The transport and fluvial redistribution of Chernobyl-derived radiocaesium within the River Wye basin, UK

J. S. Rowan; D. E. Walling

doi:10.1016/0048-9697(92)90310-O

The transport and fluvial redistribution of Chernobyl-derived radiocaesium within the River Wye basin, UK

J. S. Rowan, D. E. Walling

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Relatively little attention has been given to the long term prospect of fluvial transport processes redistributing Chernobyl-derived radiocaesium within the UK. Work undertaken within the Wye basin, central Wales, demonstrates a complex distribution of fallout at the catchment scale, with the bulk of the deposition concentrated in a narrow north-south band, situated in the west central areas of the basin, which contained in excess of 1500 Bq m^-2 of ¹³⁴Cs. Fluvial transport and redistribution of this material was demonstrated by river sampling during the winter of 1988/89, when the radiocaesium content of suspended sediment transported by the River Wye (≈ 30-50 mBq g^-1 of ¹³⁷Cs) remained 3-5-times higher than pre-Chernobyl levels. Floodplain reaches displayed variable levels of secondary contamination, dependent upon the upstream supply of radiocaesium and local morphological controls. Accordingly, the highest ¹³⁴Cs inventories within the basin (> 6000 Bq m^-2) were associated with rapidly accreting floodplain sites. A number of these sites experienced only limited amounts of direct atmospheric fallout. The importance of fluvial redistribution as a secondary contamination mechanism is thus highlighted.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	109-131
Number of pages	23
Journal	Science of the Total Environment, The
Volume	121
Issue number	C
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/0048-9697(92)90310-O
Publication status	Published - 30 Jun 1992

Keywords

Chernobyl
radiocaesium
redistribution
sediment-associated
Wye

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Environmental Engineering
Environmental Chemistry
Waste Management and Disposal
Pollution

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Cite this

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title = "The transport and fluvial redistribution of Chernobyl-derived radiocaesium within the River Wye basin, UK",

abstract = "Relatively little attention has been given to the long term prospect of fluvial transport processes redistributing Chernobyl-derived radiocaesium within the UK. Work undertaken within the Wye basin, central Wales, demonstrates a complex distribution of fallout at the catchment scale, with the bulk of the deposition concentrated in a narrow north-south band, situated in the west central areas of the basin, which contained in excess of 1500 Bq m-2 of 134Cs. Fluvial transport and redistribution of this material was demonstrated by river sampling during the winter of 1988/89, when the radiocaesium content of suspended sediment transported by the River Wye (≈ 30-50 mBq g-1 of 137Cs) remained 3-5-times higher than pre-Chernobyl levels. Floodplain reaches displayed variable levels of secondary contamination, dependent upon the upstream supply of radiocaesium and local morphological controls. Accordingly, the highest 134Cs inventories within the basin (> 6000 Bq m-2) were associated with rapidly accreting floodplain sites. A number of these sites experienced only limited amounts of direct atmospheric fallout. The importance of fluvial redistribution as a secondary contamination mechanism is thus highlighted.",

keywords = "Chernobyl, radiocaesium, redistribution, sediment-associated, Wye",

author = "Rowan, {J. S.} and Walling, {D. E.}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors gratefully acknowledge the Natural Environmental Research Council for the provision of a studentship for JSR and a research grant to DEW. Thanks are extended to Milwyn and Owen Evans of Rhayader sewage works, and Elizabeth Payne of Broomy Hill water treatment works for collecting the bulk water samples for suspended sediment analysis, and to Welsh Water for supplying flow records for the Belmont gauging station. The cooperation of the many farmers who permitted access to input sampling sites and to the floodplains of the River Wye is also appreciated. Finally we would like to thank Dr. David Higgitt (Lancaster University) for his contribution to the field work and Mr. Jim Grapes, of Exeter University, for assistance with the gamma spectrometry.",

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N2 - Relatively little attention has been given to the long term prospect of fluvial transport processes redistributing Chernobyl-derived radiocaesium within the UK. Work undertaken within the Wye basin, central Wales, demonstrates a complex distribution of fallout at the catchment scale, with the bulk of the deposition concentrated in a narrow north-south band, situated in the west central areas of the basin, which contained in excess of 1500 Bq m-2 of 134Cs. Fluvial transport and redistribution of this material was demonstrated by river sampling during the winter of 1988/89, when the radiocaesium content of suspended sediment transported by the River Wye (≈ 30-50 mBq g-1 of 137Cs) remained 3-5-times higher than pre-Chernobyl levels. Floodplain reaches displayed variable levels of secondary contamination, dependent upon the upstream supply of radiocaesium and local morphological controls. Accordingly, the highest 134Cs inventories within the basin (> 6000 Bq m-2) were associated with rapidly accreting floodplain sites. A number of these sites experienced only limited amounts of direct atmospheric fallout. The importance of fluvial redistribution as a secondary contamination mechanism is thus highlighted.

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The transport and fluvial redistribution of Chernobyl-derived radiocaesium within the River Wye basin, UK

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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