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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. Plans and Practices for Groundwater Protection at the Los Alamos National Laboratory: Final Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11883.
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PLANS AND PRACTICES FOR GROUNDWATER PROTECTION AT THE  LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY

FINAL REPORT

Committee for the Technical Assessment of Environmental Programs at the Los Alamos National Laboratory

Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board

Division on Earth and Life Studies

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS

Washington, D.C.
www.nap.edu

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. Plans and Practices for Groundwater Protection at the Los Alamos National Laboratory: Final Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11883.
×

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS

500 Fifth Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20001

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

This study was supported by U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management contract #DE-FC01-04EW07022. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.

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International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-10619-2 (Book)

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Cover: Flat, table-topped hills (mesas) with valleys in between characterize the topography of the Los Alamos National Laboratory in northern New Mexico. Photo courtesy of DOE.

Copyright 2007 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. Plans and Practices for Groundwater Protection at the Los Alamos National Laboratory: Final Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11883.
×

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine


The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.


The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Charles M. Vest is president of the National Academy of Engineering.


The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine.


The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. Charles M. Vest are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.


www.national-academies.org

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. Plans and Practices for Groundwater Protection at the Los Alamos National Laboratory: Final Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11883.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. Plans and Practices for Groundwater Protection at the Los Alamos National Laboratory: Final Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11883.
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COMMITTEE FOR THE TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS AT THE LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY

LARRY W. LAKE (Chairman),

University of Texas, Austin

RODNEY C. EWING (Vice Chairman),

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

DEANNA S. DURNFORD,

Colorado State University, Fort Collins

ROLF U. HALDEN,

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland

INEZ HUA,

Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana

ANNIE B. KERSTING,

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California

ANTHONY J. KNEPP,

YAHSGS, LLC, Richland, Washington

CHRISTOPHER J. MURRAY,

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington

KENNETH A. RAINWATER,

Texas Tech University, Lubbock

ARTHUR W. RAY,

Wiley Environmental Strategies, Columbia, Maryland

JOHN R. SMITH,

Alcoa Inc., Alcoa Center, Pennsylvania

Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board Liaison

WARREN F. MILLER,

Texas A&M University, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Staff

JOHN R. WILEY, Study Director

TONI GREENLEAF, Financial and Administrative Associate

COURTNEY GIBBS, Senior Program Assistant

JAMES YATES, JR., Office Assistant

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. Plans and Practices for Groundwater Protection at the Los Alamos National Laboratory: Final Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11883.
×

NUCLEAR AND RADIATION STUDIES BOARD

RICHARD A. MESERVE (Chairman),

Carnegie Institution, Washington, D.C.

S. JAMES ADELSTEIN (Vice Chairman),

Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

JOEL S. BEDFORD,

Colorado State University, Fort Collins

SUE B. CLARK,

Washington State University, Pullman

ALLEN G. CROFF,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (retired), Oak Ridge, Tennessee

DAVID E. DANIEL,

The University of Texas at Dallas

SARAH C. DARBY,

Clinical Trial Service Unit, Oxford, United Kingdom

ROGER L. HAGENGRUBER,

University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

DANIEL KREWSKI,

University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

KLAUS KÜHN,

Technische Universität Clausthal, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany

MILTON LEVENSON,

Bechtel International (retired), Menlo Park, California

C. CLIFTON LING,

Memorial Hospital, New York City, New York

PAUL A. LOCKE,

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland

WARREN F. MILLER,

Texas A&M University, Albuquerque, New Mexico

ANDREW M. SESSLER,

E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California

JOHN C. VILLFORTH,

Food and Drug Law Institute (retired), Gaithersburg, Maryland

PAUL L. ZIEMER,

Purdue University (retired), West Lafayette, Indiana

Staff

KEVIN D. CROWLEY, Director

EVAN B. DOUPLE, Scholar

RICK JOSTES, Senior Program Officer

MICAH D. LOWENTHAL, Senior Program Officer

JOHN R. WILEY, Senior Program Officer

NAOKO ISHIBE, Program Officer

TONI GREENLEAF, Administrative and Financial Associate

LAURA D. LLANOS, Administrative and Financial Associate

COURTNEY GIBBS, Senior Program Assistant

MANDI M. BOYKIN, Program Assistant

SHAUNTEE WHETSTONE, Program Assistant

JAMES YATES, JR., Office Assistant

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. Plans and Practices for Groundwater Protection at the Los Alamos National Laboratory: Final Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11883.
×

Reviewers

This report has been reviewed in draft form by persons chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise in accordance with procedures approved by the National Research Council’s Report Review Committee. The purposes of this review are to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making the published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards of objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following for their participation in the review of this report:


Jean M. Bahr, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Sue B. Clark, Washington State University, Pullman

David E. Daniel, University of Texas, Dallas

Michael Kavanaugh, Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., Emeryville, California

Frank J. Schuh, Drilling Technology, Inc., Plano, Texas

Bruce M. Thomson, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

Laura Toran, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania


Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Frank Stillinger, Visiting Research Collaborator, Princeton University, and Lloyd A. Duscha, Deputy Director of Engineering and Construction, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (retired). Appointed by the National Research Council, they were responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring committee and the National Research Council.

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. Plans and Practices for Groundwater Protection at the Los Alamos National Laboratory: Final Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11883.
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Preface

The Manhattan Project during World War II led to construction of the world’s first atomic weapon at a site near Los Alamos, New Mexico, in 1943. Now designated as the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), the site continues to play key roles in science and defense. Like other Department of Energy (DOE) sites in the nation’s nuclear complex, LANL has a legacy of radioactive waste and environmental contamination that can pose a threat to groundwater.

Groundwater is a precious resource in New Mexico. While groundwater protection efforts have been ongoing throughout the site’s history, a state-mandated program to ensure groundwater protection began in 1998 with a major study to characterize the site’s hydrogeology. Under a Consent Order issued by the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED), the program, including remedial actions as necessary, is to be completed by 2015. At that time, groundwater protection will transition into a phase of environmental stewardship and long-term monitoring.

To help ensure the program’s successful completion, the DOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) turned to the National Academies for advice on scientific and technical aspects of the program through a study funded by the DOE Office of Environmental Management. DOE asked the Academies’ study committee to address a series of questions regarding the current state of the program and provide recommendations that would improve its future effectiveness. While confining itself to its task statement, the committee has been aware of citizens’ concerns about the quality of the region’s groundwater and LANL’s ability to protect it. These concerns provided an important context for the committee’s deliberations.

The committee is indebted to the many scientists, officials, and citizens who participated in its information-gathering meetings (March, May, and August 2006)1 and other phases of the study. We would like to recognize several individuals who made special efforts to assist our work.

Mat Johansen, of the Los Alamos Site Office of NNSA, and Jean Dewart, of LANL’s Environmental Programs Directorate (EPD), served as the committee’s points of contact. Their work in organizing technical presentations and workshop discussions by LANL scientists was central to the committee’s information gathering. Donathan Krier, EPD, helped to fulfill the committee’s many document requests. Danny Katzman, EPD, organized our visit to the LANL site during our May meeting and was always willing to address our many questions.

The committee was honored to accept an invitation from Governor James Mountain to visit the Pueblo de San Ildefonso in May 2006. The Pueblo is adjacent to the LANL site and on the groundwater flowpath from the site. Neil Weber served as the committee’s point of contact with the Pueblo. Marian Naranjo of the Santa Clara Pueblo assisted in the distribution of information about the study to other Pueblos and Native American organizations in New Mexico.

The Northern New Mexico Citizens’ Advisory Board (NNMCAB) through its chairman, J.D. Campbell, provided valuable information, assistance, and advice to the committee. The committee participated in an NNMCAB groundwater forum meeting at the Dwayne Smith Auditorium in Los Alamos in May 2006.

Robert Gilkeson, a registered geologist, provided the committee much technical material directed at LANL’s groundwater monitoring program by a presentation at the committee’s May meeting, participation in its August workshop, and written contributions. Joni Arends, of Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety, described both technical and public concerns to the committee. She and Mr. Gilkeson jointly responded to committee requests for information regarding radionuclide contamination on the site.

James Bearzi, chief of the NMED Hazardous Waste Bureau, and his staff helped the committee understand the state’s role in enforcing groundwater protection regulations and the regulatory requirements set forth in the Consent Order by participating in all of the committee’s information-

1

Participants and their presentations are listed in Appendix A.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. Plans and Practices for Groundwater Protection at the Los Alamos National Laboratory: Final Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11883.
×

gathering meetings. At the workshop, Richard Meyer described the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s views and concerns about groundwater protection at LANL.

The committee would also like to thank John Till, Risk Assessment Corporation, and his staff members Justin Mohler and Bruce Jacobs for providing the committee, pro bono, some of the graphical representations of LANL groundwater monitoring data that appear in this report. The committee understands that these representations are based entirely on publicly available data supplied by LANL and that they do not imply any authentication or interpretation of the data by Risk Assessment Corporation.

Most importantly, as chair and vice chair of the committee, we would like to thank all of the committee members for freely sharing their expertise, insights, opinions, and especially their time in the preparation of this report. While never hesitant to express and defend their views, members were unanimous in their spirit of cooperation and objectivity—and in arriving at the report’s findings and recommendations. The committee was ably assisted by the staff of the National Academies’ Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board. John Wiley, who served as the study director, and Courtney Gibbs, senior program assistant, supported all phases of our work from the initial committee appointment through its information gathering, report writing, review, and publication of this report. Kevin Crowley, board director, regularly attended our meetings where he shared thoughtful advice and guidance for making this report valuable for policy makers, scientists, and interested members of the public.


Larry W. Lake, Chairman

Rodney C. Ewing, Vice Chairman

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. Plans and Practices for Groundwater Protection at the Los Alamos National Laboratory: Final Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11883.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. Plans and Practices for Groundwater Protection at the Los Alamos National Laboratory: Final Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11883.
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The world's first nuclear bomb was a developed in 1954 at a site near the town of Los Alamos, New Mexico. Designated as the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in 1981, the 40-square-mile site is today operated by Log Alamos National Security LLC under contract to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Like other sites in the nation's nuclear weapons complex, the LANL site harbors a legacy of radioactive waste and environmental contamination. Radioactive materials and chemical contaminants have been detected in some portions of the groundwater beneath the site.

Under authority of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the State of New Mexico regulates protection of its water resources through the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED). In 1995 NMED found LANL's groundwater monitoring program to be inadequate. Consequently LANL conducted a detailed workplan to characterize the site's hydrogeology in order to develop an effective monitoring program.

The study described in Plans and Practices for Groundwater Protection at the Los Alamos National Laboratory: Final Report was initially requested by NNSA, which turned to the National Academies for technical advice and recommendations regarding several aspects of LANL's groundwater protection program. The DOE Office of Environmental Management funded the study. The study came approximately at the juncture between completion of LANL's hydrogeologic workplan and initial development of a sitewide monitoring plan.

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