Page Contents: Section | Significance | Background | Location & Dates | Taxonomic Contents | Documentation | Description of Collection | Collection Inventory | Collection Assets
Farallons, U.S. Navy Ocean Disposal Site 1990–1992
Section Responsible for Processing
Polychaetes
Significance
One of several deep water benthic surveys done off the U.S. west coast in our Polychaete collection.
Background
Several federal and state agencies including the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency participated in an environmental impact study to assess potential deep-water sites for the disposal of soft sediments dredged from San Francisco Bay. 3 sites were investigated along with control stations.
Collection Location and Dates
The 3 alternative sites were on the lower continental slope, west of the Farallon Islands, approximately 50-60 nautical miles from the mainland. Additional areas sampled included the upper & middle continental slope in and around Pioneer Canyon and Monterey Canyon. Station depths ranged from 500 m, to 3180 m. 68 box cores were taken using either a 0.25 m2 Hessler-Sandia box core or a 0.16-m2 BX-640 box core and screened using a 0.3 mm sieve to analyze the infauna. The benthic cruises occurred in August 1990 on the R/V Farnella, July 1991 on the R/V Wecoma, and February 1992 on the R/V Point Sur. 27 beam trawls (beam length 2.1 m, bag lenth 6.7 m, inner liner mesh 1.5 cm) and 2 otter trawls (commercial trawl with 40’ foot-rope, inner bag liner 1.5 cm) were made to sample the macro-fauna.
Taxonomic Contents
Echinoderms from both box cores and trawls were sent to Dr. Gordon Hendler (NHMLAC Echinoderm Curator) for identification; polychaetes from the trawls were sent to Leslie Harris (NHMLAC Polychaete Collection Manager). Both retained their material for the museum.
Documentation
Electronic data compilations are held by both the Polychaete and Echinoderm Sections. Information about the survey can be found in the reports listed below.
EPA 1993. Final Environmental Impact Statement for Designation of a Deep Water Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site off San Francisco, California. August, 1993.
Nybakken, J., L. Smith-Beasley, A. Summers, S. Craig, and L. Weetman. 1992a. Invertebrate megafauna collected from the proposed U.S. Navy Ocean Disposal Site as determined from beam and otter trawls and camera sled samples. Report prepared for PRC Environmental Management, Inc. under Navy CLEAN contract No. N62474-88-D-1991.
Nybakken, J., L. Smith-Beasley, A. Summers, S. Craig, and L. Weetman. 1992b. Invertebrate megafauna collected from the proposed U.S. Navy Ocean Disposal Site as determined from beam trawls taken in February-March, 1992. Supplementary report prepared for PRC Environmental Management, Inc. under Navy CLEAN Contract No. N62474-88-D-1991.
SAIC, 1991. Biological and sedimentological investigations of the sea floor at the proposed US Navy 103 Ocean Disposal Site. Report submitted to PRC Environmental Management, Inc., San Francisco, 95 pp.+3 appendices.
SAIC, 1992a. Biological and sedimentological investigations of the sea floor at the proposed U.S. Navy Ocean disposal site, July 1991 Survey (R/V WECOMA), benthic biology and sediment characterization. Final report submitted to PRC Environmental Management, Inc., Honolulu, HI by SAIC, under Navy CLEAN Contract No. N62474-88-D5086.
SAIC, 1992b. Trawl and remotely operated vehicle ocean studies report for detailed physical and biological oceanographic studies for an ocean site designation effort under the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972. Prepared for U.S. EPA under contract no. 68-C8-0062, July 1992.
SAIC, 1992c. Benthic ecology and sediment characterization ocean studies report. Detailed physical and biological oceanographic studies for an ocean site designation effort under the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (MPRSA). Final Report prepared by Science Applications International Corporation for EPA Region IX under EPA Contract no. 68-C8-0062.
SAIC, 1992d. Biological and sedimentological investigations of the sea floor at the proposed U.S. Navy Ocean disposal site, July 1991 Survey (R/V WECOMA), megafaunal assemblages. Final report submitted to PRC Environmental Management, Inc., Honolulu, HI by Hecker Environmental Consulting for SAIC, under Navy CLEAN contract no. N62474-88-D-5086.
Tetra Tech, 2001. San Francisco deep-ocean Dredged material disposal site (SF-DODS) monitoring program. Physical, Chemical, and Benthic Community Monitoring October 2000. Final Report to Dept. of the Army, San Francisco District Corps of Engineers.
Description of Collection
Wet preserved collection. Samples originally fixed in 10% formalin, later rinsed in fresh water and transferred into 70% ethanol.
Collection Inventory
106 vials grouped in glass jars by taxa. 1186 individuals in 43 taxa and 21 families.
Collection Assets
No collection assets available.