Galvanized steel (zinc coated) culverts have been used extensively as conduits for water management along resource roads. Practitioners have become accustomed to using galvanized culverts for many applications. There are, however, alternative coatings that may be better suited for local site and environmental conditions, thereby helping extend a culvert’s expected life. Although abrasion, culvert wall thickness, and coatings are all important considerations for determining the life expectancy of a culvert, this research note focuses on the site parameters identified in water samples that can be used as indicators to help avoid corrosion.