Comparative simulations of a two-layer landfill barrier using the HELP Version 2. 0 and UNSAT-H Version 2. 0 computer codes

Abstract

This report documents the results of a simulation of the performance of a two-layer infiltration barrier for a nonradioactive dangerous waste landfill (NRDWL) at the US Department of Energy's Hanford Site in semi-arid southeast Washington State. The performance of the barrier was simulated for a period of 10 years using the UNSAT-H version 2.0 groundwater flow computer code. Pacific Northwest Laboratory performed this simulation to compare results using UNSAT-H 2.0 with those of the US Environmental Protection Agency's Hydrologic Evaluation of Landfill Performance (HELP) version 2.0 code. A conceptualization of the actual landfill barrier design was modeled using both codes. This model was simulated using 10 years of daily meteorological data collected at the Hanford Meteorological Station from 1979 through 1988. The intent of the comparison was to demonstrate that HELP conservatively predicts deep percolation of meteoric water at the Hanford Site. This demonstration required that the two codes be used to simulate the same conceptual model using identical, or at least essentially equivalent, input data. Comparing the results of the 10-year simulations showed that for the meteorological data and soil properties modeled the HELP 2.0 code was more conservative than the UNSAT-H code. HELP predicted a net drainage or deep percolation of 0.3592 cm (0.1556 in.) from the barrier for the 10-year period simulated. None to the UNSAT-H simulations predicted any deep percolation. HELP also predicted a greater proportion of precipitation returned to the atmosphere through evapotranspiration than did the UNSAT-H simulations in spite of the larger precipitation values being provided to HELP through an apparent data entry error. 14 refs., 11 figs., 8 tabs.