The Technology Behind Baltimore's Water Wheel - 4/14/15

By John Racanelli

Published April 14, 2015 at 7:28 PM EDT

Inspired by the water mills of Baltimore’s industrial past, the Water Wheel harnesses the power of the Jones Falls River to turn the wheel and lift trash and debris in to a dumpster barge.

Solar powers add a more modern mechanism to the machine, providing additional power when the water current can’t get the job done. Once the dumpster is full, it’s towed away by a boat and replaced with a new one.

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John Racanelli

As chief executive officer, John Racanelli leads a team of 600 full and part-time employees and 1,000 volunteers in pursuing the National Aquarium’s mission to inspire conservation of the world’s aquatic treasures. More than 1.5 million people annually visit the Aquarium’s venue in Baltimore, Maryland, while millions more are touched by the Aquarium’s education programs, outreach activities, social media campaigns and conservation initiatives.

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