Baseline risk assessment of the perched water system at the INEL test reactor area

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)

OSTI ID:7129227

Gordon, J W; Sinton, P O ^[1]; Jensen, N ^[2]; McCormick, S ^[3]

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1. Dames Moore, Denver, CO (United States)
2. DOE, Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
3. Idaho National Engineering Lab., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

A baseline health risk assessment (HRA) was prepared to evaluate potential risks to human health and the environment posed by the Perched Water System (PWS) at the Test Reactor Area (TRA). The PWS has been designated Operable Unit 2-12, one of the 13 operable units identified at TRA. During the period from 1962 to 1990, a total of 6770 million gal of water were discharged from the TRA to unlined surface ponds. Wastewater discharged to the surface ponds at TRA percolates downward through the surficial alluvium and the underlying basalt bedrock. A resulting shallow perched water zone has formed at the interface between the surficial sediments and the underlying basalt. Further downward movement of groundwater is again impeded by a low-permeability layer of silt, clay, and sand encountered at a depth of [approximately]150 ft. The deep perched water zone occurs on top of this low-permeability interbed. An evaluation was made as to whether potential risks for the PWS could justify implementing a remedial action. The risk evaluation consisted of two parts, the human health evaluation and the ecological evaluation.

• OSTI ID: 7129227
• Report Number(s): CONF-931160--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States) Journal Volume: 69
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220500 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Environmental Aspects
220600* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors
DOSES
ENVIRONMENT
GROUND DISPOSAL
HUMAN POPULATIONS
IDAHO NATIONAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY
LIQUID WASTES
MANAGEMENT
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
POPULATIONS
PROCESSING
RADIATION DOSES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
RISK ASSESSMENT
TEST REACTORS
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES