Colin F Williams, PhD.
Colin is the Mineral Resources Program Coordinator. Colin was previously the Director of the Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center. Before that he led the Geothermal Resource Studies Project, which assessed the geothermal resources of the US and conducted research on geothermal systems.
Colin's primary research interest is in understanding the flow of heat and fluids through the Earth's crust and using those measurements to understand hydrothermal processes, mineral deposits, earthquakes, and groundwater flow. He joined the USGS after earning a PhD and MPhil in Geological Sciences from Columbia University, an MS in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley, and a BS in Engineering from Harvey Mudd College.
Professional Experience
2022-Present, Program Coordinator for the Mineral Resources Program
2012-2022, Center Director, USGS Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Menlo Park, CA
2004-2012, Supervisory Research Geophysicist and Geothermal Project Chief, USGS, EQ Science Center, Menlo Park, CA
1989-2004, Research Geophysicist, Heat Flow Studies, USGS Branch of Tectonophysics, Menlo Park, CA
Education and Certifications
M.Phil, PhD., Geophysics, Columbia University, 1989
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of California-Berkeley, 1984
B.S., Engineering, Harvey Mudd College, 1983
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Geophysical Union
Geological Society of America
Geothermal Resources Council
International Geothermal Association
Society of Economic Geologists
Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration
Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada
NASA - Non-USGS
Department of Energy - Non-USGS
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 45
Geology and mineral resources of the Southwestern and South-Central Wyoming Sagebrush Focal Area, Wyoming, and the Bear River Watershed Sagebrush Focal Area, Wyoming and Utah: Chapter E in Mineral resources of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Monta
SummaryThe U.S. Department of the Interior has proposed to withdraw approximately 10 million acres of Federal lands from mineral entry (subject to valid existing rights) from 12 million acres of lands defined as Sagebrush Focal Areas (SFAs) in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming (for further discussion on the lands involved see Scientific Investigations Report 2016–5089–A)...
Authors
Anna B. Wilson, Timothy S. Hayes, Mary Ellen Benson, Douglas B. Yager, Eric D. Anderson, Donald I. Bleiwas, Jacob DeAngelo, Connie Dicken, Ronald M. Drake, Gregory Fernette, Stuart A. Giles, Jonathan M.G. Glen, Jon Haacke, John D. Horton, Heather L. Parks, Barnaby W. Rockwell, Colin F. Williams
By
Energy and Mineral Resources Mission Area, Energy Resources Program, Mineral Resources Program, National Laboratories Program, Science and Decisions Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, National Minerals Information Center
Geologic setting of the West Flank, a FORGE site adjacent to the Coso geothermal field
The West Flank FORGE (Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy) site is located immediately west and outside of the Coso geothermal field, eastern California. Coso is a fluid-dominated, high temperature geothermal system that has been producing power continuously since 1987. The reservoir is composed of highly faulted, fractured and hydrothermally altered Cretaceous and...
Authors
Andrew Sabin, Kelly Blake, Mike Lazaro, Dave Meade, Douglas Blankenship, Mack Kennedy, Jess McCulloch, Steve DeOreo, Stephen H. Hickman, Jonathan M.G. Glen, Joern Ole Kaven, Martin Schoenball, Colin F. Williams, Geoffrey Phelps, J. E. Faulds, Nick Hinz, Wendy M. Calvin, Drew L. Siler, Ann Robertson-Tait
Are the Columbia River Basalts, Columbia Plateau, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, USA, a viable geothermal target? A preliminary analysis
The successful development of a geothermal electric power generation facility relies on (1) the identification of sufficiently high temperatures at an economically viable depth and (2) the existence of or potential to create and maintain a permeable zone (permeability >10-14 m2) of sufficient size to allow efficient long-term extraction of heat from the reservoir host rock. If both occur...
Authors
Erick R. Burns, Colin F. Williams, Terry L. Tolan, Joern Ole Kaven
Evaluating geothermal and hydrogeologic controls on regional groundwater temperature distribution
A one-dimensional (1-D) analytic solution is developed for heat transport through an aquifer system where the vertical temperature profile in the aquifer is nearly uniform. The general anisotropic form of the viscous heat generation term is developed for use in groundwater flow simulations. The 1-D solution is extended to more complex geometries by solving the equation for piece-wise...
Authors
Erick R. Burns, Steven E. Ingebritsen, Michael Manga, Colin F. Williams
Geologic setting of the proposed Fallon FORGE Site, Nevada: Suitability for EGS research and development
The proposed Fallon FORGE site lies within and adjacent to the Naval Air Station Fallon (NASF) directly southeast of the town of Fallon, Nevada, within the large basin of the Carson Sink in west-central Nevada. The site is located on two parcels that include land owned by the NASF and leased and owned by Ormat Nevada, Inc. The Carson Sink in the vicinity of the Fallon site is covered by...
Authors
J. E. Faulds, Douglas Blankenship, Nicholas H. Hinz, Andrew Sabin, Josh Nordquist, Stephen H. Hickman, Jonathan M.G. Glen, Mack Kennedy, Drew L. Siler, Ann Robinson-Tait, Colin F. Williams, Peter Drakos, Wendy M. Calvin
Understanding heat and groundwater flow through continental flood basalt provinces: insights gained from alternative models of permeability/depth relationships for the Columbia Plateau, USA
Heat-flow mapping of the western USA has identified an apparent low-heat-flow anomaly coincident with the Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System, a thick sequence of basalt aquifers within the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG). A heat and mass transport model (SUTRA) was used to evaluate the potential impact of groundwater flow on heat flow along two different regional groundwater...
Authors
Erick R. Burns, Colin F. Williams, Steven E. Ingebritsen, Clifford I. Voss, Frank A. Spane, Jacob DeAngelo
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 45
Geology and mineral resources of the Southwestern and South-Central Wyoming Sagebrush Focal Area, Wyoming, and the Bear River Watershed Sagebrush Focal Area, Wyoming and Utah: Chapter E in Mineral resources of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Monta
SummaryThe U.S. Department of the Interior has proposed to withdraw approximately 10 million acres of Federal lands from mineral entry (subject to valid existing rights) from 12 million acres of lands defined as Sagebrush Focal Areas (SFAs) in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming (for further discussion on the lands involved see Scientific Investigations Report 2016–5089–A)...
Authors
Anna B. Wilson, Timothy S. Hayes, Mary Ellen Benson, Douglas B. Yager, Eric D. Anderson, Donald I. Bleiwas, Jacob DeAngelo, Connie Dicken, Ronald M. Drake, Gregory Fernette, Stuart A. Giles, Jonathan M.G. Glen, Jon Haacke, John D. Horton, Heather L. Parks, Barnaby W. Rockwell, Colin F. Williams
By
Energy and Mineral Resources Mission Area, Energy Resources Program, Mineral Resources Program, National Laboratories Program, Science and Decisions Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, National Minerals Information Center
Geologic setting of the West Flank, a FORGE site adjacent to the Coso geothermal field
The West Flank FORGE (Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy) site is located immediately west and outside of the Coso geothermal field, eastern California. Coso is a fluid-dominated, high temperature geothermal system that has been producing power continuously since 1987. The reservoir is composed of highly faulted, fractured and hydrothermally altered Cretaceous and...
Authors
Andrew Sabin, Kelly Blake, Mike Lazaro, Dave Meade, Douglas Blankenship, Mack Kennedy, Jess McCulloch, Steve DeOreo, Stephen H. Hickman, Jonathan M.G. Glen, Joern Ole Kaven, Martin Schoenball, Colin F. Williams, Geoffrey Phelps, J. E. Faulds, Nick Hinz, Wendy M. Calvin, Drew L. Siler, Ann Robertson-Tait
Are the Columbia River Basalts, Columbia Plateau, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, USA, a viable geothermal target? A preliminary analysis
The successful development of a geothermal electric power generation facility relies on (1) the identification of sufficiently high temperatures at an economically viable depth and (2) the existence of or potential to create and maintain a permeable zone (permeability >10-14 m2) of sufficient size to allow efficient long-term extraction of heat from the reservoir host rock. If both occur...
Authors
Erick R. Burns, Colin F. Williams, Terry L. Tolan, Joern Ole Kaven
Evaluating geothermal and hydrogeologic controls on regional groundwater temperature distribution
A one-dimensional (1-D) analytic solution is developed for heat transport through an aquifer system where the vertical temperature profile in the aquifer is nearly uniform. The general anisotropic form of the viscous heat generation term is developed for use in groundwater flow simulations. The 1-D solution is extended to more complex geometries by solving the equation for piece-wise...
Authors
Erick R. Burns, Steven E. Ingebritsen, Michael Manga, Colin F. Williams
Geologic setting of the proposed Fallon FORGE Site, Nevada: Suitability for EGS research and development
The proposed Fallon FORGE site lies within and adjacent to the Naval Air Station Fallon (NASF) directly southeast of the town of Fallon, Nevada, within the large basin of the Carson Sink in west-central Nevada. The site is located on two parcels that include land owned by the NASF and leased and owned by Ormat Nevada, Inc. The Carson Sink in the vicinity of the Fallon site is covered by...
Authors
J. E. Faulds, Douglas Blankenship, Nicholas H. Hinz, Andrew Sabin, Josh Nordquist, Stephen H. Hickman, Jonathan M.G. Glen, Mack Kennedy, Drew L. Siler, Ann Robinson-Tait, Colin F. Williams, Peter Drakos, Wendy M. Calvin
Understanding heat and groundwater flow through continental flood basalt provinces: insights gained from alternative models of permeability/depth relationships for the Columbia Plateau, USA
Heat-flow mapping of the western USA has identified an apparent low-heat-flow anomaly coincident with the Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System, a thick sequence of basalt aquifers within the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG). A heat and mass transport model (SUTRA) was used to evaluate the potential impact of groundwater flow on heat flow along two different regional groundwater...
Authors
Erick R. Burns, Colin F. Williams, Steven E. Ingebritsen, Clifford I. Voss, Frank A. Spane, Jacob DeAngelo
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government