Geohydrologic data and models of Rainier Mesa and their implications to Yucca Mountain
The geohydrologic data collected at Rainier Mesa provide the only extensive observations in tunnels presently available on flow and transport in tuff units similar to those of a potential nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain. This information can, therefore, be of great value in planning the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) testing in underground drifts at Yucca Mountain. In this paper, we compare the geohydrologic characteristics of tuff units of these two sites and summarize the hydrochemical data indicating the presence of nearly meteoric water in Rainier Mesa tunnels. A simple analytic model is used to evaluate the possibility of propagating transient pulses of water along fractures or faults through the Paintbrush nonwelded tuff unit to reach the tunnel beds below. The results suggest that fast flow could occur without significant mixing between meteoric fracture water and matrix pore water. The implications of these findings on planning for the ESF Calico Hills study at Yucca Mountain are discussed.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-76SF00098
- OSTI ID:
- 138664
- Report Number(s):
- LBL--33627; CONF-930408--61; ON: DE93010410
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Potential fast paths along faults in the Calico Hills unit at Yucca Mountain
Summary of lithologic logging of new and existing boreholes at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, August 1993 to February 1994
Related Subjects
58 GEOSCIENCES
CONTAINERS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FLUID FLOW
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGY
GROUND WATER
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
HYDROLOGY
LEAKS
METEORIC WATER
MINERALOGY
PERMEABILITY
POROSITY
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
STRATIGRAPHY
TUFF
TUNNELS
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
WATER TABLES
YUCCA MOUNTAIN
Yucca Mountain Project