deer and antelope are protected against hunting.
These are
attractive possibilities under present drives for preservation of
native species.
Surface waters in the area of interest to this proposal all empty
into closed basins as has been pointed out previously, and these
receiving points for runoff generally are close;
a few to tens of kms.
In addition,
that is, within
the rates of movement of soil
particles and Pu particles, possibly because of the greater
density of the latter, will undoubtedly be different.
It seems
reasonable that Pu will likely move much slower than clay fractions,
and possibly less rapidly than the silt fractions.
into the dry lakes (the playas),
Movements
if this occurs, leave some
unaswered questions, but the movement will undoubtedly be very
slow and dilutions of the Pu contaminant will likely bring it
nearer to worldwide fallout concentrations.
However,
the character-
stics of rainfall in this region of NTS, which often occurs as
intense, local, and short-lived storms, provide some further
uncertainties.
There appear to be natural forces at work which will further
reduce Pu movement.
Pu, on the soil surfaces, will undoubtedly
continue to reach greater depths in the soils with weathering,
primarily wetting and freeze-thawing.
et al.
As pointed out by Essington
(1975), this will continue to reduce the quantities of
material available for wind distribution and, in fact, may be the
primary factor in the reduction of airborne material noted by
Phelps and Anspaugh (1975), previously mentioned.
Within the soils,
if Pu is in the oxide or hydroxide, as suggested
by Tamura
then there is a possibility of chemical inacti-
(1975),
vation over intermediate time periods as suggested by Wallace and
Romney (1975), a process which may further reduce the amounts of
Pu for wind dispersion and plant and animal uptake.
176