Complex Numbers

Dam It

It should be of no surprise to anyone that, as an engineer, I like looking at engineering projects when I travel. I don't really do enough of that, because I'm also a drinker and I have priorities.

So yesterday, I went to check out the St. Anthony Falls.  

The Falls themselves, of course, predated the engineering project that tamed them and kept them from eroding to become a stretch of river rapids, and the history there at the above link is just as interesting. But the area also includes several other cool engineering things, like the concrete arch bridge upstream -- currently closed for renovation work -- and the lock that was constructed to enable shipping above the falls.

That lock was closed a few years ago, but the structure remains. The reason for the closure was to stop the spread of Asian carp, an invasive species, upriver. So when I was touring the lock, looking into the waters upriver, what do you think I saw? Go ahead, guess.

That's right. An Asian carp.

On the plus side, I guess I caught my first Pokemon.

Also very cool is the stone arch (former) railroad bridge   just below the falls, which I'm told is the only stone arch bridge crossing the Mississippi. It's currently a pedestrian and biking trail. And apparently a scooter and Segway trail. Yes, there are still Segways around. I saw an entire flock of tourists riding them like ducklings behind their mother hen. Anyway, the point is, the bridge is an official engineering landmark, and I got great views of it while messing around on the lock.

I know I mentioned before about wanting to go into forbidden places, but the lock -- the surface part of it anyway - is open to the public. They even give tours. I'd give a lot to see its inner workings, but alas, that part's forbidden unless you're a park ranger, and then you have to deal with being a park ranger. Oh, yeah, it's owned by the National Park Service; I forgot to mention that bit.

But I was talking about the stone arch bridge. Apparently, in order to build the lock at the Falls, they had to wipe out a section of the stone arch bridge and replace it with a big red ugly metal truss, thus changing the character of the bridge as seen from the sides.

Which I guess fits with the theme of the other engineering projects in the area.