Water and Campus Development

The area's many streams made it an ideal location for the university, but they also posed a challenge as the campus grew. Over the course of many development projects, the area's streams have been redirected through culverts under the campus, and many have become part of the university's storm water system. Areas of campus that were once almost swampy, like Coker Arboretum, were turned to solid, dry ground through projects designed to redirect natural sources of water. Recent campus development efforts have focused on water conservation.

This 1792 map shows the streams as they were at the time of the university's founding.