LAS VEGAS - Accomplishing the EM mission at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) depends on accurate, defensible and easily-accessible data stored using methods that meet federal requirements.
“When we use data to make decisions on environmental restoration activities, we must have complete confidence in the accuracy of that data," said Rob Boehlecke, EM operations manager.
EM contractor Navarro’s data management team integrates data from various organizations on multiple platforms to present the best available data to the scientists, regulators and managers for sound, risk-informed decisions on cleanup.
NNSS groundwater characterization program scientists collect and analyze groundwater samples to track contaminant migration and ensure the safety of public water supplies in communities near the NNSS, with the goal of developing a long-term monitoring network. They sample dozens of wells for groundwater flow patterns and contaminant movement.
The Navarro team manages new research data and ensures the preservation of data from the decades-long program. It maintains databases containing the location, geology, construction, names and histories of NNSS groundwater wells, and the analytical chemistry associated with samples.
Team members maintain systems that enable the scientists and other workers to share and interpret data from EM missions such as soil and industrial sites cleanup.
“These systems manage the full life cycle of data, from collection, to distribution, to archiving, so they require a good amount of teamwork to create and maintain, not just within the Department of Energy but between partner organizations such as the United States Geological Survey and the Desert Research Institute," Navarro Data Management Lead and Geographic Information Systems Administrator Matthew Knop said.
The team’s storage system uses modern technology to support data collection and routine monitoring for years to come.
“Preservation of this important data reflects a commitment to responsibly use taxpayer funding and, most important, ensures the public and the environment are protected by providing a solid foundation for the scientific investigations being performed at the NNSS today," Boehlecke said.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
