Geothermal features annual monitoring report - January 2014

Report: TR 2014/48

Author: Claire Littler

About this report

This report describes the results of the quarterly monitoring schedule for the 2013 to 2014 year on the state of geothermal features throughout the region.

Geothermal surface features are part of the Waikato’s natural landscape and include hot springs and pools, geysers, mud pools, fumaroles, and multi-coloured terraces. Outstanding features must be protected from inappropriate use and development.  This is why the Waikato Regional Council monitors the natural state of the geothermal features and assesses what changes of state have occurred or are occurring.

Uses of the quarterly and annual monitoring reports include:

• providing long-term information on the natural range of heat and mass outputs of geothermal features
• identifying significant changes in the behaviour of features that could be precursors to extreme events such as hydrothermal eruptions
• identifying departures from the baseline trend of feature activity so that the cause can be investigated
• identifying unintended human-induced adverse effects on springs (e.g. litter blowing into them, road runoff, pines falling in) that can then be remediated
• similarly, identifying threats to the features that can mitigated before they happen
• identifying activities that may require enforcement action, such as discharge of contaminants to geothermal pools
• counting the number of visitors to springs, to aid in quantification of the economic value of the geothermal resource to the Waikato region.

Read or download the report

Geothermal features annual monitoring report - January 2014 [PDF, 4.4 MB]