Boston Harbor

The Boston Harbor Story:
Applying Earth Science to issues of immediate public concern

THE FATE OF STELLWAGEN BANK

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is located just off the Massachusetts' coast. It supports active commercial and recreational fisheries and is home to a variety marine mammals, including endangered species of whales, sea turtles, and birds. The Sanctuary is within 24 km of the new sewage outfall. The US Geological Survey has developed an on-going project to address the health and safety of this valuable marine resource.

The USGS is producing a series of sea floor maps for the Sanctuary. Using these maps as a guide, scientists locate and define biological habitats via direct bottom sampling as well as via video and photographic observations. These maps: increase our understanding of the processes that affect the distribution of biological habitats and living resources, assess the natural and human disturbances to these habitats and resources, and help identify where contaminants may accumulate.

The Stellwagen Bank project has been a cooperative venture with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Canadian Hydrographic Survey, and the University of New Brunswick.

At right: The sea floor of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and Massachusetts Bay was surveyed using a multibeam sea floor system that utilized sound to measure the water depth and sediment characteristics.

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Updated: 11 September 2000