Biological Sciences Division
Research Highlights
September 2008
Science Going "Well" at Uranium Monitoring Site
Local reporters visit Integrated Field Research Challenge site
On September 17, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory hosted reporters from the Tri-City Herald, KNDU-TV, KVEW-TV, and Northwest Public Radio at the site of an innovative monitoring well system that will thoroughly characterize the uranium-contaminated subsurface within Hanford's 300 Area.
The innovative 35-well system was installed by PNNL in August 2008 as one of three Integrated Field Research Challenge sites funded by DOE's Office of Science to investigate fundamental science issues important to contaminant transport and groundwater remediation. It's located near where large volumes of contaminated wastewater were disposed decades ago from nuclear fuel fabrication facilities that supported the nation's weapons program.
PNNL's John Zachara, the project manager, and Mike Thompson, a DOE physical scientist overseeing the 300 Area groundwater program, explained the purpose of the IFRC site and science that will be performed with this sophisticated well-monitoring system
Check out the PNNL news release and the Tri-City Herald coverage, including video.