Thermal Plume and Stratification Impacts

Metric2025 Value/StatusNotes
Typical thermal anomaly (local)+1.5-3°C500m+ from pod[1][4][6]
Thermal plume persistence (low-circulation)Weeks-monthsFjords, bays, shelves[1][5]
Coral bleaching threshold+1°C SST, 4 wks90% cover loss risk[5]
Thermocline disruption (documented)Up to 2.1°C anomaly at 250mProject Natick, Orkney[4]
Plankton/larval recruitment impact-20% (local)Yellow Sea, Tokyo Bay[6][7]
Thermal Anomaly by Site
Coral Bleaching Risk

Infrastructure Footprint and Regulation

Metric2025 Value/StatusNotes
Global submerged data centers12 operationalChina, EU, U.S., Japan[1][3][6]
Hyperscale coastal data centers (U.S.)600+Within 10km of estuary/reef[3][5]
Annual e-waste (global, 2025)60M+ metric tonsData infra fastest-growing[7]
Installations with real-time thermal monitoring~30%Industry LCA push[4]
Jurisdictions with EIA requirementEU, Japan, China (proposed)No global standard[6][7]
Data Center Type Mix
E-Waste Growth

AI Conservation Gains vs. Infrastructure Burden

Metric2025 Value/StatusNotes
AI-enabled marine monitoring (coverage)+2.8M km²Satellites, drones, buoys[1][3]
Annual freshwater use (training GPT-4)185,000+ gallonsSingle model, U.S.[3]
Coastal data centers in stressed aquifers~60%California, Gulf Coast, Asia[3][5]
Thermal discharge events (estuaries, 2024-2025)18 documentedCoral, plankton impact[5][6]
AI-driven conservation enforcement actions+12,000/yearGlobal Fishing Watch, CoralNet[1]
Conservation vs. Burden
Thermal Events by Region
Data: Microsoft Project Natick, China Sanya AI Center, EU/Japan regulatory filings, UN e-waste report, peer-reviewed studies, June 2025.

Submerged Data Infrastructure and Thermal Fallout