Tag Archives: Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail

Clean Withlacoochee River downstream 2025-11-22

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Better news from two recent Withlacoochee River water quality samples.

Apparently the effects of the small Valdosta sewage spill into Sugar Creek Wednesday have washed out of the Withlacoochee River downstream, at least where we tested.

Suzy Hall got zero (0) E. coli for Friday at State Line Boat Ramp, aka Mozell Spells.

John S. Quarterman got 100 cfu/100 mL for Saturday nine miles upstream at Clyattville-Nankin Boat Ramp.

Those are both less than the 126 cfu/100 mL three-test average limit, so quite clean.

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

[Clean downstream Withlacoochee River, State Line 2025-11-21, Nankin Boat Ramp 2025-11-22]
Clean downstream Withlacoochee River, State Line 2025-11-21, Nankin Boat Ramp 2025-11-22

Nankin Boat Ramp is also 15 river miles downstream from US 84 and 27 miles downstream from GA 133 where Valdosta Utilities got way-too-high E. coli for Thursday. And about 30 miles downstream from Sugar Creek, where WWALS tester Suzy Hall got even worse Too Numerous to Count (TNTC) for Wednesday.

These new WWALS results match the zero (0) that WWALS tester Russ Tatum got for Wednesday at Holly Point, on the Withlacoochee River in Florida a few miles upstream from the Suwannee River.

So if you can find enough water, happy paddling, motoring, swimming, and fishing, at least downstream on the Withlacoochee River.

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 →

Videos: Bradford Road Denied @ Berrien County Commission 2025-11-04

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The Berrien County Commission denied the subdividing issue before them: the six lots on Bradford Road, at their November 4, 2025, regular meeting.

However, many irregularities were raised.

[Bradford Road Denied @ Berrien County Commission. Many irregularities raised, 2025-11-04]
Bradford Road Denied @ Berrien County Commission. Many irregularities raised, 2025-11-04

The other lots on Old Valdosta Highway were already decided by the same Commission in 2024, and the minutes for that meeting say at the request of John and Tonia Beville.

At this meeting, John Beville said he and she had not requested that, and never saw any Public Hearing signs posted, even though they lived there at the time. When questioned by the Commission, Zoning Coordinator Teresa Willis said it was done for South Auction, and “Russ” brought the plat to her. She did not say who Russ was.

Della Gladieux pointed out that the three Planning Commission Public Hearings this year all had both plats advertised, for the lots on Old Valdosta Highway, and for the other lots on Bradford Road. She also pointed out other issues in the document she handed the Commissioners: Formal Complaint and Demand for Investigation Re Bradford Road –Della Gladieux 2025-11-04.

Lisa Sumner also spelled out numerous issues.

Below you can see the entire Berrien County Commission meeting of November 4, 2025 in the WWALS videos of each agenda item and speaker, plus a few still pictures, followed by a WWALS video playlist.

See also Continue reading →

Withlacoochee Trickle, Hagan Bridge Landing @ GA 122 2025-11-17

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I went to see the Withlacoochee Trickle at Hagan Bridge Landing on GA 122 east of Hahira.

You could jump across it.

We need rain.

[Withlacoochee Trickle, Hagan Bridge Landing, 2025-11-17, GA 122 east of Hahira, Lowndes County, GA]
Withlacoochee Trickle, Hagan Bridge Landing, 2025-11-17, GA 122 east of Hahira, Lowndes County, GA

On the Skipper Bridge Gauge, the level was 122.52 feet NAVD88 (2.22 feet from bottom). Our recommended levels are Lowest boatable: 122.6′, Highest safe: 131′.

You could paddle through the trickle, but I doubt you’d get through much of the 5 river miles to Franklinville Landing without having to climb over or under or chainsaw through deadfalls from Hurricane Helene.

Here’s a video:

https://www.facebook.com/Wwalswatershed/videos/1175008301254844

https://youtu.be/G0ZZ95eZi4k Continue reading →

Formal Complaint and Demand for Investigation Re Bradford Road –Della Gladieux 2025-11-04

Update 2025-11-23: Videos: Bradford Road Denied @ Berrien County Commission 2025-11-04.

This is the formal complaint Della Gladieux submitted to the Berrien County Commission at the meeting on November 4, 2025.

[Formal Complaint... Regarding Rezoning ... Bradford Road --Della Gladieux to Berrien County Commission 2025-11-04]
Formal Complaint… Regarding Rezoning … Bradford Road –Della Gladieux to Berrien County Commission 2025-11-04

Della Gladieux
1595 Bradford Road
Ray City, GA 31645

Tuesday, November 4, 2025

Berrien County Board of Commissioners
John Nugent, Post 1
Ronnie Gaskins, Post 2
Jimmy Parker, Post 3
Kylon Fort, Post 4
Pixie Harrod, Post 5
Brenda Ferrell, County/Clerk/Administrator
Jennifer Herzog, County Attorney
201 N. Davis Street, Room
Nashville, GA 31639

Re: Formal Complaint and Demand for Investigation Regarding Rezoning of Property at Old Valdosta Highway and Bradford Road, Parcel ID #M&P 061-14-000

Dear Parties Listed Above,

This letter serves as a formal complaint regarding the rezoning of property located at Old Valdosta Highway and Bradford Road (parcel: 061-14-000), which was changed from an agricultural use to a residential use on October 15, 2025 2024. This action is invalid due to significant procedural and ethical violations of Georgia law.

The specific grounds for this complaint are as follows:

Continue reading →

Knights Ferry to Nankin Clean Up, Withlacoochee River 2025-11-22

Join us to clean up this stretch of the beautiful black water Withlacoochee River.

The river is very low, so be sure to bring a rope for the front of your boat, for dragging through Clyattville-Nankin Shoal and possibly over other rocks along the way.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 4 PM, Saturday, November 22, 2025

Put In: Knights Ferry Boat Ramp, 6499 Knights Ferry Rd, Valdosta, GA 31601, in Lowndes County.

GPS: 30.71205, -83.45554

[Knights Ferry to Nankin Clean Up, Withlacoochee River, Low Water; bring a rope, Saturday, November 22, 2025]
Knights Ferry to Nankin Clean Up, Withlacoochee River, Low Water; bring a rope, Saturday, November 22, 2025

Continue reading →

Minutes of August and September Berrien Planning Commission 2025-10-21

Update 2025-11-05: After some rather contentious testimony, the Berrien County Commission denied the subdividing request. WWALS videos to come. See also below about the other GORA request.

Here are the minutes from the first two meetings with the Public Hearings for the Cole Livingston proposed subdivision on Bradford and Strawder Roads and Old Valdosta Highway, at the Berrien County Planning Commission.

The actual decision will be made this evening, November 4, 2025, at 6 PM, by the Berrien County Commission, at 201 North Davis Street, Nashville, Georgia 31639.

These were received in response to a WWALS open records request, which is at the end below.

[Minutes of August and September, Berrien Planning Commission, Plus maps, Received 2025-10-21]
Minutes of August and September, Berrien Planning Commission, Plus maps, Received 2025-10-21

The Minutes are for these Berrien County Planning Commission meetings: Continue reading →

WWALS Day of Giving #GAGIVES 2025

This is a nonprofit fundraiser supporting WWALS Watershed Coalition Inc.

It’s for the whole month of November 2025.

You can donate here:
https://www.gagives.org/story/WWALS-GAGIVES-2025

[WWALS Day of Giving, #GAGIVES 2025, All Month, November 2025]

WWALS Mission

WWALS advocates for conservation and stewardship of the surface waters and groundwater of the Suwannee River Basin and Estuary, in south Georgia and north Florida, among them the Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little, Santa Fe, and Suwannee River watersheds, through education, awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen activities.

Advocacy

Many other organizations already promote paddling, swimming, fishing, birding, and other water-related activities hereabouts, as does WWALS for fun and education. WWALS exists to assist positive changes and to resist invasive problems, using strategies such as environmental monitoring and tactics such as outings and events in that advocacy.

Conservation

Continue reading →

Sewer System Repairs and Water Quality Testing by Valdosta Utilities 2025-10-21

Update 2025-10-24: Clean Santa Fe and Alapaha Rivers and Withlacoochee Downstream; Problem Sugar Creek 2025-10-22.

Two kinds of good news today on the telephone with Valdosta Utilities Director Jason Barnes:

  1. They’re making progress on the manholes and the sewer line at Wainwright Drive on One Mile Branch, and they’re posting that progress online.
  2. They did test Sugar Creek this week, and they will test again the next two weeks. The results are not great, and they are considering further tests until the results decrease to acceptable levels.

[Sewer System Repairs and Water Quality Testing by Valdosta Utilities, 2025-10-21]
Sewer System Repairs and Water Quality Testing by Valdosta Utilities, 2025-10-21

Valdosta Utilities is posting updates to on-going projects here:
https://www.valdostacity.com/utilities/administration

You can get there from valdostacity.com via Departments in the main menu, then Utilities, then Administration.

These are basically the slides Jason Barnes presented to the Florida River Task Force on August 14, 2025. Plus updates.

Slide 10 of 11 shows among other things “Remer 30″ Phase 1,” which is to replace the problem stretch of sewer line running to the notorious Wainwright Road manhole. This project has already started. Continue reading →

Subdivisions in agricultural areas cause financial problems –Della Gladieux to Berrien Planning Commission 2025-10-16

Update 2025-10-31: Agenda: Berrien County Commission 2025-11-04.

Here is the document Della Gladieux gave to the Berrien Planning Commissioners last Thursday, at the Public Hearing about subdidiving on Bradford Road in an agricultural character area.

[Subdivisions in agricultural areas cause financial problems --Della Gladieux to Berrien Planning Commission 2025-10-16]
Subdivisions in agricultural areas cause financial problems –Della Gladieux to Berrien Planning Commission 2025-10-16

You can see her present it in this WWALS video:

Continue reading →

Videos: Public Hearing, Bradford Road subdivision 2025-10-16

Update 2025-11-23: Videos: Bradford Road Denied @ Berrien County Commission 2025-11-04.

Update 2025-10-21: Subdivisions in agricultural areas cause financial problems –Della Gladieux to Berrien Planning Commission 2025-10-16.

The Berrien Planning Commission unanimously recommended denial of the proposed subdividing on Bradford Road.

However, that only applies to part of what (almost) everybody thought was being considered. It turns out the three lots at the corner of Bradford Road and Old Valdosta Highway were already divided out in October 2024.

Yet there are still many issues of urban sprawl and its costs, stormwater runoff, etc.

The Chairman not only moved to recommend denial, he also said the county should stop approving subdivisions until a Comprehensive Land Use Plan can be drawn up and enforced.

[Videos: Public Hearing, Berrien Planning Commission, Bradford Road subdividing, Part already subdivided in 2024, Rest recommended denial 2025-10-16]
Videos: Public Hearing, Berrien Planning Commission, Bradford Road subdividing, Part already subdivided in 2024, Rest recommended denial 2025-10-16

Applicant Cole Livingston and his attorney Danny Studstill said that when the applicant bought the property in an online auction, he understood that all agency permits were already in order. Also, the corner tracts were subdivided before he bought them.

Zoning Administrator Teresa Willis said those corner tracts were heard in the “9-19-24” Planning Commission meeting, and that the subdividing was approved in the October 2024 County Commission meeting. For more about that, see below after the WWALS videos of this October 2025 meeting.

It all still adds up to plopping ten houses in the middle of an agriculture character area, with runoff and recharge issues that affect the neighbors, Gin Branch Creek, the Withlacoochee River, and groundwater down to the Floridan Aquifer.

Chair Parrish Akins clarified that all the previous testimony in the preceding two Public Hearings was still valid. Then he asked for further comment for or against.

Della Gladieux supplied a tome of objections. Continue reading →