Update 2025-07-14: Location of Sugar Creek Major Spill 2025-07-14.
Sewage is back in Sugar Creek, with children playing in it.
WWALS tester Suzy Hall reported this morning, “Yesterday I visited the goat. As I approached, I heard kids splashing, jumping and having a ball. There was, to me, a slight smell…and the water color was off. I hoped I was wrong, but I wasn’t. It’s nasty. It’s too early to pull the plates, but it’s going to be TNTC at the goat.” Continue reading
Update 2025-07-13: New sewage spill in Sugar Creek 2025-07-12.
We have good E. coli results on the Withlacoochee River for this week.
![[Clean Withlacoochee River, 2025-07-09, Happy paddling, boating, swimming, and fishing]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-07-09--wq/many.jpg)
Clean Withlacoochee River, 2025-07-09, Happy paddling, boating, swimming, and fishing
We don’t know about Sugar Creek; nobody tested that this week. Strange as it seems, chances are that creek is also clean.
No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida. or Georgia.
Rain or thunderstorms are likely for the next ten days.
As near as we can tell, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend, if you can beat the rain!
Maybe join WWALS today for
Chainsaw upstream from Troupville, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-12.
https://wwals.net/?p=67870
Update 2025-07-12: Clean Withlacoochee River 2025-07-09.
Here’s what’s happening to nitrate, pH, and other USGS-funded water quality monitoring in and near the Suwannee River Basin.
![[USGS discontinued funding for nitrate and pH spring monitoring @ SRWMD 2025-07-08]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-07-08--srwmd-board-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
USGS discontinued funding for nitrate and pH spring monitoring @ SRWMD 2025-07-08
At the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) Board meeting yesterday, Amy Brown introduced Suzy Hetrick to give an update on the USGS monitoring agreement.
![[Suzy Hetrick, Update USGS JFA 2025-07-08]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-07-08--srwmd-board-pictures/2025-07-08--suzy-hetrick-update-usgs-jfa.jpg)
Suzy Hetrick, Update USGS JFA 2025-07-08
Suzy Hetrick, who is Water Resources Office Chief, said that in April SRWMD was informed by USGS that USGS would discontinue funding continous nitrate sampling at all eight springs they were funding.
See the SRWMD video at
1:32:36:
https://www.youtube.com/live/9pousRkUayc?si=Fr7mNxMp0wJaaLqd&t=5556
Other types of monitoring are also being discontinued in October at those locations (pH) and others at other locations. SRWMD is picking up a few of them, but far from all.
And SRWMD also monitors other sites that USGS is not involved in.
She noted that you may see nitrate data continuing to be graphed for a while, but that’s because USGS has not yet retrieved their equipment.
SRWMD will do quarterly grab-sampling at the eight springs, including analysis for nitrate.
This Joint Funding Agreement (JFA) between SRWMD and USGS still has to be approved by the SRWMD Board next month.
Meanwhile, SRWMD Board Chair Virginia Johns asked if it was in the SRWMD budget to pick up what USGS is dropping.
Suzy Hetrick answered, “The short answer is yes. A lot of that we will be absorbing with District time. We are still determining what the cost is going to be for the contractual portions of those….” She promised they would know more before next month. Continue reading
Complaints of “overwhelming sulfide smells” come from across the north of Lowndes County about water in homes supplied by Lowndes County, Georgia. See below for how to report this problem to Lowndes County Utilities and to WWALS, and how to get your water tested.
If you want to speak to Lowndes County Commissioners or staff,
they’re having a Regular Session this evening at 5:30 PM,
at 327 N. Ashley Street, 2nd Floor.
http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/?p=25100
You can speak in Citizens Wishing to Be Heard, or talk to them before or after the meeting.
For example, Continue reading
We have good E. coli results on the Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers and Franks Creek for this week.
We don’t know about Sugar Creek; nobody tested that this week.
No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida. or Georgia.
Rain or thunderstorms are likely for the next ten days.
Since these recent tests were after previous rains, apparently we’re past first flush. That means whatever was in the woods has washed out now, so more rain may not cause much contamination.
So as near as we can tell, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend, if you can beat the rain!
![[Clean Alapaha River 2025-06-29, Withlacoochee River and Franks Creek 2025-07-02]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-07-02--wq/many.jpg)
Clean Alapaha River 2025-06-29, Withlacoochee River and Franks Creek 2025-07-02
Maybe join WWALS tomorrow for
Turner Bridge to Cone Bridge Paddle, Suwannee River 2025-07-05.
https://wwals.net/?p=67557
Update 2025-07-04: Clean Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers 2025-07-02.
WWALS and Valdosta Utilities got good E. coli results on the Withlacoochee River.
We don’t know about Sugar Creek; nobody tested that this week.
No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida. There was one tiny spill near Adel, Georgia, reported to be completely contained.
Rain or thunderstorms are likely for the next ten days.
Since these recent tests were after previous rains, apparently we’re past first flush. That means whatever was in the woods has washed out now, so more rain may not cause much contamination.
So as near as we can tell, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend, if you can beat the rain!
Maybe by a week from Saturday there will be no rain for
Turner Bridge to Cone Bridge Paddle, Suwannee River, 2025-07-05.
https://wwals.net/?p=67557
Update 2025-06-27: Clean Withlacoochee River 2025-06-26.
WWALS and Valdosta Utilities got good E. coli results on the Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers.
We don’t know about Sugar Creek; nobody tested that this week.
No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.
There’s some chance of rain for the next four days.
Since these recent tests were after previous rains, apparently we’re past first flush. That means whatever was in the woods has washed out now, so more rain may not cause much contamination.
So as near as we can tell, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend, if you can beat the rain!
![[Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers 2025-06-19, Happy swimming, paddling, boating, and fishing]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-06-19--wq/many.jpg)
Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers 2025-06-19, Happy swimming, paddling, boating, and fishing
Maybe join us tomorrow for
spring hopping,
Florida Campsites to Allen Ramp, Withlacoochee River 2025-06-21.
https://wwals.net/?p=67572
Continue reading
Update 2025-06-20: Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers 2025-06-19.
WWALS got some OK E. coli results on Sugar Creek this week.
And Valdosta Utilities got clean results for the Withlacoochee River.
No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.
Rain is predicted this weekend and every day this coming week.
Since these recent tests were after previous rains, apparently we’re past first flush. That means whatever was in the woods has washed out now, so more rain may not cause much contamination.
So as near as we can tell, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend, if you can beat the rain!
![[Clean Withlacoochee River, and Sugar Creek, More Rain coming, 2025-06-12]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-06-12--wq/many.jpg)
Clean Withlacoochee River, and Sugar Creek, More Rain coming, 2025-06-12
Maybe join us Thursday evening by zoom for
How Humans Affect the Aquifer, a WWALS Webinar, by Dennis J. Price, P.G., 2025-06-19
https://wwals.net/?p=67740 Continue reading
Update 2025-06-12: Sampling Sugar Creek 2025-06-12.
Finally, a good E. coli result on Sugar Creek!
Also clean results for the Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers.
No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.
It’s likely to rain this weekend and more likely every day this coming week.
Nobody tested after yesterday’s rain, so we don’t know what effect that had.
But as near as we can tell, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend, if you can beat the rain!
![[Clean Sugar Creek, Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers, Rain coming, 2025-06-04]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-06-04--wq/many.jpg)
Clean Sugar Creek, Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers, Rain coming, 2025-06-04
Maybe join us Wednesday evening for
Full Strawberry Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-06-11.
https://wwals.net/?p=67603 Continue reading
Update 2025-06-06: Clean Sugar Creek, Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers 2025-06-04.
The Withlacoochee River tested clean E. coli this week, upstream and down.
Whatever was amiss at Langdale Park last week is gone now. We don’t know the state of Sugar Creek: nobody tested there.
No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.
There’s some chance of rain today, then sunny for the weekend.
So happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend!
![[Clean Withlacoochee River 2025-05-29]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-05-29--wq/many.jpg)
Clean Withlacoochee River 2025-05-29
Maybe join us tomorrow for
Big Shoals St Pk to Suwannee Wayside, Suwannee River 2025-05-31.
https://wwals.net/?p=67042 Continue reading
![[New sewage spill in Sugar Creek, E. coli Too Numerous to Count 2025-07-12, Spill site at railroad bridge, Valdosta Utilities is on it]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-07-12--wq/many.jpg)
![[Water smell and color 2025-07-07, Lowndes County north water system, Please report any problems, Get your water tested]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-07-07--lowndes-county-north-water-quality/fbmany.jpg)
![[Clean Withlacoochee River in Georgia and Florida, 2025-06-26; Small spill near Adel, GA, 2025-06-20, Morrison Creek, Little River]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-06-26--wq/many.jpg)