The Utah Geological Survey (UGS) is a state agency and division of the Utah Department of Natural Resources. The UGS provides timely scientific information about Utah’s geologic environment, resources, and hazards. Our work is focused on the generation and dissemination of geologic information to a variety of stakeholders that include the general public, and a diverse group of private, local, state, and federal entities. Seven specialized programs comprise the UGS: Energy & Minerals, Geologic Hazards, Geologic Information & Outreach, Geologic Mapping, Groundwater & Wetlands, Data Management, and Paleontology. As part of its mission the UGS also houses unique collections of geoscience data and physical samples including core and cuttings relating to Utah’s geothermal and other geologic resources.

The UGS strives to promote values that include excellence, integrity, and objectivity in everything we do; responsible stewardship of Utah’s geologic and energy resources; the free exchange of ideas and information in a spirit of cooperation; and provide prompt and courteous service to our customers and stakeholders.

The UGS celebrates and supports diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Geosciences and aims to maintain a safe and inclusive environment for our employees and the public we serve.

The UGS has been involved with the Utah FORGE project since its inception in 2014. UGS work on the FORGE project is based on strong collaboration with researchers at the Energy and Geoscience at University of Utah, the Idaho National Laboratory, and many others.  Early work included characterizing aspects of the site that include; the thermal setting, the groundwater system, geophysical setting focusing on gravity and basin depth, and geologic setting of the site and adjoining Mineral Mountains. This work culminated in the awarding of the FORGE project to the Utah site, and subsequent site development as a unique national laboratory focused on novel techniques to stimulate and develop low permeability hot rock resources.

Current UGS work is focused on campaign gravity, GPS deformation, and groundwater monitoring on and adjoining the Utah FORGE site. The goal of this work is to constrain baseline and temporal trends both prior to and during development and stimulation activities at the site. Recent work has included installation of two continuous GPS stations and regional groundwater sampling to constrain geochemistry as it relates to the geothermal setting at the site. Additional work has focused on refining and better constraining the conceptual geologic and hydrologic setting of the Utah FORGE site and adjoining North Milford Valley.