Atlas of Gulf of the Farallones Region, Central California

Farallon Islands region (185 Kb)

Three-dimensional computer image of the seafloor west of the Farallon Islands. The colors from brown to blue represent greater depth of water. The depths range from approximately 200 meters to approximately, 3500 meters. The view shows the rugged and steep terrain of the continental slope. The high peaks on the right are volcanic mountains.

This atlas is being developed to provide information on the physical setting and living resources of the Gulf of the Farallones and adjacent ocean waters.

It illustrates the value of seafloor mapping and oceanographic measurements offshore of the San Francisco Bay area, where the environmental and ecological concerns of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary must be reconciled with the human, economic, and industrial demands of a major urban population center.

It is hoped that the scientific information in this atlas will aid the public and the public's representatives in making informed decisions about the multiple uses planned for this offshore region in the months and years ahead.

Available for Viewing

Draft versions of introductory pages of the atlas are available for viewing:

• Overview
• 
  Farallon Island Radioactive Waste Dump
• 
  Disposal of San Francisco Bay Dredged Material on the Farallon Slope
• 
  Current Patterns Over the Shelf and Slope Adjacent to the Gulf of the Farallones

For additional information on the atlas and this project, contact Herman Karl -- Project Coordinator
Phone: (650) 329-5280