RESEARCH - Water Samples for Tritium and Deutrium Analyses


                           UNITED STATES
                    DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
                         GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
                     Water Resources Division
                        Washington 25, D.C.

In reply refer to:                          September 4, 1958
                                            Code 4050 0001

GROUND WATER BRANCH MEMORANDUM NO. 59.10

To:       District Chiefs and Staff Officials (GW)

From:     Chief, Ground Water Branch

Subject:  RESEARCH - Water Samples for Tritium and Deutrium
                     Analyses

A tritium-deuterium research program was initiated during fiscal
year 1958.  The principal objective is to explore the possible
uses and value of tritium and deuterium in hydrologic research.
The overall responsibility for the tritium portion of the program
has been assigned to the Ground Water Branch but will call for
close co-operation with the Quality of Water Branch and
collaboration with the Geologic Division.

C. W. Carlston of the Ground Water Branch has been designated
project leader and L. L. Thatcher of the Quality of Water Branch
will serve as the principal collaborator on the tritium portion of
the program.  Mr. Irving Friedman of the Geologic Division is
doing research on deuterium in hydrologic investigations.

Although most of the laboratory capacity for tritium analyses in
the 1959 fiscal year will be devoted to two major research
projects, it will be possible to analyze a few additional samples.
This memorandum with the attached statement on "Tritium and
Deuterium program of the Water Resources Division" is given
Division-wide distribution in order that all Division Offices and
Staff Officers may have the opportunity to consider proposals for
tritium analyses during this fiscal year and to consider possible
uses of tritium in hydrologic studies.

Owing to the small laboratory capacity, tritium analyses can be
made only for projects where the analyses may help to solve a
definite hydrologic problem such as those described in the
accompanying report.  Offices desiring tritium analyses should
send in proposals to C. W. Carlston, Ground Water Branch,
Washington 25, D.C.  The proposals should state clearly and fully
the geologic and hydrologic setting of the source of the samples
and the possible value of information on tritium content.  No
samples should be collected until the proposals are approved, at
which time instructions on collecting and packaging the samples
will be supplied.  There will be no charge for the analyses of
samples collected on this program; however, collection and
shipment charges must be borne by local offices.



                              (s) A. N. Sayre

Distribution:  A, B, F (all)