Well House Projects for Northern Michigan State Parks

Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation Division

Well House Projects for Northern Michigan State Parks

This project consisted of design-build construction of 7 well houses for Aloha State Park, Burt Lake State Park, Young State Park, Petoskey State Park, Clear Lake State Park, and Hartwick Pines State Park in Michigan’s Northern Lower Peninsula.

The State of Michigan contracted with Wolverine Engineers & Surveyors of Mason, Michigan to design (and build) the project with miscellaneous structural engineering provided by Thrush Engineering, Inc.

The well house structures were designed to resist the heavy snow loads associated with the climate of Northern Michigan. Other building features were architectural metal roofs supported by timber trusses bearing on decorative masonry and or stone walls. Reinforced concrete foundations extending below the frost line were designed to prevent interference with the new underground water and electric utilities.

O’Harrow Construction  personnel coordinated construction activities with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation Division to reduce the impacts of construction during the summer months allowing for normal operation of the parks.

In the design and construction phases of the project, emphasis was placed on minimizing disturbance to the wooded areas adjacent to the well houses to preserve the natural character of the parks.

This project was completed in June of 2013.