Nevada National Security Site (NNSS)
A large, geographically diverse outdoor laboratory, the NNSS is a preferred testing ground for National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) defense programs as well as many other research and development efforts.
• Big - 1,360 square miles • Secure - Access to the site is controlled • Remote - Surrounded by federally owned land
NNSS Programsrams Defense Experimentation and Stockpile Stewardship A primary mission of the NNSS is to help ensure that the nation’s nuclear weapons remain safe, secure, and reliable. The Stockpile Stewardship program conducts a wide range of experiments using advanced diagnostic technologies, many of which were developedp at the NNSS. • Device Assembly Facility • Nuclear Criticality Experiments Research Center • U1a Complex • Joint Actinide Shock Physics Experimental Research • Big Explosives Experimental Facility • Dense Plasma Focus
For further NNSS information contact: Office of Public Affairs NNSA Nevada Site Office (702) 295-3521 [email protected] www.nv.energy.gov
Log No. 2012-193 Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) NNSS Programs Homeland Security and Defense Applications Aerial Radiation Measurement Homeland Security and Defense Applications personnel are the nation’s experts trained in detecting and locating “dirty bombs,” “loose nukes,” and radiological sources. They train and enable our nation’s first responders who would be among the first to confront a radiological or nuclear emergency. • Remote Sensing Laboratory • Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center • T-1 Training Area • Nonproliferation Test and Evaluation Complex • Radiological/Nuclear Countermeasures Test and Evaluation Complex Plume Mapping
National Center for Nuclear Security
As the United States embarks on a new era of First Responder Training arms control, the tools for treaty verification must be more accurate and reliable and must work at stand-off distances. The National Center for Nuclear Security is poised to become the proving grounds for these technologies.
Environmental Management The Environmental Management Program addresses the environmental legacy from historic nuclear weapons- related activities, while ensuring the health and safety of workers, the public, and the environment. • Environmental Restoration • Waste Management
Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal
For further NNSS information contact: Office of Public Affairs NNSA Nevada Site Office (702) 295-3521 [email protected] www.nv.energy.gov
Log No. 2012-193 Why is there a Groundwater Program at the Nevada National Security Site? Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) Background • Black dots indicate locations of • Historically used for nuclear research, development and historic underground nuclear testing testing • Currently used for national security programs and other research and development efforts Historic Nuclear Testing Impacts on the Groundwater • 828 underground nuclear tests conducted from 1951 to 1992 at NNSS • Underground tests conducted at depths ranging from approximately 90 to 4,800 feet below the ground surface • One-third of these tests occurred near, below, or in the water table • Some radioactive contamination detected in groundwater on the NNSS NNSS Groundwater Program NNSS complex geology and hydrology presents unusual challenges for identifying predominant flow paths and forecasting extent of long-term contaminant transport. Groundwater program objectives: • Tackle challenges using investigative methods, such as drilling wells to investigate the hydrology and geology • Sample wells, analyze samples, and build computer models from gathered data • Implement controls to prevent access to contaminated groundwater • Ongoing monitoring of wells on and off the NNSS • Establish a comprehensive long-term monitoring The NNSS is a large (1,360 square miles), secure, remote, and geographically network to ensure public protection diverse outdoor laboratory surrounded by federally-owned land Understanding Groundwater... an Integrated Approach
Protection The Nevada Site Office groundwater program works in accordance with regulations that protect public health, water resources and the environment.
Drilling Sampling • Wells drilled to access Protection • Identifies constituents in groundwater and the groundwater and provides surrounding geology data for computer models • To date, 60 wells Drilling • Approximately 100 wells, drilled by springs, and surface waters Groundwater sampled each year Program Monitoring Sampling
Modeling Monitoring Modeling
• Part of a continuous Communication • Computerized tool for early detection visualizing the subsurface system environment • Results reported • Initial computer models annually in the Communications (groundwater flow and Environmental Stakeholders stay informed and involved through the following: radionuclide transport) Report generated for historic • Ongoing and timely documents, news releases, outreach events, underground test online publications and social media areas • Public Meetings
• Nevada Site Specific Advisory Board
Log No. 2012-190 Nevada National Security Site Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order* Groundwater Strategy
Value of Information Prepare/Addend CAIP C Analysis A 1 I CAIP Approval NDEP - State of Nevada Division No P NDEP Decision of Environmental Protection Yes NNSA/NSO - U.S. Department of Evaluate Existing/ Collect New NDEP CAIP Develop Energy, National Nuclear Security New Data Data Addendum Approval CAIP Addendum Administration Nevada Site Office NDEP Daaata Review and Approval Data Completeness No AiliDtAuxiliary Data NDEP Decision CAU - Corrective Action Unit: Assessment group of sites under investigation. Yes NDEP CAU Model DlCAUFlDevelop CAU Flow There are five CAUs within Joint NDEP & RiReview and dIt Input and Transport Model Underground Test Area (UGTA) NNSA/NSO Decision activities
C 2 NNSA/NSO 3 Are the Evaluates CAIP - Corrective Action A Joint NDEP & Model Results and Model and Data IthSttIs the Strategy Yes NNSA/NSO Decision No Investigation Plan: looks at I DtData Ad equa t?te? NdNeeds Achievable? existing information from the
weapons testing program, the Yes No regional flow model, and Peer Re vie w one-dimensional transport simulations to determine the best 4 options for site characterization Is the CAU Model and prioritization Acceptable for No Propose New CADD/CAP Studies? Strategy NDEP Decision CAI - Corrective Action Yes Investigation: uses the Negotiate and Identify CAU Negotiate RltBdObjtiRegulatory Boundary Objectives information from the CAIP stage with NDEP to develop CAU-specific models of Negotiate and Identify Initial flow and transport, taking the Use Restriction Boundaries uncertainty of each specific Prepare/Addend CADD/CAP hydrogeologic setting into Develop New account--these models are then Stra tegy used to forecast contaminant C 5 CADD/CAP Approval A No boundaries for 1,000 years NDEP Decision D Yes CADD/CAP - Corrective Action D Execute New Decision Document/Corrective Start or Continue Data Collection Strategy Action Plan: includes developing C A Model Evaluation and/or and negotiating an initial Refinement compliance boundary, developing P monitoring programs for model 6 testing and closure, and Is CAU Model AtblfCl?Acceptable for Closure? No identifying institutional controls NDEP Decision Yes CR - Closure Report: involves 7 negotiating the final compliance RiRevise CtContam inan t Joint NDEP & Are Revised Contaminant Yes Boundaries boundary for CAU closure; NNSA/NSO Deci s ion Boundaries Required? developing a closure report, which No must be approved by NDEP; and Negotiate and Establish CAU developing and initiating a RltBdRegulatory Boundary
long-term closure monitoring NtitdEtblihNegotiate and Establish program Use Restriction Boundaries
Prepare/Addend CR
8 *Legally-binding agreement between No CR Approval NDEP Decision C the State of Nevada; Yes R U.S. Department of Energy, Implement Long-Term Closure Monitoring Joint NDEP and Environmental Management; Transition to Long-Term Stewardship NNSA/NSO Decision U.S. Department of Defense; and Continue Monitoring Program NDEP/Stewardship U.S. Department of Energy, Periodic Evaluations RiReview Yes 9 Legacy Management. Feasibility of Is the Corrective Action Yes No Monitoring/Model No Decision Working? Refinements NDEP Decision
Decision point
Log No. 2012-192 Protection
Drilling
Monitoring Sampling
Modeling
Communication Wells & Drilling
Aquifers vs. Confining Units
The complex geologic features of the Why Do We Drill? Nevada National Security Site include:
• Aquifer - Unit through which water moves. • Drilling and developing/testing • Confining unit (also referred to as an “aquitard”) - Unit that generally is impermeable to water movement. • More than 300 different geologic units • The rocks of the Nevada National Security Site are categorized according to their hydrologic properties (e.g., aquifer representing more than 500 million years wells provides access to the or confining unit). • These units are then grouped into larger hydrostratigraphic units (colored layers on the cross sections). These of geologic history complex subsurface for hydrostratigraphic units together with faults, form the three-dimensional Hydrostratigraphic Framework Models. • At least seven Tertiary*-age calderas sampling (i.e., large volcanic depressions) • Mesozoic*-age thrust faults and folds • Gives access to groundwater (relatively “old”) - due to compression • Basin-and-range normal faults (relatively and surrounding geology “young”) - due to extension • Granite rising through highly deformed • Provides multiple/ongoing sedimentary rocks opportunities to sample and • Several deep (up to a mile) alluvial-filled monitor basins • Cross Sections - Vertical slices through the Hydrostratigraphic Framework Models showing arrangement of * Tertiary Period (dates from 65 to 1.8 years ago). Virtually all major existing mountain ranges were formed during this period. hydrostratigraphic units below ground level and inside the models. • In addition to recent groundwater studies, the Underground Test Area team is tapping into, and expanding upon, * Mesozoic Era (date from around 250 to 65 million years ago). this era marks the approximately 50 years of groundwater research beginning of land animals and plants.
Log No. 2012-189 Why Do We Drill? • Drilling and developing/testing wells provides access to the complex subsurface for sampling
• Provides access to groundwater and surrounding geology
• Provides multiple/ongoing opportunities to sample and monitor
Log No. 2012-189 Aquifers vs. Confining Units
• Aquifer - Unit through which water moves. • Confining unit (also referred to as an “aquitard”) - Unit that generally is impermeable to water movement. • The rocks of the Nevada National Security Site are categorized according to their hydrologic properties (e.g., aquifer or confining unit). • These units are then grouped into larger hydrostratigraphic units (colored layers on the cross sections). These hydrostratigraphic units together with faults, form the three-dimensional Hydrostratigraphic Framework Models.
• Cross Sections - Vertical slices through the Hydrostratigraphic Framework Models showing arrangement of hydrostratigraphic units below ground level and inside the models. • In addition to recent groundwater studies, the Underground Test Area team is tapping into, and expanding upon, approximately 50 years of groundwater research
Log No. 2012-189 The complex geologic features of the Nevada National Security Site include:
• More than 300 different geologic units representing more than 500 million years of geologic history • At least seven Tertiary*-age calderas (i.e., large volcanic depressions) • Mesozoic*-age thrust faults and folds (relatively “old”) - due to compression • Basin-and-range normal faults (relatively “young”) - due to extension • Granite rising through highly deformed sedimentary rocks • Several deep (up to a mile) alluvial-filled basins
* Tertiary Period (dates from 65 to 1.8 million years ago). Virtually all major existing mountain ranges were formed during this period.
* Mesozoic Era (date from around 250 to 65 million years ago). This era marks the beginning of land animals and plants.
Log No. 2012-189 Protection
Drilling
Monitoring Sampling Modeling Sampling & Analysis
Communication Sampling for Regulatory Compliance • Samples collected from springs/surface waters and groundwater wells Obtaining Information from - More than 60 locations on and off the Well Sampling Nevada National Security Site Why Do We Sample? - Frequency ranges from every three months to every three years • Water and rock cuttings/core collected • Identify the natural conditions of - Frequency partially dictated by proximity - Aquifer specific samples groundwater and geology in the to a contaminated aquifer • Samples analyzed for tritium, gross alpha - Depth discrete samples (various zones subsurface, and constituents and beta activity, gamma-emitting within an aquifer) introduced by nuclear testing radionuclides, plutonium, carbon-14, strontium-90, and technetium • Samples used and analyzed by several • Acquire data used as building organizations, such as the Desert Research blocks for computer models • Analysis results used to monitor Institute and the U.S. Geological Survey radionuclide concentrations for comparison • Obtain laboratory results for to those set by state and federal • Analysis of samples includes identifying regulations, and U.S. Department of Energy the presence of dissolved metals, tritium, regulatory compliance, directives carbon-14, strontium-90, technetium, stakeholder iodine-129, and plutonium communications, and - Safe Drinking Water Act additional subsurface - Clean Water Act • Analysis results used as input for groundwater flow and transport modeling investigations - Radiation Protection of the Public and the
Log No. 2012-196 Environment - A Graded Approach for Evaluating Radiation Log No. 2012-196 Doses to Aquatic and Terrestrial Biota
Log No. 2012-196 Obtaining Information from Well Sampling
• Water and rock cuttings/core collected
- Aquifer specific samples
- Depth discrete samples (various zones within an aquifer)
• Samples used and analyzed by several organizations, such as the Desert Research Institute and the U.S. Geological Survey
• Analysis of samples includes identifying the presence of dissolved metals, tritium, carbon-14, strontium-90, technetium, iodine-129, and plutonium
• Analysis results used as input for groundwater flow and transport modeling
Log No. 2012-196 Why Do We Sample?
• Identify the natural conditions of groundwater and geology in the subsurface, and constituents introduced by nuclear testing
• Acquire data used as building blocks for computer models
• Obtain laboratory results for regulatory compliance, stakeholder communications, and additional subsurface investigations
Log No. 2012-196 Sampling for Regulatory Compliance • Samples collected from springs/surface waters and groundwater wells - More than 60 locations on and off the Nevada National Security Site - Frequency ranges from every three months to every three years - Frequency partially dictated by proximity to a contaminated aquifer • Samples analyzed for tritium, gross alpha and beta activity, gamma-emitting radionuclides, plutonium, carbon-14, strontium-90, and technetium
• Analysis results used to monitor radionuclide concentrations for comparison to those set by state and federal regulations, and U.S. Department of Energy directives - Safe Drinking Water Act - Clean Water Act - Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment - A Graded Approach for Evaluating Radiation Doses to Aquatic and Terrestrial Biota
Log No. 2012-196 Protection Drilling Monitoring Monitoring Sampling
Modeling
Communication
More than 60 wells, springs, and surface In addition to Nevada Site Office water locations are regularly monitored Why Do We Monitor? monitoring efforts, the Community on and off the Nevada National Security Environmental Monitoring Program Site. Results at these Routine (CEMP) performs independent, annual Radiological Environmental • Helps protect the public by monitoring at 29 springs and water Monitoring Program (RREMP) locations providing a system of supplies in communities surrounding are used to identify trends and verify continuous detection the Nevada National Security Site. compliance with verify compliance with regulatory standards. • Provides baseline to establish NEVADA UTAH Break-out percentages of monitoring locations used in existing conditions Duckwater Ely Delta RREMP Program (locations monitored at different intervals). Twin Springs
Warm Springs Summit Garden Valley ContainmentPondSystem OffsiteNonͲPotableMonitoring Nyala Milford 2% Stone Cabin Wells CALIFORNIA Tonopah NNSSMonitoringWells 18% Goldfield Pioche 31% Rachel Cedar City Sarcobatus Flat Medlin’s Ranch Caliente Nevada National Alamo Saint George Security Site Beatty Mesquite Overton ARIZONA Amargosa Valley Indian Springs Pahrump Las Vegas Boulder City Tecopa CEMP also operates 29 Henderson radiation/air monitoring
NNSSInactiveWaterWells stations located in communities 1% and on ranches near the Nevada NNSSNonͲPotableWaterWells OffsitePrivate/CommunityDrinking 5% WaterWells National Security Site, and 24% NNSSPermittedDrinkingWater provides a hands-on role in the Wells 8% OffsiteSprings/SurfaceWaters monitoring process for 11% members of the community. More than 60 wells, springs, and surface water locations are regularly monitored on and off the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). Results at these Routine Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program (RREMP) locations are used to identify trends and verify compliance with regulatory standards.
Break-out percentages ofof monitoring locations used in RREMP PProgram (locations (l i monitored i d at different diff intervals). i l )
ContainmentPondSystem OffsiteNonͲPotableMonitoring 2% Wells NNSSMonitoringWells 18% 31%
NNSSInactiveWaterWells 1% NNSSNonͲPotableWaterWells OffsitePrivate/CommunityDrinking 5% WaterWells 24% NNSSPermittedDrinkingWater Wells 8% OffsiteSprings/SurfaceWaters 11%
Log No. 2012-184 Why Do We Monitor?
• Helps protect the public by providing a system of continuous detection
• Provides baseline to establish existing conditions
Log No. 2012-184 In addition to Nevada Site Office monitoring efforts, the Community Environmental Monitoring Program (CEMP) performs independent, annual monitoring at 29 springs and water supplies in communities surrounding the Nevada National Security Site.
NEVADA UTAH
Duckwater Ely Delta Twin Springs
Warm Springs Summit Garden Valley Milford Stone Cabin Nyala CALIFORNIA Tonopah Goldfield Pioche Rachel Cedar City Sarcobatus Flat Medlin’s Ranch Caliente Nevada National Alamo Saint George Security Site Beatty Mesquite Overton Amargosa Valley Indian Springs ARIZONA Pahrump Las Vegas Boulder City Tecopa Henderson CEMP also operates 29 radiation/air monitoring stations located in communities and on ranches near the Nevada National Security Site, and provides a hands-on role in the monitoring process for members of the community.
Log No. 2012-184 Protection
Drilling
Monitoring Sampling
Modeling
Communication Modeling
Hydrostratigraphic Resource Allocation Geologic setting of Frenchman Flat Model of Why Do We Model? Death Valley Regional Groundwater Frenchman Flat Flow System (DVRFS) Model • Creates 3-dimensional visual • U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) representations of otherwise contributes funding inaccessible subsurface • DOE provides data, • Tool that helps forecast where collected on and off contamination is moving and the Nevada National Security Site, to be how fast inserted into the U.S.
º811 º711 º611 º511 n o White Abbreviations y ey l n l a e River t a C r V Geological Survey’s Stone Valley AF = Amargosa Farms s in Dese d ang Ba Cabin R Garden AM = Ash Meadows reat oa G r l Tonopah Nye Co Valley Reveille i Valley BB = Busted Butte 38º a Quinn Coal R BM = Bare Mountain Valley Valley CF = Crater Flat
Esmeralda Co 4200000 Cactus DVNP=Death Valley e Flat National Park DVRFS model ang Hills C K EM = Eagle Mountain R a a • Provides flexibility for c w FC = Fluorspar Canyon t e u ich Penoyer s te Mt. Irish Stonewall u FMC = Fortymile Canyon R Valley h ng
ezuma a R e a F t Flat n Kawich mpa FW = Fortymile Wash ang i PV R ish Lake g T ang R East on e Valley o GWR = Greenwater Range e k i
M e Stonewall e Palmetto Mts P H IH = Ibex Hills V ahranagat P all ang Mtn ahran = Jackass Flats R JF e Gold ang
y 4150000 R Emigrant Magruder m MM = Mt. Montgomery, L Mt. Helen Flat Tikaboo as o Mtn ed agat Valley o Montgomery Mountains t t Ch r Valley E e G MP = Mormon Point u ut R r ah Bel incorporating evolving data e an P a e ang R Black Halfpint = Mesquite Mountains k es ang MQM a c M
V e Gold Mtn e = Pahranagat Valley a Sa Rainier ang PV R R e ll ang r Lincoln Co ey Mtn c Mesa Yucca RSR = Resting Spring Range o F ba e l Flat R RV = Rock Valley Grapevine a Timber Dese t tu ang s EleanaMine Mtn SH/LSM = Striped Hills/ g Mtn Desert e 37º o Oasis r Little Skull Mtn
r 4100000 lf s t Valley Shoshone Mtn ange Mt ill Valley FMC R SPH = Sperry Hills ul R ang s B H FC Calico SR = Specter Range er • Water allocation for C YM e n t e o Amar Beatty Hills g STV = Stewart Valley Saline t BM n ma t CFC h an wa o JF R t SV = Shadow Valley
n I gosaF BBBB lat n n uneral enc F i e y w De r ed YM = Yucca Mountain P g o Mt V Ama F tt all o Skull MtM n FW a o e s ey a rgosa Dese RV r po R d t cu S M h Mt SH/LSM SR ry Mesquite s V t alle heep s S P Flat r Indian future resource anamint t Amargosa y 4050000 Tucki Furnace Flat Springs Owens Mtn Creek DVNP AF Devils Valley R Hole ange AM Spring Mt V MM Las a Alkali P Vegas P ll anamint R Flat Pahrump anamint STV s ange e Valley Bl Pahrump Charleston demands considers y GWRR ack Valley Peak G Clark Co r M ee
Vall n N 4000000 t Va RSR R wa o Mt Las s a l pa ley t n e e Vegas Sampling data helps modelers g 36º s r y MP h e Sierra Shoshone ChicagoC Inyo Co A Valley m IH California of groundwater effects Nevad a Indian Tecopa Owlshead rg Valley Mesquite Wells Mts o SPH Kingston Valley s Valley Searles a Range a ey l Valley SV MQM l Kern Co R a Quail Mts V i 3950000 ver Valjean develop subsurface maps, which Valley NE Avawatz CALIFORNI NE VADA anpah Grani v V pumping activities and I te Mts Silurian A CALIFORNI Mt Sh D Log No. 2012-198 MAP AREA M s Valley ad A Log No. 2012-198 o oj w A a v Mt e Dese Baker s A Soda Mts proposals 3900000 provide important details on r t 0 40 80 KILOMETERS San Bernardino Co 0 20 40 MILES 35º 450000 500000 550000 600000 650000 50,000-meter grid based on Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 11. Shaded-relief base from 1:250,000-scale Digital Elevation Model; sun illumination from northwest at 30 degrees above horizon geologic features affecting EXPLANATION
system model boundary model boundary (IT Corporation, 1996a) Prepumping Death Valley regional ground-water Nevada Test Site boundary Desert boundary groundwater flowpaths. boundary (D'Agnese and others, 1997) Populated location
Log No. 2012-198 Log No. 2012-198 Hydrostratigraphic Model of Frenchman Flat
Sampling data helps modelers develop subsurface maps, which provide important details on geologic features affecting groundwater flowpaths.
Log No. 2012-198 Why Do We Model? • Creates 3-dimensional representations of otherwise inaccessible subsurface
• Tool that helps forecast where contamination is moving and how fast
• Provides flexibility for integrating available data
• Provides basis for regulatory compliance and risk decisions
Log No. 2012-198 Geologic setting of Frenchman Flat
Log No. 2012-198 Resource Allocation Death Valley Regional Groundwater Flow System (DVRFS) Model
• U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) contributes funding
• DOE provides data, collected on and off the Nevada National Security Site, to be inserted into the U.S.
º811 º711 º611 º511 White Abbreviations yon River Geological Survey’s Stone Valley AF = Amargosa Farms sin Desert d Valley Cabin a Garden AM = Ash Meadows Great Ba o lr Tonopah Nye Co Valley Reveille RangeValley BB = Busted Butte 38º Quinn Can Coal Rai BM = Bare Mountain Valley Valley CF = Crater Flat
Esmeralda Co 4200000 Cactus DVNP=Death Valley e Flat National Park DVRFS model Hills Ca K EM = Eagle Mountain Rang awich ct FC = Fluorspar Canyon us Ran Penoyer Mt. Irish e Stonewall FMC = Fortymile Canyon Valley ahute ng Fish Lake Flat Ran Kawich e a FW = Fortymile Wash g Timp ang PV e Valley R East P = Greenwater Range g GWR
Montezuma iko R Stonewall e IH = Ibex Hills V Palmetto Mts Pahranagat H alle Mtn ahranagat R JF = Jackass Flats Range Gold ange
y 4150000 Magruder Mt. Helen Flat Emigrant Tikaboo MM = Mt. Montgomery, Las Mtn Valley ted R oom Montgomery Mountains r Valley t Ch Eurek te G MP = Mormon Point Bel Range ance Range Black Pahu a Halfpint ange MQM = Mesquite Mountains a Val Gold Mtn Mes Sar Rainier ange PV = Pahranagat Valley ley Mtn Lincoln Co co Mesa Yucca RSR = Resting Spring Range Flat bat Flat Range RV = Rock Valley Grapevine Timber Dese u s EleanaMine R Mtn SH/LSM = Striped Hills/ g Mtn e Desert 37º Oasis rt Little Skull Mtn lfro Valley 4100000 Shoshone Mtn ang Mts ills Valley FMC R SPH = Sperry Hills R ange Bul H FC Calico SR = Specter Range • Water allocation for Cot YM n ter Ama Beatty Hills STV = Stewart Valley Saline BM n ma t CFC ange o SV = Shadow Valley rgosa JF t R Inyo Mts nwood Funeral BBBB Deat Fla ed intwa YM = Yucca Mountain V Amar French t P all FW Skull MtM ey Mts RV ercur pot gosa Dese S
M h SH/LSM Mesquite SR y Valle
t
s Sheep Range P Flat Indian anamint r Amargosa future resource t y 4050000 Tucki Furnace Mtn Flat Springs Owens Creek DVNP AF Devils Valley R Hole ange AM Spring Mt V MM Las a Alkali P Vegas Panamint Mts lley anamint Flat Pahrump R STV ange s Charleston Valley demands considers Black Mt Pahrump GWRR G Valley Peak Clark Co reen
N Valley 4000000 Vall wa RSR R o Las s a p ey t nge er a Vegas 36º MP h Sierra Nevada Shoshone ChicagoC Inyo Co A Valley m California effectsof groundwater a IH Indian r Tecopa Owlshead g Valley Mesquite Wells Mts o SPH Kingston Valley s Valley Searles a Range SV Valley R MQM Kern Co Valley Quail Mts
i 3950000 ver Valjean N Avawatz Valley CALIFORNIAEVAD NE VADA Granite pumping activities and Ivanpah Mts Silurian CALIFORNI Mts Sha MAP AREA Mojave Desert Valley d A ow Mts Baker A Soda Mts proposals 0 40 80 KILOMETERS 3900000 San Bernardino Co 0 20 40 MILES 35º 450000 500000 550000 600000 650000 50,000-meter grid based on Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 11. Shaded-relief base from 1:250,000-scale Digital Elevation Model; sun illumination from northwest at 30 degrees above horizon
EXPLANATION
system model boundary model boundary (IT Corporation, 1996a) Prepumping Death Valley regional ground-water Nevada Test Site boundary Desert boundary boundary (D'Agnese and others, 1997) Populated location
Log No. 2012-198 What We Know Today
• Groundwater affected by historic Nevada National Security Site activities has not reached public water sources
• Groundwater models are providing output that is key to enhancing current, and developing future monitoring strategies
• No forecasted threat to public
Log No. 2012-188
The Latest from the Field Well Development & Testing In 2012, well development and testing* activities completed at wells ER-EC-12 (upper and lower zone) and ER-EC-13 (upper zone)
Well ER-EC-12
Groundwater * Well ER-5-5 Characterization Wells Well ER-20-7 Above:Ab In September 2012, two Characterization well in Pahute new groundwater ** Mesa (2009). characterization wells Left: Model evaluation well under construction in in Frenchman Flat (2012). Pahute Mesa Model Evaluation Wells In August 2012, two model evaluation wells† (ER-5-5 and ER-11-2) drilled in Frenchman Flat
* well development and testing - the extensive preparation of a well prior to sampling ** groundwater characterization wells -provide samples that identify water chemistry, pressure levels, and temperature, as well as gauge the surrounding geology † model evaluation wells - used to test the soundness of computer model forecasts Log No. 2012-187 Communications Stakeholders stay informed and Protection involved through:
Drilling • Ongoing and timely documents, news releases, outreach events, Monitoring Sampling online publications and social media Modeling • The Nevada Site Specific Advisory Board, a volunteer citizens advisory Communication group
Nevada Site Specific Advisory Board
Operation Clean Desert
Outreach Publications (Fact sheets, EM News Flash, Websites)
Public Meetings
Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube)
Log No. 2012-194 Nevada Site Specific Advisory Board The Nevada Site Specific Advisory Board (NSSAB) is made up of southern Nevada residents and is federally chartered to provide recommendations to the Environmental Management Program at the Nevada National Security Site. In 2002, the U.S. Department of Energy asked the NSSAB to site the location of a groundwater well that could be used to gain data for the groundwater characterization activities. In 2006, after four years of extensive research, the NSSAB recommended three groundwater wells on and near Pahute Mesa. In 2009, the U.S. Department of Energy drilled well ER-20-7, which was one of the NSSAB’s recommended sites.
Current and past NSSAB members reside in Beatty, Amargosa Valley, Pahrump, and Las Vegas.
Nevada Site Specific Advisory Board members tour the drill site they recommended. Well ER-20-7 is located on Pahute Mesa at the Nevada National Security Site.
Nye County
Beatty ! Lincoln County Clark County CALIFORNIA Indian Springs A Nevada Site Specific Advisory Board NEVADA !
Pahrump Las Vegas meeting held in Las Vegas, Nevada ! ! ´
40482 mi
4048m2 k
Log No. 2012-183 Understanding Radioactive Impacts to the Groundwater at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS)
How it Happened... Answering the Questions... Stages of an Underground Nuclear Test • 43 radionuclides produced during nuclear tests considered a potential Groundwater Contamination risk, of which tritium, carbon, iodine, chlorine, technetium, plutonium, Questions cesium and strontium are dominant
Explosion Cavity Cavity Crater • Radionuclides reside in melt glass, underground rubble and in rocks Forms Collapses Forms • What are the contaminants of concern at the Nevada surrounding the cavity produced by the detonation of an National Security Site? underground nuclear device; when detonation occurred near or within groundwater, some radionuclides were released into and can • Am I affected by these contaminants? be transported with the groundwater • How is man-made radiation different from naturally- • Tritium is incorporated directly into the water molecule and can easily occurring radiation? First there is an underground explosion, and then the surrounding rock is vaporized; move in groundwater, making it a primary indicator of contaminant next, as the rock cools and seƩles to the boƩom of the cavity, the roof collapses into the cavity forming a depression on the surface, or a subsidence crater. transport; many of the longer-lived radionuclides, such as plutonium have limited solubility in groundwater and adsorb onto rock surfaces Potential Primary Exposure Pathways from NNSS Activities (Past and Present) • There is no public access to contaminated groundwater detected in wells on the NNSS and the surrounding federally-controlled land; these wells, and those down-gradient, are closely monitored to identify potential radionuclide migration to prevent public exposure Legacy Surface Land Disposal Contamination (Potential Groundwater Pathway) (Potential Inhalation Pathway) Monitoring Well Current Activities Historic (Potential Direct Pathway) Underground Nuclear Test (Potential Tritium Atom Groundwater Hydrogen Atom Pathway) Historic Underground Nuclear Test One proton One proton (Potential Tritium and Groundwater Pathway) + No neutrons + Two neutrons N N What it Means One electron - One electron - Bedrock Wildlife to You (Potential Ingestion Pathway)
• Tritium is a radioactive form (isotope) of hydrogen with a half-life of 12.3 years Depth to groundwater ranges from several hundred feet to more than 2,000 feet
SampleSample CompositeComposite Cross-Section Water Table • Like hydrogen, tritium can bond with oxygen to form tritiated water which is ofof the NNSS SurfaceSurface and chemically identical to normal water SubsurfaceSubsurface • Tritium primarily enters the body when people eat or drink water containing tritium
• Tritium emits a weak form of radiation (low-energy beta particle) that cannot Trinitite is penetrate deeply into tissue or travel far in air radioactive soil fused by the • Half of tritium is eliminated from the body about 10 days after exposure blast of heat from a historic • Tritium occurs in surface waters (such as Lake Mead) at 10 to 30 atmospheric picocuries per liter (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard nuclear test for safe drinking water is 20,000 picocuries per liter)
Log No. 2012-185 Radiation Exposure and You
• Average person receives approximately 320 mrem* of radiation per year from exposure to various naturally-occuring and man-made sources
• Medical procedures (such dental or chest x-rays) expose the average person to another 298 mrem (not illustrated below)
• Health effects (primarily cancer) have been demonstrated in humans at doses exceeding 5,000-10,000 mrem delivered at high dose rates; below this dose, estimation of adverse health effects is speculative
The Average Annual Dose of Radiation
Radon - 230 mrem • Gas produced by natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water • Migrates through porous areas like the ground and the foundation of your house
The Human Body - 31 mrem • Large portion of our radiation exposure comes from within our own bodies and the bodies of others near us • Potassium-40 and other radioactive isotopes found in the air, water and soil are incorporated into the food we eat, then into body tissue • Carbon-14, the same isotope used for carbon-dating in archaeology, is naturally-occurring in our bodies
YARDSTICK HERE YARDSTICK Cosmic - 30 mrem • High-energy gamma radiation that originates in outer space and filters through the Earth’s atmosphere in the form of rays such as sunlight • Cosmic radiation increases with altitude
Terrestrial - 19 mrem • Soil, rock, and clay are examples of material deposits in the Earth that contain naturally radioactive materials like uranium and thorium • Naturally radioactive materials are also present in construction materials
Consumer Products - 12 mrem • Small amounts emitted from such household items as smoke detectors and televisions
Tritium - 4 mrem
• Drinking two liters of water each day for a year that contains 20,000 picocuries of tritium per liter (allowable limit under the Safe Drinking Water Act)
• Equivalent to drinking 193 gallons (31/2 55-gallon drums) of water contaminated with 20,000 picocuries per liter of tritium
*mrem (millirem) is one one-thousandth of a rem which measures biological impact, or “dose” of radiation
Log No. 2012-186 NEVADA DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES (aka NEVADA STATE ENGINEER’S OFFICE)
Clayton Valley Cactus Flat Penoyer Valley WHAT WE DO Stonewall Flat
Lida Valley Tikapoo Valley Kawich Valley Gold Flat WATER RIGHTS (SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER) Emigrant Valley
•APPROPRIATIONS Oriental Wash Sarcobatus Flat
Oasis Valley
Grapevine Canyon Fortymile Canyon Yucca Flat •REALLOCATION Emigrant Valley
•MONITORING Oasis Valley
Beatty
Amargosa Desert Yucca Mtn Main Portal $K Frenchman Flat WATER AVAILABILITY (PERENNIAL YIELD) Crater Flat Fortymile Canyon
Rock Valley Indian Springs Valley ADJUDICATIONS Mercury Valley £¤29
Amargosa Desert £¤95 £¤30
£¤29 Indian Springs Valley
DAM SAFETY £¤373
*# Three Lakes Valley Devils Hole £¤127
FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT Las Vegas Valley Pahrump Valley WELL DRILLING REGULATIONS
WATERWATER RIGHTSRIGHTS ALLOCATIONSALLOCATIONS ININ THETHE BEATTYBEATTY AREAAREA BASINSBASINS HYDROGRAPHICHYDROGRAPHIC BASIN BASIN PERENNIALPERENNIAL YIELDYIELD (acre (acre feet) feet) EXISTING EXISTING APPROPRIATIONS APPROPRIATIONS (acre (acre feet) feet) Nevada water law is based on two fundamental concepts: prior appropria on and beneficial MercuryMercury Valley Valley 00 use. Prior appropria on (also known as "first in me, first in right") allows for the orderly use of RockRock Valley Valley 00 FortymileFortymile Canyon Canyon - - Jackass Jackass Flats Flats 24,00024,000 5858 FortymileFortymile Canyon Canyon - - Buckboard Buckboard Mesa Mesa (These(These Basins Basins have have a a combined combined perennial perennial 00 the state's water resources by gran ng priority to senior water rights. This concept ensures the OasisOasis Valley Valley yield)yield) 1,2961,296 CraterCrater Flat Flat 681681 senior uses are protected, even as new uses for water are allocated. AmargosaAmargosa Desert Desert 25,41625,416 GrapevineGrapevine Canyon Canyon 400400 1212 OrientalOriental Wash Wash 150150 237237 LidaLida Valley Valley 350350 7676 All water may be appropriated for beneficial use as provided in Chapters 533 and 534 of the SarcobatusSarcobatus Flat Flat 3,0003,000 3,5353,535 StonewallStonewall Flat Flat 100100 1212 Nevada Revised Statutes. Irriga on, mining, recrea on, commercial/industrial and municipal GoldGold Flat Flat 1,9001,900 414414 KawichKawich Valley Valley 2,2002,200 00 uses are examples of beneficial uses, among others. EmigrantEmigrant Valley Valley - - Groom Groom Lake Lake Valley Valley 2,8002,800 1212 EmigrantEmigrant Valley Valley - - Papoose Papoose Lake Lake Valley Valley 1010 00 YuccaYucca Flat Flat 350350 00 FrenchmanFrenchman Flat Flat 100100 00 Department of Conserva on and Natural Resources IndianIndian Springs Springs Valley Valley 500500 1,3921,392 Office of the State Engineer PahrumpPahrump Valley Valley 12,00012,000 62,43362,433 Division of Water Resources 901 S. Stewart St. Carson City, NV 89701
Jason King, P.E. State Engineer h p://water.nv.gov/ Nye County Water Level Measurement Program – Trends in Water Levels from 2004 to 2011
John Klenke and Levi Kryder –Nye County Nuclear Waste Repository Project Office
Introduction Nye County’s Water Level Measurement Program (WLMP), started in 1999, has collected over 6,000 water level A B measurements in domestic, agricultural, and other monitoring wells. The WLMP has also collected over 3,000 C measurements from the Early Warning Drilling Program (EWDP) wells, down gradient from Yucca Mountain. With over 10 years worth of data, we now utilize new geostatistical tools available in ArcGIS in an effort to evaluate changes in water table elevation for the shallow aquifer over several time periods. Methodology, data, and maps are presented below.
Analysis Process One of the challenges in the WLMP is keeping a consistent set of wells for measurement. Wells sometimes become plugged, are capped or abandoned, or access is prevented for some other reason. To evaluate changes in water table elevation in a consistent manner, it was first necessary to create a subset of data using the same wells at the same time of year. The WLMP contains water level data on 83 wells in the Amargosa Valley, 176 wells in the Pahrump area, and 38 wells from the Nye County EWDP. The set of wells was reduced by removing data from the deeper aquifer and only using wells with a continuous record over the time periods of interest, resulting in a subset of 20 wells in the Amargosa Valley, 57 wells in the Pahrump area, and 23 wells from the EWDP. Additional data from 35 wells in the US Geological Survey National Water Information System, and 6 wells from the Nevada Division of Water Resources Water Level Database were incorporated.
In an effort to minimize the effect of seasonal fluctuations caused by comparing water level measurements taken on different dates during different years in areas where the rate of water level changes were significant over short time periods, all water level were interpolated to September 15th for each year. In a few cases, in order to keep the dataset consistent, it was necessary to extrapolate single point well data by projecting the established water level trends for an individual well. Automated linear interpolation/extrapolation was used where possible; in D E F other cases manual interpolation was required. The resulting data sets were subtracted (earlier year minus later year) to create difference data for each well. Barometric corrections were not applied to this dataset.
Contouring Difference data were imported into ArcGIS and contoured using the new Empirical Bayesian Kriging (EBK) tool available in the Geostatistical Analyst extension. EBK is a geostatistical interpolation method that automates the parameter adjustment process to build a valid kriging model. The method also accounts for the error introduced in the predicted data by estimating the underlying semivariogram for the predicted data, rather than estimating the semivariogram for only the known data locations. Another advantage of EBK is its implementation in a “wizard” interface, allowing interactive parameter adjustments prior to outputting a data set. Parameters used for contouring the water level difference data are summarized in Table 1. Predicted data and their associated standard error surfaces are shown in the inset panels.
Maps The top three maps (panels A, B, and C) show a long‐term set of overlapping 5‐year averages for the water level changes across the Pahrump and Amargosa Valleys (2004 to 2009, 2005 to 2010, and 2006 to 2011). Below each map is the Error of Prediction surface (panels D, E, and F), which represents the standard error for the model prediction data. EBK accounts for the error introduced by estimating the underlying semivariogram, and is therefore potentially more accurate than other kriging methods. In general, errors appear to be smallest where data are denser and the rate of change is minimal, and higher where data are more sparse or where the rate of Pahrump Valley Amargosa Valley change is higher. The 5‐year difference maps are better for “averaging” changes over large areas, and for Both map sets clearly show the mounding of water on the east side of the Pahrump Valley (blue), which is believed to Similar to the Pahrump Valley, both long‐ and short‐term difference maps show the water level declines with capturing water level changes in localized areas where changes are occurring slowly. be due primarily to a large precipitation event in 2005, and decreased pumping from the alluvial fan located on the time over the Amargosa Valley, with the long‐term maps tending to spread the declines farther to the west, and west side of the Spring Mountains. The short‐term change maps better display the intricacies of the mound decay the short‐term maps better depicting the reduced declines, particularly to the north, with time. Both sets of The bottom three maps (panels I, G, and H) show a short‐term set of water level changes across the Pahrump and (blues turning to yellows‐reds on maps covering later periods). Both long‐ and short‐term maps also show the declines maps preserve the drawdown which is occurring on and around the Amargosa Dairy. The short‐term maps show Amargosa Valleys, but over shorter, non‐overlapping 2‐year periods (2005 to 2007, 2007‐2009, and 2009 to 2011). in the aquifer occurring across the center and the western part of the Pahrump Valley, with the long‐term maps both drawdown (2007 to 2009 map), and the later water level rise (2009 to 2011 map) occurring in the Short‐term change maps are better for displaying the complexity of water level changes on a localized scale, tending to spread the declines farther to the west, and the short‐term maps showing the declines lessening with time southern part of the valley, south of the dairy. This may be a localized effect due to pumping, and then later illustrate the variability of water level changes over short time periods, and remove the “averaging” effect (on later maps). The higher resolution short‐term maps show the development of the interfingering of declines recovery, in the wells on the Longstreet Casino property, and may not have an aerial extent as large as that introduced in the long‐term overlapping change maps. (yellows‐reds) with the mounding to the east. predicted by the geostatistical model. Conclusions Water level measurements, taken in wells over a large Table 1 –EBK Parameters I G H aerial extent, and over multi‐year periods, provide the information necessary to develop maps of water level Parameter Setting changes. Together with geostatistical processing Subset size 100 techniques which minimize error, these maps can be used Overlap factor 1 as tools to understand the complexities of water level changes across large areas such as the Pahrump and Number of simulations 100 Amargosa Valleys. Sets of water level change maps Transformation Empirical constructed over differing time frames can offer different Neighborhood type Standard circular perspectives and aid in the understanding of complex water level changes occurring in the shallow aquifer. Maximum neighbors 15 Collection of data under the WLMP continues today, and Minimum neighbors 10 additional data will allow better assessments of Sector type 4 sectors with 45° groundwater resources in the future. offset Angle 0 At first evaluation, EBK appears to be a valid method for Radius 24,305 feet contouring groundwater data, in most cases producing results that are similar to other methods (minimum curvature, etc.) while minimizing the artifacts sometimes associated with the other methods. The method will be further evaluated in the future.