Modeling

Computer models of groundwater help predict future groundwater conditions and the movement of contaminants in groundwater. This information is important in planning waste management and cleanup activities at the Hanford Site. While computer model predictions are never 100% correct, modelers are working to quantify the degree of uncertainty in model results. Understanding the uncertainty leads to a better basis for waste-management and cleanup decisions.

Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are responsible for a site-wide, consolidated groundwater flow and transport model. As part of DOE's Groundwater Protection Project, PNNL continues to develop the System Assessment Capability as a tool to predict cumulative site-wide effects from all significant Hanford Site contaminants. This tool integrates several linked models, beginning with waste inventory and simulates release and movement through the vadose zone, groundwater, and Columbia River.

Information about modeling is available in the annual groundwater monitoring report.

More information on modeling is available on the Hydrology web site.