Identification of candidate sites suitable for a geologic repository in basalt within Hanford

Technical Report · Thu Jan 31 23:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:7068351

The Basalt Waste Isolation Project (BWIP), under contract with the US Department of Energy, is charged with examining the feasibility of disposing of nuclear waste in a deep repository in basalt beneath the Hanford Site. One of the major tasks of the BWIP consists of identifying a site within Hanford which may be suitable for a nuclear waste repository. The site identification effort started in 1978 with geologic and hydrologic reconnaissance studies. The work will be completed with identification and characterization of the site considered suitable for a repository. The Detailed Site Characterization Report will provide a detailed description of site conditions and describe how the site satisfies the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission criteria for nuclear waste repositories. The site identification process to date has involved the following steps: development of guidelines and decision theory; assemblage and cataloging of existing data; screening of the data using a structured process; identification of site localities; and identification of an initial seven candidate sites. The first four steps are reported elsewhere. Step 5 is the subject of this report. Guidelines for screening were developed based on an analysis of existing and proposed regulations. The guidelines were designed to be sufficiently restrictive to provide a sorting mechanism. Seven contiguous candidate sites have been identified within the Hanford Site. Collectively, these sites encompass a 70-square-mile portion of the Cold Creek syncline. The candidate sites within the Cold Creek syncline satisfy the BWIP screening considerations. The critical criteria in the selection were the geologic and hydrologic considerations. Information gathered to date has not shown any major impediment to siting a geologic repository within the Cold Creek syncline.

• Research Organization: Rockwell International Corp., Richland, WA (USA). Rockwell Hanford Operations
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-77RL01030
• OSTI ID: 7068351
• Report Number(s): RHO-BWI-LD-24
• 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
BASALT
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HANFORD RESERVATION
IGNEOUS ROCKS
MANAGEMENT
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
ROCKS
SCREENING
SITE SELECTION
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
VOLCANIC ROCKS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT