Evaluation of Hanford site water-table changes, 1980--1990

Technical Report · Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6178671· OSTI ID:6178671

Newcomer, D R

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.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/AD
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 6178671
• Report Number(s): PNL-7498; ON: DE91004055
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
HANFORD RESERVATION
WATER TABLES
VARIATIONS
AQUIFERS
COLUMBIA RIVER
GROUND WATER
IRRIGATION
LIQUID WASTES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MANAGEMENT
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RIVERS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTES
WATER
540350* - Environment
Aquatic- Site Resource & Use Studies- (1990-)
052000 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Management