Lake Champlain Underwater Cultural Resources Survey - Volume VI: 2001 Results and Volume VII: 2002 Results

The introduction of zebra mussels in the early 1990s and the inevitable approaching infestation of quagga mussels seriously threaten Lake Champlain's underwater cultural resources. These non-native aquatic nuisance species endanger the preservation of submerged cultural resources, obscure them, and hinder their documentation and study. Mussel colonies also threaten to degrade underwater cultural resources physically because of their weight and corrosive action. As of this writing, no effective means to protect underwater historic resources from the impact of zebra and quagga mussels has been found. In studying this issue, the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum determined that one positive reaction to the situation would be to locate and document Lake Champlain’s previously unknown underwater cultural resources. Once this task is completed, it will then be possible to develop a comprehensive management plan for the sites.
A systematic lakewide sonar survey to locate submerged resources, which began in 1996, was the first step in this multi-year project. This report on the 2001 and 2002 surveys is the fourth report in a series of volumes presenting the results of the Lake Champlain Underwater Cultural Resources Survey, also known as the Lake Survey.
The first volume in this series supplied an extensive general background on the history and archaeology of Lake Champlain. The second through fifth volumes focused on the history and archaeology pertaining only to the areas covered by the 1997 through 2000 surveys.
The sixth and seventh volumes, contained in this report, present the results from the archaeological and historical investigations in the 2001 and 2002 survey areas. These latter survey areas comprise the portion of Lake Champlain known as the Inland Sea. Additionally, this report includes the results of documentation of six barges for the Alburg- Swanton Bridge Replacement Project, the archaeological survey of the submerged battlefield associated with the Battle of Valcour Island, and a preliminary summary of the investigation of the Sloop Island Canal Boat. This volume was developed after extensive background research, fieldwork, and the collection of a wide range of primary and secondary sources. These investigations have been integrated into this comprehensive document, and provide information that can eventually contribute toward the management of Lake Champlain's underwater cultural resources.