Jeff Pepin, PhD
Jeff is a Hydrologist at the Colorado Water Science Center.
He began his career at the USGS New Mexico Water Science Center in Albuquerque in 2016 where he worked until his move to the Colorado Water Science Center in 2021. His research focuses on water resource evaluation along with geothermal resource characterization by using hydrothermal modeling, geostatistics, electromagnetic geophysics, and machine learning. Additionally, he specializes in using heat as a groundwater tracer to evaluate groundwater/surface-water interactions. Jeff currently co-leads regional- and national-scale thermal energy storage assessments within the United States as part of the USGS Geothermal Resources Investigations Project. He is also a team member of the USGS Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS) Upper Colorado and Gunnison River Basin project.
Professional Experience
2019 to present: Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, New Mexico Water Science Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
2016 to 2019: Student Trainee Hydrology, U.S. Geological Survey, New Mexico Water Science Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
2012 to 2019: Research & Teaching Assistant, New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology, Socorro, New Mexico
2012 to 2012: Well-Logging Specialist, New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, Socorro, New Mexico
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. in Earth & Environmental Science with specialization in Hydrology, Earth & Environmental Science Department, New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology, 2019
M.S. Hydrology, New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology, 2015
B.S. in Geology, California State Polytechnic University Pomona, 2011
Science and Products
Renewable Resilience: City-Scale Geothermal Energy Everywhere
Data supporting management of thermal springs –Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Geothermal Resource Investigations Project
Next Generation Water Observing System: Upper Colorado River Basin
Assessment of the Groundwater Resources of the Plains of San Agustin, New Mexico
Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program (TAAP)
Estimated groundwater elevations and standard errors from the application of kriging to median groundwater elevation data from 2010 in the Mesilla/Conejos-Medanos Basin, United States and Mexico
Compiled reference list to support reservoir thermal energy storage research
Borehole temperature profiles measured in the Mesilla Basin, New Mexico during the period 1972 through 2018
City-scale geothermal energy everywhere to support renewable resilience – A transcontinental cooperation
Discovering hidden geothermal signatures using non-negative matrix factorization with customized k-means clustering
Hydrogeology and groundwater quality in the San Agustin Basin, New Mexico, 1975–2019
Mesilla / Conejos-Médanos Basin: U.S.-Mexico transboundary water resources and research needs
Salinity contributions from geothermal waters to the Rio Grande and shallow aquifer system in the transboundary Mesilla (United States)/Conejos-Médanos (Mexico) Basin
Machine learning to identify geologic factors associated with production in geothermal fields: A case-study using 3D geologic data, Brady geothermal field, Nevada
3-D geologic controls of hydrothermal fluid flow at Brady geothermal field, Nevada, USA
National-scale reservoir thermal energy storage pre-assessment for the United States
Optimization assessment of a groundwater-level observation network in the Middle Rio Grande Basin, New Mexico
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
- Science
Renewable Resilience: City-Scale Geothermal Energy Everywhere
Despite the proven efficacy of geothermal energy as a city-scale heating and cooling resource, the relative newness of most city-scale applications using diverse technologies has resulted in limited widespread adoption. We aim to develop authoritative information suitable for city-managers and other decision-makers. Geothermal resources are ubiquitous and diverse, with technologies available botData supporting management of thermal springs –Steamboat Springs, Colorado
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the city of Steamboat Springs and the Tread of Pioneers Museum, is undertaking a geologic, hydrologic, and geochemical study to better understand the sources of water to hot springs and the possible effects of land use change and human activities on the chemistry and sustainability of springs.Geothermal Resource Investigations Project
Geothermal energy is a significant source of renewable electric power in the western United States and, with advances in exploration and development technologies, a potential source of a large fraction of baseload electric power for the entire country. This project focuses on advancing geothermal research through a better understanding of geothermal resources and the impacts of geothermal...Next Generation Water Observing System: Upper Colorado River Basin
The Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS) provides high-fidelity, real-time data on water quantity, quality, and use to support modern prediction and decision-support systems that are necessary for informing water operations on a daily basis and decision-making during water emergencies. The headwaters of the Colorado and Gunnison River Basins provide an opportunity to implement NGWOS in a...Assessment of the Groundwater Resources of the Plains of San Agustin, New Mexico
The groundwater resources of the Plains of San Agustin basin are largely undeveloped, though recent interest in pumping and exporting some of these resources to the Albuquerque metropolitan area has caused uneasiness among some water-resources managers and the public. Protest and concern regarding this appropriation of water resources have been expressed by private, Federal, State, and Tribal...Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program (TAAP)
Transboundary aquifers are an essential source of water for United States – Mexico border communities. Declining water levels, deteriorating water quality, and increasing use of groundwater resources on both sides of the border raise concerns about the long-term availability of this supply. The U.S. – Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Act (Public Law 109-448) of 2006 was enacted to conduct... - Data
Estimated groundwater elevations and standard errors from the application of kriging to median groundwater elevation data from 2010 in the Mesilla/Conejos-Medanos Basin, United States and Mexico
These data include 217 median groundwater elevations computed from compiled measurements made in the year 2010 within the transboundary Mesilla/Conejos-Medanos Basin, United States and Mexico, along with their corresponding interpolated groundwater elevations and standard errors from the application of kriging. Of the 217 median groundwater elevation locations, 109 were in the United States and 10Compiled reference list to support reservoir thermal energy storage research
This text file (Reference_List_V1.txt) lists references that describe relevant characteristics for reservoir thermal energy storage (RTES) research in the United States. References are grouped by corresponding city, including: Albuquerque, New Mexico; Charleston, South Carolina; Chicago, Illinois; Decatur, Illinois; Lansing, Michigan; Memphis, Tennessee; Phoenix, Arizona; and Portland, Oregon. TheBorehole temperature profiles measured in the Mesilla Basin, New Mexico during the period 1972 through 2018
These data are a compilation of 379 borehole temperature profiles collected during the period 1972 through 2018 for the Mesilla Basin, New Mexico. This dataset includes a comma-separated values file (Temperature Profile Index.csv) that serves as an index for the 379 text data files (.txt; with the file name corresponding to the "Well Name" in the index) that are included as a compressed (.zip) fol - Publications
City-scale geothermal energy everywhere to support renewable resilience – A transcontinental cooperation
Cities have important and varying incentives to transform their energy sector to all-electric with low carbon emissions. However, they often encounter a number of impediments when attempting to implement such a change. For example, while urban areas have the highest energy demand-density, cities often lack the space for installing additional energy generation and/or long-duration energy storage syAuthorsGregor Goetzl, Erick R. Burns, Andrew J. Stumpf, Yu-Feng Lin, Amanda Kolker, Maciej R. Klonowski, Cornelia Steiner, Ryan Cain Cahalan, Jeff D. PepinDiscovering hidden geothermal signatures using non-negative matrix factorization with customized k-means clustering
Discovery of hidden geothermal resources is challenging. It requires the mining of large datasets with diverse data attributes representing subsurface hydrogeological and geothermal conditions. The commonly used play fairway analysis approach typically incorporates subject-matter expertise to analyze regional data to estimate geothermal characteristics and favorability. We demonstrate an alternatiAuthorsVelimir V. Vesselinov, Bulbul Ahmmed, Maruti K. Mudunuru, Jeff D. Pepin, Erick R. Burns, Drew L. Siler, Satish Karra, Richard S. MiddletonHydrogeology and groundwater quality in the San Agustin Basin, New Mexico, 1975–2019
This report describes the findings of a U.S. Geological Survey study, completed in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, focused on better understanding the present-day (1975–2019) hydrogeology and groundwater quality of the San Agustin Basin in west-central New Mexico to support sustainable groundwater resource management. The basin hosts a relatively undeveloped basin-fill and alluviumAuthorsJeff D. Pepin, Rebecca E. Travis, Johanna M. Blake, Alex Rinehart, Daniel KoningMesilla / Conejos-Médanos Basin: U.S.-Mexico transboundary water resources and research needs
Synthesizing binational data to characterize shared water resources is critical to informing binational management. This work uses binational hydrogeology and water resource data in the Mesilla/Conejos-Médanos Basin (Basin) to describe the hydrologic conceptual model and identify potential research that could help inform sustainable management. The Basin aquifer is primarily composed of continuousAuthorsAndrew J. Robertson, Anne-Marie Matherne, Jeff D. Pepin, Andre B. Ritchie, Donald S. Sweetkind, Andrew Teeple, Alfredo Granados Olivas, Ana Cristina García Vásquez, Kenneth C. Carroll, Erek H. Fuchs, Amy E. GalanterSalinity contributions from geothermal waters to the Rio Grande and shallow aquifer system in the transboundary Mesilla (United States)/Conejos-Médanos (Mexico) Basin
Freshwater scarcity has raised concerns about the long-term availability of the water supplies within the transboundary Mesilla (United States)/Conejos-Médanos (Mexico) Basin in Texas, New Mexico, and Chihuahua. Analysis of legacy temperature data and groundwater flux estimates indicates that the region’s known geothermal systems may contribute more than 45,000 tons of dissolved solids per year toAuthorsJeff D. Pepin, Andrew J. Robertson, Shari A. KelleyMachine learning to identify geologic factors associated with production in geothermal fields: A case-study using 3D geologic data, Brady geothermal field, Nevada
In this paper, we present an analysis using unsupervised machine learning (ML) to identify the key geologic factors that contribute to the geothermal production in Brady geothermal field. Brady is a hydrothermal system in northwestern Nevada that supports both electricity production and direct use of hydrothermal fluids. Transmissive fluid-flow pathways are relatively rare in the subsurface, but aAuthorsDrew L. Siler, Jeff D. Pepin, Velimir V. Vesselinov, Maruti K. Mudunuru, Bulbul Ahmmed3-D geologic controls of hydrothermal fluid flow at Brady geothermal field, Nevada, USA
In many hydrothermal systems, fracture permeability along faults provides pathways for groundwater to transport heat from depth. Faulting generates a range of deformation styles that cross-cut heterogeneous geology, resulting in complex patterns of permeability, porosity, and hydraulic conductivity. Vertical connectivity (a throughgoing network of permeable areas that allows advection of heat fromAuthorsDrew L. Siler, Jeff D. PepinNational-scale reservoir thermal energy storage pre-assessment for the United States
The U.S. Geological Survey is performing a pre-assessment of the cooling potential for reservoir thermal energy storage (RTES) in five generalized geologic regions (Basin and Range, Coastal Plains, Illinois Basin, Michigan Basin, Pacific Northwest) across the United States. Reservoir models are developed for the metropolitan areas of eight cities (Albuquerque, New Mexico; Charleston, South CarolinAuthorsJeff D. Pepin, Erick R. Burns, Jesse E. Dickinson, Leslie L. Duncan, Eve L. Kuniansky, Howard W. ReevesOptimization assessment of a groundwater-level observation network in the Middle Rio Grande Basin, New Mexico
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA), measures groundwater levels continuously (hourly) and discretely (semiannually and annually) at a network of wells and piezometers (hereafter called the observation network) within the Middle Rio Grande Basin in central New Mexico. Groundwater levels that are measured in this observaAuthorsAndre B. Ritchie, Jeff D. PepinNon-USGS Publications**
Pepin J (2019) New Approaches to Geothermal Resource Exploration and Characterization. PhD Dissertation, New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology, 186 p.Pepin J, Person M, Phillips F, Kelley S, Timmons S, Owens L, Witcher J, Gable C (2017) Deep Fluid Circulation within Crystalline Basement Rocks and the Role of Hydrologic Windows in the Formation of the Truth or Consequences, New Mexico Low-Temperature Geothermal System. In Crustal Permeability, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., United Kingdom, 560 p.Zhang Y, Edel S, Pepin J, Person M, Broadhead R, Ortiz JP, Bilek S, Mozley P, Evans J (2016) Exploring the Potential Linkages Between Oil-Field Brine Reinjection, Crystalline Basement Permeability, and Triggered Seismicity for the Dagger Draw Oil Field, Southeastern New Mexico, USA Using Hydrologic Modeling. Geofluids, 16, 971-987.Kelley S, Person M, Kelley R, Pepin J (2016) Low-temperature geothermal resources in the Acoma Basin and Lucero Uplift, eastern Cibola and western Valencia counties, New Mexico. In The Geology of the Belen Area, New Mexico Geological Society, Guidebook, 67th Field Conference, Socorro, New Mexico, 263-274.Pepin J (2015) Sustainability Assessment of the Truth or Consequences, New Mexico Geothermal Resource. M.S. Thesis, New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology, 87 p.Bielicki J, Blackwell D, Harp D, Karra S, Kelley R, Kelley S, Middleton R, Pepin J, Person M, Sutula G, Witcher J (2015) Hydrogeologic Windows: Regional Signature Detection for Blind and Traditional Geothermal Play Fairways. Los Alamos National Laboratory Final Report LA-UR-15-28360, 94 pPerson M, Kelley S, Kelley R, Karra S, Harp D, Witcher J, Bielicki J, Sutula G, Middleton R, Pepin J (2015) Hydrogeologic Windows: Detection of Blind and Traditional Geothermal Play Fairways in Southwester New Mexico Using Conservative Element Concentrations and Advective-Diffusive Solute Transport. Geothermal Resource Council Transactions, 39, 751-759.Pepin J, Person M, Phillips F, Kelley S, Timmons S, Owens L, Witcher J, Gable C (2015) Deep Fluid Circulation within Crystalline Basement Rocks and the Role of Hydrologic Windows in the Formation of the Truth or Consequences, New Mexico Low-Temperature Geothermal System. Geofluids, 15, 139-160.Person M, Phillips F, Kelley S, Timmons S, Pepin J, Blom L, Haar K, Murphy M (2013) Assessment of the Sustainability of Geothermal Development Within the Truth or Consequences Hot Springs District, New Mexico. New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources Open-File Report 551, 65 p.Pepin J (2011) Geology of Hawk Canyon, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California. B.S. Thesis, California State Polytechnic University Pomona, 59 p.**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.