Compilation and Evaluation of Data from Groundwater Impounded within the U12n and U12t Tunnels, Rainier and Aqueduct Mesas, Nevada National Security Site

Technical Report · Fri Dec 17 04:00:00 EST 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1836541· OSTI ID:1836541

Russell, Charles E. ^[1]; Collins, Cheryl ^[1]; French, Richard ^[1]; Hershey, Ronald L. ^[2]; Rivera, Patriz ^[1]

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1. Desert Research Inst. (DRI), Las Vegas, NV (United States)
2. Desert Research Inst. (DRI), Reno, NV (United States)

The Department of Defense (DOD) Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management Nevada Program (EM NV) conducted routine physical and geochemical monitoring of water impounded behind impermeable structures placed within the U12n and U12t tunnels on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) (formerly the Nevada Test Site [NTS]). Desert Research Institute (DRI) conducted a semiquantitative evaluation of pressure data to determine the extent to which the tunnels have been inundated and a qualitative evaluation of monitored geochemical parameters to determine if trends exist that were indicative of hydrologic and/or geochemical processes operating behind the tunnel plugs. Data were also evaluated to determine if monitored radiological parameters exceeded primary standards associated with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) (40 C.F.R. § 141.66).

• Research Organization: Desert Research Institute (DRI), Las Vegas, NV (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM)
• DOE Contract Number: NA0003590; AC08-00NV13609
• OSTI ID: 1836541
• Report Number(s): 45299; DOE/NV/0003590-71
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
SDWA standards
U12n
U12t
differential pressures
geochemical
geologic
hydraulic behavior
hydrologic
impounded water
perched water
pressure data
redox
water-quality parameters