J. Val Klump

Jeffrey Val Klump (born December 17, 1948) is an American limnologist. He was the first person to reach the deepest spot in Lake Superior, a depth of 1333 feet (733 feet below sea level), which is also the lowest point in the United States. The scientific expedition was accomplished aboard the R/V Seward Johnson with the Johnson-SeaLink-II submersible on July 30, 1985. Members of the expedition included pilots Tim Askew and Robert Moore, and co-investigator Tony Remsen. Klump was also the first person to reach to the deepest point in Lake Michigan as part of the same expedition. He is currently a senior scientist at the Great Lakes WATER Institute in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.