Lowery Creek came into existence the first time I drove over the new professionally built bridge that was installed to give Joe and Sarah access to the home that they had recently built. When I stopped on the bridge to check out this new bridge, I immediately saw a major flaw in it′s construction. The backfill under the driveway concrete on either side of the culverts were being undercut by the water swirling around these concrete culverts.

In fact, when Joe and Sarah bought their property, they also bought the two properties adjacent to their property. It was at this time that I also notice that all the bridges on this waterway have the same flaw and had been built by the same contractor. All would need an upgrade some time in the future.

It was then that I began to call this waterway Lowery Creek.

When telling Joe he will need to fix the flaw or he would eventually loose the bridge due to Lowery Creek undermining it, he laughed at the name I had given it.

He asked me What do we need to do to fix the problem? to which I tell him that we should go down there to look at how to prevent the water from getting to the backfill under the driveway.

We examined the bridge and talk about what would be involved. We determine that the bridge needs two retaining walls, one on either side. When completed, the walls would at the same time widen the bridge sixteen inches on either side.

We both agree that it needs to be done and it does not take Joe long to convince me that I should help him build these two retaining walls, one on each side of his bridge.

However, we also agreed that the best time to build the walls would not be until the fall of this year, when we could work together on the project.

So, we made plans for getting together to start in October by building the retaining walls. After we complete the walls, I return the following spring to work on the landscaping on either side of the bridge.

The above two photos are only the before and after. To see more how the work progressed, click on the First Bridge link in the section header above.