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Department of Energy Oak Ridge Operations Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831- 8600 707540 Division of Water Pollution Control Tennessee Department of Environment REPOSITORY 04 I ; RAG Dbwdimu ( ~ 0 1 NOTIFICATION OF PLANNED RADIOTRACER STUDIES - WALXER BRANCH AT THE OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY (0RNT.d This letter provides notification t o your division of radiotracer research activities at ORNL. The activities involve the injection of small amounts of radiotracers to both the first order reach of the West Fork of Walker Branch and the first order reach of the East Fork, approximately 100 meters upstream from the weir. These two injections are part of the study to determine the effects of hydraulic conditions and stream algae on phosphorus cycling in the stream. The radiotracer injections to the West Fork occurred during the week of June 21, 1993, and the injections to the East Fork are planned during the week of July 12, 1993. Each injection contains approximately 5 mCi of tritium (H-3) as water, period. Please refer t o the enclosed table for the dates and calculated instream concentrations of the radiotracers. The calculated instream concentrations are well below the Department of Energy’s Derived Concentration Guides (DCGs); the All personnel involved in the studies are trained in the safe use of radionuclides, wear appropriate protective clothing, and are monitored by a health physicist during the experiment. If you or members of your staff have any questions, they may contact Richard Martin at (615) 576-1952. When replying, please refer to Deputy Assistant Manager for Energy Research and Development
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OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY MANAQED BY MARTIN MARl mA ENERGY SYSTEMS, INC. FOR THE US. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Dr.Ronald 0. Hultgren, Deputy Assistant Manager Energy Research and Development Department of Energy, Oak Ridge Operations Post Office Box 2008 Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6269 Notification of Planned Radiotnoet Stldies - Oak Ridge National Laboratoq Walker Brparh This letter serves as notification to the Department of Energy (DOE) that during a series of expehental rchSCS, research personnel at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)plan to release small amounts of radiotracers into East Fork Walker Branch, approximately 100 meters upstream from the weir, and in a tirst order reach of West Fork Walker Branch. The purpose of the study is to determine the effect of hydraulic conditions and stream a l p on phosphorus cycling in the stream. While these releases are not wastewater discharges, and the amount of radiotracu’s involved is very small, notification of the releases to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservrtioa The radiotracers in the Walker Branch studies will include approximately 5 milli-curies( m a ) of tritium (H-3) 85 water and 1.5 mCi of phosphorus-33 (P-33)as phosphate and will be released over a 2-hour period. The attached table summarizes the approximate concentrations of these radiotracers during the studies. The DOE Derived Concentradon stated in DOE Order 54005 for H-33 is 2OOO x l0-CmCi/L and for P-33 is 200 x lo‘mCi/L All personnel hdved in these studies will be trained in the safe use of radionuclides, will wear appropriate protective clothing, and will be monitored by a Health Physicist during the experiment. Please forward this information to TDEC at the following address. Division of Water Pollution Control Tennessee Department of Environment 401 Church Street, 14th Floor, L&C Tower If additional information is required, please contact W. D. Goddard at 576-5749 or C. K Valentine at 574-8775. and Health Compliance
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MARTIN MARlEllA ENERGY SYSTEMS. INC. H. M. Braunstein, Environmental Compliance and Documentation Planned Exuerimental Radiotracer (3H and 33P) to Walker Branch We are planning two additional radiotracer injections to Walker Branch, each of 5 mCi of 'H20and 1.5 mCi of '3P0, over a 2-hour period. The first of these will be conducted in the first order reach of the West Fork of Walker Branch and is planned for the week Of June 21, 1993. The second injection will be to a first order reach of the East Fork approximately 100 m upstream from the weir, and is planned for the week of July 12,1993. These injections will be similar to those performed in the past in Walker Branch and are part of our larger study to determine the effect of hydraulic conditions and stream algae on phosphorus cycling. These injections are covered under EAM (Phosphorus Cycling in Walker Branch, Number 0664X) and TOP (Use of Radiotracers on Walker Branch Watershed and Other Streams on the Oak Ridge Reservation, Number 0682X, issued July Streamflow on the dates of the injections will be approximately 5 Us. The concentration of 'H in the stream at the point of release will be approximately 140 nCi/L (306 d p d m l ) and the concentration of 33Pin the stream at the point of release will be approximately 42 nCi/L (91 d p d m l ) over the 2-hour release period. These concentrations will be reduced approximately 10-fold by dilution, dispersion, and biological uptake (33P only) before the plume goes under Bethel Valley Road and leaves the reservation. The procedures used in these experiments will be identical to those used in the past. we will conduct all dilution of stock 33P and 3H solutions in room 144 of building 1505 (established regulated area). The release solution (4 L) will be pumped into the stream using a battery operated peristaltic pump and will contain a 33P concentration of 0.375 This solution will be packaged according to DOT regulations for transportation to the field. It meets the requirements of "limited quantity" radioactive material as described in DOT regulations, paragraph 173.423, Table 7. A radiological area will be established in the field in the immediate area around the release solution and pump. AU personnel involved in the experiment have been trained in the safe use of radionuclides, will wear the appropriate protective clothing (C-zone coveralls, boots, safety glasses, and rubber gloves), and will be checked for contamination at the close of the experiment.
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I hope I have provided you with all the information that you need. Please contact me if there is anything else you need.