The flow from the Little River seemed to be much greater than the flow from the Withlacoochee River. Not very impressive at this water level.
Chris Mericle Update 2016-02-02: Dropoff locations and other updates.
It’s time to get local, state, and federal elected officials to put a stop
to the Sabal Trail boondoggle that risks our property rights, rivers, aquifer, and air.
You can sign a petition to Florida (or Georgia or Alabama) elected officials by
printing out the
PDF
for you and your neighbors.
See below for where to send them.
Or, to sign online, Gulf Restoration Network has put up a handy online form that will send your signature and personalized message directly to your members of Congress.
Here’s the text of the PDF: Continue reading
Apparently fracked methane is Sierra Club Georgia’s next fight now that Keystone XL is dead, since almost its entire January/February/March issue of Georgia Sierran is about opposing natural gas: PDF.
See for example “Why Natural Gas Is Not a Climate Solution”, by Joshua Hanthorn. And “LNG Puts Savannah at Risk”, by Karen Grainey and Stacey Kronquest. Karen is chair of the Coastal Group of Sierra Club Georgia. Pretty much everything in that article also applies to Jacksonville, and quite likely to Palm Beach and other locations in Florida very soon.
Mentioning WWALS is “Pipeline in Southwest Georgia and Central Florida Risks Drinking Water,” by Gordon Rogers, Flint Riverkeeper,
The Sabal Pipeline, a joint venture of Spectra Energy, Duke Energy, and NextEra Energy, poses threats to Georgia and Florida communities on multiple fronts. For southwest Georgia and north Florida residents it’s all risks and no rewards. However, so far federal and state authorities have thus far been unmoved by arguments against it.
During the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) public comment period, the agency received more than 1,000 written comments, mostly opposing the project, including resolutions against it from seven counties in Georgia and Florida, and three of the largest cities in its path (Albany, Moultrie and Valdosta).
The article talks about FERC’s FEIS, EPA, GA-EPD, and other matters, before turning to WWALS and Florida. Continue reading
A frosty morning on the Little River just downstream of Reed Bingham State park.
April Huntley submitted a 90-second video about the
Alapaha River Water Trail,
and Gretchen Quarterman sent one in about the
BIG Little River Paddle Race on the
Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail.
Come cheer for them and other local community entries, 7PM tonight, Bailey Auditorium, VSU, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia.
-jsq
You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
Update 2016-03-05: Poster, flyer, registration form, and a way to pay online!
7AM Saturday May 21st at Reed Bingham State Park, it’s the annual fundraiser for WWALS and Friends of Reed Bingham, back again by popular demand (facebook event, meetup event):
A fun event for good causes. This four mile downstream paddle on flatwater takes you on a winding course through pretty south Georgia forest, under towering cypress trees, past live oaks, coppices of ogeechee tupelo, and majestic pines. The tannin stained blackwaters reflect the beautiful scenery and are typical of the coastal plain. Paddle it to win or just to enjoy. Cash prize to the paddler who finishes first. Medals to top finishers in several categories: male and female solo canoe, male and female solo kayak; male 2 person canoe, female 2 person canoe, mixed 2 person canoe, male tandem kayak, female tandem kayak, mixed tandem kayak. Entrance fee includes a free lunch at the end of the race. Fastest paddlers will complete in under an hour; slow paddlers in 1.5-2 hours. Bring your own boat or rent one from Reed Bingham State Park (advance reservations recommended).
There will be a registration fee, well worth it for the fun, community, and to support your friendly local watershed organization; details to come. Here are last year’s winners.
Meanwhile, these other events coming up sooner are free, Continue reading
Even the trend of sinking groundwater levels hasn’t changed a lot in the Georgia
parts of WWALS’ watersheds of the Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and upper Suwannee Rivers.
Thanks to Tom Potter for the pointer, and we’re inviting someone to talk about this subject at the
Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail Workshop at VSU February 27th, 2016.
WATER RESOURCES OF THE UPPER SUWANNEE RIVER WATERSHED, by Mary M. Davis1 and David W. Hicks2,
1 Ecologist, Continue reading
The Commissioners for the one county on every Sabal Trail fracked methane path ever proposed, Suwannee County, Florida, meet tonight at 6PM in Live Oak. I can’t go, so I sent them this letter (PDF). If you can go, please do, or you can send them a letter, too.
To: Suwannee County Board of County Commissioners,
Dear Commissioners,
Thanks again for your hospitality at your meeting of December 15th.
Solar and wind can make coal go away with no need for natural gas.
The FPL representative who spoke didn’t seem aware of what Southern Company CEO Tom Fanning said about solar power last June: “If somebody wants to buy distributed generation, I want to sell it to 'em." See Herman K. Trabish, UtilityDive, June 11, 2015, “Inside Georgia Power's move into the residential solar market: The utility says it will offer solar through an unregulated business, but installers fear possible anticompetitive impacts”:
http://www.utilitydive.com/news/inside-georgia-powers-move-into-the-residential-solar-market/400562/That meeting gave me deja vu about a few years ago when Georgia Power and Southern Company were claiming Continue reading
This is why WWALS recommends filing a float plan, or in this case, a hiking and camping plan.
WALB News Team, 17 January 2016, Campers rescued from rising floodwater, warning issued,
BERRIEN CO., GA (WALB) – The Berrien County Sheriff is sending a warning to residents to stay off the Alapaha River.
“Its not a good time to be camping out on the river,” said Sheriff Anthony Heath.
About 11 a.m. on Sunday, four Berrien County campers had to be rescued after they were surrounded by rising floodwaters. A father, his daughter, son, and son’s girlfriend hiked downstream and set up camp at the Alapaha River bridge near state Route 135, south of Willacoochee.
The VDT says they camped on Saturday, and were found the next day. Terry Richards, Valdosta Daily Times, 19 January 2016, page 8A, Stranded campers réscued, Continue reading
Our rivers, creeks, swamps, lakes, and the Floridan Aquifer are part of that web of mutuality described on the north wall of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in DC:
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality,
tied in a single garment of destiny.
Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.
It was the Alabama River they sought to cross on the Edmund Pettus Bridge when John Lewis, Continue reading