SAFL's largest research channel is a straight, concrete channel capable of handling up to 300 cubic feet per second of river flow. It is equipped with a wave generator, sediment flux monitoring and recirculation system, and a programmable data acquisition carriage.
The channel is used in a broad range of research, including hydraulic modeling, pipe/meter testing, geomorphic experiments, and hydropower research. The main channel can be run in flow-through mode or as a ponded system.