Category Archives: Quantity

A Devil of an Alapahoochee Cleanup 2026-08-29

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Gather at Sasser Landing, caravan to private land to put in, paddle down half a mile to Devil Shoal, then upstream towards GA 135 and back.

Help clear passage through deadfalls, leaving habitat. You can pick up trash, photograph, pull sawed limbs aside, or just paddle.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 9:30 AM, end 1 PM, Saturday, August 29, 2026

Put In: Sasser Landing. From Jennings, Hamilton County, FL, travel east on CR 150; cross the Alapaha River; turn left onto NW 72 Court and follow to river, in Hamilton County.

GPS: 30.599562, -83.069828

[A Devil of an Alapahoochee Cleanup, Meet at Sasser Landing, Saturday, August 28, 2026]
A Devil of an Alapahoochee Cleanup, Meet at Sasser Landing, Saturday, August 28, 2026

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Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers and Poe Springs, but algae 2026-07-29

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The Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers again tested clean for E. coli in the results we have for this week. So did Poe Springs, but with much algae.

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia.

According to the results we have, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating, before the rains starting tomorrow afternoon.

This image is an illustration. Scroll down for the details.

[Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers and Poe Springs, but algae 2026-07-29]
Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers and Poe Springs, but algae 2026-07-29

Follow this link for the WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →

Sturgeon and the Suwannee River, WWALS Webinar, Ken Sulak and Christiaan Ard 2026-09-22

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Hear two experts talk about half an hour of above and underwater pictures and video footage that Ken Sulak and Chris Getlinger captured this past spring.

What better way to celebrate the Autumnal Equinox?

It’s online by zoom, noon to 1 PM, Tuesday, September 22, 2026.

Register to join the zoom:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/o02HNIbuSaOXTx7hP4Sriw

Encourage others to join by marking going on this facebook event:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1758099698528493

[Sturgeon and the Suwannee River, WWALS Webinar by Zoom, Ken Sulak and Christiaan Ard, Noon-1 PM, Tuesday, 2026-09-22]
Sturgeon and the Suwannee River, WWALS Webinar by Zoom, Ken Sulak and Christiaan Ard, Noon-1 PM, Tuesday, 2026-09-22

Ken Sulak says fall is an appropriate time to talk about sturgeon, because, “Sturgeon spawning this spring was likely a total failure due to the drought and then rapid warming of the river. But 20% of the population, a genetically distinct portion, is adapted to spawn in October-November as the river cools below 25 C. Good time to talk again about sturgeon migration and spawning—and the potential impact of naturally-occurring low river levels, exacerbated by excessive withdrawals.”

Ken Sulak described his video footage:

Over the course of approximately eight weeks, we were fortunate enough to be able to capture the ancient and enigmatic, Gulf sturgeon during their annual spawning migration up the Suwannee River. A journey that takes them up river 120 miles Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek, and Santa Fe River 2026-07-22

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Update 2026-09-31: Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers and Poe Springs, but algae 2026-07-29.

The Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek, and the Santa Fe River again tested clean in the results we have for this week.

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia.

According to the results we have, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating, before the rains starting tomorrow afternoon.

This image is an illustration. Scroll down for the details.

[Clean Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek, and Santa Fe River, 2026-07-22]
Clean Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek, and Santa Fe River, 2026-07-22

Follow this link for the WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →

Withlacoochee River 2026-07-13 and Sugar Creek and Santa Fe River 2026-07-15

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Update 2026-07-24: Clean Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek, and Santa Fe River 2026-07-22.

The Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek, and the Santa Fe River tested clean in the results we have for this week.

So did Poe Springs for Wednesday, even though Alachua County closed its swimming area Thursday due to “due to poor water clarity.”

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia.

According to the results we have, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating, before the rains starting tomorrow afternoon.

This image is an illustration. Scroll down for the details.

[Clean Withlacoochee 2026-07-13, OK Sugar Creek 2026-07-15, Clean Santa Fe 2026-07-15, Happy paddling, swimming, etc.]
Clean Withlacoochee 2026-07-13, OK Sugar Creek 2026-07-15, Clean Santa Fe 2026-07-15, Happy paddling, swimming, etc.

Follow this link for the WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →

Clean Sugar Creek 2026-07-08, Withlacoochee River 2026-07-06, Santa Fe River 2026-07-09

Update 2026-07-17: Withlacoochee River 2026-07-13 and Sugar Creek and Santa Fe River 2026-07-15.

The Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek, and the Santa Fe River tested clean in the results we have for this week.

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia.

According to the results we have, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating, before the rains starting tomorrow afternoon.

Maybe you’d like to join us for Langdale Park Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2026-07-11.

https://wwals.net/?p=70660

This image is an illustration. Scroll down for the details.

[Clean Sugar Creek 2026-07-08, Withlacoochee River 2026-07-06, Santa Fe River 2026-07-09, Happy paddling, swimming, etc.]
Clean Sugar Creek 2026-07-08, Withlacoochee River 2026-07-06, Santa Fe River 2026-07-09, Happy paddling, swimming, etc.

Follow this link for the WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →

Berrien Beach to Lakeland, Alapaha River 2026-07-06

Update 2026-07-15: Lanier EMA marker 21, Alapaha River –Shirley Kokidko 2026-07-06.

Thanks to Shawn O’Connor and Shirley Kokidko for scouting these five deadfalls Monday on the Alapaha River.

[Five more deadfalls between Berrien Beach and Lakeland, GA, Alapaha River 2026-07-06]
Five more deadfalls between Berrien Beach and Lakeland, GA, Alapaha River 2026-07-06

As you can see, they are clustered together sort of in the middle between Berrien Beach Boat Ramp and Lakeland Boat Ramp, near the well-known Marshall Deadfall, which was apparently underwater.

The water level on the Alapaha Gauge was falling, from 6.37 feet (213.97 feet NAVD88) at Double Deadfall at 10:08 AM to 6.33 (213.93 NAVD88) at TD Deadfall at 11:49 AM.

That’s in the middle between the WWALS recommendation for Berrien Beach Boat Ramp of don’t paddle above 218.2 or below 209.6.

You can actually see these deadfalls on the satellite images below. According to google-earth-pro, those images were taken April 29, 2026, in the middle of the drought. The Alapaha Gauge on that date was at about 1 foot (207.6 NAVD88).

We will come back to chainsaw passage through them when the level is a bit lower than it was Monday, so they’re above water. Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee River 2026-06-29 and Alapaha River 2026-07-01

The Withlacoochee River and the Alapaha River tested clean in the results we have for this week.

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia.

According to the results we have, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating, and it’s even supposed to be sunny Saturday and Sunday morning.

This image is an illustration. Scroll down for the details.

[Clean Withlacoochee 2026-06-29, and Alapaha River 2026-07-01, Sunny Saturday and Sunday morning, Happy paddling, swimming, and fishing]
Clean Withlacoochee 2026-06-29, and Alapaha River 2026-07-01, Sunny Saturday and Sunday morning, Happy paddling, swimming, and fishing

Follow this link for the WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →

Madison Blue Spring browned out 2026-06-26

People were asking me about that, so I called the park.

jsq: Why is the park closed?

Park: Because the spring is browned out.

jsq: Why is it browned out?

Park: Because big rains upstream wash mud down, more than the spring can pump out.

jsq: So it’s just a typical brownout after big rains upstream.

Park: Yes. Should be back open in about two weeks. Will be updated on the website.

[Madison Blue Spring browned out 2026-06-26, It's natural, Many times before]
Madison Blue Spring browned out 2026-06-26, It’s natural, Many times before

It was also browned out in May 2024.

https://www.facebook.com/EconfinaSprings/photos/florida-state-park-admission-is-free-this-weekend-%EF%B8%8F%EF%B8%8F-madison-blue-spring-current/782045814038133/

And no, Floridians, it’s not Valdosta wastewater this time.

https://wwals.net/issues/testing/

And yes, we know about the trash problem.

https://www.facebook.com/Wwalswatershed/posts/pfbid0TnCsYbWPbXc9XqEJ6TFZPHKbxK5eW7tGq4dvysnrcQDFgrCqt2uDNuDBA2RGCg47l

https://wwals.net/?p=68941

What springs are not browned out?

Here are a couple:

Ichetucknee Springs

https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/ichetucknee-springs-state-park

Peacock Springs

https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/wes-skiles-peacock-springs-state-park

Here are some pictures of Madison Blue Spring when it was not browned out.

In the first one, you can see the difference between the tea-colored Withlacoochee River water and the blue spring water. Continue reading →

Drought reveals two new springs on the Suwannee River –SRWMD 2026-07-01

The spring I’ve used to illustrate this story is somewhat upstream of Suwannee Springs. It is called Ham1019971, and is a fourth magnitude sulphur spring seen on a WWALS paddle, May 20, 2017. It is not the newly-discovered Ule Spring mentioned in the press release.

Also, Byron Herder, who owns the first-magnitude spring Alapaha River Rise, remarked on facebook, “I found a first magnitude spring on Suwannee during the drought. Bringing state total to 34.”

Speaking of drought, this Tuesday SRWMD will approve a Further modified Phase II Water Shortage Ordinance @ SRWMD 2026-07-14. Nevermind St. Johns River WMD and Southwest Florida WMD went to Phase III months ago.

[Drought reveals two new springs on the Suwannee River --SRWMD 2026-07-01]
Drought reveals two new springs on the Suwannee River –SRWMD 2026-07-01

PR, SRWMD, July 1, 2026, Drought conditions reveal new springs along the Suwannee River; see also WCTV,

LIVE OAK, FLA., JULY 1, 2026 — While ongoing drought conditions have reduced river flows across the region, unusually low water levels have also provided a unique opportunity for Suwannee River Water Management District (District) staff to locate and document several previously unknown springs.

Continue reading →