Monitoring the hydrogeological characteristics of the vadose zone in the Saligny site

Full text: The Saligny site was proposed to be operated as disposal of low and intermediate level waste from the Cernavoda NPP. Its characterization is a continuous process regarding all the relevant safety aspects directed to improve the site understanding and to increase confidence in the safety assessments. These aspects should be covered by a pre-operational monitoring program. One of the most sensitive parameter at the moment is the hydrogeology of the vadose zone. A special monitoring network was designed and on-site implemented in order to follow up the hydrogeological characteristics concerning both the in-depth moisture content and matric potential variation in correlation with the meteorological parameters (precipitation rate, evaporation, wind, humidity, etc) under the national project PN II 71-009 - MONA. The experimental data provided by the monitoring network allow the calculation of some important parameters as infiltration rate and evaporation-transpiration, based on the most appropriate computational algorithms developed also under the project. The paper gives a description of the vadose monitoring network and the data collected since its installation. (authors)