Award Date

1-1-1989

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Geoscience

First Committee Member

John W. Hess

Number of Pages

167

Abstract

Ground-water in the western Puerco River basin near Sanders, Arizona, was evaluated to identify areas of poor water quality and possible radionuclide contamination from natural and/or anthropogenic sources. In addition to documented radioactive occurrences in the regional Chinle Formation, the headwaters of the Puerco River have been host to uranium mine waste discharge and spoils from a tailings pond failure in 1979. Samples from 42 wells and springs were collected during 1987-88 for inorganic ion and radionuclide analysis. Waters, originating from the Alluvial, Bidahochi, and Chinle aquifers, contained variable amounts of dissolved solids and radioactivity. Dissolved solids content ranged from 105 to 1390 mg/{dollar}l{dollar}, and combined gross alpha and beta activities ranged from 1 to 590 pCi/{dollar}l{dollar}. However, regional radioactive occurrences and overall low correlation values suggested most elevated radioactivity in ground water was produced by natural sources and not by recharge water from the Puerco River.

Keywords

Area; Arizona; Basin; Ground; Hydrogeology; Puerco River; Quality; Sanders; Water; Western

Controlled Subject

Geochemistry; Hydrology; Public health

File Format

pdf

File Size

6195.2 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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