Stuff They Don't Want You To Know Disaster in the Water: The Turkey Point Salt Plume
Jul 30, 2025
Explore the hidden environmental crisis at Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station, where toxic water threatens local aquifers. Discover how the plant's unique design and aging infrastructure contribute to the ongoing salt plume issue. The hosts dive into the ecological battles between saltwater and freshwater, raising alarms about drinking water safety. Laugh and learn as they unpack the historical context and the community's response to contamination concerns—it's a mix of dire warnings and engaging banter!
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Unique Canal Cooling System
- Instead of traditional cooling towers, Turkey Point uses a vast network of 32 canals to cool water from its nuclear reactors.
- This unique method was devised to cool heated water before it reenters the natural environment and wetlands.
Turtles as Radiation Canaries
- Noel Brown recounts tagging turtles near nuclear sites with markers to monitor radiation levels for cleanup assessment.
- This practice treats animals as indicators of nuclear environmental health impact.
Salt Plume Threatens Aquifer
- A large plume of hyper saline (very salty) water is leaking from Turkey Point's cooling canals into the groundwater aquifers.
- This saltwater intrusion threatens the freshwater supplies of millions of Miami-area residents.