Effects of K-Reactor pre-operational cold flow testing on total suspended solids in Pen Branch

Abstract

Total suspended solids (TSS) levels were monitored by SRL Environmental Sciences personnel at two locations in the Pen Branch Creek system in conjunction with K Reactor cold flow (pump) testing required as part of the reactor restart effort. The TSS data were compared with flow and rainfall data collected simultaneously in an effort to obtain insight on the suspension and movement for particulate material in the Pen Branch system in response to natural and operational causes. Pump testing clearly caused higher TSS levels at the two sampling locations. The artificially elevated TSS levels were more pronounced at a sampling location near the reactor than at a sampling location farther downstream. Although the environmental data provided by this study were obtained and used exclusively for process control and research purposes, rather than for formal regulatory compliance (i.e. NPDES monitoring), the TSS levels determined by the comprehensive testing were compared with NPDES limits required at various SRS outfalls. TSS values in Pen Branch were seldom in excess of these limits. Because of the relatively few times that TSS values at the two sampling locations exceeded ``typical`` NPDES limits, and the fact that occasional relatively high TSS values could clearly be solely attributed to rainfall, it was concluded that no major adverse environmental impacts were caused to the Pen Branch system as a result of the K-Reactor pre-operational pump testing.