Characterization of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity at the Hanford Site
This report details some recent field measurements and compares predicted and measured values of hydraulic conductivities for three locations at the Hanford Site. Measurements from small (6-cm-dia) /open quotes/point/close quotes/ and large (2-m by 2-m) /open quotes/plot/close quotes/ areas utilized inflitration and drainage techniques to obtain in situ data for field-saturated and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity. The Guelph permeameter was used for point sampling, and the unsteady drainage-flux method was used on plots for field-saturated and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity measurements. Steady-state techniques were used to measure unsaturated hydraulic conductivities in small columns in the laboratory for one of the three soils tested to provide a comparison with data obtained from the field. Measured unsaturated hydraulic conductivities and those predicted from particle-size distribution and bulk density data agree within one-half to one and one-half orders of magnitude, depending on soil type. To use a particle-size distribution to estimate water retention characteristics and, subsequently, to predict unsaturated hydraulic conductivities, measurements of water-retention characteristics are necessary to determine a parameter value used in one of the models. No single method for measuring or calculating unsaturated hydraulic conductivities was found appropriate for all Hanford Site soils. Ideally, several methods should be used to take advantage of the strengths of each method, considering the data needs and resources available. 45 refs., 24 figs., 19 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 6970088
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-6488; ON: DE88014687
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
GROUND WATER
FLOW RATE
HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY
FIELD TESTS
HANFORD RESERVATION
HYDROLOGY
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
WATER SATURATION
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SATURATION
TESTING
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WATER
580100* - Geology & Hydrology- (-1989)
520500 - Environment
Aquatic- Site Resource & Use Studies- (-1989)