Preliminary assessment of the geothermal potential, City of Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Maricopa County, Arizona

Geothermal resources in the western United States are frequently associated with the deep fault-bounded and sediment-filled basins that characterize the Basin and Range physiographic province. The City of Scottsdale lies within the Paradise Valley, which is part of the southern Basin and Range province and thus constitutes a viable target for geothermal exploration (Fig. 1). Warm wells have been reported in the Scottsdale area and are an indication that geothermal fluids may exist at depth. The purpose of this preliminary study was to determine whether potential geothermal resources occur in the Scottsdale area. Assessment methods included a literature review, review of local geology and geophysics, and collection and evaluation of available water chemistry and well temperature data. In addition we collected water samples for chemical analyses from 13 wells belonging to the City of Scottsdale (see Appendix A) and measured temperature gradients in six City wells that were not in service (see appendix B). (43 pages)Documents in the AZGS Documents Repository collection are made available by the Arizona Geological Survey (AZGS) and the University Libraries at the University of Arizona. For more information about items in this collection, please contact azgs-info@email.arizona.edu)