Robust Sampling, Monitoring Drives Legacy Waste Cleanup at LANL

LOS ALAMOS, N.M. - EM Los Alamos Field Office (EM-LA) crews collected more than 8,670 soil, sediment, surface water and groundwater samples in 2023.

Results from the samples gathered by EM-LA legacy waste cleanup contractor Newport News Nuclear BWXT Los Alamos (N3B) help guide legacy waste cleanup at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL).

"Our robust sampling program helps verify the effectiveness of our legacy waste cleanup operations at LANL," said Amanda White, director of N3B's Environmental Remediation Water Program. "The focus and commitment to protecting water supplies is of paramount importance to EM-LA and N3B."

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, state of New Mexico and DOE provide regulatory oversight for surface water, stormwater and groundwater, including water that surfaces through springs.

The surface and groundwater programs are part of N3B's mission to clean up legacy waste at LANL. In fact, protecting water and the environment is the major reason for cleaning up LANL legacy waste. Those efforts focus on remediating contamination from legacy operations across mesas, canyons and drainages throughout LANL.

Additionally, N3B manages a substantial network of sampling, inspection, controls and treatments across LANL to help ensure the cleanup of legacy waste is effective. Some examples include low-head weirs, berms, detention basins and grade-control structures.