By mapping the location of fault lines underground, researchers are working to gain a better understanding of earthquake hazards in the area — such as the magnitude 6.2 quake that shook Milton-Freewater in 1936.
The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), meanwhile, is interested in identifying geothermal resources for possible future development as it strives to become energy independent.
Patrick Mills, project manager with the CTUIR Department of Natural Resources, said their mutual interests coalesced nicely into a single strategy. Field studies began in mid-May, with funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Energy Trust of Oregon.
“We know there are geothermal resources,” Mills said. “It’s a matter of finding out how close they are to the surface.”
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