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Title: Remediation of a large contaminated reactor cooling reservoir: Resolving and environmental/regulatory paradox

Abstract

This paper presents a case study of a former reactor cooling water reservoir, PAR Pond, located Savannah River Site. PAR Pond, a 2640 acre, man-made reservoir was built in 1958 and until 1988, received cooling water from two DOE nuclear production reactors, P and R. The lake sediments were contaminated with low levels of radiocesium (CS-137) and transuranics in the late 1950s and early 1960s because of leaking fuel elements. Elevated levels of mercury accumulated in the sediments from pumping water from the Savannah River to maintain a full pool. PAR Ponds` stability, size, and nutrient content made a significant, unique, and highly studied ecological resource for fish and wildlife populations until it was partially drained in 1991 due to a depression in the downslope of the earthen dam. The drawdown, created 1340 acres of exposed, radioactively contaminated sediments along 33 miles of shoreline. This led US EPA to declare PAR Pond as a CERCLA operable unit subject to remediation. The drawdown also raised concerns for the populations of aquatic plants, fish, alligators, and endangered species and increased the potential for off-site migration of contaminated wildlife from contact with the exposed sediments. Applicable regulations, such as NEPA and CERCLA, requiremore » wetland loss evaluations, human health and ecological risk assessments, and remediation feasibility studies. DOE is committed to spending several million dollars to repair the dam for safety reasons, even though the lake will probably not be used for cooling purposes. At the same time, DOE must make decisions whether to refill and expend additional public funds to maintain a full pool to reduce the risks defined under CERCLA or spend hundreds of millions in remediation costs to reduce the risks of the exposed sediments.« less

Authors:
; ; ;  [1];  [2]
  1. Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
  2. USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
10145886
Report Number(s):
WSRC-MS-94-0238; CONF-940650-2
ON: DE94010822
DOE Contract Number:  
AC09-89SR18035
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: 19. annual conference and exposition of the National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP): global strategies for environmental issues,New Orleans, LA (United States),12-15 Jun 1994; Other Information: PBD: [1994]
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT; COOLING PONDS; REMEDIAL ACTION; CESIUM 137; RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION; DAMS; REPAIR; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS; 054000; 053002; HEALTH AND SAFETY; RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS

Citation Formats

Bowers, J.A.: Gladden, J.B., Hickey, H M, Jones, M P, Mackey, H E, Mayer, J J, and Doswell, A. Remediation of a large contaminated reactor cooling reservoir: Resolving and environmental/regulatory paradox. United States: N. p., 1994. Web.
Bowers, J.A.: Gladden, J.B., Hickey, H M, Jones, M P, Mackey, H E, Mayer, J J, & Doswell, A. Remediation of a large contaminated reactor cooling reservoir: Resolving and environmental/regulatory paradox. United States.
Bowers, J.A.: Gladden, J.B., Hickey, H M, Jones, M P, Mackey, H E, Mayer, J J, and Doswell, A. 1994. "Remediation of a large contaminated reactor cooling reservoir: Resolving and environmental/regulatory paradox". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/10145886.
@article{osti_10145886,
title = {Remediation of a large contaminated reactor cooling reservoir: Resolving and environmental/regulatory paradox},
author = {Bowers, J.A.: Gladden, J.B. and Hickey, H M and Jones, M P and Mackey, H E and Mayer, J J and Doswell, A},
abstractNote = {This paper presents a case study of a former reactor cooling water reservoir, PAR Pond, located Savannah River Site. PAR Pond, a 2640 acre, man-made reservoir was built in 1958 and until 1988, received cooling water from two DOE nuclear production reactors, P and R. The lake sediments were contaminated with low levels of radiocesium (CS-137) and transuranics in the late 1950s and early 1960s because of leaking fuel elements. Elevated levels of mercury accumulated in the sediments from pumping water from the Savannah River to maintain a full pool. PAR Ponds` stability, size, and nutrient content made a significant, unique, and highly studied ecological resource for fish and wildlife populations until it was partially drained in 1991 due to a depression in the downslope of the earthen dam. The drawdown, created 1340 acres of exposed, radioactively contaminated sediments along 33 miles of shoreline. This led US EPA to declare PAR Pond as a CERCLA operable unit subject to remediation. The drawdown also raised concerns for the populations of aquatic plants, fish, alligators, and endangered species and increased the potential for off-site migration of contaminated wildlife from contact with the exposed sediments. Applicable regulations, such as NEPA and CERCLA, require wetland loss evaluations, human health and ecological risk assessments, and remediation feasibility studies. DOE is committed to spending several million dollars to repair the dam for safety reasons, even though the lake will probably not be used for cooling purposes. At the same time, DOE must make decisions whether to refill and expend additional public funds to maintain a full pool to reduce the risks defined under CERCLA or spend hundreds of millions in remediation costs to reduce the risks of the exposed sediments.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/10145886}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994},
month = {Sun May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994}
}

Conference:
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