Geohydrology of the proposed Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site, Los Medanos area, southeastern New Mexico
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the ground water systems and the interpretation of test results in the water-bearing zones above and below the proposed facility, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Los Medanos.
Abstract: From purpose and scope: This report discusses the ground-water systems and the interpretation of test results in the water-bearing zones above and below the proposed facility, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Los Medanos.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present the application of a methodology to assess spatial variability of the transmissivities within a regional aquifer in the vicinity of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), the Culebra dolomite.
Abstract: This paper, the second in a two-part series, presents the application of a methodology to assess spatial variability of the transmissivities within a regional aquifer in the vicinity of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), the Culebra dolomite. An innovative aspect of this methodology is the generation of an ensemble of conditional simulations of the transmissivity field which preserve the statistical moments and spatial correlation structure of the measured transmissivity field and honors the measured transmissivity values at their locations. Each simulation is then calibrated, using an iterative procedure, to match an exhaustive set of steady state and transient pressure data. A fully automated inverse algorithm using pilot points as parameters of calibration was employed. The application of this new methodology to the Culebra dolomite flow system produced 70 conditional simulations which were consistent with all the measured transmissivity and head data at the site. Based on an analysis of the calibrated transmissivity fields, the spatial variability of the transmissivity fields was increased as a result of the calibration process. This increase is in part due to the addition of a high-transmissivity feature to each of the transmissivity fields which is needed to match both steady state and transient statemore » head data. 32 refs., 20 figs., 1 tab.« less
148 citations
01 Jan 1992
TL;DR: The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has participated in the study of nuclear energy in the United States since the 1940's as mentioned in this paper, and has published 850 publications and 95 additional abstracts related to these investigations from 1957 through 1991.
Abstract: The U.S. Geological Survey has participated in continuing studies related to nuclear energy in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy and predecessor agencies since the 1940's. Geologic, geophysical, and hydrologic studies have been conducted to aid in mineral exploration; in support of the nuclear weapons testing programs at the Nevada Test Site and several other locations; in support of the Plowshare Program for peaceful uses of nuclear explosions; and in the search for potential radioactive waste disposal sites. This bibliography contains alphabetical listings of 850 publications and 95 additional abstracts related to these investigations from 1957 through 1991, and contains an extensive index based on title-subject keywords. INTRODUCTION The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has actively participated in the study of nuclear energy in the United States since the 1940's. USGS participation began under the Manhattan Engineer District, and after establishment of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) in 1946, subsequent work was performed in cooperation with that agency and its successors, the Energy Research and Development Administration, and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Initial USGS studies focused on the occurrence of uranium and thorium deposits (Page and others, 1956), but subsequent investigations were more closely tied to public-safety issues related to the testing of nuclear weapons and the disposal of radioactive wastes. The Nevada Test Site (NTS) was established in 1950 as a proving ground for nuclear weapons. The site had formerly been part of an Air Force bombing and gunnery range during World War II. The USGS began studies specific to the NTS in early 1956, and became part of an integrated investigative task force that included the Department of Defense, support contractors, the National Laboratories, Air Resources Field Research Office, Environmental Science Services Administration, Coast and Geodetic Survey, U.S. Public Health Service, U.S. Bureau of Mines, and U.S. Air Force (Miller, 1968). In addition to recommending acceptable media and areas for underground tests, USGS studies included investigations of the possibility of off-site contamination of ground water, of air blast and surface contamination in the event of venting, and of ground-shock damage that could result from underground blasts (Eckel, 1968). The first contained underground nuclear explosion at NTS was detonated on September 19,1957 (Miller, 1968), following extensive study of the underground effects of chemical explosives. In the early 1950's, peaceful uses of atomic energy gained attention, and an international conference was convened in Geneva in August 1955 (Page and others, 1956). The AEC established the Plowshare Program to assess potential peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and USGS investigations were conducted prior to most Plowshare tests to assess the local geologic and hydrologic conditions. Project Chariot in Alaska was initiated in 1957 to investigate technical problems and develop nuclear-excavation technology. Extensive bioenvironmental studies were conducted in addition to the public-safety program. By 1962, AEC deferred further consideration of the experiment, and suspended the project (Wilimovsky and Wolfe, 1966). The first Plowshare nuclear experiment (Gnome) was executed in thick salt beds near Carlsbad, New Mexico, in 1961. The Plowshare Program required specialized geologic and hydrologic studies to provide data required for technical feasibility and for the safety of the proposed nuclear detonations. Earth-science studies were conducted in connection with gas-retort experiments (Project Gasbuggy in New Mexico and Project Rulison in Colorado) and oil-shale retort (Project Rio Blanco in Colorado). Background studies were conducted in areas where the use of nuclear explosives proved infeasible, such as an attempt to stimulate recovery of geothermal energy. Geologic, geophysical, and hydrologic studies were expanded to study the effects of weapons-related nuclear test explosions at underground locations beyond the NTS. Tests near Fallon, Nevada, in 1962, and in Mississippi in 1964 were performed under the Vela Uniform Program, a joint effort of the AEC and the Department of Defense. Supplemental Test Sites in Alaska and central Nevada were studied by USGS prior to being used for tests in the late 1960's. Seismic effects have been monitored over broad areas to understand the controls on potential property damage due to shaking and to enhance the ability to detect underground nuclear tests and estimate yields at remote locations. Unique opportunities for earth-science studies were provided under these programs. New techniques were developed to address highly specialized needs. Much of this technology has been expanded for use in other areas and on other non-nuclear projects. Results of the early exploration studies were submitted to the AEC in sequentially numbered series referred to as Trace Element Investigations (TEI) reports or Trace Element Memoranda (TEM). Both series had limited distribution, based on AEC security regulations. During the 1960's many of these reports were declassified by the AEC, and released to the public as USGS open-file reports. Others were revised and were published in the scientific literature after clearance for release by the AEC. As pointed out by Eckel (1968, p. 9), the necessity for classification of some data regarding the NTS and nuclear explosions promoted a perception that most data were classified; however, most earthscience information is currently available in the open literature. This bibliography only contains listings on those TEI or TEM reports that principally pertain to weapons testing and were cleared by the AEC for release. A separate bibliography of publications related to the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project in Nevada has been published (Glanzman, 1991), and those listings (with minor exceptions) are not included in this compilation. This bibliography covers publications released between 1957 and 1991, and generally supersedes previous bibliographies of publications on the NTS (see Index listings for "Bibliography"). DESCRIPTION OF BIBLIOGRAPHY Publications are listed alphabetically by author. Abstracts for presentations at scientic meetings and symposia are grouped in a separate section following the listing of publications. Prior to 1974, USGS open-file reports were unnumbered, thus, many of the open-file versions of TEI and TEM reports do not have specific open-file report numbers. To aid users and librarians, who may have access to these older series numbers, the TEI or TEM number appears in brackets following the listing for the publicly available product. Numerous reports are catalogued in the USGS-474-series, because the work was performed under a long-standing interagency agreement. Most of these reports have also been given an administrative index number (i.e., NTS-10, Central Nevada-14, etc.) that serves to identify particular projects or locations of testing areas investigated under the interagency agreement. The administrative index designation is given in brackets following the entry as an aid for cross reference. Users are advised that these administrative series numbers should not be used when ordering publications. Additionally, some entries are followed by dates (given in brackets) that indicate the year of the initial report, if it differs from the formal date of publication. Numbers in the Index are keyed to entry numbers in the bibliography. The Index was prepared principally from information listed in the titles of the publications with minimal research of actual publications, and thus, is not comprehensive. Users are encouraged to examine index listings under several related keywords as an aid in using this bibliography. ORDERING INFORMATION Book publications of the USGS may be obtained from the Books and Open-File Reports Section (BOFRS), U.S. Geological Survey, Box 25425 Federal Center, Denver, Colo. 80225. USGS maps may be obtained from the Map Distribution Section, U.S. Geological Survey, Box 25286 Federal Center, Denver, Colo. 80225. Prepayment is required, and price information may be obtained by calling (303) 236-7476. For additional ordering information the reader is referred to USGS Circular 900, which is free on request from BOFRS. Reports with the designation USGS-XXX-XXX or DOE/NV/10583-X may be ordered from the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Va. 22161. Journal articles or symposia proceedings should be requested from the appropriate publisher. Although some of the older reports may be out of print, copies may be available in the USGS or DOE Libraries. REFERENCES CITED Eckel, E.B., ed., 1968, Nevada Test Site: Geological Society of America Memoir 110, 290 p. Glanzman, V.M., 1991, Bibliography of publications related to the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project prepared by U.S. Geological Survey personnel through April 1991: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 91-341, 52 p. Miller, R.E., 1968, Welcoming address for Rocky Mountain Section, Geological Society of America, in Eckel, E.B., ed., Nevada Test Site: Geological Soceity of America Memoir 110, p. 1-4. Page, L.R., Stocking, H.E., and Smith, H.B., compilers, 1956, Contributions to the geology of uranium and thorium by the United States Geological Survey and Atomic Energy Commission for the United Nations International Conference on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, Geneva, Switzerland, 1955: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 300,739 p. Wilimovsky, N.J., and Wolfe, J.N., eds., 1966, Environment of the Cape Thompson region, Alaska: U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Report PNE-481, 1250 p.
145 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a new technique is employed to calibrate a regional-scale groundwater flow model to an extensive data base of undisturbed (i.e., assumed to be steady state) and transient heads.
Abstract: A new technique is employed to calibrate a regional-scale groundwater flow model to an extensive data base of undisturbed (i.e., assumed to be steady state) and transient heads. The methodology presented in this study is similar in concept to one presented by de Marsily et al. (1984) in that an adjoint sensitivity technique is coupled with a kriging algorithm to calibrate a flow model. The notable difference of the methodology presented in this paper is that it directly identifies the regions where modification of the model's kriged transmissivity or boundary pressure values will directly improve the overall fit between measured and model-calculated heads at selected wells. At the locations identified as most sensitive to transmissivity changes, synthetic transmissivity values, referred to as pilot points, are added to the transmissivity data base and used as input for kriging the transmissivity field. An application of the methodology to data originating from approximately 10 years of regional hydrogeologic site characterization efforts that have been conducted in the Culebra dolomite at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in southeastern New Mexico is presented.
112 citations
TL;DR: The historical setting and context for how the performance of the deep geologic repository at the WIPP was analyzed is provided, including background on political forces acting on the project.
69 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: In 1998, 19 years after authorization and after site selection, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified that the WIPP disposal system complied with its regulations.
55 citations