Preliminary subsurface hydrologic considerations: Columbia River Plateau Physiographic Province. Assessment of effectiveness of geologic isolation systems
This report contains a discussion of the hydrologic conditions of the Columbia River Plateau physiographic province. The Columbia River Plateau is underlain by a thick basalt sequence. The Columbia River basalt sequence contains both basalt flows and sedimentary interbeds. These sedimentary interbeds, which are layers of sedimentary rock between lava flows, are the main aquifer zones in the basalt sequence. Permeable interflow zones, involving the permeable top and/or rubble bottom of a flow, are also water-transmitting zones. A number of stratigraphic units are present in the Pasco Basin, which is in the central part of the Columbia River Plateau. At a conceptual level, the stratigraphic sequence from the surface downward can be separated into four hydrostratigraphic systems. These are: (1) the unsaturated zone, (2) the unconfined aquifer, (3) the uppermost confined aquifers, and (4) the lower Yakima basalt hydrologic sequence. A conceptual layered earth model (LEM) has been developed. The LEM represents the major types of porous media (LEM units) that may be encountered at a number of places on the Columbia Plateau, and specifically in the Pasco Basin. The conceptual LEM is not representative of the actual three-dimensional hydrostratigraphic sequence and hydrologic conditions existing at any specific site within the Columbia Plateau physiographic province. However, the LEM may be useful for gaining a better understanding of how the hydrologic regime may change as a result of disruptive events that may interact with a waste repository in geologic media.
- Research Organization:
- Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (United States); Shannon and Wilson, Inc., Seattle, WA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- EY-76-C-06-1830
- OSTI ID:
- 5474794
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-2859; TRN: 80-009327
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
AQUIFERS
STRUCTURAL MODELS
COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN
GEOLOGY
HYDROLOGY
BASALT
DATA COMPILATION
DEPTH
FLOW RATE
GRAPHS
HYDRAULICS
MAPS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
SIMULATION
SITE SELECTION
STRATIGRAPHY
TABLES
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
WASHINGTON
DATA
DATA FORMS
DIMENSIONS
FLUID MECHANICS
IGNEOUS ROCKS
INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT
MECHANICS
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION
ROCKS
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
520500 - Environment
Aquatic- Site Resource & Use Studies- (-1989)
580100 - Geology & Hydrology- (-1989)