At the base of a dam in Alabama that provides drinking water to the City of Mobile and the surrounding area, an explosive was found underwater.
The explosive was found on Wednesday by divers employed by the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System (MAWSS), who were surveying the Converse Reservoir dam in Mobile County for routine maintenance and repairs.
The divers immediately reported the device, which MAWSS described as ‘a grenade-type IED (improvised explosive device).’
After notifying the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, a massive multi-agency reaction involving federal partners took place.
Those agencies included the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, FBI Bomb Squad, Mobile Police Department Explosive Ordnance Detail, ALEA Bomb Squad and the Daphne Search and Rescue Team.
The explosive was recovered and safely discharged on land away from the dam. No one was injured.
‘Our top priority is keeping your drinking water safe,’ said MAWSS Director Bud McCrory in a public statement.
‘This is an unprecedented threat, and we are fortunate that this device was discovered before it could cause serious damage to our water supply or harm to individuals,’ he continued.
‘We are grateful for the professionalism and competency of our law enforcement partners – as well as the quick thinking of our contractors and divers – in identifying this device and safely destroying it,’ McCrory concluded.
The event was reported to the Department of Homeland Security because the Converse Reservoir dam and the water supply it contains in Big Creek Lake are classified as vital infrastructure by the federal government.
MAWSS promised to ‘work with relevant law enforcement agencies to enhance security at the reservoir and dam.’
It is unclear how the explosive made it to the bottom of the dam, but bomb experts told 1819News that the device was likely purposely built and placed there.
MAWSS has not named a suspect for who may be responsible.
Monica Allen, the public relations manager for the agency, told 1819News that there are cameras around the dam to monitor activity.
She added that she is thankful no one was hurt because ‘our staff is on that dam, if not daily, every other day.’
‘And there are homes in that area, so you just don’t know. We live in a different kind of world now,’ Allen added.
The Converse Reservoir dam was built in 1952 and holds 17 billion gallons of water, supplying the City of Mobile and its surrounding area with drinkable water, according to MAWSS, which manages the infrastructure.
The agency owns 9,000 acres of land surrounding the reservoir to act as a buffer to encroaching development and protect the critical drinking water supply.
The experts said the bomb was likely purposely built and placed there. Well, this adds gravity while stating the most forehead-slapping obvious thing imaginable.
A custom explosive device… …found at the base of a dam… …in a location that requires deliberate access… …and they think it was purposely put there? Groundbreaking deduction, Watson!
However, there are things like how someone accessed the submerged structure that would require a boat, diving gear, or inside access. Was it positioned recently or long ago? Because explosives underwater degrade differently depending on the type.
Was it a functional device or a decoy? Bomb squads frequently find improvised devices that are meant to be found.
Was there any surveillance, access logs, or maintainance records? Because dams are critical infrastructure – they’re supposed to be layered in security.
This was a good way to pad an article without supplying actual investigation details, and it was reported like a revelation, when it’s actually just… fluff.
So, what types of explosives can survive underwater? Quite a lot, but not in the Hollywood ‘blow up a dam with a grenade’ sense.
What actually survives underwater? Well, explosives that can function underwater tend to fall into three categories.
Military‑grade underwater explosives are designed for naval mines, demolition charges, and depth charges. These use waterproof casings and detonators that function under pressure.
Commercial blasting explosives are used in underwater construction, quarrying, and demolition. These include:
Emulsion explosives
ANFO variants modified for water resistance
Shaped charges for cutting steel or concrete
Improvised devices with waterproofing. A homemade IED can be waterproofed with resin, epoxy, sealed PVC, or a metal casing. But: waterproofing is the hard part, and most amateur devices fail underwater.
What cannot realistically survive underwater?
- Standard hand grenades (unless sealed in a waterproof container)
- Most consumer fireworks
- Anything with exposed fuses or unsealed electronics
And this is why ‘grenade-type IED’ wording matters because it describes the style of fragmentation, not the size. It doesn’t mean a literal hand grenade stuck to a dam. It means a small, sealed, pressure-resistant device with a fragmentation casing.
Dams are categorised as critical infrastructure
This means they fall under Department of Homeland Security (DHS) oversight. They have risk‑based security plans, and they undergo periodic inspections by engineers, divers, and federal partners.
Typical security measures
- Restricted access zones (fencing, gates, patrols)
- Cameras (as the article notes)
- Routine underwater inspections by contractors
- Monitoring of water levels and structural integrity
- Cybersecurity protections for control systems
What they don’t have
- 24/7 underwater surveillance
- Military‑grade anti‑sabotage systems
- Divers that are constantly patrolling the reservoir
The US has over 90,000 dams. Only a small fraction has intensive security. Most rely on periodic inspections, which is precisely how this device was discovered.
Of course, stories like this get sensationalised, and this is a classic illustration of how a real incident becomes a fear-amplifying narrative.
THE MONTHLY MOSQUITO 