San Diego, CA
Satchell Engineering & Associates designed the aquatic Life Support System for the newly upgraded Elephant Valley at the San Diego Zoo, Safari Park. This 13-acre exhibit contains multiple freshwater pools split between the east and west side of the enclosure, divided by a walkway for pedestrian viewing of all 8 elephants in the herd. The west side contains the 175,000-gallon Main Pool for the elephants to enjoy, the 65,000-gallon Marsh Pool that adds extra greenery with constructed wetlands to the exhibit, and the 2,000-gallon Ambassador pool, where park staff bring in different animals housed at the park to highlight each one’s uniqueness. The east side of the exhibit contains only one pool, the 75,000-gallon Main East Pool, that acts as a play area for the elephants.
The life support system that filters all of the West side pools utilizes a fine filtration system, consisting of three 8-foot diameter sand filters with corresponding pumps, ozone disinfection, and waterfall pumps to ensure the highest water quality for the animals. The East side pool uses a coarse filtration system, relying mainly on static screen filters to allow for coarse particulate to be removed from the pool.
For best views of the new pools, visit the new two-story restaurant at the park, the Mkutano House, and enjoy their culinary flavors that highlight varying global influences. See Photo Gallery
