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Spatial Analysis and Decision Assistance

2004 NRC Workshop

Public Workshop on SADA Version 4: Review and Status of Surface and Volumetric Survey Design and Analysis Using Spatial Analysis and Decision Assistance (SADA) Methods

The NRC held a public workshop in Rockville, Maryland, to provide the NRC staff and the public with an overview of progress on the development of a new computational tool for use in the evaluation of sites with subsurface contamination. Spatial Analysis and Decision Assistance (SADA) is a freeware software program that is supported jointly by several Federal Agencies. SADA utilizes automated surveying designs and analytical tools to enhance the demonstration of compliance with criteria for volumetric contaminants and to test and evaluate alternative survey designs. Distributions and total contaminant inventories are sometimes required to assist in determining risk and/or compliance.

Presenters at the workshop provided information on Federally-sponsored survey design and analytical approaches under development for volumetric assessments. The emphasis of the workshop was to focus on the Multi-Agency Radiation Survey & Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM) evolution into Geostatistical and Bayesian approaches to surficial and, in particular, volumetric contamination characterization and analysis. This information is useful to the NRC in developing realistic guidance for implementations requiring sub-surface or volumetric knowledge. All interested licensees and members of the public were invited to attend this workshop.

Presentations

• SADA Overview
• Geostatistics I and II
• MARSSIM
• Subsurface characterization

Short presentations on other softwares were also made at the workshop. These softwares include RESRAD/COMPASS, Visual Sample Plan (VSP) from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the Rapid Assessment Tool (RAT) from EPA Region 5. The workshop schedule can be found here.

DATES: The workshop was held on May 4th and 5th, 2004 from 8:30 a.m. to about 5:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public workshop was held in the NRC auditorium at:
Two White Flint North
11545 Rockville Pike
Rockville, Maryland

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Designated Federal Official: Cheryl A. Trottier 301-415-6232.
General Information: George E. Powers
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555
telephone 301-415-6212
fax 301-415-5385
E-mail: GEP@NRC.GOV.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
This workshop is one of a series of interactions with the Agreement States, licensees, and the public to inform and gather suggestions and ideas for improving performance based protocols for conducting surveys that must consider volumetric geometries. Techniques that apply Bayesian and geostatistical methods are showing promise in reducing the resources required to evaluate volumetric contamination while increasing the accuracy and precision of the results. Therefore, the NRC staff is considering expanding and extending the performance guidance for conducting volumetric surveys by applying statistics such as Bayesian and geostatistical analysis that may be more appropriate for use in assessments. The workshop included brief formal presentations by invited speakers from DOE national laboratories, EPA and other Federal Agencies. These presentations addressed survey techniques that can be applied up to the initiation of volumetric sampling and analysis. ovided.