Environmental Radiation

An array of thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) is distributed throughout the Eastern Snake River Plain to monitor for environmental radiation.  TLDs are changed out in May and again in November after six months in the field.  The results of the May sampling (the period from November 2000 to May 2001) are discussed below.

Dosimeter locations are divided into Boundary and Distant groupings.  Boundary average exposure rates ranged from a low of 0.33 mR/day at Birch Creek and Howe to a high of 0.37 mR/day at Mud Lake.  The overall average was 0.35 mR/day.  The Distant group had a high of 0.41 mR/day at Aberdeen and a low of 0.32 mR/day at the Blackfoot CMS location.  The overall average Distant value was 0.36 mR/day.  There was no statistical difference between Boundary and Distant locations.  Furthermore, all values are in line with past readings.  Table 5 lists the range and average for both groups over a six-month period.  All results are listed in Appendix C, Table C-11. 

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