Perforated box culvert

Abstract

A box culvert is disclosed having a top panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel, and a base panel. The first side panel and second side panel extend from the top panel to the base panel. The base panel is configured to have a plurality of sealed holes. The sealed holes are configured to be unsealed. Installing the box culvert in a riverway allows a road or trail thereover, and water passage therethrough. Opening of a specific amount, position, and size of sealed holes creates unsealed holes in the base panel. The unsealed holes allows groundwater upwelling therethrough, configured specifically to the waterway. The upwelling caused by removal of the specific plugs promotes aquatic habitat, contributes to water quality improvements, and ameliorates disruption from the insertion of the box culvert.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A box culvert, comprising:
 a top panel;   a base panel; and   a first and second side panel extending from the top panel to the bottom panel;   
       wherein the base panel has a plurality of sealed holes, each hole configured to be unsealed. 
     
     
         2 . The box culvert of  claim 1 , wherein the sealed holes each comprise a plug. 
     
     
         3 . The box culvert of  claim 1 , wherein the sealed hole is a knockout panel. 
     
     
         4 . The box culvert of  claim 2 , wherein the sealed holes each further comprise a sealant configured to hold the plug in the hole. 
     
     
         5 . The box culvert of  claim 4 , wherein the sealant is a wax or a caulk. 
     
     
         6 . The box culvert of  claim 2 , wherein the plug is integrally formed in the box culvert. 
     
     
         7 . The box culvert of  claim 2 , wherein the plug is made of a different material than the box culvert. 
     
     
         8 . The box culvert of  claim 1 , wherein the sealed holes are a through holes extending perpendicularly from a first plane to a second plane of the base panel. 
     
     
         9 . The box culvert of  claim 1 , wherein the sealed holes are angled. 
     
     
         10 . The box culvert of  claim 1 , wherein the box culvert is concrete. 
     
     
         11 . The box culvert of  claim 1 , wherein the base panel has an inlet cut-off wall extending across an input end of the base panel and an outlet cut-off wall extending across an output end of the base panel. 
     
     
         12 . The box culvert of  claim 11 , wherein the inlet cut-off wall includes one or more openings for groundwater to pass through the inlet cut-off wall and the outlet cut-off wall is configured to be impermeable. 
     
     
         13 . A method of installing a box culvert, comprising:
 providing a box culvert having sealed holes in a base panel;   selecting, based on a determination for an installation site, at least one sealed hole to be opened;   opening the seal of the selected at least one sealed hole to be opened; and   installing the box culvert.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the sealed holes are sealed using plugs. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the sealed holes are sealed using knockout panels. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the determination is based on at least one of the water depth, the water speed and the water temperature at at least one location in the installation site. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the determination is based on at least one of the diameters of the sealed holes, the angles of the sealed holes, the position of the sealed holes and a desired velocity of water particles to prevent sand from settling on the base panel. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the opening the seal comprises removing the plug. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the opening the seal comprises removing the knockout panel. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the sealed holes are angled.