Technical background information for the environmental and safety report, Volume 4: White Oak Lake and Dam

White Oak Creek Embayment site characterization and contaminant screening analysis

“…In 1979, White Oak Lake was drawn down when an evaluation of the integrity of White Oak Dam indicated the possibility of internal erosion that could lead to subsidence (Oakes et al 1982a, Tschantz 1987. Plans were made for improving the structure of the dam and providing a new discharge structure on the northwest side that would accommodate a 100-year flood (Oakes et al 1982a, Boyle et al 1982. In 1980, the dam was stabilized by adding a rock berm over a crushed rock and sand fill on the downstream side of the dam.…”

“…Flooding in 1956 and later years eroded the stream channels down to their preimpoundment depth. In 1961, an investigation was conducted to determine the extent of sediment deposition or losses from the lake bed since the draining in 1955 (Oakes et al 1982a). By comparing measurements of the depth of sediments in 1961 with measurements made by TVA in 1953, investigators reached an estimate that -4250 ma (150,000 ft3)of silt left the lake bed because of stream channel and lake bed erosion.…”

“…Radioactive contamination of the sediment in White Oak Lake is well documented (Lomenick and Gardiner 1965, Oakes et al 1982a, and Sherwood and Loar 1987. Estimates of the inventory of radionuclides in the sediment for different years are given in Table 1.3.…”

“…Some of these activities have resulted in the release to White Oak Creek and Melton Branch of (1) primary fission products including 9°Sr, 137Cs, and rare earth radionuclides and (2) activation products including 6°Co and many long-lived isotopes of transuranic elements such as plutonium. Radioactive contamination of the sediment of WOCE is well documented (Oakes et al 1982a, TVA 1984. The dominant gamma-emitting radionuclide in WOCE is 137Cs.…”

Technical background information for the environmental and safety report, Volume 5: the 1977 Clinch River sediment survey - data presentation

“…To arrive at an accurate assessment of the radioactivity present in White Oak Lake, sediment samples were taken in December 1979 (Oakes et al 1982). The locations chosen are shown in Fig.…”