The new geothermal database for New Mexico contains 359 discrete thermal wells and springs, a 15% increase over entries reported in 1980. The database includes 842 chemical analyses for the 359 wells and springs. At least 29 different resource areas and perhaps 151 isolated thermal occurrences have been identified. Almost all of the thermal occurrences are located in the western half of the state, within the Colorado Plateau, Basin and Range, and Rocky Mountains physiographic provinces (Witcher, 1995b). New Mexico has had significant direct-use geothermal development since the early 1980s, with a large district heating system at New Mexico State University, and the largest acreage of geothermal greenhouses in the nation. At present there is considerable interest in the use of geothermal heat for greenhousing, aquaculture, crop and food processing and milk and cheese processing. Witcher (1995b) has identified eight resource areas with near-term utilization potential which need site-specific geologic, drilling, reservoir testing, and feasibility studies.
Witcher, J. C., 1995b. A Geothermal Resource Database, New Mexico, Southwest Technology Development Institute, New Mexico State University, Technical Report to Oregon Institute of Technology, Geo-Heat Center, 32 p.