U.S. Geological Survey research in radioactive waste disposal - Fiscal years 1983, 1984, and 1985

Abstract

The USGS has been assisting the DOE in evaluating the suitability of the Yucca Mountain area, located on and adjacent to the Nevada Test Site (NTS) and about 160 km northwest of Las Vegas, as a possible repository site for the disposal of commercially generated high-level radioactive wastes and wastes from DOE facilities. An essential part of this work is defining the geology and hydrology of the area in order to assess the potential for the transport of radionuclides from a repository to the human environment. In addition, the potential for disruption of a repository as a result of volcanic or tectonic activity or accelerated erosion is being evaluated. As part of the Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigations (NNWSI) project, the USGS is performing multi-disciplinary studies involving detailed surface mapping, surface geophysics, exploratory drilling, borehole geophysics, and topical studies of hydrology, climate, and tectonics. Studies are being performed to assess the potential for faulting, damaging earthquakes, recurrence of volcanism, and local acceleration of erosion in parts of the southern Great Basin. Hydrologic investigations are directed to determination of present and past hydrologic regimes of the NTS and vicinity in order to predict the potential for ground-water transport of radioactive wastemore » from a repository in Yucca Mountain to the accessible environment. Paleoclimatic studies are also being performed to aid in predicting future climate in the NTS vicinity.« less