Flint RiverQuarium
Encyclopedia
The Flint RiverQuarium is a 54000 sq ft (5,016.8 m²) aquarium
opened in 2004 and located on the banks of the Flint River
in Albany, Georgia
, United States
.
The aquarium follows the journey of the Flint River, and highlights the ecosystems of the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee and Flint River basins.
and saltwater
river ecosystem
of Southwest Georgia
as well as the world.
Blue Hole
Spring is an open-air, 175000 gal, 22 ft (6.7 m) deep tank filled by a natural spring
below. It exhibits the diverse life forms of the Flint River
, which runs through Southwest Georgia.
The Flint River Gallery includes both freshwater and saltwater fish, and includes a live fish hatchery. In this exhibit, visitors can follow the 350 miles (563.3 km) journey of the Flint River to the ocean.
Discovery Caverns includes interactive displays and an underground cave exhibiting subterranean creatures.
The World of Water shows visitors other rivers around the world that share features and challenges with the Flint.
Spring Run Creek is home to the aquarium's alligators.
Cypress Pond Aviary is a 35 feet (10.7 m) high enclosure featuring birds indigenous to the Flint River basin, as well as several migratory birds that pass through the area. Although the first inhabitants of this exhibit are commercially available birds such as quail
and duck
s, the RiverQuarium is working with various groups to obtain non-releasable birds native to the area.
The Adventure Center is across the plaza from the RiverQuarium, and is designed to house traveling exhibits at the Aquarium.
Imagination Theater is the facility's IMAX theater and often shows 3D versions of the movies.
in association with Executive Architect Robbins Bell Kreher, and was completed in 2004. Predock was "inspired by the biology, geology and hydrology of Southwest Georgia" in creating this facility. The facility is part of the Downtown Albany RiverFront Master Plan. Located on the banks of the Flint River at Pine Avenue and Front Street, it received the American Institute of Architects
(AIA) award in 2005. It is one of the city's projects to reconnect the downtown to the river and a walkway along its banks.
The building wraps around the primary exhibit, which is the 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) naturally landscaped Blue Hole and Cypress Creek. The building is designed to allude to the "complex Ocala limestone terrain of sinks, aquifers, caves and streams that exist below the surface." The Exhibits were designed by Lyons/Zaremba Inc. of Boston, Massachusetts
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
opened in 2004 and located on the banks of the Flint River
Flint River (Georgia)
The Flint River is a river in the U.S. state of Georgia. The river drains of western Georgia, flowing south from the upper Piedmont region south of Atlanta to the wetlands of the Gulf Coastal Plain in the southwestern corner of the state. Along with the Apalachicola and the Chattahoochee rivers,...
in Albany, Georgia
Albany, Georgia
Albany is a city in and the county seat of Dougherty County, Georgia, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. It is the principal city of the Albany, Georgia metropolitan area and the southwest part of the state. The population was 77,434 at the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The aquarium follows the journey of the Flint River, and highlights the ecosystems of the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee and Flint River basins.
Features
The Flint RiverQuarium features both freshwaterFreshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
and saltwater
Seawater
Seawater is water from a sea or ocean. On average, seawater in the world's oceans has a salinity of about 3.5% . This means that every kilogram of seawater has approximately of dissolved salts . The average density of seawater at the ocean surface is 1.025 g/ml...
river ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
of Southwest Georgia
Southwest Georgia
Southwest Georgia is a thirteen-county region in the U.S. state of Georgia. A common acronym used is SOWEGA.The largest city is Albany. Counties include Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, and Worth.In 1995, 25% of the...
as well as the world.
Blue Hole
Blue hole
A blue hole is a cave or underwater sinkhole. They are also called vertical caves. There are many different blue holes located around the world, typically in low-lying coastal regions...
Spring is an open-air, 175000 gal, 22 ft (6.7 m) deep tank filled by a natural spring
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
below. It exhibits the diverse life forms of the Flint River
Flint River (Georgia)
The Flint River is a river in the U.S. state of Georgia. The river drains of western Georgia, flowing south from the upper Piedmont region south of Atlanta to the wetlands of the Gulf Coastal Plain in the southwestern corner of the state. Along with the Apalachicola and the Chattahoochee rivers,...
, which runs through Southwest Georgia.
The Flint River Gallery includes both freshwater and saltwater fish, and includes a live fish hatchery. In this exhibit, visitors can follow the 350 miles (563.3 km) journey of the Flint River to the ocean.
Discovery Caverns includes interactive displays and an underground cave exhibiting subterranean creatures.
The World of Water shows visitors other rivers around the world that share features and challenges with the Flint.
Spring Run Creek is home to the aquarium's alligators.
Cypress Pond Aviary is a 35 feet (10.7 m) high enclosure featuring birds indigenous to the Flint River basin, as well as several migratory birds that pass through the area. Although the first inhabitants of this exhibit are commercially available birds such as quail
Quail
Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally considered in the order Galliformes. Old World quail are found in the family Phasianidae, while New World quail are found in the family Odontophoridae...
and duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
s, the RiverQuarium is working with various groups to obtain non-releasable birds native to the area.
The Adventure Center is across the plaza from the RiverQuarium, and is designed to house traveling exhibits at the Aquarium.
Imagination Theater is the facility's IMAX theater and often shows 3D versions of the movies.
Architecture
The RiverQuarium was designed by architect Antoine PredockAntoine Predock
Antoine Predock is an American architect based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Antoine Predock is the Principal of Antoine Predock Architect PC. The studio was established in 1967...
in association with Executive Architect Robbins Bell Kreher, and was completed in 2004. Predock was "inspired by the biology, geology and hydrology of Southwest Georgia" in creating this facility. The facility is part of the Downtown Albany RiverFront Master Plan. Located on the banks of the Flint River at Pine Avenue and Front Street, it received the American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
(AIA) award in 2005. It is one of the city's projects to reconnect the downtown to the river and a walkway along its banks.
The building wraps around the primary exhibit, which is the 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) naturally landscaped Blue Hole and Cypress Creek. The building is designed to allude to the "complex Ocala limestone terrain of sinks, aquifers, caves and streams that exist below the surface." The Exhibits were designed by Lyons/Zaremba Inc. of Boston, Massachusetts