Field experiments indicate that the use of off-road vehicles on arid land increases the amount and frequency of water runoff and erosion by decreasing soil porosity, infiltration capacity, effectiveness of surface stabilizers, and hydraulic resistance to overland flow. These effects are long-lived and may result even when the use of these vehicles is slight.

Geothermal waters have been used f o r r e s i d e n t i a l space heating on a l i m i t e d b a s i s i n Thermopolis f o r s e v e r a l decades. These a p p l i c a t i o n s , using s u r f a c e , a r t e s i a n discharge of hot well water v i a s u b f l o o r p i p i n g , may provide u s e f u l , long-term d a t a on p o s s i b l e development problems. D r i l l-h o l e casing corrosion and c o l l a p s e o r mineral d e p o s i t i o n may be r e s p o n s i b l e f o r dec l i n i n g flows i n s e v e r a l wells; excess i v e calcium carbonate d e p o s i t i o n i s known t o be a problem i n c e r t a i n cases.

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For more information on the USGS-the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment-visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1-888-ASK-USGS For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprodTo order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov Suggested citation: Old Faithful Science Review Panel, 2014, Hydrogeology of the Old Faithful Area, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, and its Relevance to Natural Resources and Infrastructure: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2014-1058.. ISSN 2331ISSN -1258 Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.Although this information product is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted material contained within this report. Executive SummaryA panel of leading experts (The Old Faithful Science Review Panel) was convened by Yellowstone National Park (YNP) to review and summarize the geological and hydrological understanding that can inform National Park Service management of the Upper Geyser Basin area. We give an overview of present geological and hydrological knowledge of the Old Faithful hydrothermal (hot water) system and related thermal areas in the Upper Geyser Basin. We prioritize avenues for improving our understanding of key knowledge gaps that limit informed decision-making regarding human use in this fragile natural landscape. Lastly, we offer guidelines to minimize impacts to the hydrothermal system that could be used to aid decisions by park management.Old Faithful sits within the Upper Geyser Basin, an area of abundant hydrothermal activity where boiling waters extend from the surface to significant depth within glacial sediments and underlying volcanic rocks. The geyser systems are directly fed by waters recharged decades to millennia ago, which are surrounded by colder, younger waters. Activity of the geysers is controlled by complex subsurface plumbing with fractures and conduits separated by regions of low permeability. Observations over the past century indicate that the thermal areas and their features are both fragile and highly dynamic. Although Old Faithful has erupted regularly for the past 150 years, it exhibits changes in eruptive behavior over time, and the average interval between eruptions has increased by about 50 percent over the past 50 years. It is clear that human activity has modified the hydrothermal system in the past; conversely, natural features pose ongoing hazards to humans and human infrastructure.Current (2014) long-term programs to measure heat discharge by chloride-flux monitoring, and more recently by thermal-infrared imaging, are crucial for assessing the status of the hydrothermal system. Complementary studies could include airborne resistivity, environmental tracers, numerical modeling, and greater emphasis on...