The present invention comprises a system for the localized heating of a portion of water within larger water bodies through a partial confinement of said portion of water without completely interrupting the water flow and where the concept of being in the same water body is maintained, in order to facilitate the practice of recreational activities in a heated environment. The present invention provides a solution to achieve a comfortable temperature of the water for direct contact recreational purposes in a cost-efficient manner, with a partial confinement system that allows creating a heat plug and provides for a serpentine-type flow between both sides of the partial confinement system.

The present invention comprises a system for the localized heating of a portion of water within larger water bodies through a partial confinement of said portion of water without completely interrupting the water flow and where the concept of being in the same water body is maintained, in order to facilitate the practice of recreational activities in a heated environment. The present invention provides a solution to achieve a comfortable temperature of the water for direct contact recreational purposes in a cost-efficient manner, with a partial confinement system that allows creating a heat plug and provides for a serpentine-type flow between both sides of the partial confinement system.

A wave generating apparatus (100) for generating at least one wave in a surface of a body of water (102) has at least one wave generating object (12, 150) with at least one wave generating surface (13, 152), drive means (108, 110) for causing the wave generating object to oscillate along a path (106), with the wave generating object in contact with the body of water for at least some of the time. When there is a single wave generating object (12, 150), the wave extends away from the wave generating object and when there are multiple wave generating objects (12, 150), the wave generating objects (12, 150) and wave generating surfaces (13, 152) are configured such that substantially all of any waves generated extend away from the wave generating objects.

A method and apparatus for generating a wave in a body of water may include altering a flow of water as it is urged through an inlet, contoured passage, and outlet. For example, a primary flow of water may be altered so that one or more secondary flows are created at angles to the direction of primary flow.

The present invention comprises a system for the localized heating of a portion of water within larger water bodies through a partial confinement of said portion of water without completely interrupting the water flow and where the concept of being in the same water body is maintained, in order to facilitate the practice of recreational activities in a heated environment. The present invention provides a solution to achieve a comfortable temperature of the water for direct contact recreational purposes in a cost-efficient manner, with a partial confinement system that allows creating a heat plug and provides for a serpentine-type flow between both sides of the partial confinement system.

The present invention comprises a system for the localized heating of a portion of water within larger water bodies through a partial confinement of said portion of water without completely interrupting the water flow and where the concept of being in the same water body is maintained, in order to facilitate the practice of recreational activities in a heated environment. The present invention provides a solution to achieve a comfortable temperature of the water for direct contact recreational purposes in a cost-efficient manner, with a partial confinement system that allows creating a heat plug and provides for a serpentine-type flow between both sides of the partial confinement system.

A process for installing a modular retaining wall is illustrated and described having open or closed polygonal modules with channels disposed therein. The wall is set at least partially below a surface, the surface either being land-based or aqueous-based, and interfaces therebetween, e.g., shoreline. The modules of the wall are fastened to each other by respective fastening mating fasteners. The retaining wall is installed by a process employing a fluid-assisted internal mandrel.

The present de-icing apparatus provides relatively small, portable, and adjustable devices for the specific purpose of de-icing a relatively small area of surface water for use by outdoor enthusiasts. The anchorable stand provides directional, surface height, and angular adjustment of the de-icing water flow to allow for establishing the preferred de-icing pattern at the water surface. De-icing means the reduction of freezing and the minimization of ice accumulation in a given surface area of the open body of water. The fixed-height vertical member of the anchorable stand provides a 360 adjustment range of output water flow. The adjustable-height vertical member of the anchorable stand provides surface height adjustment of the intake and output water flows. The vertical rotation point or points of the anchorable stand hold the water movement device and provide angular adjustment of the intake and output water flow.

Provided is a pier scour protection method by combinating a downward bivariate normal distribution surface and a granular mixture, wherein the method is used for protecting a pier foundation of a sea-crossing or river-crossing bridge from scouring, and when a depth of a local scour hole around the bottom of a pier or a bridge pile reaches a set depth, a downward bivariate normal distribution surface protection structure is laid, and the granular mixture with a specific thickness is laid in the downward bivariate normal distribution surface protection structure. A downward bivariate normal distribution surface structure for defending and a granular mixture layer for weakening horseshoe-shaped vortexes in a scour hole are organically combined, the bivariate normal distribution surface structure is mainly used for defending the downflow in front of the pier, and the granular mixture layer can weaken the horseshoe-shaped vortexes around the piers.

Disclosed is a composite hydrological monitoring system, in which a counterweight component and a test component are respectively connected to both opposite ends of a strip and a plurality of sensors are disposed at different vertical positions. Accordingly, the scour depth can be measured by sensing the location of the counterweight component, whereas the water level and/or flow velocity can be determined by signals from the sensors. When the counterweight component moves downward with sinking of the riverbed, the strip would be pulled down and thus causes the test component to present a change in mechanical energy. Accordingly, the sinking depth can be measured by sensing the change of the mechanical energy. Additionally, since the water level variation would cause signal changes of the sensors arranged in a row along a vertical direction, the change of water level can be determined accordingly.