Open-File Report 189 Report to the Waste Consultation Committee of the Mexico State Legislature Radioactive New on SITE IDENTIFICATION FOR LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL IN NEW MEXICO bY John W. Hawley, Senior New Mexico Bureau of New Mexico Institute Socorro, Environmental Geologist Mines and Mineral Resources, of Mining and Technology New Mexico February 18, 1983 SUMMARY In accordancewith provisions of the "Site Identification Act", HENRCS/House Bill 397 (1981), five possible sites for a low-level radioactive waste disposal facility have been identified in New Mexico. National, regional and state criteria for site selection are shown in Tables 1 and 2. Site locations 1. Major terrain and hydrogeologic features are shown on Figure at each site are shown in figures 2 to 8;.and site descriptions are given in tables to 3 6. Please note that this is an identification of possible sites based 1)onreview of published and unpublished informationon hydrology, geology, and soils; and 2 ) brief visits to areas with site potential. Onsite characterization work, and evaluation of socioeconomic and legal factors have not been done. This is a state-of-the-art effort that needs input and constructive 'criticism from public as well as professional sectors of society. 1 INTRODUCTION This is a report to the Radioactive Waste Consultation to site Committee of theNew Mexico State Legislature relating identification for disposal of low-level radioactive wastes as required by the "Site Identification Act", HENRCS/House Bill 397 (1981). According to Section 3: "The purpose of the Site to permit New Mexico opportunity to avail Identification Act is itself of the lead time before 1984-1989 when the present out-ofstate disposal facilities will be closed to the disposal of New for selection Mexico's low-level waste by establishing criteria of a disposal facility and by requiring the study and identification of atleast three possible regional sites for disposal facilities in this state." According to Section 5 of the Act the New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, in consultation with the Environmental Improvement Division and the Environmental Improvement Board, shall: A. study low-level waste disposal requirements of this state and shall report its findings to the committee: B. investigate all geographical areas in this state determined to be feasible sites for a disposal facility for low-level waste generated in this state, and after such investigation and analysis of the results, identify at least three possible sites for a disposal facility for in the Site compatible with the criteria provided Identification Act: and C. report its findings and identified sitesto the committee andto the first session of the thirty-sixth legislature. Preliminary reports were made to the Radioactive Waste Consultation Committeeon July 31 and December 2, 1981. The July (1981) report contained a tabulation of low-level radioactive waste shipments by New Mexico licensees in 1978, 1979, of the 1980 prepared by the Radiation Protection Bureau Environmental Improvement Division. This tabulation (as of April 1, 1981) provided basic documentation on the waste disposal requirements of the state as requested in Section 5, Item A. Additional documentation on waste shipments in 1981 and 1982 is given in an appendix to this report. The July (1981) report also established provisional criteria for selectionof possible sites fora disposal facility in accordance with Section 3 and Section 5-Item B of the Act. General guidance for site selection aatnational level is provided by U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (1981) "Licensing Requirements for Land Disposalof Radioactive Waste" 10 CFR Part 61, Sections 61.40-44 and 61.50 (Federal Register 46FR38081); and basic criteria for site selection in New Mexico are in accordance with of 10 CFR 61: the performance objectives 2 "Protection of the public health and safety over the long term is most important and long-term performance of the land disposal facility after [disposal] operations cease should be given greater emphasis than short-term considerations and conveniences..." "Assuring safety over the long term involves three considerations: (1) protection of individuals from inadvertent intrusion into the site and coming in contact with the waste at some point in the future; (2) protection of the general public from potential releases to the environment: and ( 3 ) stability of the disposed waste and the to site eliminate the need for ongoing maintenance of the site following closure." Disposal site "requirements are intended to eliminate, to the extent practicable, those areas with certain characteristics that are known to lead to or have high potential to lead to problems over the long term (e.g., flooding or rapid erosion of the site)". The 10 CFR 61 site suitability criteria are listed in table la. Performance objectives, assumptions about waste management systems, and more specific siting criteria are outlined in table lb. This information, which applies particularly well to arid lands of the southwest, is taken from a recent recommendation by staff members of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (Falconer, Hull, and Mizell, 1982). Criteria used for site selection in New Mexico are listed in table 2. These criteria follow 10 CFR 61 guidelines (table la) and the recommendations of Falconer and others (table lb). They are designedto be compatible with environmental conditions in New Mexico, particularly those relating to geology, hydrology, and geomorphic processes. With minor modification, the criteria listed in table2 follow the guidelines proposed by Longmire, Gallaher, and Hawley (1981) for landfill disposal of (nonradioactive) hazardous wastes. While wastes such as toxic organic chemicals and metals cannot be placed at same the disposal site as low-level wastes (and a pose much more serious to use similar environmental threat), it seems reasonable criteria for site selection. The guidelines proposed by Longmire and others (1981) and the criteria listed in table 2 are relatively restrictivewhen compared with those developed for use 1982, V. 2; and Yalcintas, in other regions of the country (Post, 1982, v. 2 ) . Strict adherence to these criteria should ensure that low-level waste repositories will be placed at 5 least miles from even small centers of population or farming, mining, and industrial activity. The site selection process as applied in New Mexico attempts to locate those areas of the state where natural conditions (e.g. climate, landforms, geology, and subsurface hydrology) provide containment. multiple barriersthat assure long-term waste There should be no degradation of land, water, and air quality in opportunities for surrounding areasfor thousands of years; and 3 human intrusion for resource development (e.g. soil, water, mineral, energy) should be minimal. Shallow burial of solid waste in secure a landfill is the basic disposal strategy envisioned in this study. Sucha landfill operation wouldbe located i n theupperpart of a very thick zone of essentially-unsaturated earth material (vadose zone). Subsurface water-flow paths should be very long in both horizontal and vertical directions. Siting criteria require that the unsaturated zone contain a large percentage of fine-grained materials, such as clay or shale, which would physically and chemically retain waste components. Interbedded layersof clean to capillarysand or gravel, which provide effective barriers water movement, should also be present in the unsaturated zone (Winograd, 1974,1981). IDENTIFICATION OF POSSIBLE DISPOSAL SITES The December (1981) report to the Committee illustrated the results of a preliminary screening process which eliminated large areas of the state that clearly did not meet combined geologic and hydrologic siting criteria. A generalized map in the report showed remaining areas that appeared to meet general siting criteria and merited further consideration as possible disposal sites. Final selectionof possible siteswas made in 1982 after study of the relatively small geographical areas that appear to meet basic siting criteria. All areasof the state were evaluated except for Indian lands, Federally protected areas (table lb, item12), and most lands administered by the Departments of Energy and Defense. Several areasshown in the December (1981) report were eliminated and one area was added. Location of the sites isshown onfigures 1 to 6 and table 3. The sites are numbered according to their increasing distance from Albuquerque. The order does not reflecta ranking of sites. New Mexico already has a low-level waste site at Los Alamos (LASL-figure 1) where research has been done during the 4past decades on site performance (Balo and others, 1982). A second area of interest noted on figure 1 is the Colfax locality where a large bodyof hydrogeologic information has been collected that is pertinent to disposal facilities in shale (Herkenhoff and Associates, Summers and Associates, 1977). The site selection process involved 1) review of published and unpublished informationon geology, hydrology, and soils and 2) brief visits to areas with site potential. It should be emphasized that no onsite characterization work has been done. Funding andtime limitations precluded detailed geologic and hydrologic study of specific localities. The selection of possible sites definitely reflects the professional experience and opinionof the principal investigator, who has been making local and statewide investigations of geology-soil relationships for the U.S. Soil Conservation Service and the Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources since1962. Other areas that meet siting criteria probably exist in the state; but the basic geologic and 4 hydrologic data needed for site identification are not available. The possible sites listed in this report definitely contain areas that will ultimately prove to be unsuitedfor any type of waste disposal. However, the sitesshown on figure 1 also include many of the best locations in New Mexico for the secure-landfill type of disposal operation. These areas also deserve consideration as places for processing and temporary storage of other typesof hazardous wastes. They definitely deserve immediate professional and public scrutiny (table lb, items8-12). A very large amount of background informationhas been collected and evaluated during this study. Items pertinent to the six areas discussed are outlined in Tables 3 to 6. Detailed location data, and important institutional and cultural features of general areas that include sites are covered in Table 3. This of published informationon table also lists major sources individual site areas. Table 4 deals with the physiographic setting of each possible site (e.g. climate, landforms, drainage network, and soils). Structural geologic setting, geologic hazards, and major energy and mineral resources are covered in Table 5; and Table6 is an outline of the major hydrogeologic factors considered. The tabular format provides a matrix for making relatively unbiased site comparisons. Type and fact9al quality of data in the tables 3-6 obviously varies greatly. Many items will be easily understood by nonspecialists in the earth sciences (e.g. distances to rivers, towns, irrigated farm land, and climatological data). Other items are expressed in obscure jargon that will have special significance to a very limited technical audience. The material presented in tables3-6 (factual and speculative) clearly indicates the major areas where there will be conflicts between the public need for secure wastedisposal sites for low-level and other hazardous wastes, and other willnotbe types of landuse. M a n y o f t h e legitimate conflicts easily resolved (e.g. urban expansion or energy resource development versus siting activities), but at least these potential areasof conflict are now documented and such problem areas canbe addressed in future studies. In the following discussion of very diverse individual sites there are several common themes: No single site meets all siting criteria (Table 2). However, each area listed has certain environmental characteristics that essentially mandate its consideration as a viable site candidate. In New Mexico (as in any arid region) hydrology and geology powerful are socioeconomic, cultural, political forces. Historically there or has been no intensive land use without a water-,,mineralsoil-resource base. Water availability obviously is the key factor. A valid question remains:Is the worst place for economic survival in this region the best place for low-level (or any typeof toxic) waste disposal? 5 "_ Area 1 -- Llano de Albuquerque (figs. 2, 8a) " I to the summit plain of the Llano de Albuquerque refers extensive tableland (or mesa) locatedbetween the valleys of the on the west Rio Grande and Rio Puerco. The tableland is bounded and east by steep valley-side slopes, respectively, designated Ceja del Rio Puerco and Cejita Blanca (Bryan and McCann, 1937, 1938; Lambert, 1968). The Llano de Albuquerque is a remnant of a once-more-extensive surfaceof basin fill deposited mainly by streams ancestralto the Rio Grande-Puerco drainage system. During the past half million years the present river and arroyo system has cut deep valleys below the Llano surface. The early constructional phase lasted for millions of years and resulted in deposition of thousands of feet of fill in a deep structural 1977). Much basin of the Rio Grande rift (Hawley, 1978; Kelley, of this basin fill, designated the Santa Fe Formation (or Group) is saturated with fresh water and forms a major aquifer. The northern part of the Llano de Albuquerque and flanking of the river valleys areshown in figure 2; and a cross section area is included as figure 8a. The deeply-incised Rio Grande valley and serves as a giant drainage channel, has provided a base-level -for the water saturated basin-fill deposits in adjacent mesa areas. Water table depths exceed500 ft over most of the Llano surface(fig. 2) and probably exceed1000 ft in a few areas (Bjorklund and Maxwell, 1961). Recent research on hydrology of desert basins (Winograd, 1974, 1981)indicates that 500 to 1,000 ft of unsaturated sand, gravel, silt and clay (vadose zone) would an be extremely effective barrier to waste migration. Moreover, studies of soils and dated volcanic units of the Llano area indicate summit the plain has not been subject to significant erosion or deposition for the past 500,000 years (Hawley and others,1976: Machette, 1978). There also appears to for development of geothermal energy in be only limited potential the area (Jiracek and others,1982). The major negative aspects of a possible disposal site on to the major the Llanode Albuquerque include 1) proximity regional urban center, 2) an extensive but deep aquifer zone to the east of the site, 3and ) the clear evidence of local seismic and volcanic activity during the past 200,000 years (Bachman and a disposal site could Mehnert, 1978: Machette, 1978, 1982).If be engineered to withstand seismic shocks, then Site1 should be considered as a viable candidatefor low-level waste disposal. Note that volcanic eruptions on the Llano de Albuquerque area are a constructional process that probably will not adversely effect long-term site performance. 6 "_Site 2 - Prieta (Figs. 3,8b) " with the Albuquerque The area of site 2 contrasts markedly intermontane basin (site1). Sandstones and marine shales (Mancos Shale)of Cretaceous age underlie an extensive erosional surface cut by the Rio Puerco andRio theSalado (a tributary to Jemez River). The eastern and southern part of this valley system also occupies a structurally downdropped zone adjacent to the Nacimiento Mountains and the Rio Grande rift (Baltz, 1967, 1978; Slack and Campbell, 1976; Woodward and Martinez, 1974). The area is flankedon the southwest by basalt-flow-capped Mesa Prieta; and to the northwest, there are scattered volcanic necks, such as Cabezon Peak(Ti, fig. 8b), which are erosion remnants of early eruptic centers of basaltic rocks. of Site 2 is a plugged, Adjacent to the southwest corner 700-ft test hole (15N.2W.3) that did not yield any water for aquifer tests by theU.S. Geolgoical Survey and Bureau of Land Management. Examination of well cuttings from this test boring (on file at the State Bureauof Mines and Mineral Resources) is clayey to silty shows that the penetrated section mostly shale. The area north of the well site is underlain by very thick depositsof the Mancos Shale, with very few lenticular beds of sandstone (Molenaar, 1974). The Mancos contains abundant or montmorillonites) magnesilm-rich clay minerals (smectities with expansive or swelling (bentonitic) properties and high ionic adsorptive capacity. Geochemically the Mancos Shale is an ideal host media for toxic-chemical as well as low-level radioactive wastes (Longmire and others, 1981). As documented by studiesof test hole 15N.2W.3, the Mancos is a very impermeable unit in the immediate site area. The northern part of the site (dashed outline on fig. 3 ) is only tentatively being considered because of its proximityto the of the upper Rio Puerco (here an more deeply entrenched valley intermittent to ephemeral stream). However, (geomorphically) it is the most stable part of the area because of its positionnear the crestof the broad divide between the Puerco-Salado (Jemez) stream systems. Also, known faults are located only in the southern part of general areashown on fig. 2 (fig. 8b, Slack and Campbell, 1976). Well-developed soilson thePuerco-Salado divide indicate presence offewa areas where the surface has been relatively stable with no significant erosion for 1'0,000 to 100,000 years. There aretwo major drawbacksto repository sitingin the Mesa Prieta-Cabezon area. First, exposed shaly rocks are very susceptible to erosion (Table 4-part2); and second, the area west of the Nacimiento structural uplift includes a general belt of relatively high seismicity (Sanford and others, 1981). 7 Site "- 3 - Huerfano (figs. 4, 8c) " TheHuerfanositeintheSanJuanBasinsouthofBloomfield (SW of Farmington) represents a combination of a number of features found at sites 1 and 2. As in the case of the Llano de Albuquerque the major landform is a tableland (mesa) summit situated hundredsof feet above adjacent valleys of the San Juan River system. Moreover, the site is underlain by thick shalesof continental origin, with many similarities to the Mancos Shale. These ancient floodplain, swamp, and lake depositsof Paleocene age are designated the Nacimiento Formation. This unit locally contains lenticular sandstone beds that form discontinuous aquifer zones (Brimhall, 1972). Most water wells drilled in the Nacimiento havevery low yields (Stone and others, 1983)t hand e, unit is generally not considered to be an aquifer. Furthermore, of Site 3, waterbecause of the upland topographic setting saturated conditions only sporadically exist and the water table is at least 300 ft below the surface (fig. 8c). The main aquifer in this part of the San Juan Basin is the Ojo Alamo Sandstone. This ancient river (fluvial) deposit forms a confined water-bearing unit that locally qualifies as a major aquifer (>lo0 gpm sustained yield freshwater). of The approximate piezomentric surface representing the artesian pressurehead inthe09 Alamoaquiferis showninprofile on figure 9c and is about500 ft below the sitesurface. Flow in both the unconfined (Nacimiento) and confined aquifer systems is northward toward the San Juan River. an While the mesasummit north of Huerfano Peak is basically erosion surface, it is capped with ancient alluvial deposits and soils, at least 100,000 years old, and a veneer of young windblown (eolian) deposits (mostly<10,000 yrs in age). The it has not been broad tableland summit has low local relief and of thousands of years. the siteof significant erosion for tens No geologically-young faults( < 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 yrs) have been noted in this local areaof the Colorado Plateau province. The major problem in site selection is finding a place where a disposal facility would not conflict with development of the proven oil and gas resources of the area (Parker and others;1977). Even considering this very important factor, the Huerfano site should be evaluated as a possible area for low-level waste disposal. 8 "_Site 4 - Jornada (figs. 5, 8d) and - Site Desert 5 (figs.6, 8e) " The topographic settingof Sites 4 and 5 in south-central New Mexico contrasts markedly with the landscape positions of the other sites discussed. Both sites are located in very broad intermontane basins (bolsons) where surface drainagenot is yet integrated with the adjacent Rio Grande valley system. Site 4 in the Jornada del Muerto Basin is on a broad piedmont slope constructed by coalescing alluvial offans streams to sandy clay heading in the San Andres Mountains. The gravelly piedmont alluvium interfingers westward with gypsiferous sand and clay deposited in ancient river-channels and backswamps. These features were marginal to a broad fluvial plain constructed by the ancestral Rio Grande more than 500,000 years ago. Deposits are very similar in age and origin toupper SantaFe Groupunits exposed in river-valley wallsof the Albuquerque basin(fig. Ea). However, clays are common, and both and sandclay units have thick gypsum-impregnated zones (King and others, 1971: Seager and others, , 1982, 1983). Recent work by Wilson and others (1981) shows that there is a n a r e a o f about 25 mi2extentinnortheastern Dofia Ana County where the water table is at least 500 ft below the surface. This area is. designated as Site 4 (figs. 5 and 8). Geomorphically it is still part of the bolson constructional topography has and yet to experience any significant erosion.Windblown sand sheets derived from the bolson-floor areato the west are also moving into the area. Sedimentation is not rapid, however: and detailed soil-geomorphic research by the Soil Conservation Service and the rjew Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources shows that only about 25 ft of sediment have been to added piedmont slopes during the past several hundred thousand years (Gile and others, 1981). Site 5 ison an ancient bolson floor surface at the southern end o f e - T u l a r o s a Basin (fig. 6, fig. sa). The surfaceis from the Hueco Mountains on flanked by piedmont slopes extending the east and the Organ Mountains on the west. This extensive was constructed bydistributaries alluvial and lacustrine plain in Pliocene to early Pleistocene of the ancestral Rio Grande time. The river emptied into ancient lakes of the south-central New Mexico border region and constructed a huge indelta the southern Tularosa Basin and northern Hueco Bolson (Hawley, 1978; Seager, 1981). Deltaic and associated lakebeds.are primarily clay with some interbedded sand. At the southeast corner of Site 5, a 940-ft section penetrated by a water test well is entirely clay and shale (Knowles and Kennedy,1958). No in aquifer was encountered in this test well, which finished limestone at 945ft. Clay and sand depositsin the area are commonly gypsiferous and watersare saline (fig. 8e). Young faults in the Site 4 and 5 region are concentrated on the western side of the Tularosa structural basin (eastern base of the San Andres-Organ range--Seager, 1980, 1981). No young faults (<500,000 yrs) have been mapped in parts of the Jornada and Tularosa basins inor adjacent to Sites 4 and 5. Work in of El Paso progress in the Texas-New Mexico border area northeast indicates that the southern part Site of 5may have significnt geothermal resources (Henry and Gluck, 1981). " 9 This study recommends that the lands in Sites 4 a n d 5 which are administered by the Department of Defense (White Sands Missile Range, McGregor-Fort Bliss-Range) be considered as viable candidates for possible low-level waste disposal sites. All of Site 5 is on DOD land, butit includes right-of-ways for U.S. Highway 54 and the Southern Pacific Railroad. About half of Site 4 is on White Sands Missile Range (table 3). I Koehler Area--figs. 7, 8f " is southwest of The last area considered in this report Raton near thetown-siteof Koehler, a former coal-mining center in the Raton Basin. This area has many of the same hydrogeologic conditions present at Site2. Cretaceous marine shale (Pierre Shale) is the dominant rock unit, and it is about 2000 ft thick at the Koehler locality. Land surface conditions are generally 4) and seismic risk more stable than at the Prieta Site (table appears to be low. A large body of good hydrogeologic information on the Pierre Shale has already been developed by Herkenhoff and Associates and Summers and Associates (1977). This work was done for Chem-Nuclear, Inc. as part of siting activity near Colfax (fig.1) for a proposed low-level disposal facility. This locality is on the terraced terrainof the Vermejo river, a perennial stream 12 mi southwestof Koehler: be because of present siting criteria,the Colfax area can not considered as a viable site. In contrastto the Chem-Nuclear site near Colfax the area near Koehler is situated at least 5 miles from floodplains of the two perennial streams, the Canadian and Vermejo Rivers. The siting criteria (table 2) also necessitated avoiding irrigated farmland (and associated canal systems) and ultimately limited the available area for a possible site to (2 mi2. The proximity Fe Trail route of residences, presenceof the historic Santa within the area, and its very small size indicate that the Koehler locality is probably not a viable site. However, in terms of geology, hydrology, and geomorphic and structural stability, the Koehler area compares quite favorably with the Prieta site(no. 2). This case history is a good example of conflicts arising from varying interpretations of criteria guidelines (table1 vs table 2). Many other professionals would probably rate the Koehler locality as one of the best in the state: it andis here recommended that the Raton basin not be completely eliminated from future siting considerations. 10 CONCLUSION This reportto the Radioactive Waste Consultation Committee of the New Mexico State Legislature conforms with provisions of the 1981 "Site Identification Act" requiring 1) identification of at least three possible sites for a disposal facility for lowlevel waste generated in this state 2) and a report on identified sitestothe committeeandtothe firstsessionofthethirtysixth legislature. for conducting It is hoped that the methodology developed this study will be useful to other professional workers involved in site selection. This methodology includes the criteria (table2 ) , matrix format for site description (tables 3 to 6), and design of hydrogeologic cross sections(fig. 8a-f ) . As previously stated, this state-of-the-art effort represents an early phase of the site selection process. The wide range factural and speculative material presented in the report should receiveimmediate public and professional scrutiny. Perfect natural repositoriesfor hazardous materials do not exist, nor are there perfect engineering or scientific solutions to the diversity of disposal problems. However, feedback from of all sectors of society should promote the ultimate selection best possible areasfor processing, storage, and disposal of hazardous wastes, both radioactive and nonradioactive. 11 REFERENCES Anderson, G.W., Hilley, T.E., Martin, P.G., Jr., Neal, C.R., and Gomez, R.C., 1982, Soil Survey of Colfax County, New Mexico: U.S. Soil Conservation Service,187 p. Anderson, J.U., and Maker, J.H., 1974, Suitability of New Mexico Lands for irrigation: New Mexico State University Agricultural Experiment Station, Research Report 276, p.28 Bachman, G.O., and Mehnert, H.H., 1978, New K-Ar dates and late Rio Pliocene to Holocene geomorphic history of the central Grande region,New Mexico: Geological Societyof America, Bull., v. 89, no. 2, p. 283-292. Balo, K.A., Wilson, N.E., and Warren, J.L., 1982, Design and operation of a low-level solid waste disposal site at Los Alamos, in Waste Management"82, volume 2--Low Level Waste, R.G. PostTed.: Proceedings of Symposium on Waste Management of Regents, p. 297-309. at Tucson, Arizona, Arizona Board of Raton Basin and Baltz, E.H, 1965, Stratigraphy and History notes on San Luis Basin, Colorado-New Mexico: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Bull., v. 49, p. 2041-2075. , 1967, Stratigraphy and Regional Tectonic Implications of Part of Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks, east central San Juan Basin, New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey, Prof. Paper 552, 101 p. , 1978, R6sum6 ofRio Grande depression in north-central New -Mexico, inGuidebooktoRioGrande rift inNew Mexicoand ColoradoTNew Mexico Bureauof Mines and Mineral Resources, Circ. 163, p. 210-233. Bjorklund, L.J., and Maxwell, B.W., 1961, Availability of Ground Water in the Albuquerque Area, Bernalillo and Sandoval Counties, New Mexico: New Mexico State Enqineer, Technical Report 2i, 117 p. Black, B.A., and Hiss, w.L., 1974, Structure and Stratigraphy in Fe Pacific NO- 1 the Vicinity of the Shell Oil Co.'Santa Test Well, Southern Sandoval County, New Mexico: New Mexico Geological Society Guidebook, 25th.field conference, p. 365370. Brimhall, R.M., 1973, Ground Water Hydrologyof Tertiary Rocks of the San Juan Basin, New Mexico: Four Corners Geological Society Memoir Book,p. 197-207. Bryan, Kirk, and McCann,F. T., 1937, The Ceja del Rio PUerCO--a border feature ofthe Basinand Range province inNew Mexico, Part I, Stratigraphy and structure: Journal of geology, V. 45, p. 801-828. , 1938, The Ceja del Rio Puerco--a border feature of the Basin and Range province in New Mexico, Part 11, Geomorphology: Journal of Geology, v. 46, p. 1-16. Bulloch, H.E., Jr., and Neher, R.E., 1980, Soil Survey of Dofia Ana County Area, New Mexico:U.S. Soil Conservation Service, 177 p. Craigg, S.E., 1980, Hydrology and Water Resourcesof the Chico Arroyo/Torreon Wash area, Sandoval and McKinley Counties, New Mexico: M.S. Thesis, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, 272 p. 12 Derr, P., 1981, Soil Surveyof Otero Area, New Mexico: Partsof Otero, Eddy, and Chaves Counties: U.S. Soil Conservation Service, 244 p. Falconer, K.L., Hull, L.C., and Mizell, S.A., 1982, Site Selection Criteria for Shallow Land Burialof Low-Level Radioactive Waste, in Waste Management '82, volume 2--Low Level Waste, R.G. Post. ed.: Proceedings of the Symposium on Waste of Regents, p. Management at Tucson, Arizona, Arizona Board 199-214. Fassett, J.E., and Hinds, J.S., 1971, Geology and Fuel Resources of the Fruitland Formation and Kirtland Shale of the San Juan Basin, New Mexico and Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey, . Professional Paper 676, 16 p. Griggs, R.L., 1948, Geology and Ground-Water Resourcesof the Eastern Partof Colfax County, New Mexico: New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Ground-Water Report 1, 186 p. Gile, L.H., Hawley, J.W., and Grossman, R.B., 1981, Soils and Geomorphology in the Basin and Range ofarea Southern New of Mexico-Guidebook to the Desert Project: New Mexico Bureau Mines and Mineral Resources, Memoir 39, 222 p. Hacker, L.W., 1977, Soil Survey of Bernalillo County and parts of Sandoval and Valencia Counties, New Mexico:U.S. Soil Conservation Service, 101p. Hawley, J.W., compiler, 1978, Guidebook to Rio Grande riftin New ,Mexico and Colorado: New Mexico Bureauof Mines and Mineral Resources, Circ. 163, 241 p. , 1983a, Site identificationfor low-level radioactive waste disposal in New Mexico--report to the Radioactive Waste Consultation Committeeof the New Mexico State Legislature: New Mexico Bureauof Mines and Mineral Resources, Open-file Report 189, 16p. , 198313, Testimony at theU.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on major environmental issues in New Mexico, in Environmental issues facing the state of New Mexico--saring before the Committee on environmental and Public Works, United States Senate (Senate Hearing 98-279): 48U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.,p. 51, 231-331. Hawley, J.W., Bachman, G.O., and Manley, Kim, 1976, Quaternary stratigraphy in the Basin and Range and Great Plains provinces, New Mexico and western Texas, in Quaternary stratigraphy of North America,W.C. Mahans, ed: Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, Dowden, Hutchinson, and Ross, Inc., p. 235-274 Hawley, J.W., Lambert, P.W., Kelley, V.C., and Woodward, L.A., 1982, Road-Log Segment 111-B: Sandia Mountains Tramway at Terminal to Placitas via Alameda, Rio Rancho, Ceja del Puerco, Loma Duran, and Bernalillo: New Mexico Geological Society Guidebook, 33rd field conference,p. 80-94. Hawley, J.W., and Love, D.W., 1981, Overview of Geology as Related to Environmental Concerns in New Mexico: New Mexico Geological Society, Special Publicationno. 10, p. 1-13. Henry, C. D., and Gluck, J. K., 1981, A preliminary assessment of the geologic setting, hydrology, and geochemistry of the 13 Hueco Tanks geothermal area, Texas and New Mexico: University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology, Geological Circular 81-1, 47 p. Herkenhoff, G., and Associates, Inc., Summers, W.K. and Associates, 1977, Geology and hydrologyof a site proposed for burial of low-level solid radioactive waste, western Colfax County,New Mexico: New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Open-file Rept. 79,V. 1-3, 1035 p. Hoidale, G.B., Smith, S.M., Blanco, A.J., and Barber, T.L., 1967, A study of atmospheric dust: Atmospheric Science Laboratories, White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, ECOM Rept. no. 5067, 132 p. Holzer, T.L., and Pampeyan, E.H., 1981, Earth Fissures and Localized Differential Subsidence: Water Resources Research, v. 17, no. I, p. 223-227. Jiracek, G. R., Gustafson, E. P., Parker, M. D., 1982, Geophysical exploration for geothermal prospects west of Albuquerque, New Mexico: New Mexico Geological Society Guidebook, 33rd field conference,p. 333-342. Keetch, C.W., 1980, Soil Surveyof San Juan County, New Mexico, Eastern Part: U.S. Soil Conservation Services, 173 p. Kelley, V.C., 1977, Geology of Albuquerque Basin, New Mexico: New p. Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Memoir6033, King, W.E., Hawley, J.W., Taylor, A.M., and Wilson, R.P., 1971, Geology and Ground-Water Resources of Central and Western Dofia Ana County, New Mexico: New Mexico Bureauof Mines and Mineral Resources, Hydrologic Report1, 64 p. Knowles, D.B., and Kennedy, R.A., 1958, Ground-Water Resources of the Hueco Bolson Northeast of El Paso, Texas: U.S. Geological Survey, Water-Supply Paper 1426, 186 p. Lambert, P.W., 1968, Quaternary stratigraphy of the Albuquerque area, New Mexico: Ph.D. thesis, University of New Mexico, 257 p. Lane, L.J., and Nyhan, J.W., 1982, Use of a State of the Art Model of Shallow Land Repositories for Low-Level in Generic Designs Wastes, in Waste Management '82, volume 2 Low Level Waste, R.G. PostTed.: Proceedings of the Symposium on Waste Management at Tucson, Arizona, Arizona Board of Regents, p. 235-244. Longmire, P.A., Gallaher, B.. and Hawley, J.S., 1981, Geological, for disposal of Geochemical and Hydrological Criteria hazardous wastes in New Mexico: New Mexico Geological Society, Special Publication,no. 10, p. 93-102. Machette, M.N., 1978, Dating Quaternary faults in the southwestern United States by using buried calcic paleosols: U.S. Geological Survey Journal Research, of v. 6, no. 3, p. 369-381 and Pliocene Faults in the La Jencia and ,' 1982, Quaternary Part of the Albuquerque-Belen Southern Basins, New Mexico: Evidence of Fault Historyfrom Fault-Scarp Morphology and Quaternary Geology: New Mexico Geological Society Guidebook, 33rd field conference,p. 161-170. Maker, H.J., Folks, J.J., Anderson, J.U., and Gallman, W.B., 1971a, Soil Association and Land Classification for Irrigation, Sandoval and Los Alamos Counties: New Mexico State University - 14 Agricultural Experiment Station, Research Report 188, 45 p. Maker, H.J., Neher, R.E., Derr, P.H., and Anderson, J.U., 1971b, for Irrigation, Soil Associations and Land Classifications Dofia Ana County: New Mexico State University Agricultural Experiment Station, Research Report 183, 40 p. Maker, H.J., Anderson, G.W., and Anderson, J.U., 1972a, Soil Associations and Land Classification for Irrigation, Colfax County: New Mexico State University Agricultural Experiment Station, Research Report 239,47 p. Maker, H.J., Derr, P.S., and-Anderson,J.U., 1972b, Soil Associations and Land Classification for Irrigation, Otero County: New Mexico State University Agricultural Experiment Station, Research Report 238,63 p. Maker, H.J., Keetch, C.W., and Anderson, J.U., 1973, Soil Associations and Land Classification for Irrigation, San Juan County: New Mexico State University Agricultural Experiment 'Station, Research Report 257, 44 p. Maker, H.J., Dregne, H.E., Link, V.G. and Anderson, J.UI 1974, Soils of New Mexico: New Mexico State University Agricultural Experiment Station, Research Report 285, 132 p. Molenaar, C.M., 1974, Correlation of the Gallup Sandstone and Associated Formations,.Upper Cretaceous, Eastern San Juan Basin and Acoma Basins, New Mexico: New Mexico Geological Society Guidebook, 25th field conference, p. 251-258. Parker, J.M., Riggs, E.A., and Fisher, W.L., 1977, Oil and gas potential of the San Juan Basin: New Mexico Geological Society, Guidebook 28th field conference, p. 227-234. Post, R.G., editor, 1982, Waste Management'82, volume 2 Low Level Waste: Proceedings of the Symposium on Waste Management at Tucson, Arizona, Arizona Board of Regents, 655 p. Reilinger, R.E., Brown, L.D., and Oliver, J.E., 1979, Recent Vertical Crustal Movements from Leveling Observations in the Vicinity of the Rio Grande Rift, in Rio Grande Rift: Tectonics and Magmatism, R.E. Reicker, ed.: American Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C., 438 p. Reiter, M., Mansure, A.J., and Shearer, C., 1979, Geothermal Characteristics of the Rio Grand rift within the Southern Rocky Mountain Complex, & Rio I GrandeRift: Tectonics and Magmatism, R.E. Riecker, ed.: American Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C., 438 p. Sanford, A.R., Olsen, K.H., and Jaksha, L.H., 1981, Earthquakes in New Mexico, 1849-1977: New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Circ. 171, 20p. Seager, W.R., 1980, Quaternary Fault System in the Tularosa and Hueco Basins, Southern New Mexico and West Texas: New Mexico Geological Society Guidebook, 31st field conference, p. 131-136. , 1981, Geologyof the Organ Mountains and southern San Andres Mountains, New Mexioc: New Mexico Bureauof Mines and Mineral Resources,, Memoir 39, 97 p. Seager, W.R., Hawley, J.W., Kottlowski, F.E., and Kelley, S.A., 1983, GeologicMap of Eastern Halfof Las Cruces and Northeastern Part of El Paso, 10x20 sheets: New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources,GM 57, in press. Siemers, W.T., and Austin, G.S., 1979, Active Mines and Processing - - 15 Plants in New Mexico: New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Resource Maps, RM-9 Slack, P.B., and Campbell, J.A., 1976, Structural Geology of the Rio Puerco Fault Zone and its Relationship to Central New Mexico Tectonics: in Tectonics and Mineral Resources of Southewestern NortiiAmerica: New Mexico Geological Society, Special Publication no. 6, p. 46-52. Stephens, D.B., and Siegel, J., 1981, Fluid-Waste Movement through the Vadose Zone: New Mexico Geological Society, Special Publication no. 10, p. 103-110. Stone, W.J., Lyford, F.P., Franzel, P.F., Mizell, N.H., and Padgett, E.T.! 1982, Hydrogeology and Water Resources of San Juan Basin, New Mexico: New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Hydrologic Report6, 70 p. Summers, W.K., 1979, Hydrothermal Anomalies in New Mexico: New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Resource Maps, R"1. Titus, F.B. Jr., 1961, Ground-Water Geology of the Rio Grande Trough in North-Central New Mexico, with sections on the Jemez Caldera and the Lucero Uplift: New Mexico Geological Society Guidebook, 12th field conference, p. 186-192. U.S. Geological Survey and New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral of New Mexico: U.S. Resources, 1981, Energy Resources map Geological Survey Map 1-1327. Wells, S.G., and Rose, D.E., 1981, Application of Geomorphology tb Surface Coal-Mining Reclamation, Northwestern New Mexico: New Mexico Geological Society, Special Publication no. 10, p. 69-83. Wilson, L., 1973, Variations in Mean Annual Sediment Yield as a Function of Mean Annual Precipitation: American Journal of Science, vol. 273, p. 335-349. , 1981, Potential for Ground-Water Pollution in New Mexico: New Mexico Geological Society, Special Publicationno. 10, p. 47-54. Wilson, L., Anderson, S.T., Jenkins, D.N., and Cristiano, C., 1979, Program for the Statewide Monitoring of Ground-water Quality in New Mexico: unpublished final report on file in the office of New Mexico Environmental Improvement Division, Santa Fer New Mexico, 180 p. Wilson, C.A., White, R.R., Orr,.B.R., and Roybal, R.G., 1981, Water Resources of the Rincon and Mesilla valleys and adjacent areas, New Mexico: New Mexico State Engineer, Technical Report 43, 514 p. Winograd, I.J., 1974, Radioactive Waste Storage in the Arid Zone: EOS Transactions American Geophysical Union, V. 55, no. 10, p. 884-894. , 1981, Radioactive Waste Disposal in Thick Unsaturated Zones: Science, Vol. 212, no. 4502, p. 1457-1463. Woodward, L.A., and Martinez, R., 1974, Geologic Map and Sections of Holy Ghost Spring Quadrangle, New Mexico: New Mexico Geologic.Map 33. Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Yalcintas, M.G., compiler, 1982, Proceedingsof the Symposium on Low-Level Waste Disposal-Site Characterization and Monitoring: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C., 503 p. 16 ~. New Mexico Bureau of Mines & Mineral Resources Socorro, N M 87801 A DIVISION OF NEW MEXICO INSTITUTE OF MINING & TECHNOLOGY February 18, 1983 Representative James X. Otts, Chairman Radioactive Waste Consultation Committee New Mexico S t a t e L e g i s l a t u r e State Capitol Building SantaFe, Kew Mexico 87503 Dear Etepresentative Otts: Inclosed is t h e r e p o r t of the New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Nineral Xesources on " S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n f o r Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal i n N e w Mexico." I t has been prepared by me i n accordance with provisions of t h e " S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n Act ," HENRCS/House B i l l 397 (1981) . The r e p o r t is completeexcept f o r Appendices A t o C. Appendix A on Low-Level jlaste Generation i n Mew Mexico (1979-1980)needs t o beupdated t o i n c l u d e statistics f o r 1981 and 1982. Appendix B is a new State Geologic Map t h a t is being published by t h e New Mexico G e o l o g i c a l S o c i e t y i n e a r l y March. Appendix C is t h e l a t e s t s t a t e map showinglandownership, which I s t i l l have t o obtain from t h e U. S. Bureau of Land knagement. As you and the rest of the committee clearly understand, this has been a very tough assignment: and a t t h e same time it has been one of the most worthwhile service r e q u e s t s ever Fade t o the New Eexico Bureau of Nines. The possible sites designated i n t h i s r e p o r t are "good sites" when compared with other low-level waste f a c i l i t i e s i n the nation. However, is t h e r e r e a l l y s u c h a t h i n g as a "good" r a d i o a c t i v e waste d i s p o s a l s i t e ? To s a y t h e l e a s t t h i s h a s b e e n a humbling e x p e r i e n c e f o r me. One d o e s n o t l i g h t l y jump i n t o t h i s typeof work. Dr. Kottlowski and I f e e l t h a t t h i s e f f o r t deserves public and p r o f e s s i o n a l W e would t h e r e f o r e l i k e t h e a t t e n t i o n a t t h e earliest possibleopportunity. committee'sand legislature's permission to release t h i s document i n our open-filer e p o r t series. It would then be a v a i l a b l e a t a nominal fee f o r d u p l i c a t i o n c o s t s . The document could also serve as t h e basis f o r a somewhat more e l a b o r a t e formal publication a t a later date. Sincerely yours, John W. Hawley Senior Environmental Geologist JWH/dh cc: Frank E. Kottlowski Xep. Vernon Kerr NEW MEXICO TECH IS AN EWAL OPPORTUNlTYlAFFlRMATlVE ACTIONINSTITUTION .N;MEXICO BUREAU OF MINES AN0 MINERAL RESOURCES 16.- 35' I t 34. - 33. - '. 32.7 i 1 1 I ' 109. 108. 107' 106' 105. 104. Figure 1. Five possible s,iites for disposal of low level radioactive Wastes 1.Llano de Albuquerque 2.Prieta 3.Huerfano 4.Jornad.a 5-Deserk Figure 4 . Index map to Site 3 area (Huerfano) and location of section CC' Figure 5 - Index map to Site 4 area (Jornada) and location of section DD' 30' -, I I 359 i ~ 358 351 15' 32'00'i IO' 1 Figure 7. Index map to Site 6 area (Raton-Koehler) area and location of section FF' A A' .^ Qs Qv QTsf Tsf K Windblown sand Rio Grande Valley Fill-sand, gravel, silt, clay Upper Santa Fe Group-sand andgravel; interbedded with some clay and silt Lower Santa Fe Group-interbedded sand, silt, and clay UndividedMesozoicrocks-mostly Cretaceous shale andsandstone 0 0 m c.c .- v) # 32- Llano de Albuquerque QTsf Upper Santa Fe Group-sand and gravel Lower TsfSanta Group-sand, Fe silt, clay TgGalisteoFormation-sindstoneandmudstone Tsj SanJoseFormation-sandstone TnNacimientoFormation-shalewithminor sandstone KToa Ojo Alamo Sandstone Kk Kirtland Shale Kph PointLookoutSandstone-HostaTongue Km Mancos Shale Kd Dakota Sandstone sandstones J Jurassic and mudstones Huerfana Peak C 0 5 10 15 I I I I Figure 8 a-c. B' C' 20 m i l e s I Hydrogeologic sections AA', B B ' , CC' of Site 1, 2, and 3 areas D D' - 4000 -3000 -2500 -2000 I .- . . .. ..- . QTsfr river sandandgravel gypsum 2andsand QTsfe mudstone 2clay 3 QTsfc and gypsum and QTsfg fan gravel -1500 ._ . -. Tv MiddleTertiaryvolcanics Ts Tertiary conglomerate Lower 2 " -2.vlg sandstoneK Cretaceous sllalo 1% Limestone, sandstone, and shale and E Tsfg fanglomerate 2* Tsfcclaystoneandmudstone E saline wafer >20,00Omg/LTDS 8e. .. TKr Raton Formation-sandstone, shale, coal Ktv Vermejo and Trinidad Formations-sandstone, Kc shale, coal KpPierreShale Kn Smoky Hills Marl (shale) ___ . " Knf Fort Hays Limestone Carlisle Shale and Limestone Kgg Greenhorn Graneros Shale 8f. F F' L 8000, 6000. KP 5500. _." / " -. . " " " 5 0 0 0. -6000 4500- 0 5 IO 15 20 m l l e s I TMLE 1. WLTIW ANI) ., ROGIW SlTING CRITERIA IQR S I W UUID BURIAL OF LLWLLVEL WLDIMCLI'VE rn la. 1 O W 61 SlTE SUITABILITf WUTERIA 1. Ihs disposal site shall be caplble of being characterized, d e l e d , analyzed and nonitored. 2. Within the regim or s h t e where the facility is t o be looated, a disposal s i t e s b u l d be selected so tlmt projected poprlatim grwth erd future developents are mt likely to affect the ability of the disposal facility to Deet p e r f o m e objectives 3. Ar- 4. Ih, disposal must be avoided having e m m i m l l y eignifivint mtural resources Wt~idl, i f exploited, Wmld result i n failure to meet 'the prfolwvre objectives site must be generally well drained and free of areas of f l d i n g or f r w n t p o d n g . Waste disposal shall m t take h i g b b z a r d area or wetland. place i n a 1W-year f l d plain, -tal - 5. Upstream drainage areas must be minimized to decrease the mcmt of rmoff whidl muld erode or i-date 6. Ihs dieposal s i t e must provide sufficient depth to the water table that gmmd will mt waste disposal wits Water intrusion, perennial or otherwise, into the waste 7. Any granddater d i s h r g e to the surface within the disposal a i t e must mt originate within the h@rqeologic wit used for diaposal 8. Areas must be avoided where tectonic prmesses such as faulting, folding, aeismfc activity, m wlcaniem ray occur with such freqmlcy and extent to significantly affect the ability of the disposal S i t s t o ncet pBcfmance objmivos or m y preclula dafensible d o l i n g an3 prediction of long-term impcte Areas must be evoided where surface geolcqic pnxesses such as maas wasting, erasim, slunping, landsliding. or weathering D C N ~~ i t h such frequary and extent to signifivintly affect the ability of the disposal s i t e t o meet performance objectives or my preclule de€ensible rmdeling and prediction Of l a p t e r m iopacte 9. 10. Ihe disposal e l t e must mt be lomted mere nearby f a d l i t i e s or activities muld adversely performance objectivea or significantly mask the enviromental mnitoring progrm lb. -P OBJECTNES, W-- RsSUGTl(NS, Aw) iwct the ability of the s i t e to meet lLND MKS=, 1982) SlTlNG CRITERIA IF-R Perfomawe miectives 1. Ihs mu1 h e f m redimuclides released f m my shallar land l r i a l s i t e t o p r s m Duteide the site m d a r y shall m t exceed 25 nrers/yr-thFoid, 25 mrdyr-any organ. €or a performance p r i d of 5W years. Waste shall mt be disposed of i n a shallw land burial site that Would result in an mexwptable &ne t o an inadvertant intm3or a f t e r an ifvitituticnal mntrol perid of 100 years h m mdd. 2. A.9mJnPtIcna abart heate n3mq-t will be selected, designed, uikrated I h ,e l t s 2. Performance objectives 3. After the i n s t i t u t i u n l m n t r o l plricd, the eitc will be suitable f o r mrml surface use but will m t be designed t o prevent h m sxcavationa Into the wmte. 4. Waste fcam will mt j-rdire CM and C l a d t o m e e t p e r f m e objectives. ern relevls is 1. rnt add-ble. be net by utilizing boeh natural and engineered barriers. s i t e performance. Selectim Criteria " Site Ih, site I. . s l n u l d t e of sufficient &rea and depth t o a m t e the projected vollrme of w t e and a three d i - i d hlffer ~ne. To meet s i t e p e r f o m c e objectives for larlevel radioactive waste disposal,the site and its operation must r n t limit the activity of rn b e p n d sits tomdaries. A three-diwmi-1 buffer wne will allar waste attentation within t h e s i t e bandary scch that p e r f o m c e objectives are met. Ilhe essential infornation required to determine w t e e b u d a r i e s of the s i t e 1i.e.. the b u l k m e ) includes the rate o€ dlange of radimwlide mncentratim as a f w c t i m of distance frcm the disposal facility a l a q a l l n i g r a t i m p a t h y s and the ancentratim and quantity of radionuclides i n the waste source. Ihs depth t o w h i c h the buffer m e extends d e p e d co the hy3ralcqic, geologic, and c l i m t i c s e t t i n g of the disposal facility and whether Yaate is buried i n m a t u r a t e d or *aturated Mteriais. evapotranspiration plus -off equal In mvirolaients where i n l i l t r a t i c n dws mt rea& the w n o of saturation. such as ar- &re leached frm the frcm upper s o i l horizons are deposited i n a m e of aocunulatim.Material m a t e wxld be deposited i n the wane of accunulatim and -Id m t ream the saturated wne. Between the m e of a-ulatim and the oapillary fringe is a m e of lar geochemical activity. Ilhe buffer m e b m d a r y mrld be i n this imctive m e i f sufficient leaway is allwed for potential climatic changes or enhanced infiltration the disposal trerhes. m exceed precipitation. solutes dissolved thrm In very a r i d c l i m t e s , l i t t l e or 110 water is available for leaching, md a thick m e of lw gecchdcail activity seplrates buried w t e from m mderlying saturated w n e . ibis envirament -Id present a nininal probability of release by grand-water plthrays, and the ller h l f f e r m e bnndary muld be placed a t B d e r a t e distance bell the disposal b r i m . 2. llle s i t e s b u l d allow Wdste t o be buried e i t h e r m p l e t e l y above or belo, the transition mea. WOMbetween the vulaturated and eaturated Ihs r e l i a b i l i t y of performance prediction my be eignificantly decreasedby burial ofWdste i n the transitim wne Nld groatsr radionuclide release ratea may rcsult fron the increased geocltenical activity aseociated d t h this -0. To deternine mnpliance d t h to e-ine the water table elevatim, the ranga of b t h seascnal and l a p t e m water-table flwttaticw, t h i s c r i t e r i m . i t Is n-nsary height of the capillary fringe, thickness of excavatable material, erd, i f waste is b l e d M a r t h e t r a w i t i m m e . the hydraulic dlaracteristice o€ sarth materials in the saturated wne. 5. The site should be located in areas Mere hydrwealwic conditions allow reliable prfoormance prediction. Confident charicterination O f thhe hydrqeolc+ic system in which a waste disposal site is located a a b l e s determination of p t e n t i a l migration pathways, esrimetion of radioactive contaminantmvemmt rates i n thhe sdsurface environment, ard desion of a nonitor netwrk to collect data that can be s e d to confirmperformance prediction- of radimuclide transprt. Major h!,&drol.qic characteristics of the s i t e t h a t mu-t M examined include:subsurface qeolwy, hydralqic bwet, direction and mqnitule of qromiwater flar, permeability tw and diffusion ard dispersion pmpertias of the system. 6. The Site should be located where qeol&ic hazards will Mt jeopardize p r f o m c c e . significant land disturbances may destroy site i n w r i t y ard increase the likelihocd Of radionuclides enterirq che biosphere. I" addition, s i t e hydralwy may be altered to the extent that performameprediceianna are PD lo-er applicable.Specific oeoliaic even= that m u s t be considered include earth m3vemenz assmiated w i t h ceisnic activity, mass movement, land subsidence, and voic-nic activity. The results of these events in the qeolwic past m a y so mmplicate the hydrweolwic system that predictions of site prfonoar.ce cmot be confidently obtained. 7. The site shwld b selected with con5ideratian +en t o those characteristics of earth materials ard Water chemistry that favor increawd residence times and/or attenuation of radionuclide cmcentrations within site boundaries. leachate mi9ratir.a from buried wastes may carry radionuclides and ocher contaminants Dicked UD from the waste. slowino the 11. The s i t e should be selected corsistene with federal lwm and rqulations, Federal l a w t h a t a d i s p s a l site m w t complyWith includebut a w M t limited to: Clean Air Act (PL95-95), federal Water fdllltion Untrol Act(PL95-2171, Safe Drinking Water Act IPL93-5231, National hVi~ONnental Polio/ Act IPl.91-1901. 12. The site Should rot be locatedwithin aeean that are protected from such use by federal laws and rqulation4. federal lam hich preclule, by intent. the selection of l o r l e v e l waste disposal Sites within the toundaries of areas p r o t s t e d W'deL' them i ~ r l u l ebut are cot limited W: Wilderness Actof 1964 IPL 88-577) Wild a d SCeRic Rivers Act (PL 98-5421, mdangwed SpeEie9 Act of 1973 (PL33-2051,NatiOMI Wildlife Ref+e A m of 1966 IPL89-6691, t3W estaolishinr National Park+, HIRtoric PrOperties-P~eservati~~ IPL 89-665),Ar?heolc+ical ard Historical Preservations Act of 1974 IPL 93-29!]. ~ E. Amid areas with d o u s terrestrial heat flw. See Reiter and others, (1979). --Intermediate \ Mixed Permeable Flow SedimentaryRocks not to scale \ I ADDZNDUM TO TABLE2 (@ A) - TYPE I. MATERIAL OF LONGMIRE ET AL., 1981 t Anfiltration t ranspiration \ [WasteDisDosol Site Evapotrakpiration AlluvialDeDosits DDENDUM TO TABLE 2 (aE ) - TYPE I1 MATERIAL OF LONGMIRE ETAL., - Si It 1981 mslllP/ W N G E I SDXIUI lUN/L13/1.2 IIN/1E/IO,11,14,l5.22. 23.25.26.35.36 12N/lE/Z1,22,27,2R 26N/10W/10,1L,l4.15.22, 175/2E/20-29.32-36 23S/Ot:/3-5,U-10, 15N/lW/6,7 23.26.27.34.35 1BS/ZE/l-5.0-12 15N/2W/1,12 I~N/IW/I~,L~.~O,~I IGN/2W/13,14,23-26,36 17N/2W/1 m 15-17.20-22, 28-3Cb31-33 M\ 8 mi (Hawell Natl. Wildlife Refuge) . . MeXlmm (24-hr) 7.9 13.0 4 (3.5 10.1 9.3 - 0.4 6.5 (8/30/35) 15.6 '6.5 6-7 (9/1/42) 42 42 80 28 75 100 75 T-ature (Up) MDan Janmry Mean July m p t i a n (in1 cln3s-A Pan (esriwted) !LNATIW W E (ftl 35 79 26 29 69 74 75 - €0 97 508&6100 5800-6400 6550-6815 1500-5100 79 40604110 6300"s "1 RtO Grandc r i f t ; SnamUuE Wajor Tectonic Features intenrontane imsins; *lightly tilted blmks fault Higtrangle rnml hanrline aiming faults Kram Faults and Folds E. San J m Raisin: of Nacimiento fault T a n % Nl4 Of Fuerm fault M e BrOad folds. MI Distribution cnmm, 1-1 rqlimal Rge Pliarne-llolmne Cenoll)ia &mmentwi (kchette, 1982) MOB Fault wltb Displacematt i n Past 500.W Years Diatributim Central San Juul Basin W. very gentle f'&?e faults dipping faults harrcline rqlima1 Rio Grande rlft: intenrontane basin: sligpltfy tilted fault blocks Pi0 Grande r i f t . intermontane Ih,ein: elightly tilted fault blmke Central Ratm &sin Higlraqle rnm1 High-mgle m m l Very gcntle MI d i p p i q widely s a w 3 widely sploed Ilanrline Plicrene-Pleistocene PliamncPleialcrene noted none camn;n ____ rEqim.31 C-ic mne nearby arcas to w e S t and east nearby areas to wmt and s w t h widely e a & widely 8p-d 5-12 m i 6-12 mi :moderate 1. rcdcrate derate modcrate malerats 2-5 m i e@cirlg M l n l m Distance 1-2 rnl "_ " Seimlc MivityIRiek L moderate d e r a t e to high TerrcsLTIal Heat Flar d e r a t o to high high to d e dr ae tdr eae tr ea t e m e m e "_ moderate - to high m e m e m e LitldC$C Chs&r- -6011 i&ture permantly interbedded sand, clay, and e i i t i with sme grave1 i n upper 200 f t shale, With si1tstcne. nW3s t m e , and thin sandstme, sand and clay deficimt a t depth i n mt as Saitt e 1 s u e , with lenticular sand- thin l q sand dcpoBits i"tert&&d d,silt, and clay: With gravelley w n e s i n upper 300 f t an Sa it t e as saitt e stme beds, and 1. local and transitory saturaticn below 1 clay, with * m e interbedded sand shale, w i t h marl, limntcne and s i l t s t m e . atxi thin sand and clay as a t site 1 as a t s i t e 1 mml size, limited t o deeper d e f i a t i m SiMll 70"- sand dule tracts -rge mall size, limited to arroyos and playa h i m ' snwll size, limited to arroyos small size, limited to arrqcm and deep sand areas amall eize. limited t o arroyos size, limited t o arroyos baaim f i l l s and weathered shale 70"- Water Table Depth ( f t ) 700-1wO slightly biar N o Grande level, rises s t e e d " to west .. __ diemntintmus -3 w 563-700 -3w eiezanetiic SUrfaoB " _" 4W-5W f t depth - - - - .___ _. ~~~ J.. Ap,iendix A A 1 NEW MmIa3 LLW Generation 1979 Ft3/Yr Facilitr Medical 1980 Mci/Yr 190 Percentage (Volume) 9 6.8 University 2,302.5 467.3 82.5 Industrial 300 83 10.7 TOTAL ' 2,792.5 . 559.3 100 Ft3/Yr 105 1,252.5* McifYr Percentage (Volume) 4.6 0 100 12,784* 0 O* O* 100 12,788.6 1,357.5 ,. * Does not include waste c c . r r e n t l y s t o r e d f o r f u t u r e disposal. Waste Forms, Radioisotopes 1980 1979 F ~ ~ I pt3/yr Y ~ Form Licensee Radioisotopes University of New Mexico Xe-133. Ga-67, Se-75, In-111, Ni-63 1-131, 1-125, H-3, C-14, T1-201 1-123, Cr-51, Co-57, S-35, P-32, Ca-45, K-42, Tc-99,Fe-59,Co-60, Eu-152. Pa-226, No-99, Se-75, Rb-86 S ool ri d adsorbed liquid. I n t e r s t a t e Indus.trial Laundry Pu-238. Pu-239, Mixed Solid O* 150 Eberline Instrument Corp. Am-241, Sr-90, Co-60, Pu-238, Pu-239, Cr-137, Ba-133 S oolri d s adsorbed l i q u i d s i n very small quantities 0 150 105 190 f ips sr oi odnu c t s . . ,Presbyterian Hospital Depleted TERA (Terminal Effects Research 6 Analysis Group, 1-125, Co-57, Cr-51, H-3 or Solids adsorbed uids Uranium NMIMT) Does not include waste c u r r e n t l y s t o r e d f o r f u t u r e d i s p o s a l . Sol id . 1,252.5 liq- 0" 1,522.5 78 0 A 2 LLW Generation .. 19' 8 1 19. 82 Percentage Ft3/Yr (Volume) ~ t 3 1 ~ r i-fc i/Yr Tzcility 0 Ykdical 0- 1414.5 lkiversity TOTAL ' P Hc ilYr 0 . . . 554.73 599.'0 Industrial _. . . 70 129.0 7 2013.5 683.73 100 ' ' , u 0 0 460.17 70 0 1313.9 (VO l 572.5 70.87 30 - 1885.4. 530.97 100 > .. 5 .- ~ - *Does n o t i n c l u d e vaste c u r r e n t l y s t o r e d for future disposal. .. Waste Forms, R a d i o i s o t o p e s . RadioisotoDes Licensee U a i v e r s i t y of liew Mexico Xe-133, 1-131,' '1-123, Ca-45, Eu-152, I z t e - s t a t e Zndust r b l Laundry Pu-238. Eerline InstrumentCorp. Am-241, Cr-137, Ga-67, Se-75, In-111, Ni-63 1-125, E-3, C-14,TI.-201 S-35, Cr-51, Co-57, P-32, K-42, Tc-99, Fe-59, Co-60, Fa-226, KO-99, Se-75, Rb-86 Pu-230, Xived f i s s i o n p r o d u c t s F~~ 1981 ~ t 1982 3 F/ ~ ~ ~ ~I Y ~ S o l i d o r 1414.5.1313.9 adsorbed .liquid. 572.5 Solid 599 Sr-OO, Co-60, Ba-133 Pu-238,Pu-23SY O* Solids o r adsorbed l i q uids in very small quanti- ties . . Cr-51, H-3 Presbyterian ilospital 1-125, E?A ( T e r n i n a l Depleted Uranium Co-57, E f f e c t sR e s e a r c h h A n a l y s i s Group, hvm) Goes notFnclude .. waste c u r r e n t l y s t o r e d for f u t u r e d i s p o s a l . S o l i d s or 0 adsorbed liqu i d s' O* Solid o* 0