Bring Me Up: The Environment: Waterfall under the Brooklyn Bridge

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Yes, it's true, as part of a public project there will be a waterfall constructed underneath the Brooklyn Bridge. I'm not sure the logistics have been figured out for this...though I am sure they have figured on it being a tourist attraction.

The hope is for $55 million in extra tourism revenue for the Big Apple. Installing them will cost about $15 million, says Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, but apparently that amount will be paid by New York's Public Art Fund.

Eliasson said the "scaffolding will have a floating barrier at the bottom to stop small boats going underneath and a "shark cage" under the water to stop fish being sucked into the pumps that will take the water to the top."

My concern would be for the effect this will have on the body of water. I understand keeping the fish safe, but if you have that much water falling into the river in a location under a bridge which has never before seen such a force of water...I would be worried about where the sediment will be pushed and how that will effect water flow. In addition, can the Brooklyn Bridge support these changes or will this cause cracks in the foundation?

I have to admit I would definitely want to see and photograph the waterfalls. And I in no way want to be one of those critical, skeptical people who only sees the negative, but I do wonder how this will pan out long term.

SOURCE

Labels: water

posted by Christy @ 10:13 AM

1 Comments:

At January 21, 2008 9:08 PM, heartinsanfrancisco said…

I hadn't heard about this project and also wonder if it can sustain itself without causing damage.

The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most beautiful in the world, and I don't think it should be messed with. I love waterfalls, but believe they should arise naturally.

I would hate to see a magnificent architectural creation become Disneyfied.