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
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.