U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
OFFICE OF CIVILIAN RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
NUCLEAR WASTE TECHNICAL REVIEW BOARD
ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH PANEL MEETING
SUBJECT: SITE CHARACTERIZATION EFFECTS
MONITORING PROGRAM
PRESENTER: RON GREEN
PRESENTER'S TITLE
AND ORGANIZATION: POPULATION MONITORING PROGRAM MANAGER
EG&G ENERGY MEASUREMENTS
PRESENTER'S
TELEPHONE NUMBER: (702) 794-7473
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
NOVEMBER 22, 1993
BII INTRODUCTION
II. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
III. DESIGN OF MONITORING P R O G R A M
IV. MONITORING RESULTS
V. PROGRAM CHANGES
MONIPROG 1.P5.125.NWTRB/11-22-93
Nuclear Waste Policy Act
- Site Characterization Activities will be conducted in a manner
that minimizes effects on the environment
Environmental Monitoring and Mitigation Plan
- Biological resources will be monitored to ensure no
unexpected impacts occur
Objective: Monitor and Document Potential Effects of Site
Characterization Activities on Biological Resources
at Yucca Mountain
MONIPROG2.P5.125.NWTRB/11-22-93
I1. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
Purpose: Provide Overview of Decisions and the
Decision Process in Developing the
Monitoring Program
• Location of Site Characterization Activities
Description of Activities
Types of Disturbances
Potential Sources Impacts
MONIPROG3.P5.125.NW-FRB/11-22-93
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DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES
Trenches
Drill pads
Top soil stock piles
Muck storage areas
Equipment storage pads
Road construction
Pavement and ponding studies
MONIPROG4.P5.125.NWTRB/11-22-93
POTENTIAL TYPES OF DISTURBANC
Land Clearing (removal or covering of vegetation)
Human disturbance
Increased dust deposition
Habitat fragmentation
Release of water
TYPE OF IMPACT
Direct (Loss of Habitat)
Indirect (Change in Habitat Quality)
MONIPROG5.P5.125.NWTRB/11-22-93
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Characterization Characterization
Location
Veg. Association tl-n "'" ti.1 ti tl + 1 ti+n
Vl
Coleogyne
vj
Treatment
V1
Larrea-Ambrosia
Vj
V1
Larrea-Lyciu m-Grayia
Vj
V1
Lycium-Grayia
Vj
V1
Coleogyne
Vj
Control
V1
Larrea-Ambrosia
Vj
V1
Larrea-Lyciu m-Grayia
Vj
V1
Lycium-Grayia
Vj
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ABIOTIC and BIOTIC
COMPONENTS of the ECOSYSTEM
solar ~> :ation
,J radiation "~
infiltration
temperatu ~moisturq evapotranspiration
Plant Growth
seeds Iherbaceous/
•
woody biomass
qb
!soil plant
~seed bank litter
-1 i-
avif aun a mammal i
L [ teb rates reptiles
~lPredator s
PARAMETER SELECTION
ABIOTIC VARIABLES
Soil Temperature- 15, 30, and 45 cm depth
Soil Moisture - 15, 30, and 45 cm depth
Precipitation
Max-Min Air Temperature
Soil Properties
MONIPROG7.P5.125,NWTRB/11-22-93
BIOTIC VARIABLES
Vegetation Communities
1) Cover- by annual and perennial life-forms; soil, rock,
and litter
2) Density- perennials, width and height
3) Production - annuals, perennial forbs, perennial shrubs,
and perennial grasses
MONIPROG8.P5.125.NWTR B/11-22-93
BIOTIC VARIABLES
• Animal Communities
1) Small Mammals- abundance
survival rate
recruitment
species composition
2) Reptiles
- abundance
survival rate
species composition
3) Avifauna - species richness
breeding bird list
4) Invertebrates- relative abundance
5) Predators- presence/absence
6) Lagomorphs - relative abundance
MONIPROG9.P5.125.NV~rRB/11-22-93
IV. MONITORING RESULTS
Precipitation
Vegetation
• Small Mammals
MONIPROG 10.P5.125.NWTRB/11-22-93
Parameters Measured 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993
Abiotic Variables
Soil Moisture X X X
Soil Temperature X X X
Precipitation X X X
Air Temperature X X X
Soil Properties X
Vegetation Communities
Cover X X X X X
Density X X X X X
Biomass Production X X X X X
Small Mammals
Abundance X X X X X
Survival Rates X X X X X
Recruitment X X X
Community Conposition X X X X X
Reptiles
Abundance X X X
Survival X
Community Composition X X X
Spotted Bat (presence) X X
Invertebrates (relative abundance) X X
Avifauna (presence) X X
Predators (presence) X X X X
Lagomorphs (relative abundance) X X X X
Precipitation at Yucca Mountain
J
300- J
J 1 9 8 9 & 1 9 9 0 - Data provided by Science Application International Corp.
280- J
J 247
260- J
m
J
240- J
J 207
220- J
m
~
.~
" 200-
J
180- J
i
c- J
.0 160- j
J 128
.~_ 140-j
c~ -j
"~ 120-j
(~
,- J
n 100-j
J
80- j
J 42
60- j
36
J
40- j
f
/
1989 1990 1991 1992 1993
Year
Vegetation Cover Estimates
Larrea-Lycium-Grayia
40-
36.3 36.3
35-
32.5
31.4~
30-
0
:~ 25-
0
01
0 t-9
> 20-
17.1 17.7
IC 16.5
(D
0
•- 15-
(D 12.9
13..
10-
_
1989 1990 1991 1992 1993
YEAR
m Control Sites Treatment Sites
Vegetation Cover Estimates
Lycium-Grayia
40
35-
32.4
30.4 30.6
29.7
30
0
25
20.2 20.5
~, 20-
¢-. 16.4 16.9
15.6 15.8
0
,.. 15
13_
10
5
1989 1990 1 991 1992 1993
YEAR
m Control Sites ~ Treatment Sites
SAMPLE SIZE REQUIRED TO DETECT 2 0 % CHANGE IN TOTAL VEGETATION
COVER
Larrea-L ycium-Grayia L ycium-Grayia Association
Association
Year Control Treatment Control Treatment
1989 4 4 2 2
1990 3 4 1 1
1991 1 1 4 4
1992 6 6 9 8
1993 2 2 2 2
Coleogyne
Long-tailed Pocket Mouse
300
250-
oo
2oo-
c~
8
150-
--1
"0
>
~5 100-
c"
50-
0 I A I I I I I
Jul-89 Jul-90 Jul-91 Jul-92 Jul-93
Jan-90 Jan-91 Jan-92 Jan-93 Jan-94
COL1T ~ COL2C
Larrea-Lycium-Grayia
Long-tailed Pocket Mouse
400
350-
300-
O. 250-
m
2O0- ,/
"(3
i
>
m
150-
"O
t-
in
100-
50- -" I
0 1 U, I I I I
Jul-89 Jul-90 Jul-91 Jul-92 Jul-93
Jan-90 Jan-91 Jan-92 Jan-93 Jan-94
LLG5T ~ LLG8C
K - Proportional A b u n d a n c e
Long-tailed Pocket Mouse (LLG)
4.00
3.50
3.00
2.50
i'i
O
rr 2.00-
II
1.50-
1.00-
0.50-
0.00 [ I I I I I I I
Jun-91 Dec-91 Jul-92 Jan-93 Aug-93
Sep-91 Apr-92 Oct-92 May-93 Nov-93
Month/Year
Larrea-Lycium-Grayia
Merriam's Kangaroo Rat
140
120-
100-
Q.
80-
m
60-
i m
>
i m
m
c.- 40-
20-
0 1 I I I I I I
Jul-89 Jul-90 Jul-91 Jul-92 Jul-93
Jan-90 Jan-91 Jan-92 Jan-93 Jan-94
LLG5T [] LLG8C
K - Proportional Abundance
Dipodomys merriami-Larrea-Lycium-Grayia
2.00
1.50
cr
O
cr 1.00-
II
0.50-
0.00- I I I I 1 t I I
Jun-91 Dec-91 Jul-92 Jan-93 Aug-93
Sep-91 Apr-92 Oct-92 May-93 Nov-93
Month/Year
V, PROGRAM CHANGES
The location of Exploratory Studies Facilities has
changed based on recommendations from the
Technical Review Board.
Because the location of specific activities are now
better known, new monitoring plots will be located
near sites of expected future disturbance. Additional
far-field control plots also will be established.
These sites occur primarily in the Larrea-Lycium-
Grayia vegetation association. Little disturbance is
expected to occur in the Larrea-Ambrosia or
Coleogyne associations.
MONIPROG11 .P5.125.NWTRB/11-22-93
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