Radioactivity in Surface Waters and Stormwater at Lucas Heights Science & Technology Centre (LHSTC) (1999-2007)

Surface waters comprise of stormwater runoff as well as natural discharge of near-surface groundwater into local streams. Concrete bunds, of about 6 cubic metre capacity on three main stormwater outlets at the Lucas Heights Science & Technology Centre (LHSTC) temporarily retain surface waters before their release off-site. The bunds are used as environmental monitoring points for surface water analysis. Water from sediment retention basins near OPAL and from local streams was also sampled periodically and analysed for tritium, alpha, beta and gamma-emitting radionuclides.