The Data Mapping Group of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Geophysical and Solar-Terrestrial Data Center, has been producing geothermal maps and other geothermal data products for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under DOE's state geothermal resource assessment program. Under this program, DOE-funded state teams collect, analyze, and interpret the geothermal data in their respective states. These data are provided to the NOAA team which is responsible for making the state maps. The University of Utah Research Institute and Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory act as liaison between the state teams and NOAA.

For most states in the program, two maps will be produced. First is a "public usage" map which is designed to communicate the extent of a state's geothermal resources to legislators, land-use planners, environmentalists, entrepreneurs, and the general public. Geothermal data sets on these maps include location, temperature, flow rate, and total dissolved solids (TDS) of thermal wells and springs, depth of wells, heat flow data, known geothermal resource areas (KGRA), and areas considered to have a high probability of additional low-temperature geothermal resources. The second map will be more technical and emphasize the tectonic, geophysical, and geochemical parameters associated with the geothermal resource.

"Public usage" maps for California, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and Idaho have been printed as has "Thermal Springs List for the United States." Maps for 11 other states will follow.

End_of_Article - Last_Page 571------------