Answers about recovering Utah's submerged vehicles.

Fathom Restoration is a Utah-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, led by disabled U.S. military veterans, that locates and recovers submerged vehicles, vessels, and debris from Utah's lakes, reservoirs, and rivers — then contains the fuel, oil, and other contaminants they leak. The goal is simple: cleaner water and healthier aquatic ecosystems.

Yes. Fathom Restoration is an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit corporation organized in Utah, EIN 42-2166469. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Yes. We're an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) and hold Candid (GuideStar) 2026 Bronze and Silver Seals of Transparency. Our status and governing documents are listed on our Transparency page.

Yes. Fathom Restoration was founded and is led by U.S. military veterans with service-connected disabilities. Every member of our founding board of directors is a disabled veteran.

Fathom Restoration was founded by Jake Seawolf (Founder & CEO). He leads alongside Michael Swenson (COO) and George Arthur (Treasurer) — all directors and all disabled veterans. Meet them on our Team page.

We're based in Utah and operate across the state's lakes, reservoirs, and rivers. Our EIN is 42-2166469.

We do three things: locate submerged vehicles and debris using sonar and ROV technology; recover them with trained dive crews and lift equipment; and contain and document the contaminants they release, in coordination with water-quality agencies. See more on our Operations overview.

Very few organizations can. Public-safety dive teams focus on rescue and evidence, and Utah has fewer than 10 certified public-safety divers statewide. Fathom Restoration is a nonprofit built specifically to recover long-submerged vehicles and debris that otherwise sit on the lakebed for decades. If you know of one, report it to us.

Yes — cars, trucks, boats and other vessels, submerged aircraft, heavy equipment, and general debris. If it's underwater, leaking contaminants, and nobody else is removing it, it's in our scope.

We locate targets with side-scan sonar and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), then confirm and map each one before any dive. Coordinates are documented so recovery is precise and safe.

Trained dive crews rig the vehicle underwater, and it's raised with lift bags and hydraulic systems sized to the load — using spill-containment protocols to capture fuel and fluids during the lift.

Recovered vehicles and debris are handled under HazMat-aware, contained transport, drained of remaining fluids, and routed to proper disposal or recycling. We document the contaminants removed and the water-quality impact.

Yes. We support and coordinate with county sheriffs, public-safety dive teams, and lake authorities — filling the long-term cleanup gap they aren't resourced to cover, and deferring to them on any active investigation or recovery of remains.

Our work spans Utah waters including the Great Salt Lake, Utah Lake, Bear Lake, Deer Creek Reservoir, Echo Reservoir, Flaming Gorge, and the Jordan River. Explore them on our Lakes page.

Utah is our home and our focus today. As capacity and funding grow, we plan to expand to waterways in neighboring states — submerged, contaminating vehicles aren't a problem unique to Utah.

Use our Report a Submerged Vehicle form, or email info@fathomrestoration.org. Share the location (GPS or a landmark) and any photos or sonar images. Every report is logged and assessed.

Possibly — reach out. We assess reported vehicles case by case based on location, depth, safety, and environmental impact. Start by submitting the details through our Report a Vehicle page or by email.

Reporting is always free. Recovery operations are funded through donations and grants rather than by charging the public; specifics depend on the site and situation, so contact us to discuss your case.

The more detail the better: location (GPS coordinates or a clear landmark), approximate depth if known, what the object is, how long it's been submerged, and any photos, video, or sonar imagery.

Yes. A submerged vehicle is an active contamination source — it slowly leaks fuel, motor oil, coolant and antifreeze, transmission and brake fluid, and battery acid into the water and sediment, harming aquatic life and water quality for years.

A single vehicle can release engine oil, fuel, and other toxic fluids into the water over time. For scale, the U.S. EPA notes that one quart of motor oil can foul about 250,000 gallons of drinking water, and one gallon of gasoline can contaminate roughly 750,000 gallons of groundwater. Antifreeze is lethal to wildlife in very small amounts.

Figures: U.S. EPA used-oil and underground storage tank guidance; AVMA toxicology.

It corrodes. As the body and components break down, fuel and fluids escape, and heavy metals such as lead from the battery persist in the sediment. The longer it stays, the more it contaminates the surrounding water and lakebed.

Because nobody's mandate covers it. Law-enforcement divers focus on rescue and evidence; environmental agencies monitor water quality but don't perform recovery; private salvage works for profit, not pro-bono cleanup. That gap is exactly why Fathom Restoration exists.

Through tax-deductible donations, grants, sponsorships, and in-kind support such as equipment, fuel, and services. Every dollar goes toward recoveries and the water-quality work behind them. You can support a recovery here.

Our model requires it. Recovery operations will be carried out by trained, certified divers operating to recognized dive-safety and HazMat standards, with insurance and spill-containment protocols appropriate to the work. The safety of our crews, the public, and the water comes first.

Directly into the water — certified divers, fuel, dive and lift gear, ROV and sonar time, HazMat containment, and safe disposal. As a transparency-sealed 501(c)(3), we document where funds go.

No family is treated as a customer. A vehicle in the water can be tied to a painful loss, and we handle those situations with care; our work is donation- and grant-funded. If this is your situation, contact us privately at info@fathomrestoration.org.

You don't need to dive. We need surface support, logistics, outreach, fundraising, administrative, and skilled-trades help, alongside the certified divers our recoveries will deploy. Tell us how you'd like to help on our Volunteer page.

Yes. In-kind donations of dive gear, boats, trailers, ROV and sonar equipment, fuel, and recovery tools are extremely valuable and tax-deductible. Reach out through our Partner page to coordinate.

We partner with businesses on sponsorships, equipment, and cause campaigns — visible, tax-deductible support for clean Utah water. Start the conversation on our Partner page.

Visit our Donate page to give once or monthly. Monthly gifts are especially valuable because they let us plan recoveries ahead. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.