Project Overview
The Environmental Management Disposal Facility (EMDF) is a cornerstone project for the Oak Ridge Reservation, designed to provide the waste disposal capacity necessary to continue large-scale cleanup at the Y-12 National Security Complex and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Strategically located within the Bear Creek watershed, the facility’s design is guided by watershed hydrology, groundwater dynamics, and long-term closure requirements. Its engineered systems including ClosureTurf®—are being implemented to safeguard surface waters, wetlands, and groundwater while meeting state and federal regulatory standards.
Key Milestones
Groundwater Field Demonstration & Monitoring
- Purpose: Assess how lined disposal cells will influence groundwater elevations across the watershed.
- Method: Installation of a 1.3 million-square-foot geomembrane test cover system to simulate final disposal cell liner performance.
- Result: First wet season monitoring confirmed that the impermeable barrier lowered groundwater elevations by preventing infiltration—critical data for final liner and leachate control system design.
- Next Phase: A second wet season monitoring cycle (Dec–Mar) will validate results before final construction begins.
Technological & Environmental Innovations
Watershed-Centered Design
- Groundwater monitoring ensures the facility’s liner systems interact safely with the Bear Creek hydrologic system, reducing risk to downstream flows.
- Hydrologic modeling is integrated with geotechnical design to maintain slope stability and control surface runoff.
ClosureTurf® System
- Turf Layer: Mimics grass, slowing stormwater flow for improved watershed stormwater management.
- Specified Aggregate Infill: Provides ballast, minimizes wind uplift, improves trafficability.
- Benefits: Reduced infiltration, minimized erosion, and long-term stability with lower maintenance than traditional vegetative covers.
Stakeholder Collaboration
- OREM & UCOR, Jacobs: Project design, leadership and execution
- EPA & TDEC: Regulatory oversight and compliance verification.
- CTI & RSI: Subcontractors supporting fieldwork, monitoring, and utility installations.
Outcome & Impact
The EMDF is more than a disposal site—it is a watershed protection project that integrates advanced closure systems to ensure environmental safety for generations. By combining ClosureTurf® technology with detailed groundwater monitoring and hydrologic design, OREM and UCOR are demonstrating a forward-looking model for sustainable waste management at a complex site.