ML20245D037

Forwards USGS Water-Resources Investigation Repts 85-4308, Simulation of Ground Water Flow Near Nuclear Fuel..., 85-4309, Surface Water Hydrology of Western New York... & 85-4145, Geohydrologic Conditions at Nuclear Fuels..

ML20245D037
Person / Time
Site:	West Valley Demonstration Project
Issue date:	10/01/1987
From:	Costanzi F NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY RESEARCH (RES)
To:	Rouse L NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS)
Shared Package
ML20245D040	List: ML20245D037 ML20245D047 ML20245D094 ML20245D100
References
NUDOCS 8711040321
Download: ML20245D037 (2)

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MEMORANDUM FOR:

Leland Rouse, Chief-

j Fuel Cycle Safety Branch Division of Fuel Cycle, Medical, Academic & Commerical Use-

' Safety, HMSS John Surmeier, Chief.

1 i

e Technical Branch

' Division of Low-Level Waste Management and Decommissioning, NMSS t

FROM:

Frank A. Costanzi, Chief

' Waste Management Branch Division of Engineering, RES

SUBJECT:

TRANSMITTAL OF WEST' VALLEY U.S.G.S.' WATER-RESOURCES 4

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INVESTIGATIONS REPORTS 85-4308, 8F14309, and 85-4145

'The Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research was requested by the Fuel; Cycle--

4

. Division of NMSS to conduct research studies at the West Valley site to examine the hydrologic pathways, and' to determine -the possibility of off-site releases o

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via these' defined pathways..The work was conducted by New York State (NYSGS).

and the U.S.. Geological Survey (U.S.G.S.) over a period of 5 years to examine a

.theLspecific site geologic and hydrologic' features. The U.S.G.S. hydrologists l

utilized both their own site study data (i.e. borehole logs) and the NYSGS geologists analyses. Earlier NYSGS reports were published as NUREG/CR's,'and are listed'and summarized ~in NUREG-1164.

Please find enclosed, the final reports from the.RES-funded West Valley Research Program issued by the U.S.G.S.

The first report, " Simulation of i

Ground-Water Flow Near the Nuclear-Fuel Reprocessing Facility at the Western New York Nuclear Service Center, Cattaragus County, New York", U.S.G.S. WRI L

85-4308, describes:

1) hydrogeologic conditions and ground-water flow near the p

reprocessing plant and its supporting facilities on the " North Plateau", 2) the migration of radioisotopes in the vicinity of the reprocessing-plant facility i

p' area, 3) ground-water flow patterns on the " North Plateau" within the surficial i

sand and gravel deposits, 4) the development'and calibration of a two-dimensional finite-difference model used to simulate steady-and transient-state flow within the surficial material, and 5) the application of the model to analyze past tritium migration and to predict flow paths and velocities of ground water from two potential sources of tritium detected in j-1972.

The second' report, " Surface-Waste Hydrology of the Western New York Nuclear i

Service Center, Cattaragus County, New York", U.S.G.S. WRI 85-4309, describes the relationships between precipitation and surface-water runoff at the burial ground and reprocessing-plant areas and includes analyses of streamflow and precipitation data, seepage measurements from springs, and estimates of evapotranspiration.

Four appendixes present 1) precipitation records, h*h$

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_2) stream disch'arge at three gauged sites, 3) seepage discharge at 19 seeps.

talong the edge'of the. reprocessing-plant area, and 4) water levels measured dur.ing 1982-C3 period in; wells around the reprocessing-plant area.

I The third report.:"Geohydrologic Conditions.at the Nuclear Fuels Reprocessing Plant and Waste-Management Facilities at the Western New York Service. Center, Cattaragus-County, New York", U.S.G.S. WRI-85-4145, describes the hydrogeologic

-conditions at the fuel reprocessing plant and waste-management facilities.

The

geologic and hydrologic information presented was obtained largely from studies

.j conducted since 1980, but data from' previous investigations are also included.

1 The_ report includes maps and several geologic cross sections that illustrate i

the stratigraphic relationships of the glacial deposits and the underlying.

I bedrock land describes ground-water flow patterns and hydraulic properties of

.]

the sediments.

It also includes: -1)descriptionsofthesurface-water; drainage areas and characteristics, with results'of inventories.of ground-water seepage to the surface; 2) hydrologic information from wells and borings-drilled during 1980-83, including. locations and depths of wells, water levels, and general well-construction data; and 3) natural gamma and. neutron-moisture logs of selected test holes.

l In reviewing these three reports, we. consider that the surface and ground-water.

flow pathways have been identified and investigated. The modeling of.the.

ground-water pathway for. ambient conditions (not incorporating the complexities

.of the previous burials and future post-closure scenarios) has been-accomplished through the calibration )hase, but has not been' fully validated.

The U.S.G.S. results provide a sound 3 asis for additional technical studies-

'(e.g.: scenario modeling, design of field studies to identify travel times and l

mixing zones, and post-closure assessments) which should be combined with the

- ongoing DOE studies to fully resolve the future burial and/or storage issues, and site closure design.

These three. reports should be reviewed with respect to the ongoing DOE West Valley Pilot Project for additional baseline data, and hydrologic analyses.

The major' observations and conclusions were previously printed in NUREG-1164, y

i "Information of the Confinement Capability of-the Facility Disposal Area at West Valley New York."

If you would like a formal presentation of the report's contents or if you have any questions please call Thomas J. Ofcholson, Ext.

37672, the Project Manager.

t Frank A. Costanzi, :hief Waste Management Branch RES l

Enclosures:

As stated l

cc w/out encls:

R. Davis Hurt, FCSB, NMSS l

T. Clark, FCSB, HMSS L

L. Deering, LLTB, NMSS M. Weber, LLTB, NMSS J. Starmer, LLTB, NMSS OPDR ?H Street Library 2

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