Geology of the Separation Areas, Hanford site, South-Central Washington

Technical Report · Fri Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1979

OSTI ID:5993704

Tallman, A M; Fecht, K R; Marratt, M C; Last, G V

The major geologic units beneath the Separation Areas are: basement rocks of undetermined origin, the Columbia River Basalt Group with intercalated sediments of the Ellensburg Formation, the Ringold Formation, and the glaciofluvial sediments (Hanford Formation). A loess deposit (early Palouse soil) occurs between the Ringold and Hanford formations in parts of 200 West Area. The surface of the Separation Areas is veneered with loess and sand dunes of varying thickness. The sediments of the Hanford Formation are the most significant geologic unit in the transport and sorption of radionuclides from surface and near surface waste storage facilities. The Hanford sediments in the Separation Areas effectively isolate and sorb most radiocontaminants (half life greater than one year) discharged to or stored in the ground due to a thick sequence of unsaturated sediments with an adequate sorption capacity. The general horizontal bedding of the Hanford sediments promotes lateral spreading of moisture and retards downward transport of radionuclides.

• Research Organization: Rockwell International Corp., Richland, WA (USA). Rockwell Hanford Operations
• DOE Contract Number: EY-77-C-06-1030
• OSTI ID: 5993704
• Report Number(s): RHO-ST-23
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
053000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Environmental Aspects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
510301 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- Soil-- (-1987)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
GEOLOGY
HANFORD RESERVATION
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SEDIMENTS
STORAGE
STRATIGRAPHY
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE STORAGE
WASTES