Thunder Bay Monitoring Inventory

photo of diver and a shipwreck

The monitoring projects in the following inventory take place in or around Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Projects are conducted by either Sanctuary staff or by our partners. Summary information is presented for each.

For more information about the monitoring activities at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, please click here, and review the Sanctuary Condition Report.

Contact the research coordinator at the Sanctuary for additional information.


Shipwreck Inventory

Lead Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Objective Continuous efforts to locate and inventory shipwrecks in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.


Method Side scan sonar surveys using traditional towed sonar as well as AUVs; ground truth with technical divers and remotely operated vehicles.

Status Duration Frequency
Active 2001 - present Annual

Links http://thunderbay.noaa.gov/research/resrch_coll.html
Partners NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab, Universities of Rhode Island, Michigan, Texas-Austin, East Carolina; and Grand Valley State University
Keyword(s) shipwreck, inventory


Individual Shipwreck Site Monitoring

Lead Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Objective Monitor selected shipwreck sites to track/determine natural and human impacts to shipwreck sites.


Method Impacts are assessed using SCUBA diving and physical measurements, photos, and video; remotely operated vehicle surveys; corrosion and water composition measurements with corrosion meters, YSI, etc.

Status Duration Frequency
Active 2001 - present Annual

Links http://thunderbay.noaa.gov/research/resrch_coll.html
Partners NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab, Universities of Rhode Island; Michigan; Texas-Austin; East Carolina; and Grand Valley State University
Keyword(s) shipwrecks, corrosion, water quality