Plans and Practices for Groundwater Protection at the Los Alamos National Laboratory

Plans and Practices for Groundwater Protection at the Los Alamos National Laboratory
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 104
Release: 2007-10-18
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 0309106192

The world's first nuclear bomb was a developed in 1954 at a site near the town of Los Alamos, New Mexico. Designated as the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in 1981, the 40-square-mile site is today operated by Log Alamos National Security LLC under contract to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Like other sites in the nation's nuclear weapons complex, the LANL site harbors a legacy of radioactive waste and environmental contamination. Radioactive materials and chemical contaminants have been detected in some portions of the groundwater beneath the site. Under authority of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the State of New Mexico regulates protection of its water resources through the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED). In 1995 NMED found LANL's groundwater monitoring program to be inadequate. Consequently LANL conducted a detailed workplan to characterize the site's hydrogeology in order to develop an effective monitoring program. The study described in Plans and Practices for Groundwater Protection at the Los Alamos National Laboratory: Final Report was initially requested by NNSA, which turned to the National Academies for technical advice and recommendations regarding several aspects of LANL's groundwater protection program. The DOE Office of Environmental Management funded the study. The study came approximately at the juncture between completion of LANL's hydrogeologic workplan and initial development of a sitewide monitoring plan.

Modeling Groundwater Flow and Contaminant Transport

Modeling Groundwater Flow and Contaminant Transport
Author: Jacob Bear
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 851
Release: 2010-01-18
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1402066821

In many parts of the world, groundwater resources are under increasing threat from growing demands, wasteful use, and contamination. To face the challenge, good planning and management practices are needed. A key to the management of groundwater is the ability to model the movement of fluids and contaminants in the subsurface. The purpose of this book is to construct conceptual and mathematical models that can provide the information required for making decisions associated with the management of groundwater resources, and the remediation of contaminated aquifers. The basic approach of this book is to accurately describe the underlying physics of groundwater flow and solute transport in heterogeneous porous media, starting at the microscopic level, and to rigorously derive their mathematical representation at the macroscopic levels. The well-posed, macroscopic mathematical models are formulated for saturated, single phase flow, as well as for unsaturated and multiphase flow, and for the transport of single and multiple chemical species. Numerical models are presented and computer codes are reviewed, as tools for solving the models. The problem of seawater intrusion into coastal aquifers is examined and modeled. The issues of uncertainty in model input data and output are addressed. The book concludes with a chapter on the management of groundwater resources. Although one of the main objectives of this book is to construct mathematical models, the amount of mathematics required is kept minimal.

Earthquakes and Water

Earthquakes and Water
Author: Chi-yuen Wang
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 228
Release: 2010-01-11
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3642008100

Based on the graduate course in Earthquake Hydrology at Berkeley University, this text introduces the basic materials, provides a comprehensive overview of the field to interested readers and beginning researchers, and acts as a convenient reference point.

Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock

Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 177
Release: 2021-01-29
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309373727

Fractured rock is the host or foundation for innumerable engineered structures related to energy, water, waste, and transportation. Characterizing, modeling, and monitoring fractured rock sites is critical to the functioning of those infrastructure, as well as to optimizing resource recovery and contaminant management. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock examines the state of practice and state of art in the characterization of fractured rock and the chemical and biological processes related to subsurface contaminant fate and transport. This report examines new developments, knowledge, and approaches to engineering at fractured rock sites since the publication of the 1996 National Research Council report Rock Fractures and Fluid Flow: Contemporary Understanding and Fluid Flow. Fundamental understanding of the physical nature of fractured rock has changed little since 1996, but many new characterization tools have been developed, and there is now greater appreciation for the importance of chemical and biological processes that can occur in the fractured rock environment. The findings of Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock can be applied to all types of engineered infrastructure, but especially to engineered repositories for buried or stored waste and to fractured rock sites that have been contaminated as a result of past disposal or other practices. The recommendations of this report are intended to help the practitioner, researcher, and decision maker take a more interdisciplinary approach to engineering in the fractured rock environment. This report describes how existing tools-some only recently developed-can be used to increase the accuracy and reliability of engineering design and management given the interacting forces of nature. With an interdisciplinary approach, it is possible to conceptualize and model the fractured rock environment with acceptable levels of uncertainty and reliability, and to design systems that maximize remediation and long-term performance. Better scientific understanding could inform regulations, policies, and implementation guidelines related to infrastructure development and operations. The recommendations for research and applications to enhance practice of this book make it a valuable resource for students and practitioners in this field.

Field Applications of In Situ Remediation Technologies

Field Applications of In Situ Remediation Technologies
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 44
Release: 1998
Genre: Factory and trade waste
ISBN:

Approximately 85% of the hazardous waste sites in the United States have contaminated ground water. The conventional approach for remediating contaminated ground water has been to extract the contaminated water, treat it above ground, and reinject or discharge the clean water ("pump- and-treat"). The recovered contaminants must be disposed of separately. It is becoming increasingly apparent that pump-and-treat technologies require considerable investment over extended period of time, and often times do not actually clean up the source of the contamination. Current policies and law stress "permanent" remedies over containment. Consequently, there is considerable interest and effort being expended on alternative, innovative treatment technologies for contaminated ground water. This report is one in a series that document recent pilot demonstrations and full-scale applications that either treat soil and ground water in place or increase the solubility and mobility of contaminants to improve their removal by other remediation technologies. It is hoped that this information will allow more regular consideration of new, less costly, and more effective technologies to address the problems associated with hazardous waste sites and petroleum.

Theory of Porous Media

Theory of Porous Media
Author: Reint de Boer
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 626
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3642596371

This is a consistent treatment of the material-independent fundamental equations of the theory of porous media, formulating constitutive equations for frictional materials in the elastic and plastic range, while tracing the historical development of the theory. Thus, for the first time, a unique treatment of fluid-saturated porous solids is presented, including an explanation of the corresponding theory by way of its historical progression, and a thorough description of its current state.

Applied Contaminant Transport Modeling

Applied Contaminant Transport Modeling
Author: Chunmiao Zheng
Publisher: Wiley
Total Pages: 0
Release: 1995-08-07
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9780471285366

Applied Contaminant Transport Modeling Theory and Practice Chunmiao Zheng and Gordon D. Bennett The design of remedial systems for groundwater contamination requires a thorough understanding of how various interacting processes — advection, dispersion, and chemical reactions — influence the movement and fate of contaminants. Solute transport simulation provides an ideal vehicle to synthesize these controlling processes, evaluate their interactions, and test the effectiveness of remedial measures. Applied Contaminant Transport Modeling is the first complete resource designed to provide clear coverage of the basic principles of solute transport simulation — including the theory behind the most common numerical techniques for solving transport equations, and step-by-step guidance on the development and use of field-scale models. Written by two experts with extensive practical experience in the field, Applied Contaminant Transport Modeling clearly explains: Factors controlling the transport and fate of solutes in the subsurface —g including advective and dispersive transport and chemical reaction — and the equations governing these processes Development of mathematical models of solute transport regimes and representative analytical solutions to the transport equation Particle tracking as a practical tool for solving many types of field problems Development of Eulerian-Lagrangian methods for solving advection-dispersion-reaction equations Step-by-step development and application of solute transport models — emphasizing problem formulation, model setup, parameter selection, calibration, and sensitivity analysis Sources of uncertainty in transport simulation, and methods of evaluating and managing uncertainty Applied Contaminant Transport Modeling presents detailed case histories illustrating how hydrologists, geologists, chemists, and environmental engineers apply transport models in real-life situations, including landfills, hazardous waste sites, and contaminated aquifers. An optional diskette designed to accompany the text provides software to help the reader explore the concepts and techniques presented in the text and gain hands-on experience in transport simulation. Driven by growing concern over groundwater quality and the rapid dissemination of computer technology, solute transport simulation has become an essential means of evaluating and solving groundwater contamination and remediation problems. Applied Contaminant Transport Modeling provides you with the tools to master this significant field of study.