Coastal Freshwater Reservoirs

08/02/26

“How can we create freshwater reservoirs over ocean water?”

Freshwater reservoirs are some of the most critical pieces of infrastructure for people. However, they can take up large areas of land. But what if we were to construct it on ocean water? Well, we can use physical barriers to create a boundary around the mouth of a river and allow freshwater to pour to make a Coastal Freshwater Reservoir. When there is a heavy rainstorm or too much water from the river, the flood gates open to let water out into the ocean. Coastal freshwater reservoirs can free up land space that otherwise would have been used by a land-based system. Examples of coastal freshwater reservoirs include Marina Barrage in Singapore (pictured) and Plover Cove in Hong Kong.

Soil Failure 

08/01/26

“At what point does soil fail?”

Soil is the base support for all types of physical structures and loads. When more shear stress is applied than the soil’s shear strength, the soil will undergo Soil Failure and slide. Soil failure can lead to structural collapse, such as in the floodwall sliding during Hurricane Katrina.