North Abutment

The north abutment is the most worry. It is still submerged in the Mill Pond water. The other 2 (South abutment and center pier) are surrounded by silt that has built up in the pond. Also, the north side of the creek has the heaviest flow of water and that is where most of the damage to the old Mill Dam is.

The Corps. of Engineers controls the flow of water out of the Cecil M.Harden Reservoir which is about 10 miles upstream from Bridgeton. They have offered to lower the gate at the reservoir and slow the water for the work on the north abutment. Of course this would be weather permitting. Problem – They did this once before and actually shut the gate for 2 days to do inspections of their own. Theoretically 8 hours later the creek should have dried up in Bridgeton. I waited 32 hours and the creek slowed only a little. It could have been melting snow and ice but it was around 35 degrees during the day. Also, it could have been another creek like Rocky Fork that comes into the Big Raccoon after it leaves the reservoir.

Oh —- For those of you that don’t know where the reservoir is …… I call it “The Lake With Three Names” Raccoon Lake – Mansfield Lake – Cecil M. Harden Reservoir. They are all one in the same. Who knows? We’ll just have to wait and see.

The Photo to the right shows the north abutment.

See the blog below this for more on the Abutments and Center Pier.

Tell your friends to watch our progress …. it is going to be an exciting year in Bridgeton.For danations go to rebuildthebridge.com

Mike Roe

Bridgeton Mill