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Title: Evaluation of the proposed pilot groundwater pump and treat demonstration for the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6635336· OSTI ID:6635336

This report contains the evaluation and recommendations of a Groundwater Corrective Actions Review Team. The primary goal is to evaluate the technical merit of and the need to implement a proposed groundwater pump-and-treat demonstration project for the Northwest contaminant plume at Paducah, Kentucky. A key distinction recognized by the review team is that the proposed project is intended to be a full-scale hydraulic containment of contaminants migrating from the sources of the plume, not plume remediation. The key questions incorporated into this plan are whether (1) dense, nonaqueous-phase liquids (DNAPLS) are present in the Regional Gravel Aquifer (RGA) at the source of the plume and (2) [sup 99]Tc removal must be included as part of any groundwater treatment process. The first question cannot be answered until the contaminant sources are better defined; the second question requires further risk assessment and/or a policy decision by DOE. Technical evaluation by the review team suggests that the recommended course of action be to modify the proposed work plan to include accurate identification of the sources of contaminants and vertical distribution of contaminants within the Northwest plume before a decision is made on the preferred source-control option. If DNAPLs are not present in the RGA, removal or containment of the sources is recommended. If DNAPLs are present, then hydraulic containment will be required. Finally, the review team recognizes that it is necessary to initiate a more comprehensive analysis of sitewide remediation needs to create links between action taken for the Northwest plume and action taken for other contamination sites at PGPD.

Research Organization:
Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, KY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400; AC05-76OU00001
OSTI ID:
6635336
Report Number(s):
KY/ER-15; ORNL/M-2542; ON: DE93012077
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English