There was a canal that was about 6 feet deep and ran perpendicular to the road we were on. Insurgents liked to use them to sneak up on units staying in a fixed position for any extended amount of time and place improvised-explosive devises (IEDs) under their vehicles and/or conduct complex ambushes. To mitigate this risk every few minutes we would send a two-man team and, using night-vision goggles, they would clear the ditch. Myself and SFC Nustad volunteered to conduct the next check. We had walked about 125 meters when I had an eery feeling. I then spotted what I thought to be a line drawn in the sand coming towards me. As I followed it with my eyes I realized it was a wire leading to a 120mm improvised explosive device that was literally in between my legs. So, as calmly as I could, I told SFC Nustad of the situation and we climbed out of the canal and rushed in the direction from where the wire originated. When we got to the triggerman's nest the blades of grass were still popping up from where he had been sitting. I then had the surreal experience of watching the IED that should have killed me explode in a controlled detonation.