Colin F Williams, PhD.
Colin is the Mineral Resources Program Coordinator. Colin was previously the Director of the Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center. He previously led the Geothermal Resource Studies Project, which assessed the geothermal resources of the US and conducted research on geothermal systems.
Colin's primary research interest is in measuring and modeling the flow of heat and fluids through the Earth's crust and using those measurements to understand hydrothermal processes, earthquakes, and groundwater flow. He joined the USGS after earning a PhD and MPhil in Geological Sciences from Columbia University, an MS in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley, and a BS in Engineering from Harvey Mudd College.
Professional Experience
Present, Program Coordinator for the Mineral Resources Program
2012-2023, Center Director, USGS Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Menlo Park, CA
2004-2012, Supervisory Research Geophysicist and Geothermal Project Chief, USGS, EQ Science Center, Menlo Park, CA
1989-2004, Research Geophysicist, Heat Flow Studies, USGS Branch of Tectonophysics, Menlo Park, CA
Education and Certifications
M.Phil, PhD., Geophysics, Columbia University, 1989
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of California-Berkeley, 1984
B.S., Engineering, Harvey Mudd College, 1983
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Geophysical Union
Geological Society of America
Geothermal Resources Council
International Geothermal Association
2000-2012, Seismological Society of America
NASA - Non-USGS
Department of Energy - Non-USGS
Science and Products
Evaluating geothermal and hydrogeologic controls on regional groundwater temperature distribution
Geologic setting of the proposed Fallon FORGE Site, Nevada: Suitability for EGS research and development
Understanding heat and groundwater flow through continental flood basalt provinces: insights gained from alternative models of permeability/depth relationships for the Columbia Plateau, USA
An approach to modeling coupled thermal-hydraulic-chemical processes in geothermal systems
Temperature data from wells in Long Valley Caldera, California
Challenges in the assessment and classification of enhanced/engineered geothermal system resources
The thermal regime in the resurgent dome of Long Valley Caldera, California: Inferences from precision temperature logs in deep wells
Quantifying the undiscovered geothermal resources of the United States
A Review of Methods Applied by the U.S. Geological Survey in the Assessment of Identified Geothermal Resources
Assessment of Moderate- and High-Temperature Geothermal Resources of the United States
Putting it all together: Exhumation histories from a formal combination of heat flow and a suite of thermochronometers
The USGS national geothermal resource assessment: An update
Science and Products
- Science
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Filter Total Items: 43
Evaluating geothermal and hydrogeologic controls on regional groundwater temperature distribution
A one-dimensional (1-D) analytic solution is developed for heat transport through an aquifer system where the vertical temperature profile in the aquifer is nearly uniform. The general anisotropic form of the viscous heat generation term is developed for use in groundwater flow simulations. The 1-D solution is extended to more complex geometries by solving the equation for piece-wise linear or uniAuthorsErick R. Burns, Steven E. Ingebritsen, Michael Manga, Colin F. WilliamsGeologic setting of the proposed Fallon FORGE Site, Nevada: Suitability for EGS research and development
The proposed Fallon FORGE site lies within and adjacent to the Naval Air Station Fallon (NASF) directly southeast of the town of Fallon, Nevada, within the large basin of the Carson Sink in west-central Nevada. The site is located on two parcels that include land owned by the NASF and leased and owned by Ormat Nevada, Inc. The Carson Sink in the vicinity of the Fallon site is covered by QuaternaryAuthorsJames E. Faulds, Douglas Blankenship, Nicholas H. Hinz, Andrew Sabin, Josh Nordquist, Stephen H. Hickman, Jonathan M.G. Glen, Mack Kennedy, Drew Siler, Ann Robinson-Tait, Colin F. Williams, Peter Drakos, Wendy M. CalvinUnderstanding heat and groundwater flow through continental flood basalt provinces: insights gained from alternative models of permeability/depth relationships for the Columbia Plateau, USA
Heat-flow mapping of the western USA has identified an apparent low-heat-flow anomaly coincident with the Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System, a thick sequence of basalt aquifers within the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG). A heat and mass transport model (SUTRA) was used to evaluate the potential impact of groundwater flow on heat flow along two different regional groundwater flow paths. LAuthorsErick R. Burns, Colin F. Williams, Steven E. Ingebritsen, Clifford I. Voss, Frank A. Spane, Jacob DeAngeloAn approach to modeling coupled thermal-hydraulic-chemical processes in geothermal systems
Interactions between hydrothermal fluids and rock alter mineralogy, leading to the formation of secondary minerals and potentially significant physical and chemical property changes. Reactive transport simulations are essential for evaluating the coupled processes controlling the geochemical, thermal and hydrological evolution of geothermal systems. The objective of this preliminary investigationAuthorsJennifer Palguta, Colin F. Williams, Steven E. Ingebritsen, Stephen H. Hickman, Eric SonnenthalTemperature data from wells in Long Valley Caldera, California
The 30-by-20-km Long Valley Caldera (LVC) in eastern California (fig.1) formed at 0.76 Ma in a cataclysmic eruption that resulted in the deposition of 600 km? of Bishop Tuff outside the caldera rim (Bailey, 1989). By approximately 0.6 Ma, uplift of the central part of the caldera floor and eruption of rhyolitic lava formed the resurgent dome. The most recent eruptive activity in the area occurredAuthorsChristopher Farrar, Jacob DeAngelo, Colin Williams, Frederick Grubb, Shaul HurwitzChallenges in the assessment and classification of enhanced/engineered geothermal system resources
No abstract available.AuthorsColin F. WilliamsThe thermal regime in the resurgent dome of Long Valley Caldera, California: Inferences from precision temperature logs in deep wells
Long Valley Caldera in eastern California formed 0.76Ma ago in a cataclysmic eruption that resulted in the deposition of 600km3 of Bishop Tuff. The total current heat flow from the caldera floor is estimated to be ~290MW, and a geothermal power plant in Casa Diablo on the flanks of the resurgent dome (RD) generates ~40MWe. The RD in the center of the caldera was uplifted by ~80cm between 1980 andAuthorsS. Hurwitz, C. D. Farrar, C.F. WilliamsQuantifying the undiscovered geothermal resources of the United States
In 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released summary results of an assessment of the electric power production potential from the moderate- and high-temperature geothermal resources of the United States (Williams et al., 2008a; USGS Fact Sheet 2008-3082; http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2008/3082). In the assessment, the estimated mean power production potential from undiscovered geothermal resourceAuthorsColin F. Williams, Marshall J. Reed, Jacob DeAngelo, S. Peter GalanisA Review of Methods Applied by the U.S. Geological Survey in the Assessment of Identified Geothermal Resources
The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting an updated assessment of geothermal resources in the United States. The primary method applied in assessments of identified geothermal systems by the USGS and other organizations is the volume method, in which the recoverable heat is estimated from the thermal energy available in a reservoir. An important focus in the assessment project is on the deAuthorsColin F. Williams, Marshall J. Reed, Robert H. MarinerAssessment of Moderate- and High-Temperature Geothermal Resources of the United States
Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently completed an assessment of our Nation's geothermal resources. Geothermal power plants are currently operating in six states: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah. The assessment indicates that the electric power generation potential from identified geothermal systems is 9,057 Megawatts-electric (MWe), distributed over 13 staAuthorsColin F. Williams, Marshall J. Reed, Robert H. Mariner, Jacob DeAngelo, S. Peter GalanisPutting it all together: Exhumation histories from a formal combination of heat flow and a suite of thermochronometers
A suite of new techniques in thermochronometry allow analysis of the thermal history of a sample over a broad range of temperature sensitivities. New analysis tools must be developed that fully and formally integrate these techniques, allowing a single geologic interpretation of the rate and timing of exhumation and burial events consistent with all data. We integrate a thermal model of burial andAuthorsM. A. d'Alessio, C.F. WilliamsThe USGS national geothermal resource assessment: An update
The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) is working with the Department of Energy's (DOE) Geothermal Technologies Program and other geothermal organizations on a three-year effort to produce an updated assessment of available geothermal resources. The new assessment will introduce significant changes in the models for geothermal energy recovery factors, estimates of reservoir volumes, and limits to tempAuthorsC.F. Williams, M.J. Reed, S.P. Galanis, J. DeAngelo
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government