Compilation and preliminary interpretation of hydrologic data for the Weldon Spring radioactive waste-disposal sites, St. Charles County, Missouri - A progress report

Book · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6700246

Kleeschulte, M J; Emmett, L F

From 1957 to 1966 the plant converted uranium-ore concentrates and recycles scrap to pure uranium trioxide, uranium tetrafluoride, and uranium metal. Residues from these operations were pumped to four large pits that had been excavated near the plant. Small springs and losing streams are present in the area. Water overlying the residue in the pits has a large concentration of dissolved solids and a different chemical composition compared to the native groundwater and surface water. This difference is indicated by the concentrations of calcium, sodium, sulfate, nitrate, fluoride, uranium, radium, lithium, molybdenum, strontium, and vanadium, all of which are greater than natural or background concentrations. Water from Burgermeister Spring, located about 1.5 miles north of the chemical plant area, contains uranium and nitrate concentrations greater than background concentrations. Groundwater in the shallow bedrock aquifer moves northward from the vicinity of the chemical plant toward Dardenne Creek. An abandoned limestone quarry several miles southwest of the chemical plant also has been used for the disposal of radioactive waste and rubble. Groundwater flow from the quarry area is southward through the alluvium, away from the quarry and toward the Missouri River. Water from a well 4,000 ft southeast of the quarry was analyzed; there was no indication of contamination from the quarry. Additional water quality and water level data are needed to determine if water from the quarry moves toward the well field. 24 refs., 14 figs., 14 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6700246
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540330* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ACTINIDES
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
AQUIFERS
CALCIUM
CONTAMINATION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FEDERAL REGION VII
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
GROUND WATER
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LITHIUM
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
METALS
MISSOURI
MOLYBDENUM
MONITORING
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIUM
SODIUM
STRONTIUM
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
URANIUM
USA
VANADIUM
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER
WATER POLLUTION