Groundwater, Surface Water, and Sediment Monitoring Program
The ongoing Groundwater, Surface Water, and Sediment Monitoring Program allows the Laboratory to evaluate compliance with federal (including DOE) and state standards for radiation protection of the public and quality of drinking water, groundwater, surface water, and sediment. Some of the objectives of the Groundwater, Surface Water, and Sediment Monitoring Program are as follows:
- to determine the Laboratory contribution to levels of radionuclides and other chemical constituents in groundwater, surface water, and sediment collected from on-site, perimeter, and regional (background) areas
- to establish baselines of environmental quality for Laboratory site-specific radionuclides and other chemical constituents from regional surface water and sediment
- to provide data for estimating public radiation doses related to the consumption of or exposure to groundwater, surface water, and sediment; verify compliance with the effective dose equivalents in DOE Order 5400.5
- to characterize and define trends, if any, of radionuclides and other chemical constituents in groundwater, surface water, and sediment
- to publish the results of all groundwater, surface water, and sediment monitoring activities in the Laboratory annual Environmental Surveillance Report (in compliance with DOE Order 231.1) and other public and scientific forums
