Team at Los Alamos lab works to protect water quality
One of the first things we learn as young students being introduced to the concept of gravity is: Water flows downhill. And while it races toward lower elevations, it takes along whatever is in its path, whether that be downed trees, rocks, debris — and even pollutants.
Los Alamos National Laboratory sits perched atop the Pajarito Plateau, a vast volcanic rise cut deep by canyons carved by water over millennia. These same canyons funnel water from the mesa tops to the Rio Grande below. Because of this, the laboratory proactively monitors potential contaminants in stormwater, surface water and groundwater that could make their way to the river. We do this year-round, not just because it’s our job, but because it impacts us personally — after all, many of us live in the communities that sit downstream from the lab.
Furthermore, every three years, a program at the Lab collects samples for analysis of the river’s sediment and aquatic species — such as fish and crayfish, as well as caddisfly, mayfly and stonefly larvae. These small animal communities can tell us a lot about aquatic ecosystem health.
The research team does this by first collecting samples upstream from the lab — at Abiquiú Reservoir and seven locations on Pueblo de San Ildefonso land — to establish a baseline. Then they sample at the confluence of the Los Alamos Canyon water and the Rio Grande as well as eight downstream locations along the Rio Grande. Finally, they collect samples from Cochiti Reservoir, about 14 miles from the lab as the crow flies. The team follows normal sampling protocols and approaches the work with rigorous standards. So far the research team has found no difference in aquatic ecosystem health and water quality when comparing data collected upstream and downstream of the lab.
In addition to the triennial sampling program, we conduct continuous stormwater and groundwater monitoring.
Stormwater is often viewed as a waste stream, rather than a resource. There’s good reason for that. Polluted runoff is a global problem.
Mercury, copper and nickel are produced by vehicle traffic and get washed downstream when there’s a storm. Los Alamos is not unique in this way. What makes Los Alamos unique is that we work hard to filter out those same contaminants, so they don’t move off-site and only clean water infiltrates the aquifer.
In a high-desert environment, where every drop of water is precious, we’re committed to finding ways to use that runoff by putting controls in place at construction sites, and making them a permanent part of the parking lots as stormwater detention structures and buildings once they’re completed.
Undeveloped land absorbs most water from a storm, with only about 10% of the rainfall becoming runoff. However, once a site is developed, 40%-60% of that rainfall could become runoff because the impervious asphalt and concrete don’t absorb it as soil and vegetation do.
The controls we put in place are designed to manage stormwater runoff in a way that mimics natural drainage patterns and ensures increased flows from construction activities, which accelerate erosion, do not impact the environment. We also employ post-construction controls, such as drainage swales, weirs, rock check dams, native vegetation and detention basins, allowing for infiltration of some stormwater.
In addition, we protect water quality by ensuring the lab properly disposes of liquid waste. The lab has on-site treatment facilities for cleaning wastewater containing high explosives and radionuclides, as well as a sanitary treatment facility that handles the organic material in wastewater from bathrooms and kitchens.
But that wastewater doesn’t necessarily become wasted water. In fact, large amounts of wastewater are diverted to a lab facility where water is further treated and then transferred to our supercomputing complex for reuse in its cooling towers. The lab reuses the same water in this complex up to six times before cleaning it and then discharging it back into the environment. Given that the supercomputers need 40 to 60 million gallons of water annually to keep cool, using this reclaimed wastewater significantly reduces the lab’s water usage.
We’re also actively working to clean up legacy contamination from the past, targeting compounds like polychlorinated biphenyls, commonly known as PCBs. Though PCBs are no longer produced, like many cities, towns, and operating facilities, the lab’s legacy electrical equipment may still contain the chemicals. We’re hard at work to remediate that equipment to rid the lab of PCBs and reduce any contaminants in runoff.
Similarly, we proactively monitor groundwater and other waters to identify potential PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) within watersheds. PFAS are a family of manufactured compounds with many industrial, commercial and consumer applications, and are ubiquitous — which means they are found everywhere — in the environment. They are especially associated with airports, firefighting, and consumer products. Some PFAS chemicals may lead to adverse health and environmental effects. So, when PFAS is identified, the lab works to reduce the amount of those chemicals. We also study how PFAS affect the environment and food chain in an effort to better understand — and mitigate — their potential impact.
At the lab, we pride ourselves on using the most advanced scientific and technical tools to tackle the world’s biggest challenges. Many of those challenges can also be found right here at home, including the availability of clean drinking and irrigation water. It is important to us that our operations continue in a way that will ensure that there is no difference in aquatic ecosystem health and water quality when comparing data collected upstream and downstream of the lab over the years to come. We are committed to pursuing our mission while also actively stewarding our environment— and, in turn, ensuring the safety of our water for ourselves, our families and future generations of all New Mexicans.