Environment Assessment, Resource Evaluation, and Underground Science in Southeastern California and Southwestern Nevada

The geologically unique region of southeastern California and southwestern Nevada has both very high peaks and the lowest point, Death Valley, in the U.S. These features have significant effects on research in nuclear waste disposal, climate change, and evaluation of the potential for underground science in that region. These areas of scientific research can be further coordinated and expanded: (1) For nuclear waste, the studies of the Yucca Mountain site northeast of Death Valley contribute to the understanding of unsaturated and saturated flow and transport in an arid environment, with sensitivity to infiltration, under present-day and future climate conditions. (2) For climate research, water resources in hydrographic basins are being evaluated, in light of the prediction that there will be large decreases in snow accumulations (by 50%) in the 21st century. Further coupling of general circulation models with subsurface processes can increase understanding of hydrological responses to climate changes, with findings potentially applicable to other climate-stressed regions. (3) The combination of earth science testing and physics experimentation in underground laboratories signifies a promising research opportunity for the Death Valley region. Telescope Peak (along the western border of Death Valley), Boundary Peak (along the California-Nevada border), Mount Charleston (outside Las Vegas), and Mt. Tom (along the Pine Creek valley) are potential sites, with horizontal tunneling below peaks from valley floors to reach the depth required for low cosmic ray background. The use of existing mines in the region could also be explored for research in both earth science at different depths and the next generation of physics (e.g., neutrino mass measurements)