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HW -80991
EVALUATION OF RADIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS
IN THE VICINITY OF HANFORD FOR 1963
I.
INTRODUCTION
The Hanford project™ (Figure 1) is located in a semiarid region of
southeastern Washington having an average annual rainfall of about 7 inches.
Natural vegetation in this section of the state is sparse, primarily suited
for grazing although large areas near the project perimeter have gradually
been put under irrigation during the past few years.
The plant site, shown
in Figure 2, comprises an area of about 500 square miles.
The Columbia
River flows through the project and forms part of the eastern boundary.
The meteorology of the region is typical of a desert area with frequent
strong inversions occurring at night and breaking during the day to provide
unstable and turbulent conditions.
Near the plant production sites the pre-
vailing winds are from the northwest with strong drainage and cross windscausing distorted flow patterns.
The populated areas of primary interest near the plant perimeter
are Richland, Pasco, and Kennewick.
are Benton City, West Richland,
Smaller communities in the vicinity
Mesa, and Othello.
80,000 people live in the vicinity of the project.
All together about
Protection of these people
from undue radiation exposure attributable to Hanford sources is one of
the attendant responsibilities in the operation of the Hanford facilities.
During the course of operation, various radioactive wastes are gen-
erated bythe several plant facilities.
High level wastes are concentrated
and retained in storage within the project area.
Controlled releases of low-
level wastes, for which concentration and retention are not feasible, are
made to the ground.
The Hanford practices governing radioactive waste
disposal are described in the Hearings on Industrial Radioactive Waste
Dispors held by the Joint Congressional Committee on Atomic Energy in
1959.
* Operated for the Atomic Energy Commission by the General Electric
Company under Contract Number AT(45-1)-1350.