San Diego Zoo
Hippo Exhibit Assessment
Location: San Diego, California
Area: 210,000 gallons
Since opening in 1997, the hippo exhibit at the San Diego Zoo was challenged to handle an increasing bio load. Alvine Engineering
was given the opportunity by San Diego Zoo to assess the water quality and life support systems of the hippo exhibit
and provide recommendations for water quality improvement. The zoo recognized that cleaner and higher quality water would
positively impact the exhibit for the animals and the public.
Through evaluation of the current systems, several short-term goals and solutions which would immediately provide higher quality
water while limiting costs to the zoo were provided to the zoo’s Water Quality Department. With a pool volume of 210,000 gallons
the life support systems was challenged to support the large pool volume. Previous improvements did increase water quality
however with the addition of more animals, the exhibit and life support systems were not able to keep up with the filtering
needed. Two juvenile animals are very active and playful, and stir up particulates that would otherwise settle out and be more
easily removed. A lot of organic matter sits on the surface of the pool water. Less than optimal turnover rates and the water
hydraulics inside the pool diminish the skimmers’ effectiveness to collect the organic material floating on the water surface.
Alvine Engineering's team suggested short-term recommendations which could be quickly implemented and long-term
improvements with cost estimates so zoo staff could plan for future budges and exhibit changes.
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