Sfbaymodel |best| -

While modern computer modeling replaced the hydraulic model for primary research by the year 2000, the Army Corps of Engineers decided to keep the facility operational as a public visitor center. Visiting the SF Bay Model Visitor Center

The (SF Bay Model), located in Sausalito, California, is a massive three-dimensional hydraulic engineering tool that serves as a working scale model of the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. This 1.5-acre scientific instrument was originally designed to simulate tides, currents, and water flow to test major infrastructure proposals before the advent of modern computer modeling. 1. Executive Summary: Purpose and Origin sfbaymodel

During the extreme drought of 2020–2021, SFBayModel was run weekly to predict salinity intrusion up the Sacramento River. When model runs indicated that 2 psu isohaline (X2) would reach Chipps Island earlier than historical thresholds, DWR triggered installations in the Delta, preventing complete seawater intrusion into freshwater intakes. While modern computer modeling replaced the hydraulic model

In its active days, the model was controlled by a computer center (often referred to as the "Tidal Hut") that simulated 24-hour tidal cycles in just 14.9 minutes. While visitors now experience the model primarily through educational tours, its hydraulic nature—running water through concrete channels—remains a sight to behold. History: From Scientific Tool to Educational Hub In its active days, the model was controlled