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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Long-Term Hydrologic Monitoring Program: Project Gasbuggy Rio Arriba County, New Mexico

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6939004
The Gasbuggy site is located in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, approximately 55 air miles (88.6 kilometers) east of Farmington, New Mexico. The Gasbuggy device with a yield of 29 kilotons, was detonated December 10, 1967. It was the first US underground nuclear experiment for the stimulation of low-productive natural gas reservoirs. The purpose of the Long-Term Hydrologic Monitoring Program at the Gasbuggy site is to obtain data that will assure the public safety; inform the public, the news media, and the scientific community relative to radiological contamination; and to document compliance with federal, state, and local antipollution requirements. The Gasbuggy site geographical setting, climate, geology, and hydrology are described. Site history, including Gasbuggy event information and Gasbuggy monitoring by the US Public Health is described. Site cleanup activities conducted in 1978 are described. Postoperational surveys indicate that the Gasbuggy site is well below the established decontamination criteria and that no hazard exists or will likely occur during public use of the land surface of the Gasbuggy site.
Research Organization:
USDOE Nevada Operations Office, Las Vegas. Health Physics Div.
OSTI ID:
6939004
Report Number(s):
NVO-277; ON: DE87003610
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English