Students may notice certain areas of campus often flood quickly after a strong shower or thunderstorm.
Fred Fellner, Landscape Services assistant director, said Facility Services is aware of the problem and has made attempts to reduce flooding in all areas of campus.
In particular, Fellner said Facility Services has done work around Highland Road and the Quad in the past two years.
“Highland Road is bad end to end. The lines are undersized and old,” Fellner said. “We have replaced several sections and installed new drains over the past two years in an attempt to help the situation.”
Fellner said Facility Services also has replaced, added or upgraded more than 20 drains and lines in the Quad area in the past two years.
Fellner said the large amount of foliage on campus also can contribute to drainage problems.
“Leaves and pollen products can stop up drains at the surface grates,” he said. “But trees do not have to be a problem if managed properly.”
However, students continue to have complaints about high water levels during recent rains.
      “My friends and I got soaking wet when we had to walk through about a foot of water around Coates Hall,” said Sara Cook, a kinesiology freshman. “The walkway between East Laville and McVoy is also bad.”
Elizabeth Hale, a textiles and merchandising freshman, said better drainage also is needed around Highland Road and the Laville Food Emporium.
While much has been done already, Fellner said more projects are in the works to help alleviate the problem, including reconstructing drains on Highland Road and dredging Campus Lake.
Fellner said Facility Services also has recently identified a problem area near Himes Hall and Middleton Library. New pipes will be installed in that area to replaced the current undersized system.
“Good maintenance is the key,” Fellner said. “We have made a lot of progress. Some larger problems, such as Highland Road, must be funded at considerable levels for overall reconstruction.”