Design of a disposal cell for uranium mill tailings at Collin's Ranch, Oregon: A case study in informal dynamic optimization

The disposal of uranium mill tailings at the DOE's UMTRAP Collins Ranch site near Lakeview, Oregon provides an informative case study in the practical ramifications of groundwater protection standards. This paper discusses the hydrologic setting, the anticipated impacts of the initial cell design, and the legislative framework in which the design was prepared. Recently mandated compliance with the proposed EPA groundwater standards presented an interesting technical challenge, as much of the construction, based on the original design, had been completed by the time these criteria were imposed. The design modification options, constrained by existing work at the site, are discussed, along with the methodology used to identify a workable design enhancement