If you’ve been to Texas Tech while it’s raining, you know flooding can be a big problem. Well, it’s a problem they’re trying to fix. The Texas Tech Operations Division and Physical Plant have been working for years to try and improve the flooding on campus.
Recently, they partnered with the engineering department which helped them find trouble spots on campus.
“We’re looking at where we can divert water,” said the assistant vice president of the operations division, Sean Childers. “The way a lot of campus was constructed, it [rain] goes into parking lots and roads.”
Some of the projects TTU is working on are adding more retention ponds and improving the already existing drainage pipes.
“We did a retention pipe project where we increase the size of the drainage line,” said Childers. “It goes underground so it’s not on roadways, not on sidewalks and not causing the ‘ponding’ issues we see in other areas.”
That project is expected to be completed the second week of August.
Childers said improving the drainage on campus is a top priority for student’s safety. When there is heavy flooding, it can be difficult for commuter students to safely make it to class.
“When we get heavy rains in the fall and spring, we really see cars try to go through those larger puddles,” Childers said. “We see them stalled out. We have to put barricades and close down some of the more significant flooded areas.”
Students at TTU said they are used to flooding causing problems.
“It’s usually covering the grass area and most of the sidewalks where people are trying to walk. It can get pretty bad,” said student, Justin Reid.
Students agreed there seemed to be less running water after these recent storms than in years past. Childers said this is due to their recent improvements.
“It’s been noticeable during this last rain, you can see some of our efforts have made a difference,” said Childers. “We do have some standing water on campus but not as much in the past.”
