3.10.2006

San Francisco hydrological model

BLDGBLOG posts on the remarkable hydrological model of San Francisco created in 1957 by the Army Corps of Engineers. Larger than two football fields, the model served "as a scientific research tool from 1958-2000 to evaluate circulation and flow characteristics of the water within the estuary system," allowing Army Engineers "to simulate currents, tidal action, sediment movement and the mixing of fresh and salt water. Pollution, salt-water intrusion, barrier and fill studies were a few of the important research projects that have been undertaken at the Bay Model." Writes BLDGBLOG:
I'll then point out that the Bay Model exists within its own timezone: in the world of the Model, one day passes every 14.9 minutes. 30 full days elapse every 7.2 hours. Complete tidal cycles run 3.8 minutes. You can practically feel yourself aging in the presence of this copyscape, its wetlands and alluvial braids of artificial rivers running through fields of pumps and power cords.
Speaking of models: The BBC on the world's only full-scale model of the Millennium Falcon.

1 comment:

Chris said...

This reminds me of The Panorama of the City of New York, which is a scale model of NYC about the size of two basketball courts. I visited it last summer and I was blown away by its geeky glory.