SRC Project Display
Project Subpage Header
The USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Home
Projects
Publications
Diving in
  the Parks
Images
Search
Site Map
Links
ParkNet

Yellowstone National Park

With marine holdings in the Atlantic, Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico, it’s surprising that one of the largest bodies of water under National Park Service jurisdiction is in Wyoming. Yellowstone Lake encompasses a water surface that rivals Biscayne National Park and exceeds that of the Dry Tortugas. The average depth of Yellowstone Lake is greater than all other NPS water bodies with the exceptions of offshore of Isle Royale and Crater Lake.

NPS Submerged Resources Center divers were greeted by natural features unique to Yellowstone and vestiges of human occupation that stretched from prehistory through the stagecoach era to steam-powered tour boats. In addition, there are natural resource management problems involving introduction of exotic species such as Lake Trout, and visitor-use issues relating to Yellowstone's increasing popularity as a destination for sport scuba divers.

EC Waters shipwreck on Stevenson Island
Historic small rental boats by the Lake Hotel In association with the work at Yellowstone, SRC conducted an assessment of submerged cultural resources at Glacier National Park, Yellowstone’s northern cousin. Perhaps the most important observation we can offer from our involvement in these two magnificent parks is that submerged resources are too easy to ignore when there is such magnificent scenery and pressing visitation problems confronting managers every day on dry land. Both parks have wonders that extend beneath the surface into realms that are too often out of sight and out of mind.

  • August 1996 – Investigation in Yellowstone Lake. Side scan sonar, bathymetry and bottom classification for cultural and natural resources. Daniel Lenihan and Larry Murphy were Principal Investigators.

  • August 1995 — Reconnaissance of Yellowstone Lake directed by Daniel Lenihan. Resulted in trip report that laid groundwork for more extensive work in 1996.

Reference:

  • Bradford, James E., Matthew A. Russell, Larry E. Murphy and Timothy G. Smith, 2003, Yellowstone National Park Submerged Resources Survey. Submerged Resources Center Professional Report No. 16. National Park Service, Santa Fe, NM.

SRC site map of EC Waters on Stevenson Island
Related Links
Yellowstone National Park