Joel Fritsch is the Master (Vessel David H. Peterson) for the USGS Water Resources Mission Area.
Joel Fritsch is a graduate of the California Maritime Academy, Class of 1991 "Third Herd". He started his career as a tugboat captain working in various harbors from Alaska to California and a few ocean voyages along the west coast as well. In 1997, Joel started working aboard the largest (at that time) US flagged Hopper Dredge Ship "STUYVESANT". After 10 years of dredging various ports along the US coast and international waters, he transferred to the Army Corps of Engineer's Hopper Dredge Ship "WHEELER" stationed out of New Orleans as Second Mate for two years. Given the chance of a lifetime, Joel transferred to USGS as Master of the R/V POLARIS in June of 2009. Since 2016 when the R/V POLARIS retired, he has been Master of the R/V DAVID H. PETERSON. Joel is licensed by the US Coast Guard as a 1600 ton Master and as an Unlimited Second Mate.
Science and Products
Sampling Locations for the Water Quality of San Francisco Bay Project
Sampling Methods for the Water Quality of San Francisco Bay Project
Research Vessel David H. Peterson
Water Quality of San Francisco Bay Research and Monitoring Project
Science and Products
- Science
Sampling Locations for the Water Quality of San Francisco Bay Project
Since 1969, the Water Quality of San Francisco Bay Research and Monitoring Project has conducted water-column sampling along the deep channel of the San Francisco Bay-Delta system. Learn more about when and where we collect data.Sampling Methods for the Water Quality of San Francisco Bay Project
The Water Quality of San Francisco Bay Research and Monitoring Project measures changes in water quality along the deep channel of the San Francisco Bay-Delta system using submersible sensors and discrete water samples. Learn more about how we collect and measure water-quality data.Research Vessel David H. Peterson
The Research Vessel David H. Peterson begain service with the U.S. Geological Survey in 2015. Named after a founder of the Water Quality of San Francisco Bay Research and Monitoring Project, this vessel is a high-tech scientific platform for estuarine research. Learn more about how the R/V David H. Peterson makes our research possible.Water Quality of San Francisco Bay Research and Monitoring Project
Since 1969, the U.S. Geological Survey has maintained a research project in the San Francisco Bay-Delta system to measure and understand how estuarine systems and tidal river deltas function and change in response to hydro-climatic variability and human activities.