A couple weeks ago I wrote about drains and the potential issues they can cause. I only focused on a few outdoor drains. Here are the answers for you.

This first drain is outside our main support hall. Water and mulch from Loblolly Park run rapidly to this drain, and at times, clog it. On more than one occasion we’ve had to stand in over a foot of water to try to keep this drain clear. If we don’t, it floods our hallway, where we park our service vehicles, and is a general pain-in-the-rear.

This drain causes limited to no issues for the animal department, but if it clogs it floods out the exhibit’s shop and the Play to Learn Exhibit. It’s happened twice badly that I can recall: the first time during Hurricane Fran… Hurricane Fran was a doozey of a storm. Durham took a direct hit. The path of the storm is below. We got well over 10 inches of rain. Trees came down. Fences came down…

This last drain photo is down under the boardwalk area of the wetland. Jessi is walking toward the culvert pipe (in the left of the photo). You can see that regularly the water level is WELL BELOW the pipe.

During- or shall I say after – Hurricane Fran the water was so high we couldn’t even find the culvert pipe!

17 years ago we were much less experienced in how to prepare for Huge severe weather events.

Now, with all that we know; all that we prepare; and all that we practice, we’re not likely to have the outcome of 17 years ago… or at least let’s hope not. We were very fortunate that with all the flooding and damage the Museum took during Fran, not one animal escaped or was hurt! that’s the best outcome we could hope for!