The Most Mindblowing Infrastructure in My City

Errata: The dam shown at 0:23 is Glen Canyon Dam, not Hoover Dam.

Practical Engineering is a YouTube channel about infrastructure and the human-made world around us. It is hosted, written, and produced by Grady Hillhouse. We have new videos posted regularly, so please subscribe for updates. If you enjoyed the video, hit that ‘like’ button, give us a comment, or watch another of our videos!

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DISCLAIMER
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This is not engineering advice. Everything here is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Contact an engineer licensed to practice in your area if you need professional advice or services. All non-licensed clips used for fair use commentary, criticism, and educational purposes.

SPECIAL THANKS
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Stock video and imagery provided by Getty Images.
Tonic and Energy by Elexive is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License
Producer/Writer/Host: Grady Hillhouse
Editor/Production Assistant: Wesley Crump
Script Editor: Ralph Crewe
Aerial Videography: Special Point of View

[ziracoteful]

3:41 My friend was an engineer that helped with the Flood Control Tunnel project. He said it took a long time to get the project approved. Interestingly, soon after completing the tunnel there was a massive flood level rain storm that came through San Antonio in 1998. He drove through downtown San Antonio just after the storm and saw a few people walking around and others eating at restaurants. Those people had no idea that the Flood Control Tunnel saved the whole downtown area from being under 20 feet of water. The tunnel prevented millions of dollars in flood damages and paid for itself with that one event.

[LostDryerSocks]

My son is almost two years old. I just pre-ordered the book for him and I knowing he'll grow into it someday. Maybe by then, you'll have another one out so we can add to the collection. Keep up the great work!

[EC_GB]

Hey!!! I’m a San Antonio city employee I work as Sr electronic tech and we operate the flood control system from olmos dam to lone star outlet and parts of the the river walk. Great video!

[shoyrushoyru]

there used to be two water towers in my town when growing up. they ended up getting disassembled over the years because they needed repairs and werent needed in the water system anymore due to their excessive height and small capacity. it does make me feel somewhat melancholic when i think about how theyre now gone. it used to bring me some pride to see my town name plastered across that big blue tower in the distance

[Kags]

I enjoy the "deep" dives you do on engineering projects, offering some of the more in-depth details of projects we might not otherwise have heard about. But there is something quite charming about this quick look video of you showing off your cities features in person. I like it. I'd be interested to see some more "Tom Scott-like" videos in future where you visit a site near you and give an explanation of its importance and how it works for a few minutes

[DeviantOllam]

Looking forward to this... Outstanding work! 👍😁👍

[DrWhite]

I love this channel. As a retired engineer, I tend to point out infrastructure such as this to family and friends. Most think I'm nuts. Thank you Grady for normalizing my behavior!

[hedgehog]

5:10 on that subject you might love a major ecological restoration that happened here in the 2000s, Egåengsø was originally a marshy area that was drained to make way for farming but in the 2000s it was instead converted back into a lake to help combat oxygen deprivation in the Århus bay. The slow moving lake functions as a giant natural cleaning facility that takes out fertilizers in the runoff from farms before it ever reaches the ocean and has been successful in restoring the natural environment in the bay, and at the same time it has also created a massive natural environment right on the edge of the city which has unmatched biodiversity. On any given day you'll be able to see dozens of different types of birds hanging out in the shallow lake and it has also been successfully integrated with the farms in the area around the lake. They keep cattle almost exclusively which actually contributes to the biodiversity since they both control the spread of some plants by grazing on them but also just by walking around they mash down the plants and create a marshy earth.

And of course the entire lake is surrounded by a biking and hiking trail that's part of the wider bike path network in Århus and the national hiking trails and along it there are rest stops and look out towers for bird watchers making it a really nice place to go for a walk on any day of the year, from where I live it's actually only a few minutes on bike to get to the lake.

[noahdoyle]

My father's profession was all about groundwater pollution control and mitigation, from the state & municipal side and later corporate law side. That treatment of the San Antonio River makes me very happy.

[JPToto]

This is fantastic, Grady! I'd love to get your book and read it with my kids. Also when's your Netflix show coming out? 🤣 No kidding you could be the Bill Nye of engineering!

[gateway]

Excellent episode! I was the risk manager for the city of San Antonio 1981 thru 1984. Good to see that many of the projects were only ideas back then actually were built, especially those related to the Olmos Dam and the San Antonio River.

[Maniac]

I don't normally buy books, but as a growing engineering enthusiast, who's already learning to see the world through the eyes of an engineer, I couldn't resist.

[brentjames]

As a plumber / pipe fitter in southwestern Ontario who has worked on many large projects can really appreciate the forward thinking of your engineering department.

[jcnash]

Grady, I am definitely going to be ordering this book. As a kid, I love the “how things work” kind of book. This project is brilliant, and you deserve to be in every library across our country and many across the world! I’m proud you’re a Texan. Now, my wife and I need to take a few days in San Antonio and see all those water features…preferably a warmer day…lol.

[cooperkinsley]

Grady your stuff has really helped me get interested in my future major and all of your stuff is amazing! Knowing you live in San Antonio too is awesome!

[CaseyEm]

It's absolutely nutty that someone found a way to make engineering interesting enough that over two and a half million people were like "I want more"

[jackkern]

Grady, thanks for what you do so well, explaining complex topics in an understandable way. As engineers we tend to focus on our areas of expertise and being able to vicariously explored other disciplines is a real treat. I’ve pre-ordered your book and am very much looking forward to it. One infrastructure project you might find interesting is the Orlando Wetlands Park which is a large man-made wetland that provides secondary treatment for much of Orlando’s waste water removing nutrients before it’s released. No large structures but a very effective treatment facility that has also become a haven for wildlife and even a tourist attraction.

[tomjohnson]

We have learned a few lessons about more harmonious flood control. I think riverfront parks that double as seasonal/storm flood overflow are GREAT.

[CymruCreator]

Yay! an advert! congrats on your book Grady and thanks for telling us about it. Some youtube channels are pretty good at making ads relevant and interesting and you always do a good job. I always enjoy your ad section because it's authentically delivered and doesn't feel like a script read. Nice tour of your town too. It's inspired me a little, as I love travel but rarely get to do it, but I'm realising there's so much to see that you might not otherwise consider.

[GeoffWhittaker]

Can't wait for the book and pin! Keep the great content coming. It's YouTubers like you who fill the gap formed when quality STEM content on TV gave way to the inevitable "pseudo-reality" garbage. I'm thankful for you and all those like you.