Bralower, T. J.; Parker, A. L.; Leckie, R. M.

    2017-12-01

    Proximal marine strata of the North American Western Interior Basin (WIB) preserve a rich record of faunal turnover linked to Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 (OAE2 - 94 Ma), a pronounced Late Cretaceous carbon cycle perturbation interpreted to reflect global warming and possible ocean acidification. To develop a more robust synthesis of paleobiologic and geochemical datasets spanning this major Earth-life transition, we drilled a 131-meter core (SH#1) on the Kaiparowits Plateau of southern Utah, recovering the Cenomanian-Turonian Boundary (CTB) interval of the Tropic Shale. A 17.5-meter positive excursion in high-resolution bulk carbon isotope chemostratigraphy (δ13Corg) of SH#1 characterizes the most expanded and detailed record of OAE2 recovered from the WIB. Additionally, we detect statistically significant evidence for astronomical cycles in a companion δ13Ccarb dataset, using advanced spectral techniques (evolutive average spectral misfit). Bandpass filtering and tracing of the short eccentricity cycle (97 ka) permit development of a floating astronomical time scale (ATS) for the CTB interval. The presence of radioisotopic dates within the time series provides an independent check on astrochronologic interpretations. We attribute some depleted δ13Ccarb values in SH#1, which cyclically punctuate the OAE2 excursion, to preferential carbonate diagenesis driven by periodic sea level oscillations. Accordingly, major flooding surfaces in SH#1 correlate well to an existing sequence stratigraphic framework from shoreface facies of the Markagunt Plateau ( 100 km west). Comparing the ATS and sequence stratigraphic surfaces in SH#1, we observe that stable eccentricity cycles (405 ka) pace stratigraphic sequences and associated saw-toothed trends in sedimentation rate estimates through OAE2. Furthermore, short eccentricity cycles pace nested parasequences. These results confirm astronomical and, therefore, climatic pacing of relative sea level trends during OAE2 in the WIB. The

  13. The 3D Elevation Program: summary for Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carswell, William J.

    2015-01-01

    Elevation data are essential to a broad range of applications, including forest resources management, wildlife and habitat management, national security, recreation, and many others. For the State of Utah, elevation data are critical for infrastructure and construction management, natural resources conservation, geologic resource assessment and hazard mitigation, flood risk management, agriculture and precision farming, and other business uses. Today, high-density light detection and ranging (lidar) data are the primary sources for deriving elevation models and other datasets. Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies work in partnership to (1) replace data that are older and of lower quality and (2) provide coverage where publicly accessible data do not exist. A joint goal of State and Federal partners is to acquire consistent, statewide coverage to support existing and emerging applications enabled by lidar data.

  14. Groundwater model of the Great Basin carbonate and alluvial aquifer system version 3.0: Incorporating revisions in southwestern Utah and east central Nevada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, Lynette E.

    2017-12-01

    The groundwater model described in this report is a new version of previously published steady-state numerical groundwater flow models of the Great Basin carbonate and alluvial aquifer system, and was developed in conjunction with U.S. Geological Survey studies in Parowan, Pine, and Wah Wah Valleys, Utah. This version of the model is GBCAAS v. 3.0 and supersedes previous versions. The objectives of the model for Parowan Valley were to simulate revised conceptual estimates of recharge and discharge, to estimate simulated aquifer storage properties and the amount of reduction in storage as a result of historical groundwater withdrawals, and to assess reduction in groundwater withdrawals necessary to mitigate groundwater-level declines in the basin. The objectives of the model for the area near Pine and Wah Wah Valleys were to recalibrate the model using new observations of groundwater levels and evapotranspiration of groundwater; to provide new estimates of simulated recharge, hydraulic conductivity, and interbasin flow; and to simulate the effects of proposed groundwater withdrawals on the regional flow system. Meeting these objectives required the addition of 15 transient calibration stress periods and 14 projection stress periods, aquifer storage properties, historical withdrawals in Parowan Valley, and observations of water-level changes in Parowan Valley. Recharge in Parowan Valley and withdrawal from wells in Parowan Valley and two nearby wells in Cedar City Valley vary for each calibration stress period representing conditions from March 1940 to November 2013. Stresses, including recharge, are the same in each stress period as in the steady-state stress period for all areas outside of Parowan Valley. The model was calibrated to transient conditions only in Parowan Valley. Simulated storage properties outside of Parowan Valley were set the same as the Parowan Valley properties and are not considered calibrated. Model observations in GBCAAS v. 3.0 are

  15. 75 FR 57288 - Notice of Inventory Completion: Utah Museum of Natural History, Salt Lake City, UT

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-20

    ... Natural History, Salt Lake City, UT AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice. Notice is... possession and control of the Utah Museum of Natural History, Salt Lake City, UT. The human remains and... unworked faunal bone. The associated funerary objects found with the interments indicate that the human...

  16. Ecosystem studies, endangered species survey - Gibson Dome and Elk Ridge study areas, Paradox Basin, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-04-01

    This report is published as a product of the National Waste Terminal Storage (NWTS) Program. The objective of this program is the development of terminal waste storage facilities in deep stable geologic formations for high-level nuclear wastes, including spent fuel elements from commercial power reactors and transuranic nuclear waste for which the federal government is responsible. This report is part of the location and site characterization phase and contains threatened and endangered species information for the Gibson Dome and Elk Ridge study areas of the Paradox Region. The threatened and endangered species information was obtained through site surveys designed and implemented by area experts. The site surveys were performed during the period late summer 1981 - spring 1982 in the Gibson Dome and Elk Ridge Study Areas. No threatened or endangered species were identified in either Lavender or Davis canyons. Additional studies at the borehole locations in Beef Basin did identify the nearest occurrence of a species proposed for endangered status (Astragalus monumentalis, a monument milkvetch, member of the legume family). The species was identified approximately 160 to 300 m (500 to 1000 ft) from a hydro testing drill site. Consequently, construction and operation activity should not cause any adverse impacts. This report will be used to satisfy Section 7 requirements of the Endangered Species Act (PL 93-205 as amended) and to allow the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to verify that no protected species are subject to disturbance as the result of project activities occurring in the Gibson Dome and Elk Ridge study areas

  17. Cancer incidence among Mormons and non-Mormons in Utah (United States) 1995-1999.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merrill, Ray M; Lyon, Joseph L

    2005-05-01

    Population-based Utah Cancer Registry data were linked with Latter-day Saint (LDS or Mormon) Church membership records to obtain site-specific cancer incidence for LDS and non-LDS populations in Utah during 1995-1999. Analyses were based on 27,631 incident cases of cancer identified among whites. Restriction to whites was made because of the small number of nonwhites, approximately 5%, in the state during the study period. The direct method was used to age-adjust the rates to the 2000 U.S. standard population. Significantly lower cancer incidence rates per 100,000 were observed among LDS compared with non-LDS males (287.2 vs. 321.1) and females (247.7 vs. 341.0). The lower rates are primarily explained by smoking-related cancers and female breast cancer. If the overall cancer incidence rate in LDS had occurred in the non-LDS population, 2.9% or 421 fewer cases would have occurred among males and 7.9% or 1,025 fewer cases would have occurred among females during the study period. Given our current knowledge of risk factors for cancer, differences between LDS and non-LDS in smoking for males and smoking and sexual and reproductive behaviors in females primarily explain the lower risk of cancer in LDS populations.

  18. Water resources of the Park City area, Utah, with emphasis on ground water

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holmes, Walter F.; Thompson, Kendall R.; Enright, Michael

    1986-01-01

    The Park City area is a rapidly growing residential and recreational area about 30 miles east of Sal t Lake City (fig. 1). The area of study is about 140 square miles in which the principle industries are agriculture, skiing, and other recreational activities. The area once was a major lead- and silver-mining district, but no mines were active in 1984. A resumption in mining activity, however, could take place with an increase in the price of metals.The population of the Park City area is expected to increase rapidly in the near future; and the provision of an adequate water supply for the growing population, while avoiding harmful affects of development, is a major concern for local municipalities, developers, and the Utah Division of Water Rights. In addition, agricultural interests in and below the area are concerned about the effects of increased ground-water withdrawals on streamflow, which is fully appropriated by downstream users. The area also contains the proposed site for the Jordanelle dam, a part of the Bonneville unit of the central Utah Project. The damsite is near an historic mining area; and mining companies are concerned that if mining is resumed, the reservoir may create some additional dewatering problems in the mines.

  19. Hazard assessment of inorganics to three endangered fish in the Green River, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamilton, S.J.

    1995-01-01

    Acute toxicity tests were conducted with three life stages of Colorado squawfish (Ptychocheilus lucius), razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus), and bonytail (Gila elegans) in a reconstituted water quality simulating the middle part of the Green River of Utah. Tests were conducted with boron, lithium, selenate, selenite, uranium, vanadium, and zinc. The overall rank order of toxicity to all species and life stages combined from most to least toxic was vanadium = zinc > selenite > lithium = uranium > selenate > boron. There was no difference between the three species in their sensitivity to the seven inorganics based on a rank-order evaluation at the species level. Colorado squawfish were 2-5 times more sensitive to selenate and selenite at the swimup life stage than older stages, whereas razorback suckers displayed equal sensitivity among life stages. Bonytail exhibited equal sensitivity to selenite, but were five times more sensitive to selenate at the swimup life stage than the older stages. Comparison of 96-hr LC50 values with a limited number of environmental water concentrations in Ashley Creek, Utah, which receives irrigation drainwater, revealed moderate hazard ratios for boron, selenate, selenite, and zinc, low hazard ratios for uranium and vanadium, but unknown ratios for lithium. These inorganic contaminants in drainwaters may adversely affect endangered fish in the Green River.

  20. Local- and regional-scale measurements of CH4, δ13CH4, and C2H6 in the Uintah Basin using a mobile stable isotope analyzer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rella, C. W.; Hoffnagle, J.; He, Y.; Tajima, S.

    2015-10-01

    In this paper, we present an innovative CH4, δ13CH4, and C2H6 instrument based on cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS). The design and performance of the analyzer is presented in detail. The instrument is capable of precision of less than 1 ‰ on δ13CH4 with 1 in. of averaging and about 0.1 ‰ in an hour. Using this instrument, we present a comprehensive approach to atmospheric methane emissions attribution. Field measurements were performed in the Uintah Basin (Utah, USA) in the winter of 2013, using a mobile lab equipped with the CRDS analyzer, a high-accuracy GPS, a sonic anemometer, and an onboard gas storage and playback system. With a small population and almost no other sources of methane and ethane other than oil and gas extraction activities, the Uintah Basin represents an ideal location to investigate and validate new measurement methods of atmospheric methane and ethane. We present the results of measurements of the individual fugitive emissions from 23 natural gas wells and six oil wells in the region. The δ13CH4 and C2H6 signatures that we observe are consistent with the signatures of the gases found in the wells. Furthermore, regional measurements of the atmospheric CH4, δ13CH4, and C2H6 signatures throughout the basin have been made, using continuous sampling into a 450 m long tube and laboratory reanalysis with the CRDS instrument. These measurements suggest that 85 ± 7 % of the total emissions in the basin are from natural gas production.

  1. A terrestrial Eocene stack: tying terrestrial lake ecology to marine carbon cycling through the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grogan, D. S.; Whiteside, J. H.; Musher, D.; Rosengard, S. Z.; Vankeuren, M. A.; Pancost, R. D.

    2010-12-01

    The lacustrine Green River Formation is known to span ≥15 million years through the early-middle Eocene, and recent work on radioisotopic dating has provided a framework on which to build ties to the orbitally-tuned marine Eocene record. Here we present a spliced stack of Fischer assay data from drilled cores of the Green River Formation that span both an East-West and a North-South transect of the Uinta Basin of Utah. Detailed work on two cores demonstrate that Fischer assay measurements covary with total organic carbon and bulk carbon isotopes, allowing us to use Fisher assay results as a representative carbon cycling proxy throughout the stack. We provide an age model for this core record by combining radioisotopic dates of tuff layers with frequency analysis of Fischer assay measurements. Identification of orbital frequencies tied directly to magnetochrons through radioisotopic dates allows for a direct comparison of the terrestrial to the marine Eocene record. Our analysis indicates that the marker beds used to correlate the stack cores represent periods of enhanced lake productivity and extreme carbon burial; however, unlike the hyperthermal events that are clearly marked in the marine Eocene record, the hydrocarbon-rich "Mahogany Bed" period of burial does not correspond to a clear carbon isotope excursion. This suggests that the terrestrial realm may have experienced extreme ecological responses to relatively small perturbations in the carbon cycle during the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum. To investigate the ecological responses to carbon cycle perturbations through the hydrocarbon rich beds, we analyzed a suite of microbial biomarkers, finding evidence for cyanobacteria, dinoflagellates, and potentially green sulfur bacteria. These taxa indicate fluctuating oxic/anoxic conditions in the lake during abrupt intervals of carbon burial, suggesting a lake biogeochemical regime with no modern analogues.

  2. 1980 Environmental monitoring report: US Department of Energy Facilities, Grand Junction, Colorado, and Monticello, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-04-01

    The effect the Grand Junction, Colorado and Monticello, Utah facilities have on the environment is reflected by the analyses of air, water, and sediment samples. The off-site water and sediment samples were taken to determine what effect the tailings and contaminated equipment buried on the sites may have on the air, water, and adjacent properties

  3. Contrasting basin architecture and rifting style of the Vøring Basin, offshore mid-Norway and the Faroe-Shetland Basin, offshore United Kingdom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schöpfer, Kateřina; Hinsch, Ralph

    2017-04-01

    The Vøring and the Faroe-Shetland basins are offshore deep sedimentary basins which are situated on the outer continental margin of the northeast Atlantic Ocean. Both basins are underlain by thinned continental crust whose structure is still debated. In particular the nature of the lower continental crust and the origin of high velocity bodies located at the base of the lower crust are a subject of discussion in recent literature. Regional interpretation of 2D and 3D seismic reflection data, combined with well data, suggest that both basins share several common features: (i) Pre-Cretaceous faults that are distributed across the entire basin width. (ii) Geometries of pre-Jurassic strata reflecting at least two extensional phases. (iii) Three common rift phases, Late Jurassic, Campanian-Maastrichtian and Palaeocene. (iv) Large pre-Cretaceous fault blocks that are buried by several kilometres of Cretaceous and Cenozoic strata. (iii). (v) Latest Cretaceous/Palaeocene inversion. (vi) Occurrence of partial mantle serpentinization during Early Cretaceous times, as proposed by other studies, seems improbable. The detailed analysis of the data, however, revealed significant differences between the two basins: (i) The Faroe-Shetland Basin was a fault-controlled basin during the Late Jurassic but also the Late Cretaceous extensional phase. In contrast, the Vøring Basin is dominated by the late Jurassic rifting and subsequent thermal subsidence. It exhibits only minor Late Cretaceous faults that are localised above intra-basinal and marginal highs. In addition, the Cretaceous strata in the Vøring Basin are folded. (ii) In the Vøring Basin, the locus of Late Cretaceous rifting shifted westwards, affecting mainly the western basin margin, whereas in the Faroe-Shetland Basin Late Cretaceous rifting was localised in the same area as the Late Jurassic phase, hence masking the original Jurassic geometries. (iii) Devono-Carboniferous and Aptian/Albian to Cenomanian rift phases

  4. Results of the independent verification of radiological remedial action at 600 South Clayhill Drive (AKA 600 South Cemetery Road), Monticello, Utah (MS00145)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilson, M.J.; Crutcher, J.W.

    1991-07-01

    In 1980 the site of a vanadium and uranium mill at Monticello, Utah, was accepted into the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Surplus Facilities Management Program, with the objectives of restoring the government-owned mill site to safe levels of radioactivity, disposing of or containing the tailings in an environmentally safe manner, and performing remedial actions on off-site (vicinity) properties that had been contaminated by radioactive material resulting from mill operations. During 1986 and 1987, UNC Geotech, the remedial action contractor designated by DOE, performed remedial action on the vicinity property at 600 South Cemetery Road (updated by San Juan County and the state of Utah to 600 South Clayhill Drive), Monticello, Utah. The Pollutant Assessments Group (PAG) of Oak Ridge National Laboratory was assigned the responsibility of verifying the data supporting the adequacy of remedial action and confirming the site's compliance with DOE guidelines. The PAG found that the site successfully meets the DOE remedial action objectives. Procedures used by PAG are described. 3 refs., 2 tabs

  5. SOLUBLE COMPONENTS OF UTAH VALLEY PARTICULATE POLLUTION ALTER ALVEOLAR MACROPHAGE FUNCTION IN VIVO AND IN VITRO

    Science.gov (United States)

    Water-soluble extracts of Utah Valley dust (UVD) have been found to cause inflammatory injury of the lung in both humans and rodents. The degree of lung damage found correlated with the metal content in the extracts. In the present study, extracts of a set of UVD PM(10) filters c...

  6. Bedrock geology of snyderville basin: Structural geology techniques applied to understanding the hydrogeology of a rapidly developing region, Summit County, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keighley, K.E.; Yonkee, W.A.; Ashland, F.X.; Evans, J.P.

    1997-01-01

    The availability of ground water is a problem for many communities throughout the west. As these communities continue to experience growth, the initial allocation of ground water supplies proves inadequate and may force restrictions on existing, and future, development plans. Much of this new growth relies on ground water supplies extracted from fractured bedrock aquifers. An example of a community faced with this problem is western Summit County, near Park City, Utah, This area has experienced significant water shortages coupled with a 50% growth rate in the past 10-15 years. Recent housing development rests directly on complexly deformed Triassic to Jurassic sedimentary rocks in the hanging wall of the Mount Raymond-Absaroka thrust system. The primary fractured bedrock aquifers are the Nugget Sandstone, and limestones in the Thaynes and Twin Creek Formations. Ground water production and management strategies can be improved if the geometry of the structures and the flow properties of the fractured and folded bedrock can be established. We characterize the structures that may influence ground water flow at two sites: the Pinebrook and Summit Park subdivisions, which demonstrate abrupt changes (less than 1 mi/1.6 km) within the hydrogeologic systems. Geologic mapping at scales of 1:4500 (Pinebrook) and 1:9600 (Summit Park), scanline fracture mapping at the outcrop scale, geologic cross sections, water well data, and structural analysis, provides a clearer picture of the hydrogeologic setting of the aquifers in this region, and has been used to successfully site wells. In the Pinebrook area, the dominate map-scale structures of the area is the Twomile Canyon anticline, a faulted box-like to conical anticline. Widely variable bedding orientations suggest that the fold is segmented and is non-cylindrical and conical on the western limb with a fold axis that plunges to the northwest and also to the southeast, and forms a box-type fold between the middle and eastern

  7. Decadal strain along creeping faults in the Needles District, Paradox Basin Utah determined with InSAR Time Series Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kravitz, K.; Furuya, M.; Mueller, K. J.

    2013-12-01

    The Needles District, in Canyonlands National Park in Utah exposes an array of actively creeping normal faults that accommodate gravity-driven extension above a plastically deforming substrate of evaporite deposits. Previous interferogram stacking and InSAR analysis of faults in the Needles District using 35 ERS satellite scenes from 1992 to 2002 showed line-of-sight deformation rates of ~1-2 mm/yr along active normal faults, with a wide strain gradient along the eastern margin of the deforming region. More rapid subsidence of ~2-2.5 mm/yr was also evident south of the main fault array across a broad platform bounded by the Colorado River and a single fault scarp to the south. In this study, time series analysis was performed on SAR scenes from Envisat, PALSAR, and ERS satellites ranging from 1992 to 2010 to expand upon previous results. Both persistent scatterer and small baseline methods were implemented using StaMPS. Preliminary results from Envisat data indicate equally distributed slip rates along the length of faults within the Needles District and very little subsidence in the broad region further southwest identified in previous work. A phase ramp that appears to be present within the initial interferograms creates uncertainty in the current analysis and future work is aimed at removing this artifact. Our new results suggest, however that a clear deformation signal is present along a number of large grabens in the northern part of the region at higher rates of up to 3-4 mm/yr. Little to no creep is evident along the single fault zone that bounds the southern Needles, in spite of the presence of a large and apparently active fault. This includes a segment of this fault that is instrumented by a creepmeter that yields slip rates on the order of ~1mm/yr. Further work using time series analysis and a larger sampling of SAR scenes will be used in an effort to determine why differences exist between previous and current work and to test mechanics-based modeling

  8. Snowmelt runoff in the Green River basin derived from MODIS snow extent

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barton, J. S.; Hall, D. K.

    2011-12-01

    The Green River represents a vital water supply for southwestern Wyoming, northern Colorado, eastern Utah, and the Lower Colorado River Compact states (Arizona, Nevada, and California). Rapid development in the southwestern United States combined with the recent drought has greatly stressed the water supply of the Colorado River system, and concurrently increased the interest in long-term variations in stream flow. Modeling of snowmelt runoff represents a means to predict flows and reservoir storage, which is useful for water resource planning. An investigation is made into the accuracy of the Snowmelt Runoff Model of Martinec and Rango, driven by Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) snow maps for predicting stream flow within the Green River basin. While the moderate resolution of the MODIS snow maps limits the spatial detail that can be captured, the daily coverage is an important advantage of the MODIS imagery. The daily MODIS snow extent is measured using the most recent clear observation for each 500-meter pixel. Auxiliary data used include temperature and precipitation time series from the Snow Telemetry (SNOTEL) and Remote Automated Weather Station (RAWS) networks as well as from National Weather Service records. Also from the SNOTEL network, snow-water equivalence data are obtained to calibrate the conversion between snow extent and runoff potential.

  9. Temperature and Discharge on a Highly Altered Stream in Utah's Cache Valley

    OpenAIRE

    Pappas, Andy

    2013-01-01

    To study the River Continuum Concept (RCC) and the Serial Discontinuity Hypothesis (SDH), I looked at temperature and discharge changes along 52 km of the Little Bear River in Cache Valley, Utah. The Little Bear River is a fourth order stream with one major reservoir, a number of irrigation diversions, and one major tributary, the East Fork of the Little Bear River. Discharge data was collected at six sites on 29 September 2012 and temperature data was collected hourly at eleven sites from 1 ...

  10. 75 FR 33736 - Tart Cherries Grown in the States of Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-15

    ...., Stop 0237, Washington, DC 20250-0237; telephone: (202) 720-2491, Fax: (202) 720-8938, or E-mail: Laurel... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service 7 CFR Part 930 [Doc. No. AO-370-A8; AMS..., Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin; Withdrawal of Proposed Rule AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing...

  11. 3D numerical modelling of graben interaction and linkage: a case study of the Canyonlands grabens, Utah

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Allken, V.; Huismans, R.S.; Fossen, H.; Thieulot, C.

    2013-01-01

    Graben systems in extensional settings tend to be segmented with evidence of segment interaction. To gain a better understanding of the evolution of structures formed during graben growth and interaction, we here study the Grabens area of Canyonlands National Park, Utah, where a wide range of such

  12. Stratigraphy and uranium deposits, Lisbon Valley district, San Juan County, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huber, G.C.

    1980-01-01

    Uranium occurrences are scattered throughout southeastern Utah in the lower sandstones of the Triassic Chinle Formation. The Lisbon Valley district, however, is the only area with uranium deposits of substantial size. The stratigraphy of the Lisbon Valley district was investigated to determine the nature of the relationship between the mineralized areas and the lower Chinle sandstones. The geochemistry of the Lisbon Valley uranium deposits indicates a possible district-wide zoning. Interpretation of the elemental zoning associated with individual ore bodies suggests that humates overtaken by a geochemical oxidation-reduction interface may have led to formation of the uranium deposits. Refs

  13. Anaglyph, Salt Lake City, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    2002-01-01

    The 2002 Winter Olympics are hosted by Salt Lake City at several venues within the city, in nearby cities, and within the adjacent Wasatch Mountains. This anaglyph image provides a stereoscopic map view of north central Utah that includes all of these Olympic sites. In the south, next to Utah Lake, Provo hosts the ice hockey competition. In the north, northeast of the Great Salt Lake, Ogden hosts curling and the nearby Snowbasin ski area hosts the downhill events. In between, southeast of the Great Salt Lake, Salt Lake City hosts the Olympic Village and the various skating events. Further east, across the Wasatch Mountains, the Park City ski resort hosts the bobsled, ski jumping, and snowboarding events. The Winter Olympics are always hosted in mountainous terrain. This view shows the dramatic landscape that makes the Salt Lake City region a world-class center for winter sports.The stereoscopic effect of this anaglyph was created by first draping a Landsat satellite image over a Shuttle Radar Topography Mission digital elevation model and then generating two differing perspectives, one for each eye. When viewed through special glasses, the result is a vertically exaggerated view of Earth's surface in its full three dimensions. Anaglyph glasses cover the left eye with a red filter and cover the right eye with a blue filter.Landsat has been providing visible and infrared views of the Earth since 1972. SRTM elevation data matches the 30-meter (98-foot) resolution of most Landsat images and will substantially help in analyzing the large and growing Landsat image archive, managed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).Elevation data used in this image was acquired by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on Feb. 11, 2000. SRTM used the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. SRTM was designed

  14. Summary of the engineering assessment of inactive uranium mill tailings. Vitro site, Salt Lake City, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-04-01

    This report is a summary of a parent report (issued under separate cover) entitled Engineering Assessment of Inactive Uranium Mill Tailings for Vitro Site, Salt Lake City, Utah. Bacon and Davis Utah Inc. has reevaluated the Vitro site in order to revise the April 1976 assessment of the problems resulting from the existence of radioactive uranium mill tailings at Salt Lake City, Utah. This engineering assessment has included the preparation of topographic maps, the performance of core drillings and radiometric measurements sufficient to determine areas and volumes of tailings and radiation exposures of individuals and nearby populations, the investigations of site hydrology and meteorology, and the evaluation and costing of alternative corrective actions. Radon gas released from the 1.9 million tons of tailings at the Vitro site constitutes the most significant environmental impact, although windblown tailings and external gamma radiation also are factors. The four alternative actions presented in this engineering assessment range from millsite and off-site decontamination with the addition of 3 m of stabilization cover material (Option 1), to removal of the tailings to remote disposal sites, and decontamination of the tailings site (Options II through IV). Cost estimates for the four options range from about $36,400,000 for stabilization in-place, to about $91,000,000 for disposal at a distance of about 85 mi. Three principal alternatives for the reprocessing of the Vitro tailings were examined: heap leaching; treatment at an existing mill; and reprocessing at a new conventional mill constructed for tailings reprocessing. The cost of the uranium recovered would be about $200/lb by heap leach and $130/lb by conventional plant processes. Spot market price for uranium was $28.00 in November 1980. Therefore, reprocessing the tailings for uranium recovery appears to be economically unattractive at present

  15. Results of the survey activities and mobile gamma scanning in Monticello, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Little, C.A.; Berven, B.A.

    1985-11-01

    The town of Monticello, Utah, was once the site of an active mill which processed vanadium ore (1942 to 1948), and uranium ore (1948 to 1960). Properties in the vicinity of that mill have become contaminated with radioactive material from ore processing. The Radiological Survey Activities (RASA) group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) was requested by the Division of Remedial Action Projects (DRAP) in the Department of Energy (DOE) to: (1) identify potentially contaminated properties; (2) assess natural background radiation levels; and (3) rapidly assess the magnitude, extent, and type (i.e. ore, tailings, etc.) of contamination present on these properties (if any). This survey was conducted by RASA during April 1983. In addition to the 114 properties previously identified from historical information, the ORNL mobile gamma scanning van located 36 new properties exhibiting anomalous gamma radiation levels. Onsite surveys were conducted on 145 of the 150 total properties identified either historically or with the gamma scanning van. Of these 145 properties, 122 of them appeared to have some type of contaminated material present on them; however, only 48 appeared to be contaminated to the extent where they were in excess of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) criteria (40 CFR 192). Twenty-one other properties were recommended for additional investigation (indoor gamma scanning and radon daughter measurements); of these, only ten required further analysis. This report provides the detailed data and analyses related to the radiological survey efforts performed by ORNL in Monticello, Utah

  16. Determination of the probability for radioactive materials on properties in Monticello, Utah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilson, M.J.; Crutcher, J.W.; Halford, D.K.

    1991-01-01

    The former uranium mill site at Monticello, Utah, is a surplus facility subject to clean-up under the Surplus Facilities Management Program (SFMP). Surrounding properties contaminated with mill site material are also subject to cleanup, and are referred to as Monticello Vicinity Properties (MVP). The Pollutant Assessments Group (PAG) of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Grand Junction, Colorado (GJ), was directed by the US Department of Energy (DOE) in July 1988 to assess the radiological condition of properties in Monticello, Utah. Since the Monticello activities are on the National Priority List, extra measures to identify potentially contaminated properties were undertaken. Thus, the likelihood that a random property could contain radioactive materials became a concern to the DOE. The objective of this study was to determine the probability that a vicinity property not addressed under the MVP project could contain Monticello mill-related residual radioactive material in excess of the DOE guidelines. Results suggest approximately 20% of the properties in the Monticello area contain Monticello mill-related residual radioactive material in excess of the DOE guidelines. This suggested that further designation measures be taken prior to the close of the designation phase. A public relations effort that included a property-owner mailing effort, public posting, and newspaper advertisement was one measure taken to ensure that most properties were assessed. As a consequence of this study, DOE directed that radiological screening surveys be conducted on the entirety of the Monticello area

  17. Estimating tectonic history through basin simulation-enhanced seismic inversion: Geoinformatics for sedimentary basins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tandon, K.; Tuncay, K.; Hubbard, K.; Comer, J.; Ortoleva, P.

    2004-01-01

    A data assimilation approach is demonstrated whereby seismic inversion is both automated and enhanced using a comprehensive numerical sedimentary basin simulator to study the physics and chemistry of sedimentary basin processes in response to geothermal gradient in much greater detail than previously attempted. The approach not only reduces costs by integrating the basin analysis and seismic inversion activities to understand the sedimentary basin evolution with respect to geodynamic parameters-but the technique also has the potential for serving as a geoinfomatics platform for understanding various physical and chemical processes operating at different scales within a sedimentary basin. Tectonic history has a first-order effect on the physical and chemical processes that govern the evolution of sedimentary basins. We demonstrate how such tectonic parameters may be estimated by minimizing the difference between observed seismic reflection data and synthetic ones constructed from the output of a reaction, transport, mechanical (RTM) basin model. We demonstrate the method by reconstructing the geothermal gradient. As thermal history strongly affects the rate of RTM processes operating in a sedimentary basin, variations in geothermal gradient history alter the present-day fluid pressure, effective stress, porosity, fracture statistics and hydrocarbon distribution. All these properties, in turn, affect the mechanical wave velocity and sediment density profiles for a sedimentary basin. The present-day state of the sedimentary basin is imaged by reflection seismology data to a high degree of resolution, but it does not give any indication of the processes that contributed to the evolution of the basin or causes for heterogeneities within the basin that are being imaged. Using texture and fluid properties predicted by our Basin RTM simulator, we generate synthetic seismograms. Linear correlation using power spectra as an error measure and an efficient quadratic

  18. Southwestern Regional Partnership For Carbon Sequestration (Phase 2): Pump Canyon CO2-ECBM/Sequestration Demonstration, San Juan Basin, New Mexico

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2010-01-01

    Within the Southwest Regional Partnership on Carbon Sequestration (SWP), three demonstrations of geologic CO 2 sequestration are being performed -- one in an oilfield (the SACROC Unit in the Permian basin of west Texas), one in a deep, unmineable coalbed (the Pump Canyon site in the San Juan basin of northern New Mexico), and one in a deep, saline reservoir (underlying the Aneth oilfield in the Paradox basin of southeast Utah). The Pump Canyon CO 2 -enhanced coalbed methane (CO 2 /ECBM) sequestration demonstration project plans to demonstrate the effectiveness of CO 2 sequestration in deep, unmineable coal seams via a small-scale geologic sequestration project. The site is located in San Juan County, northern New Mexico, just within the limits of the high-permeability fairway of prolific coalbed methane production. The study area for the SWP project consists of 31 coalbed methane production wells located in a nine section area. CO 2 was injected continuously for a year and different monitoring, verification and accounting (MVA) techniques were implemented to track the CO 2 movement inside and outside the reservoir. Some of the MVA methods include continuous measurement of injection volumes, pressures and temperatures within the injection well, coalbed methane production rates, pressures and gas compositions collected at the offset production wells, and tracers in the injected CO 2 . In addition, time-lapse vertical seismic profiling (VSP), surface tiltmeter arrays, a series of shallow monitoring wells with a regular fluid sampling program, surface measurements of soil composition, CO 2 fluxes, and tracers were used to help in tracking the injected CO 2 . Finally, a detailed reservoir model was constructed to help reproduce and understand the behavior of the reservoir under production and injection operation. This report summarizes the different phases of the project, from permitting through site closure, and gives the results of the different MVA techniques.

  19. Estimating pinyon and juniper cover across Utah using NAIP imagery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Darrell B. Roundy

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Expansion of Pinus L. (pinyon and Juniperus L. (juniper (P-J trees into sagebrush (Artemisia L. steppe communities can lead to negative effects on hydrology, loss of wildlife habitat, and a decrease in desirable understory vegetation. Tree reduction treatments are often implemented to mitigate these negative effects. In order to prioritize and effectively plan these treatments, rapid, accurate, and inexpensive methods are needed to estimate tree canopy cover at the landscape scale. We used object based image analysis (OBIA software (Feature AnalystTM for ArcMap 10.1®, ENVI Feature Extraction®, and Trimble eCognition Developer 8.2® to extract tree canopy cover using NAIP (National Agricultural Imagery Program imagery. We then compared our extractions with ground measured tree canopy cover (crown diameter and line point intercept on 309 plots across 44 sites in Utah. Extraction methods did not consistently over- or under-estimate ground measured P-J canopy cover except where tree cover was >45%. Estimates of tree canopy cover using OBIA techniques were strongly correlated with estimates using the crown diameter method (r = 0.93 for ENVI, 0.91 for Feature AnalystTM, and 0.92 for eCognition. Tree cover estimates using OBIA techniques had lower correlations with tree cover measurements using the line-point intercept method (r = 0.85 for ENVI, 0.83 for Feature AnalystTM, and 0.83 for eCognition. All software packages accurately and inexpensively extracted P-J canopy cover from NAIP imagery when the imagery was not blurred, and when P-J cover was not mixed with Amelanchier alnifolia (Utah serviceberry and Quercus gambelii (Gambel’s oak, which had similar spectral values as P-J.

  20. 3-D basin modelling of the Paris Basin: diagenetic and hydrogeologic implications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Violette, S.; Goncalves, J.; Jost, A.; Marsily, G. de

    2004-01-01

    A 3-D basin model of the Paris basin is presented in order to simulate through geological times fluid, heat and solute fluxes. This study emphasizes: i) the contribution of basin models to the quantitative hydrodynamic understanding of behaviour of the basin over geological times; ii) the additional use of Atmospheric General Circulation model (AGCM) to provide palaeo-climatic boundaries for a coupled flow and mass transfer modelling, constrained by geochemical and isotopic tracers and; iii) the integration of different types of data (qualitative and quantitative) to better constrain the simulations. Firstly, in a genetic way, basin model is used to reproduce geological, physical and chemical processes occurring in the course of the 248 My evolution of the Paris basin that ought to explain the present-day hydraulic properties at the regional scale. As basin codes try to reproduce some of these phenomena, they should be able to give a plausible idea of the regional-scale permeability distribution of the multi-layered system, of the pre-industrial hydrodynamic conditions within the aquifers and of the diagenesis timing and type of hydrodynamic processes involved. Secondly, climate records archived in the Paris basin groundwater suggest that climate and morphological features have an impact on the hydrogeological processes, particularly during the last 5 My. An Atmospheric General Circulation model is used with a refined spatial resolution centred on the Paris basin to reproduce the climate for the present, the Last Glacial Maximum (21 ky) and the middle Pliocene (3 My). These climates will be prescribed, through forcing functions to the hydrological code with the main objective of understanding the way aquifers and aquitards react under different climate conditions, the period and the duration of these effects. Finally, the Paris basin has been studied for a number of years by different scientific communities, thus a large amount of data has been collected. By