Who: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
What: Using $13.2 million in federal stimulus funds to install solar panels and make other improvements on an obsolete model of the entire San Francisco Bay and Sacramento Delta from 1957. The purpose of the model, built in the 1950s, was to measure and evaluate the freshwater and saltwater circulation characteristics of the bay, the Delta and its tributaries.
Why it’s an outrage: While the site used to be used as a research facility until 10 years ago, it was replaced by advanced computer software modeling. $13.2 million of taxpayer money is being used to rehab a tourist attraction.
Where to vent: Call the inspector general at 703-428-6570.
