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THE Frkio FORMATION of TEXAS and LOUISIANA

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THE Frkio FORMATION of TEXAS and LOUISIANA /’ GULF COAST , * PROGRAMMATIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT GEOTHERMAL WELL TESTING THE FRkIO FORMATION OF TEXAS AND LOUISIANA L October 1977 ‘\, DIV~SIONOF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY ENERGY RESEb,RCH AND DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION DISCLAIMER This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency Thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. DISCLAIMER Portions of this document may be illegible in electronic image products. Images are produced from the best available original document. GULF COAST PROGRAMMATIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT GEOTHERMAL WELL TESTING THE FRIO FORMATION OF TEXAS AND LOUISIANA DIVISION OF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPmNT ADMINISTFATION This EA exists in two volumes, this one and an Atlas. The Plate numbers in this volume refer to the Atlas. Oetober 1977 ..... ....... 7 i TABLE OF CONTENTS L, .PAGE NUMBER LIST,OF.FIGURES .......................... Vi LISTOFTABLES ........................... ix CHAPTER ONE .DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION. ......... 1-1 1.1 me Proposed Action ..................... 1-1 1.1.1 Objectives of Proposed Action ............ 1-1 1.1.2 Scope of Project ................... 1-2. 1.2 Location ........................... 1-8 1.2.1 The Region ...................... 1-8 1.2.2 The High Potential Zone ............... 1-8 1.3 Known Environmental Issues .................. 1-9 1.3.1 The Physical and Biological Issues .A Summary of Adverse Impacts .................. 1-9 1.3.2 The Cultural Issues - A Summary of Adverse Impacts ................... 1-10 1.3.3 The Economic Issues - A Summary of drs Adverse Impacts ................... 1-11 CHAPTER TWO .DESCRIPTION OF THE EXISTING ENVIRONMENT ....... 2-1 2.1 Geology ........................... 2-1 2.1.1 Geomorphology ..................... 2-1 2.1.2 Geology ....................... 2-3 2.1.3 Tectonic Activity .................. 2-6 2.1.4 Mineral Resources .................. 2-8 2.1.5 Geology of the Geothermal-Geopressured Belt ..... 2-9 2.2 Hydrology and Water Use ................... 2-12 2.2.1 Groundwater Hydrology and Use ............ 2-12 2.2.2 Surface Water .................... 2-19 2.3 Terrestrial Ecology ..................... 2-20 2.3.1 Wetlands ....................... 2-21 2.3.2 Pleistocene ..................... 2-23 2.4 Aquatic Ecology ........................ 2-25 2.4.1 Wetlands ....................... 2-25 I 7'. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS (Con timed) .PAGE NUMBER 2.5 Endangered Species ...................... 2-33 2.5.1 Terrestrial ..................... 2-33 2.5.2 Aquatic ....................... 2-33 2.6 LandUse ........................... 2-36 2.7 Climate and Air Quality ................... 2-38 2.7.1 Climate ....................... 2-38 2.7.2 Regional Air Quality ................. 2-39 2.7.3 Atmospheric Inversion Potential ........... 2-40 2.7.4 Emission Inventory .................. 2-40 2.8 Cultural Resources ...................... 2-41 2.9 Socioeconomic Characteristics ................ 2-42 2.9.1 Employment ...................... 2-42 2.9.2 Economy ....................... 2-42 2.9.3 Population. Demography. Ethnic Make-up ........ 2-43 2.10 Prime Areas of Geopressure-Geothermal Interest ........ 2-45 2.10.1 Southwest Louisiana ................. 2-45 2.10.2 Brazoria and Galveston Counties. Texas ........ 2-55 2.10.3 Matagorda County ................... 2-63 2.10.4 Nueces. San Patricio. and Aransas Counties ...... 2-68 2.10.5 South Texas ..................... 2-73 CHAPTER THREE .POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS .......... 3-1 3.1 Installation and Naintenance af Well............. 3-1 3.1.1 Physical and Biological Issues ............ 3-1 3.1.2 Cultural Issues ................... 3-6 3.1.3 Economic Impacts ................... 3-10 3.2 Normal Effluents from Operation of Well ........... 3-12 3.2.1 Biological Issues .................. 3-22 3.2.2 Cultural Issues ................... 3-23 3.3 Accidents .......................... 3-25 3.3.1 Physical and Biological Issues ............ 3-25 3.3.2 Cultural Issues ................... 3-44 7 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) .PAGE NUMBER 3.4 Impact Control Program Including Restoration ofWell Site......................... 3-45 3.4.1 Biological Issues .................. 3-47 3.4.2 Cultural Issues ................... 3-49 CHAPTER FOUR .COORDINATION WITH FEDERAL. STATE. REGIONAL AND LOCAL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT ........... 4-1 4.1 Federal Regulation and Permitting Requirements ........ 4-1 4.1.1 Geothermal Leasing on Federal Lands ......... 4-1 4.1.2 Degradation of the Environment ............ 4-1 4.1.3 Activities on Navigable Waters ............ 4-5 4.2 State Plans and Policies................... 4-6 4.2.1 State Land Use Plans ................. 4-6 4.2.2 Coastal Zone Management Plans ............ 4-6 4.2.3 State Well Drilling Procedures ............ 4-6 4.2.4 State Archeological and Historic Survey Requirements ................. 4-7 4.2.5 State Environmental Requirements - Waste Fluid Disposal .................... 4-7 4.2.5.1 Surface and Subsurface Permitting Procedures at the State Level ....... 4-7 4.2.5.2 Air Emission Regulatory and Permitting Procedures at the State Level ....... 4-7 4.3 Regional and Local Plans and Policies ............ 4-7 APPENDIX A .DESCRIPTION OF THE EXISTING ENVIRONMENT ........ A-l 2.1.1 Geomorphology .................... A-1 2.1.2 Geology ....................... A-14 2.1.3 Tectonic Activity .................. A-20 2.1.4 Mineral Resources .................. A-24 2.1.5 Geology of the Geothermal-Geopressured Belt ..... A-25 2.2 Hydrology and Water Use ................... A-28 2.2.1 Groundwater Hydrology and Use ............ A-28 2.2.1.1 Horizontal and Vertical Extent of Aquifers ................ A-28 7 . iv TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) .PAGE NUMBER 2.2.2 Surface Water ..................... A-43 2.2.2.1 General Hydrology ............. A-43 2.2.2.2 Drainage Basins and Rivers ......... A-46 2.2.2.3 Precipitation and Runoff .......... A-47 2.2.2.4 Physical Characteristics of Regional Hydrology ............. A-49 2.2.2.5 Water Quality Characteristics ....... A-50 2.2.2.6 Water Resource Development ......... A-57 2.3 Terrestrial Ecology ...................... A-59 2.3.1 Wetlands ....................... A-60 2.3.2 Pleistocene ..................... A-68 2.4 Aquatic Ecology ....................... A-73 2.4.1 Wetlands ....................... A-73 2.5 Endangered Species ...................... A-97 2.5.1 Terrestrial ..................... A-97 2.5.2 Aquatic ....................... A-102 2.6 LandUse ........................... A-108 2.7 Climate and Air Quality ................... A-117 2.7.1 Climate ....................... A-117 2.7.2 Regional Air Quality ................. A-120 2.7.3 Atmospheric Stability Classes ............ A-124 2.7.4 Atmospheric Inversion Potential ........... A-126 2.7.5 Emission Inventory .................. A-129 2.8 National Landmarks ...................... A-129 2.8.1 State Landmarks ................... A-131 2.8.2 Cultural Resources .................. A-132 2.8.3 Survey Standards................... A-133 2.9 Socioeconomic Characteristics ................ A-135 2.9.1 Employment ...................... A-135 2.9.2 Economy ....................... A-135 2.9.3 Population. Demography. Ethnic Make-up ........ A-140 7 V TABLE OF CONTENTS CCon t inued) -PAGE NUMBER APPENDIX B - POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, , , , . , . , . ~-i 3,l Installation and Maintenance of Well, . , , , . , , , , B-1 3.1.1 Physical and Biological Issues, . , . , , , . * . B-1 3.2 Normal Effluents from Operation of Well . , , , , '. , , , . , B-4 3.2.1 Biological Issues , . , . , . , , . , , . , . B-4 3.3 Accidents,. I............,.....~e,,.B-4 3.3.1 Physical and Biological Issues, . , * . , , , , . * B-6 3.4 Impact Control Program Including Restoration of Well Site , B-16 3.4.1 Biological Issues , . , . , , , , , , , . , . B-16 APPENDIX C - COORDINATION WITH FEDERAL, STATE, REGIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. , . , . , , . , . C-1 cr3 4.1 ,Federal Regulation and Permitting Requirements. , . , . C-1 4.2 State Plans and Policies. , . , . , . , . C-14 4.2.1 State Land Use Plans - Parks, Refuges, etc. , . C-15 4.2.2 Coastal Zone Management Plans . , . , . , C-18 4.2.3 State Well Drilling Procedures. , . , . C-18 4.2.4 State Archeological and Historic Survey Requirements, . , . , I . , , . , . I , , C-20 4.2.5 State Environmental Requirements. , . C-21 4.2.6 Other State Permitting Procedures , . , , , . e , . C-24 4.3 Regional Plans and Policies . , * , . , , . , , , , C-25 4.4 LocalPlans. , . C-26 I i- ........................... -. ...... - .. vi LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE NUMBER --PAGE NUMBER 2-1 Geologic section across south Texas coastal plafn showhg fault systems in major Cenozoic delta deposits, and thetr relation to the top of the Geopressure Zone . , , , , , , , , e , 2-7 2-2 Types of reservoir seals necessary to preserve abnormal pressures. ..............
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