Digital geologic maps and airborne geophysical maps: Applications to environmental restoration on the Oak Ridge Reservation, Tennessee

The US Department of Energy Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) is a 143 km[sup 2] area in the western part of the southern Appalachian foreland fold-thrust belt. As a result of activities at the site, nonhazardous, hazardous, radioactive, and mixed wastes have been stored, treated, and disposed of at various locations. Restoration plans for both known and potential areas of groundwater contamination require an understanding of groundwater flow pathways, flow rates, and discharge points. The area has thus been the focus of numerous geologic, geophysical, and hydrologic studies designed to characterize the groundwater flow system. Here the authors present results and some applications of geologic mapping and an airborne geophysical survey of the ORR.