ML20248A235
| ML20248A235 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 09/15/1989 |
| From: | Randy Hall NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | Matthews M ENERGY, DEPT. OF |
| References | |
| REF-WM-64 NUDOCS 8910020165 | |
| Download: ML20248A235 (3) | |
Text
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- &. j; 4 drlc UNGED STATES y
- g NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION if REGloN IV
. pf uRANluM RECOVERY FIELD OFRCE Box 25325 DENVER, Colorado 80225 l'
l SEP 151989 '
URF0:GRK Docket File'WM-64 U.S. Department of Energy ATTN: Mark'L. Matthews Albuquerque Operations Office P.O. Box.5400
' Albuquerque,.New Mexico' 87115 Gentlemen and Ladies:
I We appreciate the opportunity to visit the Lakeview site on' August 22, 1989.
Similarly, the August 29 and 30 meetings with Mr. Konwinski of my staff have raised several ground-water issues that need to be documented.
Considering our past agreements, some type of monitoring will be necessary to assure that the drain controls the hillside seepage.
Our office'has no concerns over penetrating the; tailings and underlying geochemical barrier with two monitor well casings designed to determine if the drain is. functioning.
There'are readily available methods to seal the: casings and prevent seepage out of the tailings around the outside of the casing.
Pending the outcome of discussions with your technical staff, please inform our office of your decision.
As was stated during our site visit, the point of compliance wells are to be cited at the downgradient edge of the disposal area to provide prompt detection of the leakage of hazardous constituents.
Accordingly, it appears that four point of compliance wells should be adequate at the site, all of which should be located at the edge of the rock mulch.
You will recall that the northeast.
point of compliance well should be initially located to determine an accurate potentiometric surface.
Documentation of this installation and resulting data should be maintained and utilized in citing the remainine three wells in areas normal to the direction of ground-water flow.
Our recor.endation would be to utilize 4-inch I.D. casing with a screened interval located in the upper 20 feet of saturation.
Our office is in receipt of a telefax cross-section initiated by Mr. Thiers.
This drawing indicates that the energy dissipation structure has a 4.8 foot
. designed earthen depression that is 120 feet long.
The bottom elevation of this rock-filled basin is 18 feet above the geochemical barrier that serves as the foundation for'the relocated tailings. The geology for the site indicates that sand stringers are responsible for perched water movement.
It is our conclusion that the rock-filled depression has the potential to pond runoff water-in an upgradient location that may adversely affect the water' quality at Of*W 1
8910020165 890915 f
2 SEP i 51989 the point of compliance.
A minor design modification, with its goal of removing ponded water from the depression would alleviate this problem.
Please provide us with your proposed modification as soon as possible.
Our final issue centers upon the number of ground-water parameters that are monitored at the Lakeview site. We feel that several parameters could be i
deleted from the monitoring list while still maintaining complete I
characterization of the site.
Similarly, we would recommend that some type of ground-water monitoring be instituted at the processing site to determine if the ground water is responsive to the relocation of the tailings.
To delay instituting such monitoring may seriously handicap your future efforts to determine the effects over time of the relocation.
If you believe that you are not authorized to expend funds for this purpose, it would appear to be a rather minor action to get that kind of authorization; particularly since the costs are negligible in comparison to your overall costs of the project.
If we can be of any further assistance, please contact us.
Sincerely, ME a f' Director cc:
J. Garcia, DOE S. Hamp, DOE F. Miera, State of Oregon W. Taber
L WM-64/GRK/89/09/07/L DISTRIBUTION.
Docket File WM-64 YPDR/DCS'*
'ABBeach, RIV GKonwinski RGonzales SGrace RCPD, NM LLO Branch, LLWM URF0 r/f CONCURRENCE:
DATE:
GKonwinski/URF0/1v 9'/l-Y f RGonzales/URF0 f/g-/6f EHawkins/URF0 35 d-7!/-!g/
7!/3!J'/
REHall/URF0 If N? TL i
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