Characterization of the Hanford 300 area burial grounds. Task IV. Biological transport

Fitzner, R.E.; Gano, Kelsey A.; Rickard, W.H.; Rogers, L.E.

doi:10.2172/5699771

Cited by 11 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…In P. badius and F. pallidefulva , average chamber size decreased with increasing depth, and the spacing between chambers increased. These observations are consistent with the findings of Fitzner et al (), with harvester ant colonies from the 300 Area burial grounds at the Hanford Site. They found that 89% of all soil excavated by Pogonomyrmex owyheei colonies was from 1.5 m (4.9 ft) or less in depth.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 92%

Depth of the biologically active zone in upland habitats at the Hanford Site, Washington: Implications for remediation and ecological risk management

Sample

Lowe²,

Seeley³

et al. 2014

Integr Envir Assess & Manag

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Soil invertebrates, mammals, and plants penetrate and exploit the surface soil layer (i.e., the biologically active zone) to varying depths. As the US Department of Energy remediates radioactive and hazardous wastes in soil at the Hanford Site, a site-specific definition of the biologically active zone is needed to identify the depth to which remedial actions should be taken to protect the environment and avoid excessive cleanup expenditures. This definition may then be considered in developing a point of compliance for remediation in accordance with existing regulations. Under the State of Washington Model Toxic Control Act (MTCA), the standard point of compliance for soil cleanup levels with unrestricted land use is 457 cm (15 ft) below ground surface. When institutional controls are required to control excavations to protect people, MTCA allows a conditional point of compliance to protect biological resources based on the depth of the biologically active zone. This study was undertaken to identify and bound the biologically active zone based on ecological resources present at the Hanford Site. Primary data were identified describing the depths to which ants, mammals, and plants may exploit the surface soil column at the Hanford Site and other comparable locations. The maximum depth observed for harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex spp.) was 270 cm (8.9 ft), with only trivial excavation below 244 cm (8 ft). Badgers (Taxidea taxus) are the deepest burrowing mammal at the Hanford Site, with maximum burrow depths of 230 cm (7.6 ft); all other mammals did not burrow below 122 cm (4 ft). Shrubs are the deepest rooting plants with rooting depths to 300 cm (9.8 ft) for antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata). The 2 most abundant shrub species did not have roots deeper than 250 cm (8.2 ft). The deepest rooted forb had a maximum root depth of 240 cm (7.9 ft). All other forbs and grasses had rooting depths of 200 cm (6.6 ft) or less. These data indicate that the biologically active soil zone in the Hanford Central Plateau does not exceed 300 cm (9.8 ft), the maximum rooting depth for the deepest rooting plant. The maximum depth at which most other plant and animal species occur is substantially shallower. Spatial distribution and density of burrows and roots over depths were also evaluated. Although maximum excavation by harvester ants is 270 cm (8.9 ft), trivial volume of soil is excavated below 150 cm ($5 ft). Maximum rooting depths for all grasses, forbs, and the most abundant and deepest rooting shrubs are 300 cm (9.8 ft) or less. Most root biomass (>50-80%) is concentrated in the top 100 cm (3.3 ft), whereas at the maximum depth (9.8 ft), only trace root biomass is present. Available data suggest a limited likelihood for significant transport of contaminants to the surface by plants at or below 244 cm (8 ft), and suggest that virtually all plants or animal species occurring on the Central Plateau have a negligible likelihood for transporting soil contaminants to the surface from depths at or below 305 cm (10 ft)....

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 92%

Depth of the biologically active zone in upland habitats at the Hanford Site, Washington: Implications for remediation and ecological risk management

Sample

Lowe²,

Seeley³

et al. 2014

Integr Envir Assess & Manag

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…INL site-specific sampling of harvester ant nests at the Materials and Fuel Complex ponds suggests that ants redistribute radionuclides in soil but the effect is seen mainly in the mound material (Blom et al 1991b). Harvester ants tend to exhibit a preference for disturbed conditions similar to those found in the RWMC SDA (Fitzner et al 1979;McKenzie et al 1985), and it is likely that the engineered cover design will deter burrowing. In the screening analysis for the RWMC PA (DOE-ID 2007) biointrusion analysis, it was assumed that ants can burrow as deep as 2.7 m (9 ft) during the institutional control and compliance periods.…”

Section: Fauna and Flora Species Characteristics Of Concernmentioning

confidence: 95%

Summary of Conceptual Models and Data Needs to Support the INL Remote-Handled Low-Level Waste Disposal Facility Performance Assessment and Composite Analysis

Sondrup¹,

Schafter²,

Rood³

2010

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“…At the Hanford Site in Washington state, Fitzer et al (1979) provided evidence that the harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex owyheei) was excavating soil from tunnels extending from 2 to 3 m depth in the Area 300 Burial Grounds. In addition, P. owyheei shows a preference for establishment in disturbed areas such as waste disposal sites.…”

Section: Impacts Of Burrowing Insectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coupled Environmental Processes and Long-term Performance of Landfill Covers in the northern Mojave Desert

Shafer¹,

Young²,

Zitzer³

et al. 2004

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARYEvapotranspiration (ET) covers have gained widespread acceptance as a closure feature for waste disposal sites, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States. In addition, monolayer ET covers have been selected as the baseline method for closure of waste disposal sites for low-level radioactive (LLW), mixed LLW, and transuranic (TRU) waste disposal sites at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). However, ET covers are also landforms that will be subject to environmental change over time because of processes such as pedogenesis, hydrologic processes, vegetation establishment and change, and biological processes. Often these processes are viewed individually, when, in fact, in most cases they are interrelated or coupled.To better understand the effects of coupled process changes to ET covers, a series of four primary analog sites in Yucca Flat on the NTS, along with measurements and observations from other locations in the Mojave Desert, were selected to evaluate changes in ET covers over time. An important assumption in selecting a temporal sequence of analog sites is that looking back in time provides evidence of how similar features will change in the future. The ET cover constructed for the U3axbl waste cell in the Area 3 Radioactive Waste Management Site of the NTS was used as a baseline for comparison. Field and laboratory studies and literature reviews were conducted to evaluate the possible impacts of change on performance objectives of ET covers elucidated in U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO) Waste Management Program "Integrated Closure and Monitoring Plan" for the NTS. Performance criteria include 1) that the cover provides long-term minimization of migration of liquids through the landfill; 2) that the cover function with minimum maintenance; and 3) that the cover promotes drainage, with minimal erosion or abrasion. Analyses were also carried out to address NNSA/NSO technology needs for ET covers including providing information "on long-term evolution…of these covers as landform features that change because of natural pedogenic, biotic, and climatic processes; and maintaining functional requirements including 'limiting infiltration' and maintaining 'effective high ET ability.'"The analog sites (approximately 30 years, 1,000 to 2,000 years, 7,000 to 12,500 years, and approximately 125,000 years in age) were selected to addresses changes in the early post-institutional control period (the youngest site), the 1,000-year compliance period for disposal of LLW and mixed LLW, and the 10,000-year compliance period for TRU waste sites. Analog sites were selected based on criteria that included: 1) evidence that the sites had been isolated from recent alluvial, colluvial, and erosion processes that would not be expected to be agents on newly constructed ET covers; 2) low surface gradients, eliminating the need to consider processes such as sheet wash that a newly constructed cover would also be designed not to exp...

show abstract

Characterization of the Hanford 300 area burial grounds. Task IV. Biological transport

Cited by 11 publications

References 10 publications

Depth of the biologically active zone in upland habitats at the Hanford Site, Washington: Implications for remediation and ecological risk management

Depth of the biologically active zone in upland habitats at the Hanford Site, Washington: Implications for remediation and ecological risk management

Summary of Conceptual Models and Data Needs to Support the INL Remote-Handled Low-Level Waste Disposal Facility Performance Assessment and Composite Analysis

Coupled Environmental Processes and Long-term Performance of Landfill Covers in the northern Mojave Desert

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