Sediment and radionuclide transport in rivers: radionuclide transport modeling for Cattaraugus and Buttermilk Creeks, New York
SERATRA, a transient, two-dimensional (laterally-averaged) computer model of sediment-contaminant transport in rivers, satisfactorily resolved the distribution of sediment and radionuclide concentrations in the Cattaraugus Creek stream system in New York. By modeling the physical processes of advection, diffusion, erosion, deposition, and bed armoring, SERATRA routed three sediment size fractions, including cohesive soils, to simulate three dynamic flow events. In conjunction with the sediment transport, SERATRA computed radionuclide levels in dissolved, suspended sediment, and bed sediment forms for four radionuclides (/sup 137/Cs, /sup 90/Sr, /sup 239/ /sup 240/Pu, and /sup 3/H). By accounting for time-dependent sediment-radionuclide interaction in the water column and bed, SERATA is a physically explicit model of radionuclide fate and migration. Sediment and radionuclide concentrations calculated by SERATA in the Cattaraugus Creek stream system are in reasonable agreement with measured values. SERATRA is in the field performance phase of an extensive testing program designed to establish the utility of the model as a site assessment tool. The model handles not only radionuclides but other contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals and other toxic chemicals. Now that the model has been applied to four field sites, including the latest study of the Cattaraugus Creek stream system, it is recommended that a final model be validated through comparison of predicted results with field data from a carefully controlled tracer test at a field site. It is also recommended that a detailed laboratory flume be tested to study cohesive sediment transport, deposition, and erosion characteristics. The lack of current understanding of these characteristics is one of the weakest areas hindering the accurate assessment of the migration of radionuclides sorbed by fine sediments of silt and clay.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 6857931
- Report Number(s):
- NUREG/CR-2425; PNL-4111; ON: DE83005005
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Mf only; illegibility does not permit PC reproduction
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Sediment and radionuclide transport in rivers. Phase I: field sampling program during mean flow Cattaraugus and Buttermilk Creeks, New York
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Related Subjects
CESIUM 137
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
COMPUTER CODES
S CODES
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM 240
SEDIMENTS
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
STRONTIUM 90
TRITIUM
ADVECTION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DEPOSITION
DIFFUSION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EROSION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HYDROLOGY
MASS BALANCE
METALS
NEW YORK
PESTICIDES
RADIATION MONITORING
SOILS
STREAMS
TESTING
TOXIC MATERIALS
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CESIUM ISOTOPES
DATA
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FEDERAL REGION II
HEAVY NUCLEI
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
INFORMATION
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIOISOTOPES
STRONTIUM ISOTOPES
SURFACE WATERS
USA
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
520300* - Environment
Aquatic- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (1989)