New observations of infiltration through fractured alluvium in Yucca Flat, Nevada Test Site: A preliminary field investigation
- California Univ., Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Civil Engineering
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., Mercury, NV (United States)
Regional tectonics coupled with the subsurface detonation of nuclear explosives has caused widespread fracturing of the alluvium of Yucca Flat. Fractures deeper than 30 meters have been observed in boreholes. Some of these fractures are large enough to capture significant amounts of runoff during storm events. Evidence of stream capture by fractures and observations of runoff flowing into open fractures give qualitative evidence of infiltration to depths greater than several meters and possibly to the saturated zone. Our field observations contradict the assumption that little infiltration occurs on Yucca Flat. The larger, hydrologically important fractures are associated with geologic faults or the regional stress field. Additional field studies are needed to investigate the impact of fractures on the transport of contaminants.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 145212
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-ID-116129; ON: DE94012589
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Feb 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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