Evaluation of Hanford Site Water-table Changes PDF Download

Author: Darrell R. Newcomer
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 56

View

Book Description

Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 56

View

Book Description
Irrigation applied west of the Hanford Site and wastewater management practices on the Hanford Site resulted in significant changes in the configuration of the water table between December 1979 and December 1989. In the Cold Creek Valley, located in the western part of the Hanford Site, the water table rose more than 3 m (9 ft) between December 1979 and December 1989. Since 1969, the water table in the Cold Creek Valley has been rising, primarily in response to irrigation practices in the Upper Cold Creek Valley. The largest areal changes have occurred in the vicinity of production facilities in the 200 Areas where ground-water mounds have developed since operations began in 1943. During the 1940s and 1950s, two ground-water mounds developed as a result of wastewater management practices in the 200 Areas, one beneath 216-U-10 Pond in the 200-West Area and one beneath 216-B-3 Pond near the 200-East Area. During the 1960s, the ground-water mounds grew moderately before reaching near-equilibrium conditions during the 1970s. During the 1980s (December 1979 to December 1989), stresses imposed on the unconfined aquifer caused recurrence of unsteady state conditions. In the 200-West Area, the water level declined more than 2.5 m (8 ft) between December 1979 and 1989. Most of the decline occurred after 1984, which correlates with a reduction in wastewater discharge caused by the decommissioning of 216-U-10 Pond in 1984. The decline in the water table occurred mostly in the area between the 200-West Area and the Yakima Ridge basalt, which outcrops above the water table to the south of the 200-West Area. 50 refs., 31 figs., 1 tab.

Author: D. A. Zimmerman
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 61

View

Book Description

Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

View

Book Description
The basalt formations underlying the Hanford site are being considered for characterization and evaluation as a deep geologic repository for defense and commercial radioactive wastes. To understand the hydrology of the Hanford area, we need to know if the ground-water system is in steady state and what impact a change in surface stress from artificial recharge may have on the underlying basalt aquifers. Researchers at Pacific Northwest Laboratory are supporting efforts to understand these issues by illustrating how changes in wastewater disposal activities at the Hanford site have altered the configuration of the water table surface with time. The objective of this work was to determine the magnitude and direction of changes in the elevation of the water table across the Hanford site from 1950 to 1980. Plots of the magnitudes of water-level changes occurring over 5-year intervals from 1950 through 1980 are presented. The water-level changes that occurred during each 5-year interval are related to water discharges from nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities or other discharge sources. The plots of water-level changes show large water-level increases in the vicinity of the Separations Area (200 East and 200 West) from 1950 to 1960; the rate of increase of water-level changes grows more slowly from 1960 to 1970, while the areal extent of the mounding continues to expand. Only small changes occur from 1970 to 1980; during this time period, the unconfined system appears to be in approximate equilibrium with the sources. Based on previous experience, it is believed that an increase in ground-water mounding will begin to appear near the 200 East Area B Pond as a result of the increased discharges from the restart of PUREX in 1983.

Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Power resources
Languages : en
Pages : 806

View

Book Description
Semiannual, with semiannual and annual indexes. References to all scientific and technical literature coming from DOE, its laboratories, energy centers, and contractors. Includes all works deriving from DOE, other related government-sponsored information, and foreign nonnuclear information. Arranged under 39 categories, e.g., Biomedical sciences, basic studies; Biomedical sciences, applied studies; Health and safety; and Fusion energy. Entry gives bibliographical information and abstract. Corporate, author, subject, report number indexes.

Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Radioactive waste disposal
Languages : en
Pages : 536

View

Book Description

Author: William H. Bierschenk
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Hanford Site (Wash.)
Languages : en
Pages : 46

View

Book Description

Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Aquatic biology
Languages : en
Pages : 984

View

Book Description

Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 278

View

Book Description
This report presents the results of the Ground-Water Surveillance Project monitoring for calendar year 1993 on the Hanford Site, Washington. Hanford Site operations from 1943 onward produced large quantities of radiological and chemical waste that have impacted ground-water quality on the Site. Monitoring of water levels and ground-water chemistry is performed to track the extent of contamination and trends in contaminant concentrations. The 1993 monitoring was also designed to identify emerging ground-water quality problems. The information obtained is used to verify compliance with applicable environmental regulations and to evaluate remedial actions. Data from other monitoring and characterization programs were incorporated to provide an integrated assessment of Site ground-water quality. Additional characterization of the Site's geologic setting and hydrology was performed to support the interpretation of contaminant distributions. Numerical modeling of sitewide ground-water flow also supported the overall project goals. Water-level monitoring was performed to evaluate ground-water flow directions, to track changes in water levels, and to relate such changes to changes in site disposal practices. Water levels over most of the Hanford Site continued to decline between June 1992 and June 1993. The greatest declines occurred in the 200-West Area. These declines are part of the continued response to the cessation of discharge to U Pond and other disposal facilities. The low permeability in this area which enhanced mounding of waste-water discharge has also slowed the response to the reduction of disposal. Water levels remained nearly constant in the vicinity of B Pond, as a result of continued disposal to the pond. Water levels measured from wells in the unconfined aquifer north and east of the Columbia River indicate that the primary source of recharge is irrigation practices.

Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

View

Book Description
The Pacific Northwest Laboratory prepared water-table maps of the US Department of Energy's Hanford Site for June 1990 from water-level elevations measured in 224 wells across the Hanford Site. The greatest changes in the elevation of the water table at Hanford occurred beneath the decommissioned U Pond, 200-East Area, the 100-N Area, the 1100 and 3000 Areas, and near the Columbia River. The elevation of the ground-water mound beneath the decommissioned U Pond continued to decline, decreasing as much as 0.8 m (2.6 ft) between December 1989 and December 1990. This decline has been observed in wells in much of the adjacent 200-West Area and is primarily the result of continued dissipation of the ground-water mound beneath U Pond since it was deactivated in 1984. 21 refs., 12 figs.