SAN DIEGO -- An enormous mass of debris from the Japan tsunami will reach San Diego in three to four years, according to scientists.

It has been almost eight months since a devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan hurled millions of tons of debris into the Pacific Ocean.

On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency announced it will start tracking the possibly toxic debris with the help of other federal agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

A computerized chart obtained by 10News shows the predicted ocean flow of the tsunami debris. The chart was created by scientists Nikolai Maximenko and Jan Hafner from the University of Hawaii's International Pacific Research Center.

Researchers say the debris will slowly make its way toward San Diego over three to four years by way of Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest. The average drift rate is five to 10 miles per day.

But what concerns local boaters such as Andy Kurtz of Seaforth Boat Rentals is what they will not be able to see.

"I think it's pretty concerning," he said. "We do transit the ocean at night and always would be concerned about something that's floating out there that you can't see."

Last month, a Russian training ship found unmistakable tsunami debris 1,700 miles northwest of Hawaii.

The reported mass of junk was about 1,000 miles long and contained a boat marked "Fukashima, Japan" among the furniture and appliances.

"We the federal government are trying to get more prepared to take some action if tsunami debris does create navigational hazards or may wash upon shores," said Dean Higuchi, who is with the EPA in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Higuchi also hopes boaters will begin to report whatever tsunami-related debris they find in the Pacific Ocean.