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hawkeye52
July 16th, 2009, 08:51
Follow-on to my "Arizona Scenery" --

In FS9 default scenery, the Colorado River downstream of the Glen Canyon Dam is at the same height as Lake Powell (upstream).
Is there a mesh for this area that drops the canyon lower than the lake?

- H52

EMatheson
July 16th, 2009, 11:33
Follow-on to my "Arizona Scenery" --

In FS9 default scenery, the Colorado River downstream of the Glen Canyon Dam is at the same height as Lake Powell (upstream).
Is there a mesh for this area that drops the canyon lower than the lake?

- H52
Do you mean *exact* same height?
You should know that due to the geological history of the river, the Grand Canyon really is at a higher elevation than Glen Canyon - The river flowed over that ground LONG ago, and the Colorado Plateau was uplifted underneath it with the result that the river cuts through an up-hill slope - so while the river still flows downhill (the laws of physics haven't changed), the difference in river surface elevation between Glen Canyon and the Grand Canyon should only be about hundred feet (or less), despite the fact that the Grand Canyon is so much deeper! Similar phenomena occur elsewhere, such as the frequent "water-gaps" in the Appalachians, where the river did not move, the land did, in that case through erosion down of the Appalachian range.

Using the freeware FSGenesis mesh and UT USA 1.3, I get 1097 meters ASL at Glen Canyon Dam and around 730 meters ASL in the center of the Colorado river outside Grand Canyon Natl. Park Airport - which seems to be about right from what I have read. However, at Page Muni, I get about 1100 meters ASL, and at Grand Canyon Natl. Park Airport, I get around 1200 meters ASL - also about right.

rich12545
July 16th, 2009, 13:50
Just an addition for hawkeye. The freeware fsgenesis mesh is LOD 10 and is available for the entire United States. It's one of those must have programs imo.

hawkeye52
July 17th, 2009, 13:43
EMath...thanks for the geology lesson:applause: Seriously, I didn't know that.

When I saw your opener: "Did you mean *exact* height?" I suspected I had not stated the problem clearly, even though I try to craft my questions carefully. So let me re-state, at least for the record....

In FS9, Lake Powell water and the Colorado river as it flows through Glen Canyon are at the same level; MS did not place a dam there. Scenery designers have dropped a dam at the entrance to Glen Canyon, but its base sits at land level and hence its sides are disguised by phony "hills". If the dam were placed accurately (i.e., its top essentially level with surrounding land) you would see the water at the same height on both sides.

Anyhow, it appears that both you and Rich12545 believe FSGenesis will provide a more realistic depth to Glen Canyon? If so, then I'll have to design a dam! Damn.
- H52