Abstract
This study was conducted to document rooting depths and distributions of deep-rooted plants common to the Hanford Site 200-Area plateau. The effort concentrated on excavating plant species suspected of having deep root systems, and species that have been reported in previous studies to contain radionuclides in above ground parts. The information obtained in this study will be useful in modeling radionuclide transport by plants and in designing covers and barriers for decommissioning low-level radioactive waste burial sites. Fourteen species including 58 individual plants were excavated to measure maximum rooting depth and root density distribution (g dry root/dm/sup 3/) through the root zone. Age and canopy volumes of shrubs were also determined. Eight of the 14 species excavated had average rooting depths of 150 cm or more. The two deepest rooted plants were antelope bitterbrush and sagebrush with average depths of 296 and 200 cm, respectively. Gray rabbitbrush had an average rooting depth of 183 cm. Summer annuals, Russian thistle and bursage, had average rooting depths of 172 and 162 cm, respectively. 7 references, 4 figures, 5 tables.
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