Status report on radioactivity movement from burial grounds in Melton and Bethel valleys

The offsite radioactivity releases in the Clinch River from ORNL are less than 1 percent of the amount allowable for unrestricted use of the water by a population. However, studies directed toward locating sources of radioactivity release and toward seeking methods for reducing or eliminating them have been continued. Results are reported from a study, initiated in April 1973, concerned primarily with determining the radioactivity contributions to the Clinch River from the buried waste at ORNL and with implementing corrective measures. The groundwater transport of radionuclides, with emphasis on 90Sr, from buried waste at Oak Ridge National Laboratory was measured. Estimates of 90Sr discharge from the burial ground made from hydrologic data and groundwater monitoring show that 1 to 2 Ci of 90Sr are transported from the burial ground annually. The amount of transport is directly related to precipitation, and stream monitoring data show that the discharge of 90Sr from burial ground 4 has decreased over the past 11 years. Suggestions of engineering methods designed to decrease the 90Sr discharge are made. (U.S.)