The Bridge

The view from this historic 1900s bridge, once located on nearby Collins Street, provides a clear look at the “ditch” that we’re named for.

The rainwater that falls on this site collects in the ditch and then flows downstream through central Stephenville. By designing our landscape to capture and control runoff, we’re helping to minimize downstream flooding while also creating the basis for a unique riparian ecosystem.

Bridge donated by the City of Stephenville.

Riparian zones – like this one – exist in the transition between land and water. The water-saturated soil in riparian areas fosters unique and sometimes invisible ecologies bursting with a diverse collection of plants, animals, insects, macroinvertebrates, and microbes.

The unique plants that exist within the riparian zone have rhizomatous root systems that allow them to thrive in both wet and dry conditions. These plants also slow the flow of water through the ecosystem and act as a filter for metals and chemicals.