The ocean water data indicate that activity is being washed off
the islands. It will be noted also that the levels of activity correlate
with the gamma-dose rates of the islands. Such irregularities as do
occur can be attributed to the ocean current movements around the
islands. Lomuilal, for example, is in an exposed poSition and both the
lagoon and ocean sides of the island are swept by strong currents. The
generally higher levels of activity on the lagoon side of the islands can
be explained by the same reasoning. Since the rainy season had ended
at the time the sample was collected, the actual mechanism by which
the active material was being moved was probably associated with the
changing level of water line due to tides. The lower gamma-dose rates
observed below the high tide mark would support this hypothesis.
The water from wells and exposed profiles represents the fresh
water lens underlying the islands and Table 2.7 shows that they are contaminated. These data are of special interest since these lenses may
be intermediate systems for transferring various nuclides from the soil
to plants.
The cistern water and other potable water supplies of less
importance show varying degrees of contamination depending on such

factors as the cleanliness of the reservoir, the nature of the watershed

areas, and the presence or absence of shielding trees. The higher
levels of activity found in the bottoms of cisterns are to be expected and

these data are included only for comparative purposes.

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