Category Archives: River

Filthy Sugar Creek 2026-03-12

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Sugar Creek is filthy again, according to a WWALS sample of Thursday.

All the Withlacoochee River results we have are clean, but the most recent are from Monday, so we don’t know what conditions are like now.

The Alapaha and Santa Fe Rivers tested clean for Thursday samples.

No new sewage spills have been reported this week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia.

So happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend, but I’d avoid the Withlacoochee River downstream from Sugar Creek.

Come join us today, Saturday, at the WWALS Booth at Azalea Festival 2026-03-14, in Drexel Park, on One Mile Branch, in Valdosta, Georgia.

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

[Filthy Sugar Creek, Clean Alapaha River 2026-03-12, Clean Santa Fe River, Withlacoochee unknown]
Filthy Sugar Creek, Clean Alapaha River 2026-03-12, Clean Santa Fe River, Withlacoochee unknown

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 →

Trash trap, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-02

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Three different trash trap companies have quoted for a Withlacoochee River location just upstream from Langdale Park Boat Ramp, and downstream from US 41, North Valdosta Road.

Two have looked at another Withlacoochee River location just downstream from GA 133, in Troupville Park, where VLPRA briefly owns both sides of the river.

[Trash trap sites, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-02, Langdale Park below US 41, Troupville Park below GA 133]
Trash trap sites, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-02, Langdale Park below US 41, Troupville Park below GA 133

The Langdale Park location is about 28 feet across the river, and would require a 50-foot trap.

That location is very convenient, because the access road goes right there.

I sent quotes for this location by two trash trap companies to the City of Valdosta in 2023. A catch is that these locations are not in the City of Valdosta. Continue reading →

How WFNF was chosen and desalination was rejected –SRWMD 2025-01-01

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This document appears to show the process by which SRWMD, SJRWMD, FDEP, JEA, and three other water utilities decided on Water First North Florida (WFNF), their plan to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee River Basin.

Thanks to Amy Brown, SRWMD Deputy Executive Director, Water Resources, for sending this document.

A copy of the document is on the WWALS website, and images of each page are below.

The discussion below is my opinion and nobody at SRWMD is responsible for it.

[How WFNF was chosen and desalination was rejected, SRWMD, SJRWD, JEA, FDEP, et al., January 2025]
How WFNF was chosen and desalination was rejected, SRWMD, SJRWD, JEA, FDEP, et al., January 2025

Notably missing from the options that were considered is wells at wetlands below planted pine plantations, as proposed by Dennis J. Price, PG, back in 2016. No reason is given for why.

Page 34 has a summary of why desalination was rejected:

Desalination (for comparative reference- not recommended for further study): Several desalination alternatives were considered in the evaluation. Desalination at Coquina would desalinate ocean water from the east coast in the Jacksonville area and pump it to the conceptual recharge area. Desalination at the Gulf Coast would desalinate water from a location on the west coast and pump it to the recharge area. The Pumping Replacement alternative would desalinate saltwater from the Jacksonville area and replace groundwater as a water supply for all four participating utilities. The desalination alternatives are not recommended for further evaluation because of:
1) High capital and operation and maintenance cost, partly due to the treatment process itself, and partly due to the high cost of brine disposal,
2) Managing brine disposal incurs significant technical and regulatory challenges,
3) Replacement of all four participating utility groundwater pumping with desalinated seawater would not meet the full MFL requirements, and
4) Ocean desalination does not address the requirements of Senate Bill 64 to put reclaimed water to beneficial use.

Let’s address each of those four points: Continue reading →

Valdosta puts Osprey trash trap in Sugar Creek 2026-03-05

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Update 2026-03-13: Trash trap, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-02.

Four other places trash traps would be very useful, two in the Withlacoochee River, above VLPRA parks:

  • Upstream from Langdale Park, at the US 41 (North Valdosta Road) bridge, in the Withlacoochee River
  • Upstream from Troupville Nature Park and the future Troupville River Camp, at the GA 133 (St. Augustine Road) bridge, in the Withlacoochee River
  • in Three Mile Branch on Country Club Drive
  • in One Mile Branch below VSU, above Sustella Avenue

[Valdosta puts Osprey trash trap in Sugar Creek, Upstream from the Withlacoochee River 2026-03-05]
Valdosta puts Osprey trash trap in Sugar Creek, Upstream from the Withlacoochee River 2026-03-05

The city PR doesn’t say, but this new trash trap appears to be above the Gornto Road bridge in Sugar Creek.

City of Valdosta PR, March 5, 2026, City of Valdosta Receives $98,250 Grant to Expand Waterway Debris Interceptor Program Continue reading →

SRWMD WFNF Open House @ UF IFAS, Live Oak, FL 2026-03-19

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Come walk around informational tables about Water First North Florida (WFNF), the plan to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee River Basin.

That’s the Community Open House by SRWMD, 6-8 PM, Thursday, March 19, 2026, at UF-IFAS in Live Oak, Florida. For details see the SRWMD press release below.

Don’t forget the other two WFNF meetings the previous day, Wednesday, March 18, 2026:

The Thursday meeting started as one that SRWMD was going to hold in Jasper, Hamilton County, on February 26.

SRWMD changed it on February 23 to SRWMD HQ in Live Oak.

On March 6, SRWMD changed the location to UF IFAS.

Either on March 6 or by March 10 when I heard about it in the SRWMD Board meeting, SRWMD changed the format from speakers and audience to tables with materials and staff to walk by.

Whether intentional or not, this format change makes it difficult for attendees to hear what other attendees say, or to hear all the answers from SRWMD.

This is why WWALS recommends people take pictures and videos and post them with hashtag #WFNF.

SRWMD PR, March 12, 2026, Water First North Florida Community Open House to take place March 19,

[Water First North Florida Community Open House 2026-03-19, by SRWMD @ UF-IFAS, 8202 CR 417, Live Oak, FL 32060]
Water First North Florida Community Open House 2026-03-19, by SRWMD @ UF-IFAS, 8202 CR 417, Live Oak, FL 32060

LIVE OAK, FLA., MARCH 12, 2026 — The Suwannee River Water Management District (District) is reminding residents of the upcoming Water First North Florida Community Open House from 6-8 p.m. on March 19.

The event will take place at the UF-IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center — Suwannee Valley, 8202 County Road 417, Live Oak, FL, 32060.

Written public comments will be received at the event. Informational tables will be set up throughout the venue, focusing on specific topics related to Water First North Florida, and allow residents to learn more about each aspect of the project. Experts will be available to answer any project questions that attendees may want answered.

Continue reading →

Call about developer and datacenter give-away bill GA SB 447 2026-03-17

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If datacenters are so great, why did their proponents first gut GA SB 34, which would have prohibited datacenters from passing on electric bills to other ratepayers?

And why now are they trying to pass SB 447, which would distort local permitting processes to favor datacenters and developers in general?

Please ask your Georgia statehouse delegation to vote NO on GA SB 447.

SB 447 will be heard this Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in a subcommittee of the Georgia House Natural Resources and Environment (HNRE) Committee.

It may get voted on there, and then in the full Committee on Thursday.

[Call about datacenter and developer give-away, GA SB 447, in HNRE Tuesday 2026-03-17]
Call about datacenter and developer give-away, GA SB 447

You can find your Georgia House members here:

https://wwals.net/about/elected-officials/georgia-house/

Or type in your ZIP code here:

http://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/ Continue reading →

Dozen Florida Counties Task Force Resolution against WFNF and for Desalination 2026-03-18

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The Task Force originally formed to deal with Valdosta wastewater is meeting next Wednesday to decide on a resolution opposing WFNF and prefering desalination.

MEETING NOTICE

MIDDLE AND LOWER SUWANNEE RIVER
AND WITHLACOOCHEE RIVER
TASK FORCE

There will be a meeting of the Middle and Lower Suwannee River and Withlacoochee River Task Force on March 18, 2026. The meeting will be held virtually via communications media technology at 10:00 a.m.

DIAL IN NUMBER: Toll Free 1.888.585.9008

CONFERENCE CODE: 568 124 316

[Dozen Florida Counties Task Force Resolution against WFNF and for Desalination 2026-03-18]
Dozen Florida Counties Task Force Resolution against WFNF and for Desalination 2026-03-18

The resolution:

RESOLUTION NO. 2026-01

A RESOLUTION OF THE MIDDLE AND LOWER SUWANNEE RIVER AND WITHLACOOCHEE RIVER TASK FORCE OPPOSING THE WATER FIRST NORTH FLORIDA AQUIFER RECHARGE PROJECT AND RECOMMENDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ALTERNATIVE WATER DESALINIZATION PROJECT

WHEREAS, Continue reading →

Pictures: Mayor and Chairmans Paddle 2026-03-07

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All 29 paddlers had fun, on the Mayor and Chairmans Paddle, Saturday, March 7, 2026.

We went from Troupville Boat Ramp, down the Little River to its Confluence, near where some day will be Troupville River Camp.

Then we went down the Withlacoochee River over some small shoals, to the cleaned-up outflow of Valdosta’s Withlacoochee Wastewater Plant.

And out at Paul Deloach’s Private Boat Ramp; thanks to him for access.

[Pictures 2026-03-07, Mayor and Chairmans Paddle, Little River and Withlacoochee River]
Pictures 2026-03-07, Mayor and Chairmans Paddle, Little River and Withlacoochee River

Here are some videos:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-QzGPpfQY6qOBC-qQF-M9gex&si=6QY4Fu4LslnLV_6e

Thanks to Continue reading →

Clean Santa Fe, New, and Withlacoochee Rivers and Sugar Creek 2026-03-05

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For once every river WWALS tested came out clean, and Valdosta Utilities concurs.

And even Sugar Creek tested clean at the WaterGoat, just above the Withlacoochee River.

No new sewage spills have been reported this week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia.

So happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this sunny warm weekend.

Come join us today, Saturday, for the Mayor and Chairmans Paddle: Troupville to Spook Bridge 2026-03-07.

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

[Clean Santa Fe, New, and Withlacoochee Rivers, and Sugar Creek, 2026-03-05]
Clean Santa Fe, New, and Withlacoochee Rivers, and Sugar Creek, 2026-03-05

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 →

Florida Senate Bill would send treated Jacksonville wastewater into the Suwannee River Basin –WTXL 2026-03-03

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Update 2026-03-09: Chance to speak to SRWMD at its Board Meeting, 9 AM, Tuesday, March 10, 2026.

Thanks to Lyric Sloan for a WTXL TV report from the Florida Senate Rules Committee Tuesday.

Environmental advocates are pushing back, warning the plan could introduce contaminants and fails to address what John Quarterman, Suwannee Riverkeeper, calls the root cause of declining river flows: over-pumping from the aquifer.

[FL SB 7034 would send treated Jacksonville wastewater into the Suwannee Basin --WTXL 2026-03-03]
FL SB 7034 would send treated Jacksonville wastewater into the Suwannee Basin –WTXL 2026-03-03

“It’s a risky project,” Quarterman said. “There’s no evidence that it takes out PFAs for other chemicals or drugs, pharmaceuticals, and right now that plant is under a consent order for exceeding all sorts of limits.”

Quarterman and other opponents argue Jacksonville should instead reduce its groundwater withdrawals or pursue alternative water sources, such as the St. Johns River or desalination.

Keep calling your Florida statehouse members, SRWMD, etc. For who and how, see:

https://wwals.net/?p=69583

And there’s a petition you can sign: https://c.org/8CgGBpLv7r

If you want assistance with how to craft a comment, come to the WWALS Workshop,
5-6:30 PM, Wednesday, March 18, 2026,
at the Live Oak Public Library, 1848 Ohio Ave S, Live Oak, FL 32064.

https://wwals.net/?p=69575

And don’t forget SRWMD’s own public meeting,
6-8 PM, Thursday, March 19, 2026,
at SRWMD HQ 9225 County Road 49, Live Oak FL 32060.

https://wwals.net/?p=69504

Lyric Sloan, WTXL TV, 7:42 PM, Mar 03, 2026, Florida Senate Bill would send treated Jacksonville wastewater into the Suwannee River Basin: SB 7034 would pipe treated Jacksonville wastewater into the Suwannee River Basin to stabilize river flows, but critics warn of contamination risks, while supporters believe it could help agriculture,

DOWNTOWN TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — A proposed Florida Senate Bill would allow treated wastewater from Jacksonville to be piped into the Suwannee River Basin in an effort to stabilize water flows in the Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers.

Continue reading →