Geology topics

M. P. Bergeron

Publications and source records attributed to M. P. Bergeron.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS1988

Ground-water flow near two radioactive-waste-disposal areas at the Western New York Nuclear Service Center, Cattaraugus County, New York: Results of flow simulation

Two adjacent burial areas were excavated in a clay-rich till at a radioactive waste disposal site near West Valley in Cattaraugus County, N.Y.: (1) which contains mainly low-level radioactive wastes generated onsite by a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant, has been in operation since 1966; and (2) which contains commercial low-level radioactive wastes, was operated during 1963-75. Groundwater below the upper 3 meters of till generally moves downward through a 20- to 30-meter thick sequence of tills underlain by lacustrine and kame-delta deposits of fine sand and silt. Groundwater in the weathered, upper 3 meters of till can move laterally for several meters before either moving downward into the kame-delta deposits or discharging to the land surface. A two-dimensional finite-element model that simulates two vertical sections was used to evaluate hydrologic factors that control groundwater flow in the till. Conditions observed during March 1983 were reproduced accurately in steady-state simulations that used four isotropic units of differing hydraulic conductivity to represent two fractured and weathered till units near land surfaces, an intermediate group of isolated till zones that contain significant amounts of fine sand and silt, and a sequence of till units at depths that have been consolidated by overburden pressure. Recharge rates used in the best-fit simulation ranged from 1.4 cm/yr along smooth, sloping or compacted surfaces to 3.8 cm/yr near swampy areas. Values of hydraulic conductivity and infiltration used in the calibrated best-fit model were nearly identical to values used in a previous model analysis of the nearby commercial-waste burial area. Results of the model simulations of a burial pit assumed to be filled with water indicate that water near the bottom of the burial pit would migrate laterally in the shallow, weathered till for 5 to 6 meters before moving downward into the unweathered till, and water near the top of the pit would move laterally less than 20 meters before moving downward into the unweathered till. These results indicate that subsurface migration of radionuclides in groundwater to points of discharge to land surface is unlikely as long as the water level does not rise into the reworked cover material.

New York↗

USGS1988

Nitrogen transport in a shallow outwash aquifer at Olean, Cattaraugus County, New York

Groundwater beneath an industrial park at Olean, New York, contained nitrogen compounds in concentrations that in 1983 ranged from 10 to 1,280 mg/L as nitrogen, mainly in the form of ammonium. Continuous pumping from an industrial well field creates a cone of depression that prevents the nitrogen compounds from migrating to municipal-supply wells, 7,000 ft away. A two-dimensional solute transport model was used to simulate changes in nitrogen concentrations that would result from a permanent shutdown of the well field. The model assumed the nitrogen source decayed at an exponential rate with a decay constant of 0.3/year to account for nitrogen removed from the aquifer by pumping during 1978-84. The source of contamination was found to be sensitive to the volume of pumpage at the industrial well field, which altered the rate of groundwater flow through the contaminated area. Simulations of a permanent shutdown of the well field, assuming nitrogen migrates as a conservative solute, indicated that nitrogen-bearing groundwater would reach the municipal well field within 5 years and the peak concentrations at the municipal well field would range from 2 to 5 mg/L. Simulations of Langmuir adsorption of the dissolved ammonium with a one-dimensional model indicated that the arrival of the solute front at the municipal well field would be retarded by a factor of three.

New York↗

USGS1987

Effect of reduced industrial pumpage on the migration of dissolved nitrogen in an outwash aquifer at Olean, Cattaraugus County, New York

A quasi-three-dimensional digital groundwater flow model of a shallow outwash aquifer system at Olean, New York, was developed to study the effects of several pumping alternatives on groundwater flow and stream seepage. Nitrogen compounds have contaminated the aquifer in an industrial park in North Olean. Pumping from seven industrial production wells and a purge well has created a cone of depression within which all nitrogen compounds are contained, thus preventing their migration to nearby private, municipal, and industrial-supply wells. A simulated total shutdown of an industrial well field and the purge well indicates that groundwater flowing laterally southward to southwestward from the area of contamination would require about 5 yr to reach a municipal well field along the Allegheny River. Simulation of a partial shutdown with only three main production wells and the purge well or just the three production wells indicate that all nitrogen-bearing groundwater would be captured. Pumping from only the purge well would allow contaminated groundwater along the southwestern edge of the site to escape and, in 8 to 9 yr, reach the municipal well field. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1987

Geohydrologic conditions at the nuclear-fuels reprocessing plant and waste-management facilities at the Western New York Nuclear Service Center, Cattaraugus County, New York

A nuclear-fuel reprocessing plant, a high-level radioactive liquid-waste tank complex, and related waste facilities occupy 100 hectares (ha) within the Western New York Nuclear Service Center near West Valley, N.Y. The facilities are underlain by glacial and postglacial deposits that fill an ancestrial bedrock valley. The main plant facilities are on an elevated plateau referred to as the north plateau. Groundwater on the north plateau moves laterally within a surficial sand and gravel from the main plant building to areas northeast, east, and southeast of the facilities. The sand and gravel ranges from 1 to 10 m thick and has a hydraulic conductivity ranging from 0.1 to 7.9 m/day. Two separate burial grounds, a 4-ha area for low-level radioactive waste disposal and a 2.9-ha area for disposal of higher-level waste are excavated into a clay-rich till that ranges from 22 to 28 m thick. Migration of an organic solvent from the area of higher level waste at shallow depth in the till suggests that a shallow, fractured, oxidized, and weathered till is a significant pathway for lateral movement of groundwater. Below this zone, groundwater moves vertically downward through the till to recharge a lacustrine silt and fine sand. Within the saturated parts of the lacustrine unit, groundwater moves laterally to the northeast toward Buttermilk Creek. Hydraulic conductivity of the till, based on field and laboratory analyses , ranges from 0.000018 to 0.000086 m/day.

New York↗

USGS1985

Records of wells, test borings, and some measured geologic sections near the Western New York Nuclear Service Center, Cattaraugus County, New York

The Western New York Nuclear Service Center (WNYNSC) is a 3 ,336-acre tract of land in northern Cattaraugus County, NY, about 30 mi south of Buffalo. In 1963, 247 acres within the WNYNSC was developed for a nuclear-fuel reprocessing plant and ancillary facilities, including (1) a receiving and storage facility to store fuel prior to reprocessing, (2) underground storage tanks for liquid high-level radioactive wastes from fuel reprocessing, (3) a low-level wastewater treatment plant, and (4) two burial grounds for shallow burial of solid radioactive waste. A series of geologic and hydrologic investigations was done as part of the initial development and construction of the facilities by numerous agencies during 1960-62; these produced a large quantity of well data, some of which are difficult to locate or obtain. This report is a compilation of well and boring data collected during this period. The data include records of 236 wells, geologic logs of 145 wells and 167 test borings, and descriptions of 20 measured geologic sections. Two oversized maps show locations of the reported data. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗