A culvert is a structure that channels water past an obstacle or to a subterranean waterway. Typically embedded so as to be surrounded by soil, a culvert may be made from a pipe, reinforced concrete or other material. In the United Kingdom, the word can also be used for a longer artificially buried watercourse. The process of removing culverts to restore an open-air watercourse is known as daylighting. In the UK, the practice is also known as deculverting.