Text

Forwards Notice of Workshop on Unsaturated Zone Monitoring Technology Transfer to Be Held on 980211-12 in Phoenix,Az. Workshop Will Cover Monitoring Strategies Being Field Tested Including Demonstrations of Field Methods & Instrumentation
	ML20197D917
Person / Time
Issue date:	12/09/1997
From:	Lohaus P; NRC OFFICE OF STATE PROGRAMS (OSP)
To:	; GENERAL, OHIO, STATE OF, OKLAHOMA, STATE OF, PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF
References
	SP-97-083, SP-97-83, NUDOCS 9712290146
	Download: ML20197D917 (20)
	v • d • e

-

3 e..

j)** "*%k'=

UNITED STAttt -

'i

-po

[

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WAsNettef oW. D.C. seteHeM i

e

.a 3

-c N,,,

December 9 1997 l

1 L

ALL AGREEMENT STATES OHlO, OKLAHOMA, PENN8YLVANIA

. TRAN8MITTAL OF STATE AGREEMENTS PROGRAM INFORMAT!ON (EP g7 083)

F Your attention is' invited to the enclosed correspondence which contains:

i!

.i INCIDENT AND EVENT INFORMATION..........

u PROGRAM MANAGEMENT INFORMATION...

l t

f TRAINING COURSE INFORMATION;............., XX NOTICE ON WORKSHOP ON -

'f

' UNSATURATED ZONE ll MONITORING TECHNOLOGY

/ TRANSFER TECHNICAL INFORMATION.....................,......

- OTHER INFORMATION.....................i...........

Supplementary Information: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has scheduled a workshopf

{

on UNSATURATED ZONE MONITORING TECHNOLOGY TRAN8FER to be held L

February 11 12,1998 at the Maricopa Agricultural Center site near Phoenix, Arizona. The workshop will cover monitoring sirategies being fleid tested including clemonstrat;ons of field methods and instrumentation used to monitor water movement through the unsaturated zone.

Enclosed is a workshop announcement wh!ch discusses the workshop's objectives, focus, l

information to be presented, workshop contacts, hotel arrangements, and registration fee and deadlinei Also enclosed is a draft copy of the workshop agenda which outlines the technology to be discussed, and the research results from the field experiments conducted to test the

monitoring strategies, i

. Please note that the experiments being conducted at the Maricopa site represent conditions analogous to those of the humid Midwest and Northeast. The initial site conditions and early t

monitoring periods would be representative of semi arid areas. Therefore, the technology and l

- experimental results should be valuable to all Agreement States reviewing unsaturated zone -

monitoring programso information on the "Maricope Environments! Monitoring System" -

3 R

homepage, discusses the ress, arch site ongoing field studiss, and analyses. You can access this information dirc.ctly on the World Wide Web using "http://ag. arizona.edu/NRC/nrc.html".

3

The worket:p is being conducted by an NRC research contractor (University of Arizona) to j

- provide technology transfer principally to the NRC staff. Other Fedecai employees, Agreement 9 State regulgtors and their contractors are welcome to attend on a space available basis. Each l l

+

A0reement State will be respcnsibia for travel, per diem expenses and registration costs s

LS65.00 to cover two lunches, and transportation to and from the Holiday Inn. Casa Grande. :

1 1

. M7,~..CAdrona to the Maricopa field facility) for their respectiva attendees. Those interested in 10 femn msg 3

==.. o

=

a i

t 2*

DEC - g 1997 SP 97 083 o-i attending should contact the NRC point of contact and make arrangements with the University I

of Arizona staff (see enclosed announcement). There is no tuition cost for this workshop. The j

deadline for registration is January 20,1998.

q if you have any questions regarding this correspondence, please contact me or the indMdual named below.

POINT OF CONTACT:

Thomas J. Nicholson 3

TELEPHONE:

(301)415 0268 FAX:

(301)415 5389 i

INTERNET:

TJN@NRC GOV hb7f j

Pa H Lohaus, Deputy Director Office of State Programs

Enclosures:

As stated s

I i

i i

I b

in a.

'4 7

..r

.-.mm

i j

SP g7 083

-2 DEC - 0 EU attending should contact the NRC point of contact and make arrangements with the University

[

of Artrone staff (see enclosert announcement). There is no tuition cost for this v.'ottshop. The i

' deedline for registration is January 20,1998.

1 i

if you have any questions regarding this correspondence, please contact me or the individual named below, POINT OF CONTACh Thomas J. Nicholson 1ELEPHONE:

(301) 415-6268 FAX:

(301)415 5389 INTERNET:

TJN@NRC. GOV lSignoo By:

H.LOhAUS Paul H. Lohaus, Deputy Directnr Office of State Prograrter

Enclosures:

As stated i

Dininkull0D:

DlR RF DCO (SP03)

SDroggitis -

PDR (YES.L) (NO__)

SSalomon SBahadur

' WOtt TNicholson

' WMB Chron File A/S File FAXED TO STATES: /4////97

' DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\PHL\\SP07083, phi

See previous concurrence.

v. m. r e ein eacw ii, mee m w e. cm.ean.n.a,n.+.na.,.

e. cop.

.n.sim.ne.ncew. v wo m, OFFICE

- WMB:RES l-WMB:RES l OSP;DD OSP;D/ f h l

_NAME TNicholson:nb:kk SBahadur PLohaus RBangart "W 8>

DATE-12/05/97*

12/05/97*

12/08/9/'

120'/97 s

OSP FILE CODE: SPM"

a,-

SP.9 /.

3-stan (see enclosed announcement). There is no tuition cost for this workshop. The deadline for registration is January 20,1998.

~

If you have any questions regarding this correspondence, please contact me or the individual named below.

PC:NT OF CONTACT:

Thomas J. Nicholson TELEPHONE:

(301)415-6268 /

FAX:

(301)415 5389 /

INTERNET:

TJN@NRC.GO PaulH. Lohaus, Deputy Direction Oft /ce of State Programs

Enclosures:

As stated 4

Djainbution:

DIR RF DCD (SP03)

SDroggitis PDR (YES_L) (NO_)

SSalomon SBahmour WOtt TNicholson WMB Chron File

/

FAXED TO STATES:

A/S File j

/

o DOCUMEW. NAME: G:\\PHL\\SP97MMM. MAR e;

l T.

,e e.co auan= msiewo c.em e n e F 1 c e on.n.ai m w e w. v =woem l OFFICE WMB:RES llr AWMB:RES l Q3h%

OSP.D l

l a

ENAME TNicholson:nb'f%d M ahadur PLoh'aus,

RBangart

}

lDATE 12/f/97 # f 11 12/5 /97 12/6/97 12/-/97

/

OSP FILE CODE: SP A-4

/

MARICOPA ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING SITE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER WORKSHOP Dates:

February 11 12,199N 1,ocation:

Maricopa Agricultural Center' l.odging lioliday Inn, Casa Grande, Arirona' Workshop Objecth'es:

To provide technology transfer of findings from the NRC funded research on assessing state-of the art unsaturated rone monitoring systems and strategies'. Findings from Field Experiments I and 2' as they relate to the performance evaluation of d

unsaturated rone monitoring systems designed for low level radioactive waste disposal and SDMP sites will be presented.

Focus:

Workshop presentations will focus on: (1) lessons learned from testing and evaluating field systems that monitor water movement and solute transport at different spatial scales; and (2) the design, construction, strategies, and operation of ficid systems used during post closure monitoring at disposal sites.

Maricopa Agricultural Center (MAC) is located 30 miles south of Phoenix, Arizona.

Transportation to MAC f rom the Holiday Inn, Casa Grande will be provided as part of the registration fee.

Casa Grande io located 20 miles south of Phoenix with access directly off Interstate I-10. Room rates at the Holiday Inn, Casa Grande will be $75,00/ night.

See NUREG/CR-6462 " Field Testing plan f or Unsaturated Zone Monitoring and Field Studies" for background discussion.

Experiment 1 involves the application of 1.85 cm/ day over the 50 x 50 m plot for 25 days with a bromide (30 ppm) tracer for the first IS days of water application followed by 10 days of ne tracer application.

Experiment 2 is similar (same water application rate over the same plot) to experiment 1 except for utilizing a saline (2,3 decisiemens/m) water tracer for the first 7 days followed by 15 days of fresh water application.

Field monitoring capabilities for detecting the saline water pulse will be evaluated using TDR, electtomagnetic induction and cross borehole resistive tomography instrumentation which is affected by EC changes in the soil.

1 a,

1 Information to be presented:

i Purpose and Scope of Project Monitoring System and Experiment Design a

Site Construction Data Collection Methods Results of Infiltration Experiments Performance Evaluation Criteria Appil:stions of Experimental Findings for Improving Monitoring Systems t

Organiting Committee:

Dr. Peter J. Wierenga, Chair, Department of Soll, Water and Environmental Science, University of Arlions; Drs. Arthur A. Warrick and Michael II. Young, Co Principal investigators, UAZ; Lon L. Ilofmann and Sheri A. Musil, Research Staff, UAZ; Tom Nicholson, NRC Project Manager; Dr. Ralph Cady, NRC/Omce of Nuclear Regulatory Research; Mark Thaggard, NRC/ Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safegusrds; Stephen Salomon, NRC/Omcc of State Programs; and Latif flamdan, NRC/Omce of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards.

Workshop Contacts:

Michael Young and Lon L. liofmann. Department of Soll, Water and Environmental Science, University of Arirona,429 Shantz, Hullding 38, Tucson, AZ 85721 (520) 6213236 fax (520) 621 1647 slightration Fee and Deadline:

1

$55 to cover lunches on February 11 and 12, and transportation from the lloliday Inn, Cann Grande to MAC and return Please make your reservations with Dr. Wierenga and his staff by January 20,1998 to assure attendance.

?

4 a

f e-n- -, - -,

.=-,,,

,,-w-.-.-

.--vs

,.m

.m c

m:--..

. i,

+-

i 4

Version 5, page !

December 1,1997 1

Maricopa Environmental Monitoring Site Technology Transfer Workshop February 11 and 12,1998 Workshop.Objrcliniand.Ensus As part of our " Unsaturated Zone Monitoring and Field Studier" contract, the University of Arizona will organize and present a technology transfer workshop to describe the results of two t

years of field observations involving unsaturated zone monitoring systems. The objectives of the technology transfer workshop are to 1) desc ibo characteristics (e.g., field pc.formance, case of use) of monitoring systems used during field infiltration experiments; 2) results of experiments as they relate to the performance ofI LW and SDMP monitoring systems; and 3) lessons learned on installing, operating, and analyzmg data from a variety of difrerent monitoring systems that could be incorporated into long term p.ograms at disposal sites.

We will focus the presentation on those individuals responsible for reviewing monitoring plans in license applications for LLW and SDMP sites. Attendees will participate in hands-on field demonstrations including data collection and analysis -- of a variety of commercially-available devices that could be used at disposal sites. Direct interaction with instructors will be emphasized so that attendees understand the use and limitations of numerour monitoring devices that can be integrated into an overall monitoring plan.

Wednesday, Febrttary 11 8:00 Leave lloliday Inn Casa Grande, AZ by private car, rental car or bus 8:45 Arrival at Maricopa Agricultural Center 8:45 - 9:00 Purpose of the workshop - Mr. Tom Nicholson 9:00 - 9:15 Introduction and workshcp overview Dr. Pcter li'icrcnga 9:15 - 9:45 Site Description - Dr. Pcter ll'Icrcnga 9:45 - 10:00 lireak 10:00 - 11:30 Monitoring devices and their use in monitoring systems and strategies -

We will discuss 1) factors that influence the choice of monitoring devices (e.g., site enviro. ment, humid / arid site, monitoring goals, use in site perfonnance assessment, etc.), and 2) the types of monitoring devices used during our experiments, and other devices that could be used 1.4 ather systems at SDMP/LLW sites; Drs. II'arrick and li'icienga

Version 5, Page 2 December 1.1997 I1:30 a 1:00 1.unch 1:00 3:00 Field tour and instrument demonstrations. Session 1 - Pwticipants will be given a tour af the field site, divide into groups and discuss field instruments at three stations (-30 minutes / station).

3:00 3:30 lireak 3:30 500 1(esults of Experiment I a.

Water Cr.ntents: Neutron probe l'anny Time Domain Itellectometry l'oung Surface Electromagnetic induction - l'oung Crosshole Electroresistance Tomography Stubben

b. hiatric Potential: Tensioineters - //ofmann Ileat Dissipation Sensor llofmann

c. Pore Water Sampling - IV/crenga

d. Gas sampling-Scanlon c.

Data hianagement - Musil Iltursday, Fehnutry_Il 8:00

1. cave lloliday Inn 8:45 Arrival at hiaricopa Agricultural Center 8:45 11:00 Field instrument demonstrations, Session 11. Attendees will again divide into groups and discuss field instruments at four stations (~30 minutes / station).

I1:00 - 11:15 lireak i1:15 - 12:00 itesults of Experiment 11 Rc4carch Group 12:00 - 1:30 Lunch 1:30 3:00 Application of experimental results for improving monitoring systems.

We will describe monitoring issue > such as range, variability of measurements, maintenance, installation, decommissioning, etc. and how the issues influence the choice for devices.

3:00 - 4:00 Summary and group discussion 4:00 Ileturn to llotel/ Airport i

Version 5. Page 3 Dccember 1,1997 Eidd.iletitoltsint11ofis There will be seven demonstration stations set up for the workshop; three will be discussed on the first day and four will be discussed on the second day. Workshop participants will be divided into five groups of seven persons; each group will rotate through each of the demonstration stations. Participants will receive hands on expr ence with the various monitoring d : vices, demonstrated at each station. Time will be made available to discuss special issues with instructors, related to specific devices.

The following seven demonstration stations will be available:

1.

Vertical and horizontal neutron logging.

2.

Water content with Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR).

3.

Surface electrorrr.gnetic induction (lim 31 and lim 38).

4.

Cross hole resistance tomography (!!RT).

5.

Tensiometers and heat dissipation sensors.

6.

Pore water sampling.

7.

Soil gas monitoring

' Maricopa lhironmental Monitoring, syst:m http://ar,.arirons.ed uH RC/ntc.html Marleopa Environmental Monitoring System Monitoring Systems for Low Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Sites and Sites Designated Under the Site Decommissioning Muuagement Plan Members of the Project j

. Drd'lD]ill J. Wil!Ill!NGA, University sf Arizona,)McIsuga@gwrizona.edu

. Dr. Al(TilUR W. WAJiltlG, University of Arizona, awnfit.gwrirona edu

. Dtdlighnel 11. Young, University of Arizona, youngmh@ag.adrona,edu

. Sheri Musil, University of Arizona, smusil@ugarizona.edu

. IJ]n110fmacn, University of Arizona,lwftmtun@ng.arivona.edu

. Christopher Mal, University of Arizona,inalfil!ag. arizona,edu

. llenty Wysknil, University of Arizona, wyckoft@an. arizona.edu

. Ze-Yuan Zou, University of Arizona,7eyuan@ag. rizona.edu f

. liriget Scanlon, University of Texas at Austin, Eguulonb@begv.hega11gsas.edu

. Mark Ankeny, Dil Stephens and Assoc., mankeny@dbstenliens.com

. Douglas Lallreque, University of Arizona, dtd!gGitmge.ari70mtsitu

. Mark Ilrusseau, Univer.sity of Arizona, htussemtchig. arizona.edu

. Jan 1lendrickx, New Mexico Tech,Itendrickx@nmt. eda!

. Mark Rockhold, Oregon State Univ / Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, mLmekhold@cramitnal,gs

. Glendon Gee, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, gg_ger@tentailm1LanY

. Phil Meyer, Pacific Northwest National Laborctory, pil_mpler@cemailynl. gov Subcontractors

. Daniel 11. Stephens and Associates, Inc.

. IcXas lluteau_offnquomic Gerlogy Table of Contents

. Current Sintus

DnEnipadablellaterial

S_Canntill'holos

.-l'aRCIE

. Ei&liffS

liXVElllIU_SilnUDury

. Relaird 1. inks

. ilnestfonn I or6 12/02/97 14:50:12 sy@c--

7

- -----. earn-

-mr-7-'c;'-e- " - -"-

y 1r--

v-+-e w

Markopa Dwironmental Monitorirm ptem htt p://ag.ar itono.Gdu N RC/nre.html s

Current SNtus On Monday at 10:00 am, April 281997, Experiment I was begun as water was finally pumped to the field through our irrigation system. The stan of the irrigation culminated almost a full year of field work to prepare the site of experimentation. At the time of this update, Experiment I has been underway fbr 25 days. The first 15 days were devoted to applying water containing bromide and sodium benzoate tracers, and, during the next 9 days, we applied water without tracer. Originally, water was applied in two pulses, each lasting 21 minutes for each of the six irrigation stations. We then changed the schedul%

% apply water in three pulses, each lasting 14 minutes. The irrigation system was shut Jown on Wednesday at 12:00 pm, May 21 1997, and a began the redistribution phase of Experiment 1.

To ensure prc per mixing of the tracers, both the bromide and sodium benzoate tracers were first dissolved in water, then added to our water holding tanks, located just SE of the plot. A recirculating pump was used to mix the tracers in the tanks. Water was then pumped directly from the holding tanks to the field. After 15 days of tracer application, we took the tanks ofr-line, and pumped water directly from a fresh water reservoir on the MAC fann.

Thus far, we have collected a large amount of data and information usir.g our data acquisition systems and sensors. Neutron moisture readings were taken almost daily in both the horizontal and vertical access tubes for the first 15 days of the experiment.

EM-38 data were collected about 5 times per week until the wetting front reached the 2.0 m depth. Borchole tomography studies were conducted about twice per week. Most of the automated measurements (e.g., heat dissipation sensors, tensiometers) were made 6 times per day, and some (e.g., fDIO were made 12 times per day. Soil solution was collected from samplers in the monitoring islands beginning on the third day of the experiment. As the wetting front advanced through the profile, deeper samplers were used to colle ted soil solution. At the time the irrigation ended, we were collecting almost 60 samples per day. Currently, we have reduced the sampling frequency for soil solution to every other day during the first week of redistribution. We will reduce it further as redistribution continues. OtMr data collection (e.g., neutron proi.e, EM surveys) also will be reduced to reflect slower changes in water content and the position of the wetting front. The research team is currently compiling the data and information, and placing it in Microsoll* Access

format.

Many of the scanned photos you see below show the field work that was done to prepare the held, including installation of the monitoring islands, instrumentation, irrigation system, and the 1-ly,alon* used to cover the field. We will be adding some data graphs as soon as the data mve been checked and analyzed here in Tucson. Preliminary remits will be presented at the Spring Meetings of the American Geophysical Union (Friday, May 301997, at 9:25 am, Session ll51D-03) in Baltimore, MD.

Additional news and information about this project will be uploaded to the Web as soon as possible.

3 of 6 12/02/97 14:50:12

Maricopa Environmental Monitoring System http://ag. arizona.edu/NRC/nre.html Downloadable Material Under construction.

~~

Scanned Photos The following photos are in jpeg format to minimize fde size and file transfer time. To view any of these photos in full size, select the photo ofinterest. More photos will be added as time progresses. The last uptlate oftitis section was May 6,1997.

[{ The field. A neutron probe access tube is visible.

Drillers at work.

r Lowering the culvert into the hole,

(-

ilnstrument installation in the culvert.

L._

All electrical wiring was placed below ground surface and in conduit to protect it s,

f r]from the outside environment.

}iistallation of drip line. Approximately 6.5 miles of drip line was used for the

~~

t

' plot.

IRegulator and valve strings. 6Trrigation stations were installed on the plot, which f. -- lare used to apply 50,000 liters of water per day, ilnstallation of plastic using personnel from Sweetwater Systems (Phoenix, l Arizona), March 5, IP/7.

.N IPicture of covered n.dd Cover is 30 mit Hypalon, which overlies Netafim ggTechline drip line.

lInside of monitoring island showing vacuum manifold, TDR mult.iplexer, and 9

iinstrument 4%.

l

[Tensiometdr,M ajou samplers (with tubing) and neutron probe tubes are l accessible through cover, IMonitoring station used for TDR system (Dynamax, Inc., Houston, TX) and 7

lmul:iplexers for heat dissipation sensors and pressure transducers.

I I

L

Covered plot with monitoring islands, looking north.

L_.

g Boreholes useo for electro-resistive tomography, perfonned by Doug LaBreque

,23 and Melissa Stubben from the Dept. of Mining and Geol. Engineering.

3 of 6 12/02/97 14:50:19

' Maricopa Environmental Monitoring SycLm

= http://ag. arizona:edu/NRC/nrc.html4 l 1'

i Papers -

.. Probability ofintersectine hot snots with alternative subsurface samnline natterns.

1996._ A.W.-Warrick, M. A. Young, S.A. Musil, P.J.'Wierenga and L.L. Hofmann Figures -

. Eigute_1. Diagram of M AC. site,

. Eigure 2. Diagram ofirrigation system.

I

. Eigne 3. Diagram of bgied trench transert with proposed instrumentation,

. Figure 4. Diagram of monitoring island with proposed instrumentation.

. Eigure 5. Locations of shallow and deep neutron probe access tubes.

. Eigure 6_. General stratigraphic column showing soil texture amicorresponding water

content at USDA/WCL boreholt

. Eigure 7. Semi-variogram of neutron nrobe counts co.llected in horizontal access tubt

. Figure 8. Lines of equal electrical conductivity (mS/m) using EM-38,

. Figure 9.1.ines of equal elegtrical conductivity (mS/m) using EM-31.

Executive Summary The Department of Soil, Water, and Environmental Science of the University of Arizona is under contract to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to test and evaluate monitoring concepts, systems, and strategies at a field site near Maricopa, Arizona. The project is entitled " Unsaturated Zone Monitaring and Field Studies."

We have three broad goals for this research project: 1) an objective assessment of tae-of-the-art monitoring systems that are currently being used, or proposed for use, at w level radioactive waste (LLW) disposal facilities and decommissioned facilities

&,ignated under the Site Decommissioning Management Plan (SDMP), to detect early releases of radionuclides to the environment;-2) to design and implement a realistic monitoring system for testing strategies for LLW and SDMP sites; and 3) an evaluation of relevant strategies for monitoring flow and transportin the vadose zone. Moreover, we seek to understand how, or if, the monitoring systems compromise the integrity of the soil material they are monitoring.

The research team will use a 50 m by 50 m plot on the University of Arizona's Maricopa Agricultural Center, to test a variety of alternative monitoring techniques during three large-scale infiltration experiments. The plot is designed to compare the effectiveness and durability of various monitoring techniques on a scale approaching that of current and proposed LLW and SDMP sites.

Many techniq'ues would be candidates for use at SDMP sites as well. Subprojects placed withm the main irrigated plot include: (1) an instrumented buried trench bisecting the research plot; (2) monitoring islands similar to those proposed for the Ward Valley, CA 4 of 6 12/02/97 14 50:19

"Mariuma Environmental Monhoring System -

http://ag.arirma.edu/NRC/nrc.html

[ transport monitoring; and (5) comparisons of several non pths of 15 m LLW disposal facility; (3) deep borehole monitoring to de mvasive geophysical techniques.

The buried trench bisects the area into East and West halves. This trench will be fully

-instrumented every 5 m, at 1.5 m depth, to measure soil water content, soil water tension, tracer concentration and soil temperature. A horizontal neutron probe access tube will be installed in the trench bottom to test potential use beneath disposal trenches. Two other horizontal access tubes will also span the plot. Two vxtically buried caissons will be used as monitoring islands, and will be fully instrun.:nted to 3 m depth; the caissons will be advanced to 4 m depth.

A deep borehole monitoring system will be incorporated within the neutron probe access tube grid to test the ability to detect movement of water and solutes past the bottom boundary of a disposal site. Special tensiometers and pore water samplers will be installed at the base of the deep access tubes. The gaseous monitoring subproject will define (1) the usefulness of vapor movement as a precursor to liquid migrations, and (2)

- effects of barometric pumping on subsurface vapor transport.

The research team will concentrate on integrating the techniques into review criteria thm can be used to evaluate future LLW and SDMP sites. The results. of the research will be transferred to the NRC statTand agreement state contractors in Spring,1998. This technology will be transferred during a " hands-on" workshop and seminar.

ML20197D917

Text

Enclosures:

Enclosures:

Enclosures:

Navigation menu

Search