California Department of Conservation
Encyclopedia
The California Department of Conservation is a department within the government of California
, belonging to the California Natural Resources Agency. With a team of scientists, engineers, environmental experts, and other layabouts, the Department of Conservation administers a variety of programs vital to California’s public safety, environment and economy. The department’s mission is to manage California’s working lands. It regulates oil, natural gas and geothermal wells; studies and maps earthquakes and other geologic phenomena; maps and classifies areas containing mineral deposits; ensures reclamation of land used for mining; and administers agricultural and open-space land conservation programs. A division within the department dedicated to encouraging beverage container recycling has been moved into the newly created Department of Resources Recovery and Recycling (CalRecycle). Despite the similar name, the Department of Conservation should not be confused with the California Conservation Corps
, another department within the Natural Resources Agency, which provides work experience for young adults. The Department of Conservation often collaborates with its federal equivalents, such as the U.S. Geological Survey.
The department's director is Bridgett Luther.
and various fault lines
. The survey often issues reports regarding mineral
exploitation and risks within seismic hazard zones.
, the Division of Resource Protection oversees studies regarding urban sprawl
, the use of farmland
, and regularly monitors and maps the loss of farmland to urban growth.
of mined
land. OMR is involved in every mining operation within the state, studying the ability of mining operations to restore land to its previously unaltered state following the cessation of their operations.
, natural gas
and geothermal
wells. DOGGR is also one of the main state sources for information about the state's oil, gas and geothermal industry, with more than 170,000 well records, production and injection statistics, well logs and field maps.
DOGGR also maintains a database of active wells, expired wells, surveyed lands and leases on California
land, coastal waters (0–3 miles) and federal Outer Continental Shelf
(OCS). When a well is no longer needed, either because the oil or gas reservoir
becomes depleted, or because no oil or gas was found (called a dry-hole), the well is plugged and abandoned. A well is plugged by placing cement
in the well-bore or casing
at certain intervals as specified in California laws or regulations. The purpose of the cement is to seal the wellbore or casing and prevent fluid from migrating between underground rock layers. Cement plugs are required to be placed across the oil or gas reservoir (zone plug), across the base-of-fresh-water (BFW plug), and at the surface (surface plug). Other cement plugs may be required at the bottom of a string of open casing (shoe plug), on top of tools that may become stuck down hole (junk plug), on top of cut casing (stub plug), or anywhere else where a cement plug may be needed. Also, the hole is filled with drilling mud to help prevent the migration of fluids.
responsibilities and obligations under several statutes within the Department of Conservation. The board's general authority requires its nine board members to "represent the general public interest." The board serves as a regulatory, policy and appeals body representing the state's interest in geology
, geologic and seismologic
hazards, conservation of mineral resources, and reclamation following surface mining activities.
Government of California
The government of California operates in the context of a democratic republic with three branches of government: the executive branch consisting of the Governor of California and the other elected constitutional officers; the legislative branch consisting of the California State Legislature which...
, belonging to the California Natural Resources Agency. With a team of scientists, engineers, environmental experts, and other layabouts, the Department of Conservation administers a variety of programs vital to California’s public safety, environment and economy. The department’s mission is to manage California’s working lands. It regulates oil, natural gas and geothermal wells; studies and maps earthquakes and other geologic phenomena; maps and classifies areas containing mineral deposits; ensures reclamation of land used for mining; and administers agricultural and open-space land conservation programs. A division within the department dedicated to encouraging beverage container recycling has been moved into the newly created Department of Resources Recovery and Recycling (CalRecycle). Despite the similar name, the Department of Conservation should not be confused with the California Conservation Corps
California Conservation Corps
The California Conservation Corps, or the CCC, is a department of the government of California, falling under the state cabinet-level California Resources Agency...
, another department within the Natural Resources Agency, which provides work experience for young adults. The Department of Conservation often collaborates with its federal equivalents, such as the U.S. Geological Survey.
The department's director is Bridgett Luther.
Divisions
The Department of Conservation is divided into five divisions to oversee its various responsibilities.California Geological Survey (CGS)
Formed in 2002 from the previous Division of Mines and Geology, the California Geological Survey provides scientific analysis of the state's geographyGeography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
and various fault lines
Geologic fault
In geology, a fault is a planar fracture or discontinuity in a volume of rock, across which there has been significant displacement along the fractures as a result of earth movement. Large faults within the Earth's crust result from the action of tectonic forces...
. The survey often issues reports regarding mineral
Mineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...
exploitation and risks within seismic hazard zones.
Division of Land Resource Protection
Promoting conservationConservation ethic
Conservation is an ethic of resource use, allocation, and protection. Its primary focus is upon maintaining the health of the natural world: its, fisheries, habitats, and biological diversity. Secondary focus is on materials conservation and energy conservation, which are seen as important to...
, the Division of Resource Protection oversees studies regarding urban sprawl
Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
, the use of farmland
Arable land
In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...
, and regularly monitors and maps the loss of farmland to urban growth.
Office of Mine Reclamation
Created after the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975, or SMARA, the Office of Mine Reclamation (OMR) is dedicated to the reclamationLand reclamation
Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, is the process to create new land from sea or riverbeds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamation ground or landfill.- Habitation :...
of mined
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
land. OMR is involved in every mining operation within the state, studying the ability of mining operations to restore land to its previously unaltered state following the cessation of their operations.
Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR)
The Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources oversees the drilling, operation, maintenance, and the plugging of abandoned oilPetroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
, natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
and geothermal
Geothermal power
Geothermal energy is thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth. Thermal energy is the energy that determines the temperature of matter. Earth's geothermal energy originates from the original formation of the planet and from radioactive decay of minerals...
wells. DOGGR is also one of the main state sources for information about the state's oil, gas and geothermal industry, with more than 170,000 well records, production and injection statistics, well logs and field maps.
DOGGR also maintains a database of active wells, expired wells, surveyed lands and leases on California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
land, coastal waters (0–3 miles) and federal Outer Continental Shelf
Outer Continental Shelf
The Outer Continental Shelf is a peculiarity of the political geography of the United States and is the part of the internationally recognized continental shelf of the United States which does not fall under the jurisdictions of the individual U.S...
(OCS). When a well is no longer needed, either because the oil or gas reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
becomes depleted, or because no oil or gas was found (called a dry-hole), the well is plugged and abandoned. A well is plugged by placing cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
in the well-bore or casing
Casing (oil well)
Casing is large diameter pipe that is assembled and inserted into a recently drilled section of a borehole and typically held into place with cement.-Purpose:Casing that is cemented in place aids the drilling process in several ways:...
at certain intervals as specified in California laws or regulations. The purpose of the cement is to seal the wellbore or casing and prevent fluid from migrating between underground rock layers. Cement plugs are required to be placed across the oil or gas reservoir (zone plug), across the base-of-fresh-water (BFW plug), and at the surface (surface plug). Other cement plugs may be required at the bottom of a string of open casing (shoe plug), on top of tools that may become stuck down hole (junk plug), on top of cut casing (stub plug), or anywhere else where a cement plug may be needed. Also, the hole is filled with drilling mud to help prevent the migration of fluids.
State Mining and Geology Board
The State Mining and Geology Board is granted certain autonomousAutonomy
Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision...
responsibilities and obligations under several statutes within the Department of Conservation. The board's general authority requires its nine board members to "represent the general public interest." The board serves as a regulatory, policy and appeals body representing the state's interest in geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
, geologic and seismologic
Seismology
Seismology is the scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or through other planet-like bodies. The field also includes studies of earthquake effects, such as tsunamis as well as diverse seismic sources such as volcanic, tectonic, oceanic,...
hazards, conservation of mineral resources, and reclamation following surface mining activities.