Now, 40 years later, Boehme wants to launch another treasure hunt. As executive director of the Great Lakes Observing System, she's leading a campaign to map every meter of the lakes' bottom.

Two Michigan congressional representatives, Republican Lisa McClain and Democrat Debbie Dingell, introduced a bill this year seeking $200 million to map the Great Lakes bottoms by 2030.

An effort to map the bottom of the Great Lakes is gaining support due to its potential benefits for safety and environmental management.