On 26 November 1997, the M/V KUROSHIMA went aground in Summer Bay on Unalaska Island, Alaska during a severe windstorm (Figure 1). The vessel released approximately 39,000 gallons of Bunker C fuel oil into the intertidal zone. A portion of this oil was forced into Summer Bay Lake by storm winds and high tides. From the outset of the incident, the trustees and the Responsible Party considered the possibility that oil had been submerged and covered parts of Summer Bay Lake substratum. Therefore, an underwater survey was included as part of the overall spring shoreline cleanup assessment program. This paper focuses on the process of performing an underwater survey as part of a larger cleanup operation. Surveys were conducted by representatives for the State of Alaska and the Responsible Party and incorporated standard Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) guidelines (Owens, 1992). The primary objective of these surveys was to locate submerged oil, quantify the amount of oil, and to document the characteristics of the oil. The underwater survey program had two main components; delineation and cleanup assessment for sign-off surveys. The logistics and support needed for performing an underwater survey with SCUBA, methods of navigation above and below the water surface, and the generation of maps for the dissemination of survey results to cleanup personnel are discussed.

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