Determination of sediment accumulation and mixing rates using (sup 137)Cs and (sup 210)Pb(sub xs) in Watts Bar Reservoir

摘要

Activities at the Department of Energy's facilities on the Oak Ridge Reservation over the past 50 years have released contaminants to local streams and consequently to the Clinch River and Watts Bar Reservoir. More than 60 sediment cores were collected in Watts Bar Reservoir and analyzed for the vertical distribution of (sup 137)Cs; seven of the cores were also analyzed for the vertical distribution of unsupported (sup 210)Pb. The objective of this work was to examine the processes responsible for the vertical distribution of (sup 137)Cs and (sup 210)Pb(sub xs) in the sediments by using a numerical model of sediment accumulation, mixing, decay and molecular diffusion. Analysis of both (sup 137)Cs and (sup 210)Pb(sub xs) permits comparison of model predictions of both point- (Cs) and non-point source (Pb) contaminants. 6 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.