The Takhini Hot Springs, located northeast of Whitehorse, Yukon, exhibits significant geothermal potential with a surface water temperature of 46°C. To address the limited geological knowledge in the region, a 500 m deep well was strategically drilled in this area and intercepted warm groundwater (25°C) at a depth of 450 m. The objective of this study was to assess the geothermal potential of the Takhini Hot Springs area using 2D subsurface flow and heat transfer simulations to numerically replicate the observed temperature and gain a better understanding of heat transfer mechanisms affecting the geothermal resource. Inclined permeable layers such as contacts between fractured sedimentary units appear to facilitate groundwater circulation, creating a path for geothermal fluids to rise. A fault that is assumed to be subvertical is present in the area but does not impact the model’s water circulation. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to define the impact of each model parameter on the hot springs temperature and on temperature profiles simulated in the Takhini well. The analysis revealed that boundary conditions, including basal heat flux and surface recharge, as well as rock thermal conductivity and permeability, are the most influential parameters in the model.
