Description

“The laboratory…was designed and built under the direction of a dedicated individual, Lorenz G. Straub. Straub had been a Freeman Fellow and observed several laboratories in Germany during the year of his fellowship. He came to the University in 1930 and promptly set to work to establish his own laboratory. His vision came to fruition through a WPA grant to the University of Minnesota and construction started in 1936. Straub came to be known as the “River Doctor” for his many studies at SAFL on several aspects of river engineering. The Laboratory building lies on the Falls of St. Anthony in Minneapolis, Minnesota where there is a drop of about 15 meters. Up to 9 [meters cubed per second] may be drawn through the building and distributed to the many flumes for experimental research.”   (http://cedb.asce.org)

The laboratory was dedicated on November 17, 1938 and has been central to hydraulic and river engineering research within the University of Minnesota’s Department of Civil Engineering.