Munitions dump from World War II era found on seafloor off California, experts say

[rangerrebew]

Munitions dump from World War II era found on seafloor off California, experts say
Sample munitions surveyed by the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) during the 2023 seafloor survey of the San Pedro Basin. (Scripps Institution of Oceanography/Facebook)
JANUARY 20, 2024 DON SWEENEY - THE SACRAMENTO BEE
A survey conducted using sonar and undersea robots has discovered a World War II-era munitions dump on the seafloor off California, researchers reported.

Oceanographers with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego conducted the survey off Los Angeles in 2023, a Jan. 5 news release by the institution said.
 
Sample munitions surveyed by the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) during the 2023 seafloor survey of the San Pedro Basin. (Scripps Institution of Oceanography/Facebook)
The study followed an earlier survey in 2021 that found barrels scattered across the seafloor in the area, researchers said.

In the April study, oceanographers identified many of the objects as depth charges and other munitions over a 135-square-mile area, the institution said and the Los Angeles Times reported.

https://americanmilitarynews.com/2024/01/munitions-dump-from-world-war-ii-era-found-on-seafloor-off-california-experts-say/

[Smokin Joe]

Who knew California was full of polluters. 

So, ummm, ahem...If all that was set off at once, would the rest slide into the ocean?

(Asking for a friend of a friend)

[DefiantMassRINO]

This was common practice by the US Government, US Department of Defense, and defense contractors after World War II and during the Cold War.

There's at least one known such dump in Federal water in Massachusetts Bay.

Officials are afraid to distrub them because they fear any activity to clean them up would cause compromised containers to accidentally release toxins into the environment.

The current plan for Massachusetts Bay is to cover the disposal site with dredged material from Boston Harbor, which, ironically, may contain toxic pollutants.

https://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Disposal-Area-Monitoring-System-DAMOS/Disposal-Sites/Massachusetts-Bay/

[Wingnut]

Nuke both sites from orbit.  It is the only way to be sure.

[Smokin Joe]

This was common practice by the US Government, US Department of Defense, and defense contractors after World War II and during the Cold War.

There's at least one known such dump in Federal water in Massachusetts Bay.

Officials are afraid to distrub them because they fear any activity to clean them up would cause compromised containers to accidentally release toxins into the environment.

The current plan for Massachusetts Bay is to cover the disposal site with dredged material from Boston Harbor, which, ironically, may contain toxic pollutants.

https://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Disposal-Area-Monitoring-System-DAMOS/Disposal-Sites/Massachusetts-Bay/

There is a lot of UXO right in the Potomac River, from the Dahlgren Weapons test facility. It's pretty far downriver from DC, though. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2011/02/25/2011-4280/naval-surface-warfare-center-upper-machodoc-creek-and-the-potomac-river-dahlgren-va-danger-zone