As the only remaining large-scale hydraulic model of its kind in the world, it offers a fascinating glimpse into the science of hydrology, the history of California water management, and the sheer scale of human effort required to understand and protect an ecosystem. What is the Bay Model?
The primary impetus for creating such a massive model was the , a 1940s proposal to dam parts of the San Francisco Bay to create freshwater lakes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the model to test the viability of this plan and others like it. sfbaymodel
Given the system’s sensitivity to freshwater inflow from the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, tidal forcing from the Pacific Ocean, and human alterations (dams, levees, water diversions), a numerical model is essential for: As the only remaining large-scale hydraulic model of
The San Francisco Bay Simulation Model (SFBayModel) is a high-resolution, three-dimensional hydrodynamic and transport model of the San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary. Developed primarily for understanding and predicting water circulation, salinity intrusion, sediment transport, and the dispersal of waterborne constituents (e.g., pollutants, larvae, heat), it serves as a critical tool for water resource management, environmental restoration, and regulatory compliance in one of the most complex and economically significant estuaries in the world. San Francisco District
Open for tours, this 1.5-ac. model of San Francisco's bay reproduces the rise & fall of tides. San Francisco District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (.mil) Bay Model Visitor Center