Apparently the rain Thursday did not have much effect, although there were E. coli hot spots when we tested again Sunday. The Withlacoochee River from GA 133 on down seems OK for swimming, fishing, and boating, although there’s not much water until you get farther down than that.

Chart, Creeks and Rivers, Swim Guide, 2022-11-13

Looks like the Withlacoochee River is also OK from Skipper Bridge on down, except Langdale Park Boat Ramp tested very high. Also, upstream Franklinville Landing was too high.

Chart: Creeks and Rivers bad WQ in spots 2022-11-13
For context and the entire WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing

All three creeks Elizabeth Brunner tested had too-high hot spots: Beaverdam Creek at Ray City Main Street (US 129), Beatty Branch at both Bemiss Road and Beatty Road, and Cat Creek at Cat Creek Road. Both Beaverdam Creek and Beatty Branch tested bad upstream of the nearby wastewater treatment plants.

Here’s where those creeks and bridges are:

Cat Creek, Beatty Branch, and Beaverdam Creek in the WWALS map of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail.

On down at Knights Ferry Boat Ramp, downstream from Okapilco Creek out of Brooks County with all the cattle manure, results were well within acceptable range.

Knights Ferry Boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River in the WWALS map of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail.

So I’ve set mostly green for the WWALS “beaches”, except red for Langdale Park Boat Ramp, on

Map: Creeks bad, rivers mostly OK water quality 2022-11-13

Thanks to Elizabeth Brunner for testing nine creek sites, and to Suzy Hall for herding the testing cats. I tested the other eight sites.

Thanks to WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman for delivering Petrifilm and other supplies to the testers, and for training them.

Thanks to Joe Brownlee and Georgia Power for a generous grant for water quality testing equipment and materials.

You or your organization could also donate to the WWALS volunteer water quality testing program.

Or maybe you’d like to become a WWALS water quality tester; please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/DzWvJuXqTQi12N6v7

FL

It’s puzzling why Franklinville should show such high results, given that it’s upstream from where Cat Creek comes in.

Franklinville Landing WLRWT sign, 2022-11-13 14:45:01, 30.9814203, -83.2678661

beaverwood

Beaverdam Creek @ Ramblinwood Road, Beaverdam Creek @ Ramblinwood Road 2022-11-13

beavermain

Beaverdam Creek @ Main Street, Beaverdam Creek @ Main Street 2022-11-13

beaverpark

Beaverdam Creek @ Park Street, Beaverdam Creek @ Park Street 2022-11-13

cat37

Cat Creek @ GA 37, Cat Creek @ GA 37 2022-11-13

cat122

Cat Creek @ GA 122, Cat Creek @ GA 122 2022-11-13

catcat

Cat Creek @ Cat Creek Road, Cat Creek @ Cat Creek Road 2022-11-13

beattybemiss

Beatty Branch @ Bemiss Road, Beatty Branch @ Bemiss Road 2022-11-13

beattybeatty

Beatty Branch @ Beatty Road, Beatty Branch @ Beatty Road 2022-11-13

beattycat

Beatty Branch @ Cat Creek Road, Beatty Branch @ Cat Creek Road 2022-11-13

SB

Bucket, Withlacoochee River, 2022-11-13 15:08:58, 30.9489743, -83.2718923

CB

The water is still gushing down Crawford Branch, into the Withlacoochee River just downstream of Skipper Bridge. Where is that water coming from?

Crawford Branch from Skipper Bridge, 2022-11-13 15:12:11, 30.9490623, -83.2718114

SR

Bucket, Withlacoochee River, downstream Staten Road, 2022-11-13 15:27:32, 30.9281091, -83.2934532

US41

Bucket, upstream, Withlacoochee River, US 41, 2022-11-13 16:29:37, 30.8928420, -83.3189167

LP

I can only guess that Langdale Park once again tested higher than US 41 because of stagnant water in that log jam.

Or maybe the clearing of the private land around the park entrance has stirred up something that has gotten into the river.

Bucket, Withlacoochee River, log jam, Langdale Park, 2022-11-13 16:10:10, 30.8875714, -83.3242222

GA133

Bucket, downstream, Withlacoochee River, GA 133, 2022-11-13 16:47:56, 30.8499452, -83.3397183

TBB

The Trashy Bottom Boys star in their own separate blog post.

Trashy Bottom Boys at Troupville Boat Ramp, 2022-11-13 17:00:15, 30.8514774, -83.3472777

TBR

Bucket, downstream past Troupville Boat Ramp, Little River, 2022-11-13 17:06:56, 30.8515406, -83.3476540

KFBR

The water at Knights Ferry looked pretty bad, but it tested good. Goes to show you can’t tell by looking.

Bucket, downstream, Knights Ferry Boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River, 2022-11-13 17:38:44, 30.7119540, -83.4555616

CKFBR

What is the name of this creek, and where does it come from? USGS knows nothing about it.

Creek entering Withlacoochee River just upstream of Knights Ferry Boat Ramp, 2022-11-13 17:48:02, 30.7122370, -83.4555460

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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https://wwals.net/donations/

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