Lake Champlain Maritime Museum (LCMM) is pleased to announce the receipt of a grant award from the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership (CVNHP) to investigate and recommend an additional shipwreck for inclusion in the Lake Champlain Underwater Historic Preserve.
The Lake Champlain Underwater Historic Preserve system provides public access for scuba divers to some of Lake Champlain’s remarkably preserved historic shipwrecks. There are currently nine wrecks designated as part of this underwater park, eight of which are in Vermont State waters. Feedback from the diving community indicates a strong desire for additional sites to be opened for recreational exploration.
This award from CVNHP will fund the assessment of selected sites on the basis of diver safety and archaeological sensitivity to determine which wreck will be recommended for inclusion. Dive safety considerations for selection are based reasonable boating traffic and environmental factors, suitable depth for recreational dive limits, and predictable underwater conditions. Archaeological considerations for selection will include structural tolerance for reasonable impact from divers.
Funding will also be used to document a potential shipwreck selection using direct diver measurement, videography, and artifact assessment. Lake Champlain Maritime Museum will make recommendations to the Vermont Division of Historic Preservation in its role as the Manager of the Underwater Historic Preserve.
Funding for this project came from a 2015 Water Trail Grant from the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership. This project was funded by an agreement (P14AC01016) awarded by the United States National Park Service (NPS) to the New England interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC) in partnership with the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership. NEIWPCC manages CVNHP’s personnel, contract, grant, and budget tasks, and provides input on the program’s activities. The viewpoints expressed here do not necessarily represent those of NEIWPCC, CVNHP, LCBP, NPS, or the U. S. Government, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products or causes constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.
