Soil moisture transport in arid site vadose zones. [Evaluation of Hanford as national site for radioactive waste storage]

Technical Report · Tue Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1975

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7282680· OSTI ID:7282680

Brownell, L. E.; Backer, J. G.; Isaacson, R. E.; Brown, D. J.

Data are presented from measurements of soil moisture at the Hanford Reservation. Possible mechanisms for moisture transport in arid and semi-arid climates were studied. Measurements for the lysimeter experiment and the thermocouple psychrometer experiment were continued with a new series of measurements using closely spaced sensors installed to a depth of 1.52 meters. During the 1973-1974 water year the percolation envelope of higher moisture content penetrated to a depth of four meters in the closed-bottom lysimeter and then was eliminated by upward transport of water in late summer. Precipitation during the 1973-1974 water year percolated to a depth of about six meters in the open-bottom lysimeter and remains as a residual perched envelope. The increase over normal percolation was due in part to a residual envelope of higher moisture content from the previous water year. Results obtained indicate the advantages of Hanford as a site for a national repository for radioactive waste. (CH)

• Research Organization: Atlantic Richfield Hanford Co., Richland, Wash. (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: E(45-1)-2130
• OSTI ID: 7282680
• Report Number(s): ARH-ST-123
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510300* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
510500 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ARID LANDS
DEPTH
DESERTS
DIMENSIONS
GEOLOGY
HAPO
HYDROLOGY
MANAGEMENT
MEASURING METHODS
MOISTURE
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
PERMEABILITY
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SITE SELECTION
SOILS
STORAGE
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
US AEC
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE STORAGE
WASTES