ML20236F696
| ML20236F696 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 06/30/1998 |
| From: | Joseph Holonich NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Tillman J ENERGY, DEPT. OF |
| References | |
| REF-WM-54 NUDOCS 9807020293 | |
| Download: ML20236F696 (2) | |
Text
_ _ _ _ _
Mr. J2ck B. Tillmin June 30, 1998 g-U.S. Dep!rtm:nt of En:rgy.
Grand Junction Office
- e A
2597 B 3/4 Road Grand Junction, CO 81503 SUBJECTi REVIEW OF APRIL 1998 REPORT ON DRILLING AND SAMPLING AT THE URANIUM MILL TAILINGS REMEDIAL ACTION (UMTRA) PROJECT CHENEY DISPOSAL CELL
Dear Mr.Tillman:
- We have completed our review of the April 1998, FRoport on Drilling and Sampling at the
' Cheney Disposal Cell."' We have reviewed the subject report and have not found any problems with the approach and conclusions. We concur with the U.S. Department of Energy that increases in uranium, nitrate, and sulfate concentrations have been detected in the ground water collected from monitoring wells 731 and 732 at the Cheney repository. These monitorind
- wells are located down gradient (west) of the disposal cell and are completed in the alluvial.
. sediments overlying the Mancos Shale. From a monitoring well drilled into and through the Cheney disposal cell, it was_ learned that water levels in the disposal cell are significantly lower by '20 to 30 ft (6 to 9 m) than the water levels in wells 731 and 732. This means that ground water cannot flow from the disposal cell to wells 731 and 732.
(
Ground-water elevations in wells 731 and 732 have increased over time.- This suggests that i
. surface ' water runoff from the cell has been recharging the ground water. Because migration of l
contaminants due to cell leakage is not indicated, elevated concentrations of these q
contaminants could be caused by the leaching of the natural soils surrounding the wells due to j
increased water elevations in the ground water around the cell. Current concentrations of l
. uranium and nitrate in wells 731 and 732 remain below UMTRA ground-water maximum concentration limits. Wells 731 and 732 will continue to be monitored for uranium, nitrate, i
and sulfate.
If you have any questions conceming this subject, please contact the NRC Project Manager, William Ford, at (301) 415-6630.
I Sincerely,
[D.Gillenfor]
. Joseph J. Holonich, Chief 1
Uranium Recovery Branch
)
Division of Waste Manenement
/[.
Office of Nucles
., x ' Safety 4
and Safeguay 1
cc:' D. Metzler,' DOE /GJ t
Ray Plieness, DOE /GJ l
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- v June 30, 1993 I
Mr. Jack B. Tillman U.S. Department of Energy Grand Junction Office J
2597 B 3/4 Road
{
Grand Junction, CO 81503
SUBJECT:
REVIEW OF APRIL 1998 REPORT ON DRILLING AND SAMPLING AT THE URANIUM MILL TAILINGS REMEDIAL ACh0N (UMTRA) PROJECT CHENEY DISPOSAL CELL I
Dear Mr. Tillman:
We have completed our review of the April 1998, " Report on Drilling and Sampling at the Cheney Disposal Cell." We have reviewed the subject report and have not found any problems with the approach and conclusions. We concur with the U.S. Department of Energy that increases in uranium, nitrate, arsd sulfate concentrations have been detected in the ground water collected from monitoring wells 731 and 732 at the Cheney repository. These monitoring wells are located down gradient (west) of the disposal cell and are completed in the alluvial sediments overlying the Mancos Shale. From a monitoring well drilled into and through the j
Cheney disposal cell, it was !eamed that water leve's in the disposal cell are significantly lower by.20 to 30 ft (6 to 9 m) than the water levels in wells 731 and 732. This means that ground water cannot f!aw from the disposal cell to wells 731 and 732.
Ground-water elevations in wells 731 and 732 have increased ever time. This suggests that surface water runoff from the cell has been recharging the ground water. Because migration of contaminants due to cell leakage is not indicated, elevated concentrations of these l
contaminants could be caused by the leaching of the natural soils surrounding the wells due to increased water elevations in the ground water around the cell. Current concentrations of uranium and nitrate in wells 731 and 732 remain below UMTRA ground-water maximum concentration limits. Wells 731 and 732 will continue to be monitored for uranium, nitrate, and sulfate.
1 If you have any questions conceming this subject, please contact the NRC Project Manager, l
William Ford, at (301) 415-6630.
l f
Sincerely, d.
Joseph J. Holonich, f
Uranium Recovery Branch Division of Waste Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards cc: D. Metzler, DOE!GJ Ray Plieness, DOE /GJ Ed Artiglia, TAC /Alb i-