Hydraulic engineering improves and repairs the City’s combined waste water collection system infrastructure. This section plans, designs, constructs and models the waste water collection system and drainage facilities projects.
Pipeline Design |
drafting |
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Buried beneath the city’s roadways are over 1,000 miles of sewer main pipes. It also includes large transport and storage facilities, tunnels, force mains and three treatment plants. Over 300 miles of San Francisco’s sewers are more than 100 years old. The City has recently embarked on a $6.9 billion sewer improvement program. Replacement rate of sewer mains have been increased to 15 miles per year.
Hydraulic engineering plans and designs projects for the replacement and repair of these aging sewer pipes, as well as drainage design for park, green infrastructure and roadway projects. The pipeline design process also includes elements of research, fieldwork and coordination with other agencies and reading plans from utility companies. Under the guidance of an engineer, you will learn how to design sewer and drainage pipes. 
FieldworkFieldwork/site survey is a very large portion of what we do in hydraulic engineering. The purpose of fieldwork is to verify information such as elevations, depths and locations of sewers, and dimensions of city streets and curbs.
Fieldwork is generally performed at the beginning of the design process to confirm values found on as-built drawings and City-owned existing maps and grading maps. A majority of the fieldwork pertains to surveying using a total station and measuring wheels. Fieldwork is also a collaborative process between the designers, hydraulic modelers and draft-persons. Under the guidance of an engineer, you will learn how to use surveying equipment and work safely in City streets using proper traffic control elements and personal protective equipment. |
AutoCAD is used to design plans and technical drawings to build a wide array of engineering structures. These plans and detailed drawings aid in visually communicating an engineering idea to contractors and other engineers.
Draft-persons play a supportive role to the project engineers in creating AutoCAD drawings, manual drafting and other graphic material. They are responsible for checking accuracy and compliance with drafting standards, and indexing and maintaining drafting files. They also perform basic engineering calculations in connection with plans, collect and verify engineering field data through research and investigation. Coordination between the design group and the drafting group is crucial in order to meet project schedules. Under the guidance of an engineer and draft-person, you will learn how to use AutoCAD to prepare design plans and import data from field surveys. 
Modeling
The modeling group conducts hydrological and hydraulic studies through computer simulations to determine and improve municipal combined storm/sanitary water collection system’s performance. The system’s performance is determined through Level of Service and 2D overland flow simulations.
The modeling group also periodically performs fieldwork to assess and confirm system connectivity, geometry and flow pattern. The data is typically documented in an engineering report with simulation results and recommendations for collection system performance enhancement. Under the guidance of an engineer, you will learn to use computer hydraulic modeling software as such Infoworks ICM, ArcMap, and AutoCAD to conduct hydrological and hydraulic studies. |
“My experience here at Public Works has been very beneficial as a San Franciscan. From designing the SF sewer system in the office to inspecting construction onsite, I’ve learned the ins and outs of construction projects that take place throughout the city. Go HYD!”
Henry Rodgers
“Working with Public Works in the hydraulic modeling group has been great. I currently conduct static and dynamic models of the City’s combined sewer system using AutoCAD, Infoworks ICM and ArcMap and produce recommended replacement pipe sizes. Not only is it challenging, it's rewarding.”
Alexandra Majoulet
“My internship experience with the hydraulic engineering section has been more rewarding than I had ever expected it to be. I have had the opportunity to work both with the design group and also with sewer investigations. I have enjoyed the balance between being out in the field and performing in-office hydraulic design work. The knowledge I have gained here is invaluable.”
Satnam Kaur
Henry Rodgers
“Working with Public Works in the hydraulic modeling group has been great. I currently conduct static and dynamic models of the City’s combined sewer system using AutoCAD, Infoworks ICM and ArcMap and produce recommended replacement pipe sizes. Not only is it challenging, it's rewarding.”
Alexandra Majoulet
“My internship experience with the hydraulic engineering section has been more rewarding than I had ever expected it to be. I have had the opportunity to work both with the design group and also with sewer investigations. I have enjoyed the balance between being out in the field and performing in-office hydraulic design work. The knowledge I have gained here is invaluable.”
Satnam Kaur
