The Maintenance Plan for the Performance Assessments and Composite Analyses for the Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Sites at the Nevada Test Site (Bechtel Nevada, 2000) requires an annual review to assess the adequacy of the performance assessments (PAs) and composite analyses (CAs) for each of the facilities, and reports the results in an annual summary report to the U.S. Department of Energy Headquarters. The Disposal Authorization Statements for the Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Sites (RWMSs) also require that such reviews be made and that secondary or minor unresolved issues be tracked and addressed as part of the maintenance plan (U.S. Department of Energy [DOE]). The U.S. Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office performed annual reviews in fiscal year (FY) 2004 by evaluating operational factors and research results that impact the continuing validity of the PA and CA results. This annual summary report presents data and conclusions from the FY 2004 review, and determines the adequacy of the PAs and CAs. Operational factors, such as the waste form and containers, facility design, waste receipts, closure plans, as well as monitoring results and research and development (R&D) activities were reviewed …

Abstract: "Available data on wind persistence and wind forecasting capability have been applied in estimating the probability of a fallout pattern shifting from an uninhabited safe sector into a populated region. Safety probability is computed from win variability, forecasting accuracy, initial height and particle size of radioactivity landing at a point in the predicted fallout pattern, predicted wind speed, length of forecast period, and safe-sector angular width."

A complex pattern of active faults occurs in the southern Amargosa Desert, southern Nye, County, Nevada. These faults can be grouped into three main fault systems: (1) a NE-striking zone of faults that forms the southwest extension of the left-lateral Rock Valley fault zone, in the much larger Spotted Range-Mine Mountain structural zone, (2) a N-striking fault zone coinciding with a NNW-trending alignment of springs that is either a northward continuation of a fault along the west side of the Resting Spring Range or a N-striking branch fault of the Pahrump fault system, and (3) a NW-striking fault zone which is parallel to the Pahrump fault system, but is offset approximately 5 km with a left step in southern Ash Meadows. These three fault zones suggest extension is occurring in an E-W direction, which is compatible with the {approximately}N10W structural grain prevalent in the Death Valley extensional region to the west.