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Simulation · Minimal Water · Special routes

Wuppertal – pressure zones stacked in a narrow valley

A town in the narrow Wupper valley as a model: more than a hundred metres of height difference, two service reservoirs for two pressure zones and imported water that arrives at the top on the Nordhöhe.

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Real are location, terrain and buildings (OpenStreetMap, heights from SRTM and EU-DEM). The transfer point, tanks, pipe network, sizes and demand are invented and simplified. It is not an operations control and not a planning tool. With your data, the model shows your site and your processes.

The model shows a town in the narrow valley of the Wupper: houses on steep slopes, more than a hundred metres of height difference. The water has to go up in several pressure zones stacked one above the other, and each needs its own tank. At the top, on the Nordhöhe, treated dam water arrives, in a limited quantity; the Hangzone service reservoir supplies the houses on the slope, and a downpipe takes it to the lower Talzone service reservoir, which supplies the densely built valley floor.

Unterbarmen on the valley floor, at 155 m, needs at least 25 m and tolerates at most 70 m of pressure; that is why the tank for the valley stands lower on the slope, so that below there is enough, but not too much pressure. The Nordhöhe at 290 m needs a booster. Three controls move the whole landscape: rain, heat and consumption. In heavy rain the water runs down the slopes and the Wupper rises, in a drought the transfer runs short, and the woods on the slopes suffer.

Real are location, terrain and buildings. The transfer point, tanks, pipes, sizes and demand are invented and simplified; quantities and processes are model assumptions. The page is for schools and universities, exhibitions, municipalities and water supply.

The path of water

  1. 01

    treated reservoir water arrives up on the northern heights

  2. 02

    the slope-zone reservoir supplies the houses on the slope

  3. 03

    a gravity main carries it to the valley-zone reservoir

  4. 04

    from there into the densely built valley floor

  5. 05

    a booster for the northern heights

  6. 06

    the sewer leads out of the area to the treatment plant

Water shapes the land

01

Water shapes the land

Wuppertal: A city in the narrow Wupper valley: houses on steep slopes, more than a hundred metres difference in height; water has to climb through several pressure zones stacked above each other.

The path of water

02

The path of water

Glowing pipes – the path of the water as one continuous line, the waves run with the speed and direction of the flow.

What is shown – why – for whom

What is shown Why For whom
Imported-water transfer on the Nordhöhe WhyShows where treated dam water arrives and that its quantity is limited. For whomteaching, water supply
Hangzone service reservoir, 30 m to 50 m above the houses WhyShows how a tank supplies the houses on the slope with pressure. For whomteaching, municipalities
Talzone service reservoir lower on the slope WhyShows why the valley gets enough, but not too much pressure. For whomteaching, water supply
Unterbarmen and Elberfeld-Ost on the valley floor WhyShows the densely built zone with at least 25 m and at most 70 m of pressure. For whomteaching, exhibition
Nordhang at 212 m WhyShows houses that lie too high for the valley zone and are right in the slope zone. For whomteaching, municipalities
Nordhöhe at 290 m with booster WhyShows what is needed when a district lies above the slope zone. For whomteaching, water supply
Three controls and four weather situations WhyShows connections in the model, not a statement about reality. For whomteaching, education
The city from within

03

The city from within

Wastewater – From the house through the sewer to the plant.

When things get tight

04

When things get tight

Forest fire – in drought and great heat a glowing front eats through the forest, rain puts it out.

Films from the model

  • Above Wuppertal

    A flight across the area: low angles with sky, the houses climb the slopes, the Wupper runs below, then over the town to the long shot – with the sound of the landscape.

  • The path of water

    From the source via the works and the storage into the town, through the sewer and back into the river: station by station, the pipes glowing.

  • The city opens up

    Beneath the streets: first the pipes, then the open cross-section, wastewater, rainwater in heavy rain, greywater – and everything together.

  • A water year

    A normal year, then heat and drought: fields wither, the river narrows, the forest burns – then heavy rain and thunderstorm. The landscape answers in real time.

  • Pipe burst and heavy rain

    First a main bursts: the spot pulses red, a crew drives out, the storage carries the town. Then heavy rain sweeps over the town on the slopes.

  • Using the software

    With the full interface: tap weather situations, pull levers, look at stations on the wheel and consequences – every effect shows at once on the map.

Facilities and landscape in the model

  • Bulk water supply point

    Treated reservoir water arrives here up on the northern heights. The amount is limited. (Schematic; treatment at the reservoir is not simulated.).

  • Slope zone reservoir

    Supplies the houses on the slope. Its water level is about 30–50 m above them.

  • Valley zone reservoir

    Sits lower on the slope and supplies the valley – enough pressure, but not too much.

  • Unterbarmen (valley floor)

    Dense along the Wupper, about 155 m. Needs at least 25 m and tolerates at most 70 m of pressure.

  • Elberfeld-East

    In the valley, about 150 m – same zone as the valley floor.

  • Northern slope

    Houses on the slope, about 212 m. Too high for the valley zone, right in the slope zone.

  • Northern heights

    On top, about 290 m – needs the booster.

Thunderstorm

05

Thunderstorm

Thunderstorm – lightning in view, the cloud lights up from within around the strike, the cover tears open along the line of sight.

Heavy rain

06

Heavy rain

Heavy rain – it grows dark, dense rain sweeps over the land, the soils soak up all they can.

Processes in the model

The path of water

  1. 01treated reservoir water arrives up on the northern heights
  2. 02the slope-zone reservoir supplies the houses on the slope
  3. 03a gravity main carries it to the valley-zone reservoir
  4. 04from there into the densely built valley floor
  5. 05a booster for the northern heights
  6. 06the sewer leads out of the area to the treatment plant

Heat and drought

  1. 01no rain and great heat
  2. 02the soil dries out, the river narrows
  3. 03the fields wither first
  4. 04the forest dies and burns, rain puts it out
  5. 05water runs short in the town, the storage empties
  6. 06rain brings soil, river and harvest back quickly; dead forest takes far longer

Heavy rain and flood

  1. 01the soil soaks up all it can
  2. 02what it cannot hold rushes into streams and the river
  3. 03the floodplain and low-lying districts fill by contour line
  4. 04sewers and treatment plant reach their limit
  5. 05after the rain the water falls again

Pipe burst

  1. 01a pipe bursts, water escapes
  2. 02a crew drives out from the depot
  3. 03the section is shut off
  4. 04the storage carries the town
  5. 05after the repair the pipe goes back into service

What the model can be used for

  • What a pressure zone is

    On a slope every height step needs its own tank. You see why the valley has a lower service reservoir than the houses on the slope and what too much or too little pressure means.

    For whomschools, universities, training

  • Water supply on a slope

    Imported water arrives at the top, a downpipe leads it down, a booster lifts it to the Nordhöhe. The model shows all three paths in one picture.

    For whomwater supply, municipalities, universities

  • Playing through drought and heavy rain

    In a drought the transfer runs short, in heavy rain the water runs down the slopes and the Wupper rises. You see what gets tight first.

    For whomcivil protection, municipalities, education

  • Museum and exhibition

    A narrow valley, steep slopes, houses at several heights: the model shows why the water has to go up in steps.

    For whommuseums, exhibitions, local history

The course

07

The course

The course – the houses climb the slopes, the Wupper runs below; waves and foam move with the current in real time.

The whole software

08

The whole software

Hot summer with one tap – the levers visibly move there, the camera follows the effect, below a sentence explains what is happening.

What you can change

Controls

  • Rain: From drought to storm: rain fills soil, groundwater and river; little rain lets everything dry out, a lot of it lets it overflow.
  • Heat: Up to four degrees more: more evaporates from lakes, fields and trees, and everyone needs more water.
  • Consumption: From frugal to wasteful: wasteful speeds up the shortage, frugal delays it.
  • Weather situations: Normal year, Hot summer, Drought, Heavy rain: One tap sets all three levers, they visibly move there, and the view goes to where the effect shows.

Disruptions

  • Water shortage: Water is running short in town: the first homes are without water – people are moving away.
  • Failed harvest: The fields are withering – the harvest fails, food becomes scarce and expensive.
  • Fish die-off: The river is shallow and warm, oxygen is running out – the fish are dying.
  • Flood: Flood! The river bursts its banks, the sewers overflow – untreated water flows into the river.
  • Health: Without enough clean water, health suffers: heat, poor hygiene, disease. Ambulances are on their way.
  • Forest fire: The dry forest is burning. Fire crews are on their way – but without water there is nothing to fight it with.
  • Tree dieback: The trees are dying. It takes decades for a forest to grow back.
  • Pipe burst: Pipe bursts hit lines, never a single building; the storage carries the town until the crew has repaired the section.
  • The extreme: Everything is parched: no water, no harvest, no trees, no animals. Life is no longer possible here.

What the model brings

  • 01

    The real valley as a stage

    Slopes, valley floor and buildings stand on terrain from OpenStreetMap and elevation data. You show the town as it lies, not as a diagram.

  • 02

    Zones stacked up, step by step

    Transfer, slope zone, valley zone and booster can be shown one by one. You understand the steps before you change anything.

  • 03

    Situations without damage

    Drought, heavy rain, pipe burst: you see where it gets tight first, and set it back. A pipe burst hits a pipe, never a single building.

  • 04

    In the browser, with one tap

    The model runs in the browser. One tap sets rain, heat and consumption together to a weather situation.

  • Wuppertal: A city in the narrow Wupper valley: houses on steep slopes, more than a hundred metres difference in height; water has to climb through several pressure zones stacked above each other.
    Wuppertal: A city in the narrow Wupper valley: houses on steep slopes, more than a hundred metres difference in height; water has to climb through several pressure zones stacked above each other.
  • Wuppertal in the evening – low sun, long shadows, the water mirrors the sky.
    Wuppertal in the evening – low sun, long shadows, the water mirrors the sky.
  • Morning in the Wupper valley – haze over the land, terrain and buildings come from elevation data and OpenStreetMap.
    Morning in the Wupper valley – haze over the land, terrain and buildings come from elevation data and OpenStreetMap.
  • The course – the houses climb the slopes, the Wupper runs below; waves and foam move with the current in real time.
    The course – the houses climb the slopes, the Wupper runs below; waves and foam move with the current in real time.
  • Far across the land – forest, fields and settlements hang on the same water.
    Far across the land – forest, fields and settlements hang on the same water.
  • Unterbarmen (valley floor) from outside – every house a block, warm in the evening light.
    Unterbarmen (valley floor) from outside – every house a block, warm in the evening light.
  • Dusk in the Wupper valley – the houses grow darker, the last glow lies over the land.
    Dusk in the Wupper valley – the houses grow darker, the last glow lies over the land.
  • Forest – deciduous trees with trunk and crown, conifers in stands; here the cycle begins with the rain that stays in the soil.
    Forest – deciduous trees with trunk and crown, conifers in stands; here the cycle begins with the rain that stays in the soil.
  • Fields and meadows – the rows grow with the harvest and wither in the drought; the soil is a sponge.
    Fields and meadows – the rows grow with the harvest and wither in the drought; the soil is a sponge.
  • Wuppertal from above at an angle – the whole area as a model of blocks, with the network at its centre.
    Wuppertal from above at an angle – the whole area as a model of blocks, with the network at its centre.
  • The source – treated reservoir water arrives here; the dam itself lies outside the area, and the amount is limited.
    The source – treated reservoir water arrives here; the dam itself lies outside the area, and the amount is limited.
  • Bulk water supply point – Treated reservoir water arrives here up on the northern heights. The amount is limited. (Schematic; treatment at the reservoir is not simulated.)
    Bulk water supply point – Treated reservoir water arrives here up on the northern heights. The amount is limited. (Schematic; treatment at the reservoir is not simulated.)
  • Slope zone reservoir – Supplies the houses on the slope. Its water level is about 30–50 m above them.
    Slope zone reservoir – Supplies the houses on the slope. Its water level is about 30–50 m above them.
  • Valley zone reservoir – Sits lower on the slope and supplies the valley – enough pressure, but not too much.
    Valley zone reservoir – Sits lower on the slope and supplies the valley – enough pressure, but not too much.
  • Glowing pipes – the path of the water as one continuous line, the waves run with the speed and direction of the flow.
    Glowing pipes – the path of the water as one continuous line, the waves run with the speed and direction of the flow.
  • Unterbarmen (valley floor) – Dense along the Wupper, about 155 m. Needs at least 25 m and tolerates at most 70 m of pressure.
    Unterbarmen (valley floor) – Dense along the Wupper, about 155 m. Needs at least 25 m and tolerates at most 70 m of pressure.
  • Elberfeld-East – In the valley, about 150 m – same zone as the valley floor.
    Elberfeld-East – In the valley, about 150 m – same zone as the valley floor.
  • Back in the river – what has been cleaned flows back in; downstream the cycle starts again.
    Back in the river – what has been cleaned flows back in; downstream the cycle starts again.
  • The city from within – pipes and connections: width by flow, light runs from the reservoir to the houses.
    The city from within – pipes and connections: width by flow, light runs from the reservoir to the houses.
  • Cross-section – the ground opens up, pipes lie exposed beneath the streets.
    Cross-section – the ground opens up, pipes lie exposed beneath the streets.
  • Wastewater – From the house through the sewer to the plant.
    Wastewater – From the house through the sewer to the plant.
  • Rainwater – sealed surfaces drain off: what does not soak away runs over streets and through sewers.
    Rainwater – sealed surfaces drain off: what does not soak away runs over streets and through sewers.
  • All at a glance – drinking water and sewer together: what flows into the houses runs out again below.
    All at a glance – drinking water and sewer together: what flows into the houses runs out again below.
  • Hot summer – little rain, more evaporation: the soil dries out, people need more, the town’s storage sinks.
    Hot summer – little rain, more evaporation: the soil dries out, people need more, the town’s storage sinks.
  • Drought – the fields wither first: green turns to straw, the rows wilt, the harvest fails.
    Drought – the fields wither first: green turns to straw, the rows wilt, the harvest fails.
  • Low water – the river carries very little, grows narrow and warm; oxygen runs short and the fish die.
    Low water – the river carries very little, grows narrow and warm; oxygen runs short and the fish die.
  • Forest fire – in drought and great heat a glowing front eats through the forest, rain puts it out.
    Forest fire – in drought and great heat a glowing front eats through the forest, rain puts it out.
  • Smoke over the land – the fires carry dark columns, lit from within, visible from afar.
    Smoke over the land – the fires carry dark columns, lit from within, visible from afar.
  • What remains – fields and town recover quickly, dead and burnt forest stays visible for a long time.
    What remains – fields and town recover quickly, dead and burnt forest stays visible for a long time.
  • Heavy rain – it grows dark, dense rain sweeps over the land, the soils soak up all they can.
    Heavy rain – it grows dark, dense rain sweeps over the land, the soils soak up all they can.
  • Thunderstorm – lightning in view, the cloud lights up from within around the strike, the cover tears open along the line of sight.
    Thunderstorm – lightning in view, the cloud lights up from within around the strike, the cover tears open along the line of sight.
  • Pipe burst – the line pulses red, water escapes; a crew is called out.
    Pipe burst – the line pulses red, water escapes; a crew is called out.
  • Shut off – a crew drives out, the section stands still, the storage carries the town until the repair is done.
    Shut off – a crew drives out, the section stands still, the storage carries the town until the repair is done.
  • The districts by name – above the map stand the quarters, at the top water in the city, storage and the five consequences.
    The districts by name – above the map stand the quarters, at the top water in the city, storage and the five consequences.
  • Unterbarmen (valley floor) and the neighbouring districts – each name shows with a bar how well the district is supplied.
    Unterbarmen (valley floor) and the neighbouring districts – each name shows with a bar how well the district is supplied.
  • Signs on the map – when a consequence turns critical, its sign stands where it happens: fields wither, forest dies, no water.
    Signs on the map – when a consequence turns critical, its sign stands where it happens: fields wither, forest dies, no water.
  • The whole software – at the top water in the city and five consequences, on the right the wheel of the cycle, below four weather situations and three levers.
    The whole software – at the top water in the city and five consequences, on the right the wheel of the cycle, below four weather situations and three levers.
  • Hot summer with one tap – the levers visibly move there, the camera follows the effect, below a sentence explains what is happening.
    Hot summer with one tap – the levers visibly move there, the camera follows the effect, below a sentence explains what is happening.
  • One lever, visible at once – consumption set to wasteful: the town needs more, the storage sinks, an arrow at the top shows the direction.
    One lever, visible at once – consumption set to wasteful: the town needs more, the storage sinks, an arrow at the top shows the direction.
  • The wheel explains – station River tapped: The river lives on groundwater and rain. In a drought it becomes narrow and warm.
    The wheel explains – station River tapped: The river lives on groundwater and rain. In a drought it becomes narrow and warm.
  • Tap a consequence – Nature: the bar at the top explains what water means for people and nature.
    Tap a consequence – Nature: the bar at the top explains what water means for people and nature.
  • Drought in the interface – the consequences turn red, signs stand on the map, the subtitle says what comes next.
    Drought in the interface – the consequences turn red, signs stand on the map, the subtitle says what comes next.
  • Twelve water landscapes – confluences, dams and large lakes across Germany, each in its real place.
    Twelve water landscapes – confluences, dams and large lakes across Germany, each in its real place.
  • The introduction – four cards say what it is about and how to use it.
    The introduction – four cards say what it is about and how to use it.

Your area as a model

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Minimal Water: Wuppertal – Druckzonen übereinander im engen Tal

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Basis and limits

Terrain and buildings: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), elevation: Mapzen/Tilezen Terrain Tiles (SRTM, EU-DEM). Supply point, tanks, pipe network, sizes and demand are invented and simplified. Simplified educational model – not a real control system and not a planning tool.

Public sources the model is based on:

  • Terrain and buildings: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
  • Elevation: Mapzen/Tilezen Terrain Tiles (SRTM, EU-DEM)

More areas in the model

← Minimal Water

Real are location, terrain and buildings (OpenStreetMap, heights from SRTM and EU-DEM). The transfer point, tanks, pipe network, sizes and demand are invented and simplified. It is not an operations control and not a planning tool. With your data, the model shows your site and your processes.