Assessment of flood hazard at the radioactive waste management site in Area 5 of the Nevada Test Site
The Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) is located at the junction of major alluvial fans, to the east and west, with several smaller fans merging from the north. The conclusion is, the RWMS is likely to be hit several times during an assumed design life of 150 years by flash flood events of significant magnitude. This conclusion was arrived at by using regional peak flood equations developed by the U.S. Geological Survey and various hypotheses regarding flood processes on alluvial fans. It should be noted that the flood hazard at the RWMS is not necessarily greater than it would be for any facility of a similar size and design life located on any alluvial fan in Southern Nevada. Further, the berm on the upslope side of the RWMS may offer some protection; however, the degree of protection provided by this berm was not evaluated. Although this analysis is subject to a number of limitations, which are noted and discussed within, the conclusion is substantiated by the fact that the RWMS is located on a number of alluvial fans which were formed by erosional processes that are still active. Although protective measures for the site can be developed, the development of such mitigation plans should include not only a careful consideration of the probability that the site will be hit by a flood event, but also a careful consideration of the consequences of such a hit. This report is a focused analysis of the probability that the RWMS will be hit by a flash flood, but does not address what the consequences of such an event might be. 5 references, 19 figures, 18 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Nevada Univ., Reno (USA). Water Resources Center
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC08-81NV10162
- OSTI ID:
- 6566154
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/NV/10162-15; ON: DE84017019
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
58 GEOSCIENCES
FLOODS
FORECASTING
NEVADA TEST SITE
HYDROLOGY
ALLUVIAL DEPOSITS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SEDIMENTS
TECTONICS
DISASTERS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MATERIALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTES
053000* - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects
052002 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
580100 - Geology & Hydrology- (-1989)