Review of Selected Geothermal Areas in Southwestern Utah

Abstract

The Sevier thermal area extends across portions of five counties in southwestern Utah and contains most of the state’s identified high- and moderate-temperature geothermal systems. A few of these identified systems have been significantly explored and developed in the past while others have not. Several of the areas that remain undeveloped possess potential for future power generation, agribusiness, or industrial processing and are reviewed here to highlight either new or previously obscure resource information. Areas reviewed here include (1) the Drum and Little Drum Mountains near the Juab-Millard County line, (2) the nearby Crater Springs KGRA associated with Abraham Hot Springs and the Fumarole Butte Quaternary eruptive center, (3) the Meadow-Hatton geothermal area with its associated large travertine mound in the southern part of the Black Rock Desert, (4) the Neels railroad siding well in the western part of the Black Rock Desert, (5) the Thermo Hot Springs geothermal area near the Beaver-Iron County line, and (6) the Beryl-Wood’s Ranch area of the southwestern Escalante Desert.