A refined characterization of the alluvial geology of yucca flat and its effect on bulk hydraulic conductivity
Open-File Report
2010-1307
Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management, National Nuclear Security Administration, Nevada Site Office, under Interagency Agreement Department of Energy Agreement DOE DE-AI52-07NA28100
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Abstract
In Yucca Flat, on the Nevada National Security Site in southern Nevada, the migration of radionuclides from tests located in the alluvial deposits into the Paleozoic carbonate aquifer involves passage through a thick, heterogeneous section of late Tertiary and Quaternary alluvial sediments. An understanding of the lateral and vertical changes in the material properties of the alluvial sediments will aid in the further development of the hydrogeologic framework and the delineation of hydrostratigraphic units and hydraulic properties required for simulating groundwater flow in the Yucca Flat area. Previously published geologic models for the alluvial sediments within Yucca Flat are based on extensive examination and categorization of drill-hole data, combined with a simple, data-driven interpolation scheme. The U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with Stanford University, is researching improvements to the modeling of the alluvial section, incorporating prior knowledge of geologic structure into the interpolation method and estimating the uncertainty of the modeled hydrogeologic units.
Suggested Citation
Phelps, G.A., Halford, K.J., 2011, A refined characterization of the alluvial geology of yucca flat and its effect on bulk hydraulic conductivity: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2010-1307, iii, 33 p. , https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20101307.
ISSN: 2331-1258 (online)
Study Area
| Publication type | Report |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
| Title | A refined characterization of the alluvial geology of yucca flat and its effect on bulk hydraulic conductivity |
| Series title | Open-File Report |
| Series number | 2010-1307 |
| DOI | 10.3133/ofr20101307 |
| Year Published | 2011 |
| Language | ENGLISH |
| Publisher | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Contributing office(s) | Western Region Geology and Geophysics Science Center |
| Description | iii, 33 p. |
| Online Only (Y/N) | Y |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | N |