Groundwater Modeling

Computer models are used to predict the movement of contaminants in groundwater beneath the Hanford Site. These predictions are important for planning waste management and cleanup activities. For large scale problems, such as contaminant movement from the Central Plateau to the Columbia River, a three-dimensional sitewide model was developed. This model is being improved to represent groundwater flow more realistically and to quantify the uncertainty in model predictions. Other groundwater models are used for problems at a local scale, less than about 6 miles, such as the design and evaluation of pump-and-treat systems for groundwater.

This model has allowed hydro-geologists (geologists who specialize in water) to "see" the groundwater moving under Hanford over time. Learn more about groundwater modeling.

For more on Hanford groundwater modeling, please see http://groundwater.pnl.gov/modeling.asp.