‘Unprecedented Threat’: IED Discovered Near Dam Considered Critical National Infrastructure
On Tuesday, during routine repair and maintenance at the Converse Reservoir dam in Mobile, Alabama, the divers assessing the dam discovered an improvised explosive device (IED). This is serious and should have gotten more attention than it is currently receiving.
The multi-agency effort included the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, FBI Bomb Squad, Mobile Police Department Explosive Ordinance Detail, ALEA Bomb Squad and the Daphne Search and Rescue Team.
The Converse Reservoir dam at Big Creek Lake is the municipal reservoir for the County of Mobile. It is the sole water supply for the region, and the main source of drinking water for the city of Mobile and other municipalities. According to the Partners for Environmental Progress, the reservoir provides approximately 60 million gallons of water per day.
The fact that the threat was an IED — something engineered for a specific level of detonation and damage — indicates planning and specific targeting. With the recent IED attacks in New York and the rise of threatened and attempted domestic terrorism incidents across the nation, the fact that an IED was placed in the midst of critical infrastructure is concerning.
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Five federal and local agencies is a great deal of manpower deployed for one explosive device. The fact that not much information is being given indicates there may well be more to this story than is being revealed. From what the director of Mobile Area Water and Sewer System (MAWSS) is saying, they are treating this unprecedented threat seriously.
“Our top priority is keeping your drinking water safe,” said Bud McCrory, MAWSS director. “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. 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.”
The reservoir and dam are federally designated critical infrastructure. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has been made aware of the incident.
There have been legal battles going on with MAWSS and fishermen, citizens, and advocacy groups over public access to this waterway. Dependent upon the level placed on this threat and what an investigation uncovers, this could weigh in the direction of restricting the public from the reservoir area. Either way, one hopes that Homeland Security and federal infrastructure security officials are addressing this unprecedented threat and reassessing protections for similar sites nationwide. My first thought is drone surveillance and more consistent security sweeps of the dam’s infrastructure.