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Do bombs threaten both you and the aquatic environment?

May 22, 2009

You might be amazed at just how many unexploded bombs and other munitions litter the bottom of our lakes, rivers and oceans.  We were.  Recently Aqua Survey staff attended three meetings:

SERDP/ESTCP (U.S.A. DOD) — Washington, D.C.
International Dialogue on Underwater Munitions — Honolulu, Hawaii
Canadian UXO Forum — Quebec, CANADA

We were amazed by how international this problem is (they are everywhere), the estimated number of submerged munitions and explosives (nobody really knows) and the types (bullets to mustard gas canisters to a missing nuclear bomb).  How did all this military hardware end up sitting on the bottom of our water bodies or embedded in their sediments?  Presenters told us:

Intentional dumping of unwanted munitions
Accidents
Military Practice
Warfare

Are these munitions likely to explode if stepped on or snagged with an anchor?  Consensus is possibly but probably not and only about 10% of them could detonate if “tapped” the right way.  The remaining 90% of these unexploded munitions are degrading and leaching highly toxic contaminants into the sediments and water column.  Sediment sampling followed by chemical, physical and toxicological characterization has been Aqua Survey’s specialty since the 1970’s.

Four years ago we recognized a need to be able to survey large underwater tracts for the presence of munitions prior to penetrating the sub-bottom with industrial strength vibracoring equipment.  We were dismayed to find out the only metal detection equipment commercially was for weekend treasure hunters.  It wasn’t suited for the task we needed to perform.  Aqua Survey has since developed powerful submersible electromagnetic metal detection systems which can survey large areas.

When people ask us, “What does Aqua Survey do?” it is safe to say we are experts at finding and characterizing “things” that don’t naturally belong in the water:

Contaminants
Bombs
Pipelines
Treasure