Controls on the Distribution of Thermal Springs in the Canadian Cordillera

Abstract

Over 140 thermal springs occur in the Canadian Cordillera, the only region in Canada to have such features. With few rare exceptions these springs occur in the bottoms of the major valley systems. Thermal springs can be associated with: 1) volcanic belts, 2) non-volcanic high heat-flow regions, 3) crustal-scale brittle normal faults, and 4) anomalous structural features that locally create deep permeable pathways.
Stable isotope data indicate that all of these springs originate as meteoric water. The temperature of a thermal spring outlet reflects a combination of local geothermal gradient, circulation depth, and flow rate. Estimated circulation depths for springs in the Cordillera suggest circulation depths do not exceed 5 km. Models of deep crustal circulation suggest spring systems can not be used solely as an exploration tool for geothermal resources.