Geophysical surveys at the UMTRA project Shiprock, New Mexico site

Geophysical surveys were performed at the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Shiprock site in New Mexico during February 1996. The surveys were designed to locate areas of ground water contamination, consisting largely of sulfate and nitrate salts and uranium. Electrical geophysical methods were used to locate areas of sulfate and nitrate concentrations since these products, when present in ground water, increase its electrical conductivity. These contaminants also increase the density of water, making the water with the highest concentrations of these salts sink to the bottom of the water column. At the Shiprock site, where alluvium is underlain by the impervious Mancos Shale, the saline water will tend to rest in depressions on the shale surface. Seismic refraction surveys were conducted on the floodplain. The site comprises two areas, the terrace and the floodplain, separated by a steep scarp of some 70 feet (ft) (20 meters [m]). Measurements of electrical conductivity were taken over these two areas, searching for possible pockets of saline ground water resting on top of the bedrock. Conductivity surveys were also run to identify fractures within the bedrock that may act as conduits for ground water movement. Several areas of higher than normal conductivity were found on the terrace, including halos of higher conductivities on three sides of the tailings cell. The conductivity measurements searching for fractures found only a small number of minor fracture-like anomalies. These are not considered important. On the floodplain, both conductivity and seismic refraction measurements were taken. The conductivity measurements clearly show areas of high conductivity interpreted to result from ground water contamination. The seismic refraction measurements identified bedrock depressions that may contain denser, and more saline ground water lenses. Generally, the areas of high conductivity coincide with the bedrock depressions