Elliptical Pipe Allows Storm Water System Upgrades Under Restrictive Conditions

Construction of a new tennis complex for Elk River High School in Elk River, MN necessitated revamping of the area’s storm water management system. During rain events large and small, much of the water that gets collected throughout the school property is conveyed to a single trunk line, which then runs south under School Street, then along Lions Park Drive to a storm water pond in Lions Park.  

Due to elevation requirements and excavation restrictions, the pipe required for the span running underneath Lions Park Drive had a restrictive depth limit. A typical round pipe section would not have been able to convey the expected water flow at the required depth, so the engineer turned to elliptical reinforced concrete pipe manufactured by County Materials. Elliptical concrete pipe is an ideal solution where there are height or width restrictions because higher flow capacities are possible at shallower depths.

County Materials’ Roberts, WI facility was selected as the manufacturer because of our production capabilities for making large elliptical pipe specified for this project. In total, County Materials supplied 290 ln. ft. of 34x53 class III elliptical pipe, several hundred additional feet of class III round pipe, and several large outlets and manhole components.