An update on the SRP burial ground area water balance and hydrology
- Westinghouse Savannah River Company, Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Site
A water budget for the burial ground area prepared by Hubbard and Emslie concluded that about 15 inches, almost one-third of the average annual precipitation, normally infiltrates the land surface and recharges the groundwater. Also, evapotranspiration was estimated to average 30 inches annually, and runoff from the land surface was estimated as 1 to 3 inches. More information has become available recently from lysimeter studies, climatic stations, groundwater studies, and stream discharge measurements. These additional data generally support the conclusions above with some modifications. The type of vegetation cover on the land surface affects the site hydrology and water budget components of evapotranspiration and groundwater recharge. The lysimeter studies indicate that about 12 inches more water is lost annually to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration with deep-rooted pine trees present than in areas where bare soil or shallow-rooted grass cover occur. Therefore, recharge in the burial ground area may differ from that with similar soils in forested areas of the Savannah River Plant. Study of the hydrologic properties of soils in the burial ground area indicates that infiltration rates for the soils generally are relatively high, exceeding one inch per hour. Runoff as overland flow tends to occur only with intense rainfall events of 1 inch or more. The soil-water characteristic curves are representative of relatively coarse-textured soils.
- Research Organization:
- Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Assistant Secretary for Defense Programs, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-89SR18035
- OSTI ID:
- 501528
- Report Number(s):
- DPST--85-958; ON: DE97060201
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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