Measuring runoff and infiltration.

Meteorological and micrometeorological methods and models are being developed that will estimate the health risk of various levels of contaminants in the soils on the NTS. The estimation of the particle size distribution of the contaminants, with particular attention to particles in the respirable range, has been conducted using a suspended soil particle system. Resuspension studies utilizing a wind tunnel have been conducted to develop data on dust transport. These resuspension tests and studies will be conducted prior to, during, and after remediation. The pre-remediation tests serve as a baseline. Data gathered during excavation of the soils are used to evaluate the respiration risk to workers during remediation. Post remediation data is used to calculate risk under various land use scenarios from residual soil contamination that is left on the site.

DRI is beginning research on evaluating the effectiveness of in situ, surface soil treatments for preventing wind resuspension of soil contaminants by wind, or transport by sheet wash. If successful, such soil treatments could be a temporary or permanent alternative to excavation of excavation of contaminated soils and their disposal as low-level waste.