A deuterium-calibrated groundwater flow model of the western Nevada Test Site and vicinity
A discrete-state compartment model, consisting of nine aquifer sub-regions, is calibrated with the stable isotope deuterium to delineate groundwater flow in the vicinity of western Nevada Test Site. Calibrated deuterium concentrations agree very closely with observed ones, except on eastern Pahute Mesa and Timber Mountain (which had no data on observed deuterium concentrations). Model flow paths and amounts are in relative agreement with previous studies. The total groundwater flow through the modeled area is 32.4 x 10{sup 6} m{sup 3}/yr. Fortymile Canyon/Wash and Pahute Mesa are major recharge sites, accounting for 2.6 and 8.1 x 10{sup 6} m{sup 3}/yr of recharge, respectively. Recharge, as a percentage of precipitation, is greatest in Fortymile and Stockade Washes, ranging between 5 and 12 percent. In Crater Flat, Timber Mountain, and eastern Pahute Mesa, recharge is between 1 and 2 percent of precipitation. Major discharge areas occur in Oasis Valley and the Amargosa Desert, discharging 2.7 and 28.8 x 10{sup 6} m{sup 3}/yr, respectively. Groundwater mean ages range from 2700 years at Ash Meadows to 9200 years at Pahute Mesa, and represent minimum groundwater residence times. The reason these ages are "minimums" stems from the inability of the current DSC computer code to assign non-zero ages to underflow recharge amounts when in reality these waters may be many thousands of years old. Research is underway to circumvent this drawback. The DSC deuterium model has not been verified, primarily because it is quite different from conventional groundwater flow models; hence, comparisons are difficult. 34 refs., 6 figs., 7 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Nevada Univ., Reno, NV (United States). Desert Research Inst.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC08-85NV10384
- OSTI ID:
- 60197
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/NV/10384--16; ON: DE87012986
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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