Streamflow losses and ground-water level changes along the Big Lost River at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho

Book · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6942628

Bennett, C M ^[1]

---

1. Geological Survey, Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

The Big Lost flows onto the eastern Snake River Plain near Arco, Idaho, and across the INEL. Stream-flow recharges the Snake River Plain aquifer from the Big Lost River channel, the INEL spreading areas, and playas at the river terminus. Average annual streamflow for the Big Lost River from 1965 to 1987 above the INEL diversion was 104,436 acre-ft; about 50% of this flow was diverted to the INEL spreading areas, about 9% infiltrated between the INEL diversion and Lincoln Boulevard, and the remainder infiltrated below Lincoln Boulevard or flowed into playas. Streamflow losses to evapotranspiration were minor compared to infiltration losses. Infiltration loss was estimated along the 44 river miles from Arco to playa 1 at discharges ranging from 37 to 372 cu ft/sec. At discharges less than 100 cu ft/sec, loss from Arco to the Big Lost River Sinks was 1 to 4 cu ft/sec/mile. Loss from the sinks to playa 1 ranged from 7 to 12 cu ft/sec/mile. Infiltration loss was greatest at large discharges. At a discharge of 372 cu ft/sec, a loss of 28 cu ft/sec/mi was estimated in the area of the Big Lost River is substantial immediately southwest of the Radioactive Waste Management Complex and in the area form the Naval Reactor Facility to playas 1 and 2.

• DOE Contract Number: AI07-81ID12306
• OSTI ID: 6942628
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540330 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
CONTAMINATION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EVAPORATION
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLOGY
IDAHO NATIONAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY
LOSSES
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RIVERS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
TRANSPIRATION
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WATER