HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It’s been nearly a month since the Hutchinson Zoo was inundated with floodwater, but Hutchinson Parks Director Justin Combs said the water shows no signs of leaving the zoo area anytime soon.

“We’ve been trying to find someone to help us predict that,” he said. “We’ve seen it drop … vertically probably 3 or 4 inches in the past couple of weeks, but were still feet above where the pond normally is.”

Combs says the flooding has caused damage to the basement of the gift shop and extensive damage to the service barn. The damage is covered by FEMA, and Combs said the city expects help to make the repairs. He also said once the water goes down, the city will begin a study to see what can be done to steer the water away from the zoo. The animals continue to be housed in the quarantine area and in other parts of the zoo.

As for the golf course, Superintendent Tyler Swensen said damage to the south end of the course is not as bad as feared, but the damage to fairways and other areas of the course will become apparent as summer progresses.

The city fishing pond continues to be well out of its banks, flooding the disc golf area and the southeast part of the park.