Water

Owen Sea Lion Shores

Owen Sea Lion Shores provided Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium’s sea lions with a new state-of-the-art habitat featuring a 275-thousand-gallon pool, 40-foot-long underwater-viewing window, natural boundaries, heated rocks, an underwater kelp forest and sandy beach areas. Innovative design uses significantly less water than the previous Owen Sea Lion Pavilion, while providing a better habitat for our sea lions.

Goal-setting

The Zoo achieved its 2021 water reduction goal two years early. The zoo seeks to set a new five-year target to achieve its long-term neutral water footprint goal.

Energy and Water Management Team

The Zoo’s cross-department Energy and Water Management Team monitors energy and water use across the Zoo. By identifying high and low utility usage, this team provides data to inform energy and water saving solutions to help meet the Zoo’s sustainability goals.

Exhibit Tracking

The Zoo established a new baseline for Owen Sea Lion Shores in late 2021 after one year of operation, which has been monitored well into 2022. When a new exhibit comes online, it is important that the system is monitored for any fine tuning especially during the first few years it is running.

Fixing Leaks

Through ongoing water-use monitoring, the Zoo continues to identify and fix leaks on Zoo grounds, saving thousands of gallons of water each year.