Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Site of an abandoned oil well on the Colorado Plateau of southeastern

Detailed Description

Site of an abandoned oil well on the Colorado Plateau of southeastern Utah. This site is recently abandoned and now dominated by Russian thistle, and other weedy species. The large while flowers in the foreground are moonflowers (Datura sp.) another weedy short-lived perennial plant with toxic leaves, flowers, and tubers.  USGS researchers at WERC, SBSC, and FORT are collaborating to provide managers with ways to increase the recovery of native vegetation on abandoned gas and oil wells.

Sources/Usage