Djokic is pointing to the 100-year floodplain. Two CRWR researchers have begun a hydrological analysis of an arid, sparsely populated area near Sierra Blanca, West Texas, that is under consideration as a disposal site by the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority. Dr. Randall J. Charbeneau , CRWR director, and Dr. Dean Djokic, Research Associate, are performing a site evaluation of the area around Grayton Lake, which is about 10 miles southeast of Sierra Blanca in Hudspeth County. The location was designated by the Texas Legislature for further study after legal action by El Paso County halted efforts to locate a disposal site near Fort Hancock, about 40 miles southeast of El Paso.
Regulations require that the disposal facility be located outside of the floodplain.
In addition, the depth of fill over the bedrock may be an issue in terms of site engineering and as added protection against groundwater contamination. He adds that a plus for the Grayton Lake site is that it has a sort of natural gradient. Thus, the 100-year flood is virtually contained within the area. To refine the floodplain area, Djokic is analyzing rainfall data collected for the Ft. He and Charbeneau made preliminary studies of the Grayton Lake area last summer and will be collecting additional data as the project goes on.