Concerns over the possible movement of radionuclides away from the CNTA site prompted federal officials to propose that groundwater in the vicinity be monitored on a prolonged basis. In 1972, the Long-Term Hydrologic Monitoring Program (LTHMP) was initiated.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Radiation Protection Program in Las Vegas, Nevada, has been conducting the monitoring program since that time without interruption. Monitoring consists of sampling selected groundwater and surface water collection locations around each site. Sampling requires approximately one week per year per site, plus the analysis of approximately 20 samples per site per year at an average cost of $14,200.
 Groundwater wells and springs in the vicinity of the CNTA site have acted as long-term monitoring points (sampling location map). These locations are sampled annually and analyzed for tritium (3H) and cesium-137. Detection of tritium above background levels would suggest that radionuclides might be moving with the groundwater. Tritium concentrations, above background levels, have never been detected by the Long-Term Hydrologic Monitoring Program at the CNTA.
The EPA completed the sampling cycle for the CNTA for the year 2004 in March.
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Groundwater wells and springs in the vicinity of the CNTA site have acted as long-term monitoring points (sampling location map). These locations are sampled annually and analyzed for tritium (3H) and cesium-137. Detection of tritium above background levels would suggest that radionuclides might be moving with the groundwater. Tritium concentrations, above background levels, have never been detected by the Long-Term Hydrologic Monitoring Program at the CNTA.
