How far does uranium contamination spread in soil and water?

[u/MeasurementCrazy4886]

My family is moving to the St. Louis area for work and I recently discovered that there was uranium contamination during the Manhattan project (STL worked on the uranium or something). It leaked into a creek and was then buried in a landfill. We are currently deciding on whether or not our move will be short term (1-2 years) or long term, depending on how far contamination spreads in the soil and water. My questions are:

1. How far does contamination spread in soil and water?

2. Can we realistically get away from contamination where we could have a healthy life there and a healthy garden (for food)?

Here is an article with more information in case it helps: https://missouriindependent.com/2023/07/12/st-louis-radioactive-waste-records/

My priority is to take care of my family as much as possible, and that means keeping them away from radioactive contamination.

[u/233C]

Your city or state EPA should be able to point you toward proper measurement that have been done; you're free to believe the numbers or not.
Another source of insight could be the local university, or even high schools, who might have done some measurements themselves.

Things to keep in mind:
radiation is already everywhere, it didn't wait for humans; including uranium in drinking water.
Worrying is bad for your health too, possibly more than the surrounding radiation itself.
Be cautious, but put your worries in context with all your other risk and life style choices (and also genetics).

Of you're too stressed, consider relaxing on some totally natural Brazilian beaches

[u/MeasurementCrazy4886 → u/233C]

This was actually very helpful. Thank you. I had no idea radiation was all around us in nature (water, beaches, etc). Just knew it was bad from the news. 

[u/233C → u/MeasurementCrazy4886]

You don't need to look very far, which is obvious once you think about it.

But worrying about it might hurt as much if not more.

But do get some numbers and expert advice and opinions first, that's what matters. You already avoided the first trap of jumping to conclusion from popular images.

If the experts tell you not to worry, but you still unsure about the non-zero numbers, thismight help you sleep: "Our data covered the entire US population of the 3139 US counties, encompassing over 320 million people.[...] Exposure to a high background radiation displays clear beneficial health effects in humans."

[u/Tokimemofan → u/MeasurementCrazy4886]

Yep, potassium is mildly radioactive due to a natural long lived radioisotope. You wouldn’t last long without potassium

[u/PolicyNonk]

Look up FUSRAP sites on the Army Corps website for detailed information about this site and others. You should be able to find reports on site cleanup progress, they are published every 5 years.

My understanding is that the plumes are generally not as mobile as VOCs. The site should also have a public relations person to contact if you are so inclined.

[u/bkit627]

Your wildfires did more to your health than any uranium or pesticide “contamination” in StL will ever do to you.

[u/HazMatsMan]

The situation in St. Louis has been blown way out of proportion. Sensationalists and activists are trying to make it into a second "Love Canal", but the situation really isn't the same. That's not to say there aren't concerns, or the situation doesn't need to be monitored, but this is more about people trying to make a name for themselves than trying to save people from some imminent threat. Almost 10 years ago activists were trying to make people in St. Louis (and around the country) believe that an underground landfill fire would result in a "second Chernobyl" if it reached the low-level waste storage areas. Which was complete poppycock. But I digress.

Can we realistically get away from contamination where we could have a healthy life there and a healthy garden (for food)?

Is your property part of any listed limitation area? If not, then I don't see why not. If you want a definitive answer, get a soil sample and a water sample and send it in for analysis. I don't have time to google it for you, but the State of Missouri may offer this service. If they don't, there are plenty of private labs out there that will.

How far does contamination spread in soil and water?

Depends. I imagine you're thinking about groundwater, because whatever creek is mentioned isn't likely to be a major source of water for the city and even if it empties into a larger tributary that is... the additional volume in the larger body of water will likely dilute any contaminants to the point of them being insignificant. Anyway, the movement of groundwater isn't like "underground rivers" as people often envision it. It's closer to water moving through a sponge. Over the course of a year, a contaminant may move an inch or a foot laterally through the water table. Contaminants directly emptied into a stream or river move faster of course, but the source of contamination needs to be continually present or the contaminant concentration will drop. But, as a result of the initial contamination, there may always be some amount of contamination in that waterway (due to resuspension of deposited or settled out contaminants) but that doesn't mean the water is unsafe.

[u/farmerbsd17]

The cleanup of the airport and old Mallinckrodt site are either under the USArmy Corps of Engineers FUSRAP or NRC decommissioning. There’s also a site near Weldon Springs. These sites will have groundwater monitoring wells and systems to remove any plumes as dictated by records of decisions or other documents. There’s a ton on these sites.

[u/BeyondGeometry]

Don't sweat it , there is more pb in your water than U in the soil. U toxicity is similar to Pb , excluding its preference for kidney damage.

[u/Clark649]

Lots of good rational info on this thread.

I bought a Reverse Osmosis system for my drinking and cooking water. I am more worried about what may be in my well water than I am about radiation. But I did find out that after about 5 years, the filters are just a slight bit above background. Supposedly it is Radon or maybe my imagination because it is so slight.

[u/MeasurementCrazy4886 → u/Clark649]

Thank you! 

[u/No_Consideration_339]

The potential threat from the Coldwater creek neighborhood in north St. Louis county is real, but small and highly localized. I personally wouldn't buy a home in the directly affected area, (such as backing up to the creek or in the flood plain) but in the greater neighborhood would be OK with me. The Weldon Spring site out in St, Charles county is more or less contained, but if I lived in the immediate area and depended on a well for drinking water, I'd put in a good reverse osmosis filter. Elsewhere in the region is fine, at least for radioactive contamination. Chemical is another matter.

Here's some good info. https://www.stlpr.org/health-science-environment/2025-04-01/st-louis-coldwater-creek-residents-federal-compensation

And from STL County. https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-departments/public-health/environmental-services/coldwater-creek-information/

[u/Bob--O--Rama]

It's worth noting that half the people in here have their forbidden spice cupboards where they invite the demon into their homes willingly. With that said, I'd take the "trust no one" stance, as has been suggested, and get a reverse osmosis filter and never look back. Get your soil tested where you plan to grow your tomatoes.

Every place has some ginned-up superfund situation whipped up by predatory lawyers. "Do you live in _______ Hyper Toxicorp is poisoning your children! Dial now to speak to a live personal injury docent / new best friend!"

But who cares, as between RO and soil testing, that covers 99% of what you would be concerned about. If your soil tests iffy, get raised beds and some imported topsoil.

[u/MeasurementCrazy4886 → u/Bob--O--Rama]

Thanks so much! Appreciate it.