Hanford Site National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Characterization

Neitzel, D.A.; Antonio, Ernest J.; O, Eschbach, Tara; Fowler, Richard A.; Goodwin, Shannon M; Harvey, David; Hendrickson, P.L.; Hoitink, D.J.; Horton, Duane G.; Poston, Ted M.; Prendergast, Ellen L.; Rohay, Alan C.; Thorne, Paul D.

doi:10.2172/919702

Cited by 37 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 79 publications

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“…The Hanford Site has a semiarid climate influenced by the Cascade mountain range to the west. The long-term average annual precipitation is 17 cm (Duncan et al, 2007). Most of the annual precipitation occurs during the late fall and winter, and snow accounts for 38% of the total precipitation from December through February (Duncan et al, 2007).…”

Section: Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The long-term average annual precipitation is 17 cm (Duncan et al, 2007). Most of the annual precipitation occurs during the late fall and winter, and snow accounts for 38% of the total precipitation from December through February (Duncan et al, 2007). We collected measurements at two distinct semiarid ecosystems within the Hanford Area located about 35 km apart with access to different levels of groundwater availability: an upland site (AmeriFlux site US-Hn1; 46.4089°N, 119.2750°W; Figure 1b) and a riparian site (AmeriFlux site US-Hn2; 46.6889°N, 119.4641°W; Figure 1c).…”

Section: Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Groundwater‐River Water Exchange Enhances Growing Season Evapotranspiration and Carbon Uptake in a Semiarid Riparian Ecosystem

Missik

Gao

et al. 2019

JGR Biogeosciences

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Semiarid ecosystems play a critical role in determining the interannual variability of the global terrestrial carbon sink. Water availability is a critical driver of productivity in semiarid ecosystems, which often alternate between carbon sink/source functioning during wet/dry years. In this study, we investigate how groundwater availability resulting from groundwater‐river water exchange influences net ecosystem exchange of CO2 (NEE), evapotranspiration (ET), and the surface energy balance at two semiarid ecosystems along the Columbia River in central Washington, USA. We examined 1 year of eddy covariance measurements from an upland sagebrush ecosystem primarily fed by rainfall without groundwater access and a riparian grassland ecosystem with groundwater access during the dry season due to lateral groundwater‐river water exchange. The two sites had distinct seasonal patterns of NEE and ET, driven by differences in water availability. While NEE at the upland sagebrush site was strongly constrained by water availability during the dry months, access to groundwater allowed the riparian site to maintain high NEE magnitude and ET during the same dry months. The riparian site had larger annual gross primary productivity than the upland site (612 vs. 424 gC/m2), which was offset by higher ecosystem respiration (558 vs. 363 gC/m2). Thus, the magnitude of the annual NEE at the upland site was larger than that at the riparian site (−62 vs. −54 gC/m2). Our results demonstrate that groundwater access determined by connectivity between groundwater and surface water can be a critical driver of carbon uptake and ET in semiarid ecosystems.

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Section: Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Groundwater‐River Water Exchange Enhances Growing Season Evapotranspiration and Carbon Uptake in a Semiarid Riparian Ecosystem

Missik

Gao

et al. 2019

JGR Biogeosciences

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“…It was established in 1943 to produce raw materials (Pu) for nuclear weapons. The Central Plateau component includes approximately 75 square miles (mi 2 ) of the central portion of the Hanford Site and encompasses the 200 East and 200 West Areas that have been used primarily for nuclear fuel processing, waste management, and disposal activities (Duncan 2007). In 1989, the 200 Areas were placed on the National Priorities List pursuant to the CERCLA.…”

Section: Environmental Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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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“…The DOE-SC PNNL Site's environmental setting is equivalent to that summarized in the Hanford Site National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Characterization report (Duncan et al 2007) and is not described here.…”

Section: Doe-sc Pnnl Site Environmental Surveillancementioning

confidence: 99%

Department of Energy – Office of Science Pacific Northwest Site Office Environmental Monitoring Plan for the DOE-SC PNNL Site

Snyder¹,

Meier²,

Barnett³

et al. 2011

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Hanford Site National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Characterization

Cited by 37 publications

References 79 publications

Groundwater‐River Water Exchange Enhances Growing Season Evapotranspiration and Carbon Uptake in a Semiarid Riparian Ecosystem

Groundwater‐River Water Exchange Enhances Growing Season Evapotranspiration and Carbon Uptake in a Semiarid Riparian Ecosystem

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

Department of Energy – Office of Science Pacific Northwest Site Office Environmental Monitoring Plan for the DOE-SC PNNL Site

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