Mapping Shipping Hazards in San Francisco Bay, 1997-1998

Large-scale poster describing USGS work.

The USGS mapped western San Francisco Bay using sonar, in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and C&C Technologies. Some parts of the Bay floor are so shallow that a large tanker or container ship could run aground at low tide and create a massive oil spill.

The maps show how the rock pinnacles could be lowered and the material deposited in holes in the Bay floor. Ships could navigate freely in the Bay, even at low tide, without having to avoid these areas. The maps will be used to help determine the environmental, economic, and social impact of lowering the rock pinnacles.