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| Source: USGS.gov |
Several companies are involved in drilling for renewable geothermal energy currently in the Newberry Caldera south of Bend, Oregon. One of the companies is Davenport Power, and you can read more of the ins-and-outs about it at their website by "CLICKING HERE".
One of the other companies involved in geothermal drilling is Alta Rock Energy. To read about their work, please "CLICK HERE". Will at Alta Rock made arrangements to borrow our travel trailer for a few days as he stays on site to drain the water from the holding ponds for the winter. Yesterday, Cary and I drove up the 12.5 miles of gravel road to the landing where Alta Rocks ponds are. There is a locked gate at the 7.5 mile marker, so you won't be able to see anything unless you have permission and make arrangements to do so.
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| Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews |
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| Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews |
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| Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews |
Cary and Will
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| Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews |
Owen, the geologist.
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| Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews |
We set the trailer up on the landing. The landing is a huge nicely graveled parking lot with a few pieces of equipment, an outhouse and two huge holding ponds.
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| Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews |
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| Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews |
The two pools hold 1.5 million gallons of clear, pure water that has been drilled out from deep in the earth. The water was not very warm as it came out, and it is really cold now.
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| Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews |
Each pool is lined, and is 10' deep in the center.
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| Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews |
The water needs to be pumped out before it freezes, ruins the liners and takes forever to thaw next spring.
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| Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews |
There is rubber fencing surrounding the ponds. One purpose for this is safety for people and wildlife. If a deer or elk got into the pond, they would have a very hard time getting out.
So, where will the water go? There are pipes laying around the parking lot, and on our way back down the hill we met up with the guy hauling irrigation sprinklers. The water will be pumped out, watering the trees and parking lot.
It was an interesting little field trip, and we'll go back up in a few days to bring the trailer back home. A couple of years ago, Cary, Mom and I went on another field trip, taking the same road but following it all the way back around toward HWY 97 past Lava Butte near Bend. To read about that, and see some pretty fall photos, please "CLICK HERE".
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At Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy, if you miss a day, you miss a lot! All material on this post is copyrighted and not for use without my permission ...Please click here to go to my home page and see what is happening in Mayberry today.  |
3 comments:
Love the color of the water. It would make any swimming pool proud. Glad there is a recycle going on.
Interesting post. Looks like you learned something and saw some pretty scenery (and so did I)!
I’m not an expert when it comes to this. Didn’t even know this was possible. Useful read, appreciate your posting this.
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