Survey of the submerged ordnance at Camel Rock and War in the Pacific NHP, Guam
Minton D, Palmer A, Drake J, Pakenham A. 2006. Survey of the submerged ordnance at Camel Rock and War in the Pacific NHP, Guam. Natural Resources Division, War in the Pacific NHP. Asan, Guam
Following World War II, an estimated 64 tons of unexploded Japanese and American ordnance were disposed of into the waters off Camel Rock in Asan Bay Guam. The location of the ordnance was last surveyed in 1978 by the Department of the Navy (Dept. of Navy 1978). Recent concerns over the possible spread of these ordnance, particularly toward the reef flat and beaches within War in the Pacific NHP, has prompted this survey to ascertain the current distribution of the Camel Rock ordnance. Visual surveys, using SCUBA or snorkel, were conducted by the Natural Resources staff of War in the Pacific NHP, National Park Service to determine the spatial extent of submerged ordnance in Asan Bay, between Camel Rock and Asan Cut. Submerged ordnance were found at 39 of 43 sites surveyed and extended from deeper than 40 meters to near the low tide mark on the reef flat. Due to time limitations and ocean conditions two areas did not receive adequate inspection. The reef flat to the west of the old outfall pipe was not surveyed, and its proximity to a high concentrations of ordnance just over the reef crest suggest it is a likely site at which to find migrating ordnance. Additionally, the shallow fore reef near the reef crest to the east of the outfall pipe was not adequately surveyed and should receive more attention in the future.