Tag Archives: John S. Quarterman

Clean Santa Fe River and Withlacoochee downstream; Dirty Hightower and Sugar Creek 2025-11-12

The Santa Fe River and the Withlacoochee River downstream tested clean for Wednesday.

But WWALS got too-high results at the WaterGoat on Sugar Creek for Monday, and both WWALS and Valdosta Utilities got too-high results upstream on Hightower Creek at St. Augustine Road. In addition, Valdosta Utilities got too high at GA 133 on the Withlacoochee River downstream from Sugar Creek.

These continuing high Sugar Creek results are still mysterious, especially given no rain to wash residue downstream.

No sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in the past week in Georgia or Florida, except a small spill from a force main break Monday in downtown Chiefland, Levy County, Florida.

No rain is expected for the next week.

So I’d avoid Sugar Creek and the Withlacoochee River near it. Other than that, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend. If you can find enough water to do those things. Maybe far downstream on the Withlacoochee or Suwannee Rivers.

Or join us next Saturday, November 22, for Knights Ferry to Nankin Clean Up, Withlacoochee River 2025-11-22.

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

[Clean Santa Fe River and Withlacoochee downstream, Dirty Hightower and Sugar Creek, 2025-11-12]
Clean Santa Fe River and Withlacoochee downstream, Dirty Hightower and Sugar Creek, 2025-11-12

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

Ichetucknee Polar Plunge and Paddle to see SPZ 2026-01-10

Come see what the Ichetucknee Springs Protection Zone (SPZ) is about. Swim in the itch head spring. Then join us for a leisurely paddle 4 miles downstream in crystal clear waters with the possibility of seeing manatee, several types of gar and bird species.

Thanks to Linda Dicker, who proposed the SPZ, for leading this expedition, and for arranging takeout at the private TREPO Point Park.

Thanks to WWALS water quality tester Christiaan Ard for assisting leading this outing.

The Ichetucknee River is great paddling in the park. From there down to the Santa Fe River, power boats abound, producing wakes, endangering humans and wildlife, and eroding shorelines. The SPZ would require a No Wake Zone and maybe ban personal watercraft.

You can write to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWC), using this handy form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScYFArSQsstOauhRVYTCMoikXYIo0i_gDmkuDlbTC-7OSsgQQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=114012348461689332646

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 11 AM, end 4 PM, Saturday, January 10, 2026

Put In: Dip in Ichetucknee Headspring, then paddle starting at North Launch Ichetucknee Springs State Park, Ichetucknee S.P. North Entrance, 8294 SW Elim Church Rd, Fort White, FL 32038, in Columbia County.

GPS: 29.98292, -82.76053

[Ichetucknee Polar Plunge and River Paddle 2026-01-10, to see SPZ, Springs Protection Zone]
Ichetucknee Polar Plunge and River Paddle 2026-01-10, to see SPZ, Springs Protection Zone

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Pictures: Sugar Cane Festival, White Springs, FL 2025-11-08

It was fun in White Springs, Florida, at a festival of crafts, music, and dancing.

Thanks to Russ Tatum of Hamilton County for helping at the WWALS booth, where we talked to many people and moved some stickers, hats, and an aerial Suwannee River Basin poster.

Many children played the froggy toss and got candy for each beanbag they got in the lily pad hole.

[WWALS Booth at Sugar Cane Festival, White Springs, FL, 2025-11-08]
WWALS Booth at Sugar Cane Festival, White Springs, FL, 2025-11-08

Thanks to Suwannee Hardware & Feed for hosting this event, with demonstrations ranging from glass blowing to sugar cane grinding. Continue reading

Clean Withlacoochee River, Dirty Sugar Creek 2025-11-06

Update 2025-11-15: Clean Santa Fe River and Withlacoochee downstream; Dirty Hightower and Sugar Creek 2025-11-12.

The Withlacoochee River tested clean downstream for Wednesday and Thursday. We also have a completely clean Suwannee River result for last Wednesday.

But Valdosta Utilities again got too-high results upstream on Sugar Creek at Gornto Road and Baytree Road.

However, Valdosta got OK results for the Withlacoochee River Upstream at US 41, and OK downstream at GA 133, plus clean farther downstream at US 84, matching an even cleaner WWALS result on the Withlacoochee almost down at the Suwannee.

So these continuing high Sugar Creek results are still mysterious, especially given no rain to wash residue downstream

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

It might rain Saturday morning. Other than that, no rain is expected for the next ten days.

So I’d avoid Sugar Creek and the Withlacoochee River near it. Other than that, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend.

Or join us tomorrow (Saturday, November 8) at one of two festivals in two states:

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

[Clean Withlacoochee River, Dirty Sugar Creek, Might rain Saturday, 2025-11-06]
Clean Withlacoochee River, Dirty Sugar Creek, Might rain Saturday, 2025-11-06

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

Pictures: Alapaha River Rise Hike 2025-11-01

Thanks to landowner Byron Herder for inviting us to go see the Alapaha River Rise from his surrounding property after we hiked from the Dead River Sink to the Dry Alapaha River. About half a dozen of us took him up on that, include WWALS Board member Bret Wagenhorst.

The Rise is just upstream of the CR 249 or CR 751 Bridge, aka Nobles Ferry Bridge, which is just upstream of Gibson County Park and the Alapaha River Confluence with the Suwannee River. That’s about eighteen river miles downstream from the Dead River.

[Alapaha River Rise Hike. Thanks, Landowner Byron Herder. Where Dead River Sink water Rises, 2025-11-01]
Alapaha River Rise Hike. Thanks, Landowner Byron Herder. Where Dead River Sink water Rises, 2025-11-01

As Byron pointed out, the Alapaha River Rise is not just a first magnitude spring, at a daily flow of 383.9 million gallons per day (mgd), it dwarfs all the others in the Suwannee River Basin. (There are five with more flow, on Crystal River and Rainbow River.)

Second most flow in the Suwannee River Basin is Holton Creek Rise at 157 mgd, a bit upstream on the Suwannee River. That’s also the other place dye came back up from the Dead River Sink in the 2016 Alapaha Swallets Dye Trace Project.

Both Rises have more flow than can be accounted for by the Dead River Sink alone, even adding in the other sinks in the Alapaha River slightly upstream of the Dead River. Continue reading

Pictures: Dead River Sink Hike with a Geologist 2025-11-01

We climbed over, under, and around much Hurricane Helene deadfall on what Dottie Price called a “Class 5 Meander” from the Dead River Sink to the Dry Alapaha River.

Thanks to 30 people who came, to Practicing Geologist Dennis J. Price for leading this expedition, and to Dottie Price for the additional pictures. See also the facebook video by Christiaan Ard.

[Dead River Sink Hike, Practicing Geologist Dennis J. Price, Meander to the Dry Alapaha River, 2025-11-01]
Dead River Sink Hike, Practicing Geologist Dennis J. Price, Meander to the Dry Alapaha River, 2025-11-01

There was a false start at Jennings Bluff Cemetery, where Dennis told the lemmings to go back up the bluff, because of too much deadfall. Continue reading

Clean Santa Fe, Alapaha, Withlacoochee Rivers; Sugar Creek mixed 2025-10-30

Update 2025-11-07: Clean Withlacoochee River, Dirty Sugar Creek 2025-11-06.

WWALS got a very clean result for the Santa Fe River for Wednesday, and pretty clean for the Alapaha River for Thursday.

Even for Sugar Creek, WWALS got an OK result for Wednesday at the WaterGoat. But Valdosta Utilities again got too-high results upstream on Sugar Creek at Gornto Road and Baytree Road.

However, Valdosta got OK results for the Withlacoochee River Upstream at US 41, and OK downstream at GA 133, plus clean farther downstream at US 84.

So these continuing high Sugar Creek results are still mysterious, especially given no rain to wash residue downstream

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

No rain is expected for the next ten days.

So I’d avoid Sugar Creek and the Withlacoochee River near it. Other than that, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend.

Or join us tomorrow (Saturday, November 1) to Hike with a Geologist to a Spring, the Dead River Sink, and the Dry Alapaha River.

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

[Clean Santa Fe, Alapaha, Withlacoochee Rivers, Sugar Creek mixed, 2025-10-30]
Clean Santa Fe, Alapaha, Withlacoochee Rivers, Sugar Creek mixed, 2025-10-30

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

Hike with a Geologist to a Spring, the Dead River Sink, and the Dry Alapaha River

Hahira, Georgia, October 30, 2025 — Join us this Saturday, November 1, 2025, on an approximately 3 mile or 4 hour hike on the Dead River and the dry Alapaha River bed, led by Practicing Geologist Dennis James Price of Hamilton County, Florida.

[Hike with a Geologist to a Spring, the Dead River Sink, and the Dry Alapaha River, November 1, 2025]

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Hike with a Geologist to a Spring, the Dead River Sink, and the Dry Alapaha River 2025-11-01

Hahira, Georgia, October 30, 2025 — Join us this Saturday, November 1, 2025, on an approximately 3 mile or 4 hour hike on the Dead River and the dry Alapaha River bed, led by Practicing Geologist Dennis James Price of Hamilton County, Florida.

[Hike to Dead River Sink, Alapaha River, Jennings Bluff, with Practicing Geologist Dennis Price 2025-11-01]

We will meet at 9:30 AM at Jennings Bluff Cemetery. On a short stop there, we will climb down a steep bank to explore a spring. Then we will drive into public lands to the Dead River Sink where we will hike out to the Alapaha River and hike the river bed.

From Jennings, Florida, go south on US 41 approximately 2.25 miles and turn left onto NW 25th Lane, which dead ends at the Jennings Bluff Cemetery on the Alapaha River. GPS: 30.56693, -83.035297

This area has recently been designated a State of Florida Geological Site.

Much of the year, the Alapaha River is dry for the last eighteen miles from Jennings Bluff to the Suwannee River, because its water flows into the Dead River and down into the Dead River Sink. On June 22, 2016, several Florida agencies put fluorescent green dye into the Dead River Sink. The dye came back up four days later in the Alapaha River Rise, and eight days later in Holton Creek Rise, both off of the Suwannee River.

Bring sturdy boots or shoes, clothes for woods with stickers, water, and snacks.
Also Continue reading

WWALS Booth at Sugar Cane Festival, White Springs, FL 2025-11-08

Come on down to White Springs, Florida, for a festival of crafts, music, and dancing.

Suwannee Hardware & Feed is hosting this event. WWALS will be there with the usual booth, with Russ Tatum of Hamilton County leading.

When: 9 AM-4 PM, Saturday, November 8, 2025

Put In: Suwannee Hardware & Feed, 10572 Bridge Street, White Springs, FL 32096

[WWALS Booth at Sugar Cane Festival, White Springs, FL, 2025-11-08]
WWALS Booth at Sugar Cane Festival, White Springs, FL, 2025-11-08

Continue reading