My friend has been working with a project similar to this one. It actually has some really interesting applications to things like dam building (can load up detailed map, add the dam at certain points, and accurately predict how the river behaves). Possibly one of the coolest is that you can use it to fight wild fires by predicting the spread of it and by finding areas where sound interventions can be made to protect property and so forth. It lets you simulate it in real time rather than just looking down at a regular topographical map and trying to figure it out.