Monthly Archives: May 2019

Naylor Boat Ramp Park is not Lola VPA or WMA 2019-05-19

If you’re down at the beach on the Alapaha River, just upstream from US 84, in the new Lowndes County Naylor Boat Ramp Park, and a game warden should happen to say you need a WMA pass, please tell him you’re in a public park owned by Lowndes County, and if there’s any doubt about that, please consult the Lowndes County Tax Assessors online map, or call Lowndes County, or call me.

[Beach]
Beach, Lowndes County Tax Commission Map, Parcel 0259 030B.

There seems to be some confusion, possibly because the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) map for the Lola Tract WMA does not show Continue reading →

Naylor Boat Ramp, Water Trails, and Paddle Georgia: WWALS to Lowndes County Commission 2019-05-13

Thanks and invitations from WWALS to the Lowndes County Commission, delivered in a letter via email and on paper Monday morning and in Citizens Wishing To Be Heard Tuesday evening.

WWALS to Lowndes County Commission 2019-05-14

I thanked

I invited the Commissioners to pass Water Trail resolutions (see below).

And I invited them to Paddle Georgia and the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.

Letter

Continue reading →

Statenville to Sasser Landing, Alapaha River, 2019-07-06

Update 2019-07-08: Pictures.

Experience the wilderness of the Alapaha River Water Trail on this 10.4 mile section with shoals. This run includes a side-jaunt up the Alapahoochee River to Turket Creek Waterfall, one of our favorite spots.

Or maybe a different stretch, or a different river, or a lake, if the water is really low. Check back before we paddle to see where we settle on for July.

When: 9:00 AM gather, 10:00 AM launch, Saturday, July 6, 2019

Put In: Statenville Boat Ramp, 206 GA 94 West, Statenville, GA 31648, in Echols County.

GPS: 30.70426, -83.03275

Take Out: Sasser Landing.

Bring: the usual personal flotation device, boat paddles, food, drinking water, warm clothes, and first aid kit. Also trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup.

Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) for non-members. We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!

Event: facebook, meetup

600x450 Waterfall closeup, in Statenville to Sasser Landing on the Alapaha River, by John S. Quarterman, for WWALS.net, 15 February 2015
Photo: John S. Quarterman, Turket Creek Waterfall closeup, in Statenville to Sasser Landing on the Alapaha River, 15 February 2015.

We last did this February 15, 2015, when there was plenty of water, at 9.99 feet (86.09′ NAVD88) on the Statenville gauge, and only three hours paddle time. We’ll probably see opposite, low, conditions this time. Continue reading →

Georgia water data online portal: GOMAS 2019-05-16

Thanks, GA-EPD, for another very useful online dataset: GOMAS, the Georgia Environmental Monitoring and Assessment System, with a plethora of water data.

[Front page]
Front page of GOMAS.

GOMAS seems to have all the water quality data reported by permitted wastewater facilities throughout the state, including some not required, apparently including at least some of Valdosta’s creek monitoring data.

GOMAS lets you find locations with data either Continue reading →

Videos: Parker Pond water withdrawals, BMAPs, Valdosta, and Testing @ SRWMD 2019-05-14

The deputy went in to see what the ruckus was about. It was Lu Merritt, Mike Roth, Jim Tatum, Mike Kern, and then me, in extensive discussion about a water withdrawal permit request, that Jim Tatum called Words of Truth to the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) Board.

On the agenda for that Monday, 14 May 2019:

20. Approval of New Water Use Permit 2-001-234425-1, Authorizing a Maximum 0.1462 mgd of Groundwater for Agricultural Use at the Parker Pond Project, Alachua County

I was actually there for this later item:

30. Valdosta Wastewater Update

In interaction with Tom Mirti, I confirmed that FDEP is doing DNA and sucralose (human waste marker) testing monthly at the GA-FL line on the Withlacoochee and Alapaha (not Alapahoochee) Rivers, and at the Withlacoochee Confluence with the Suwannee River. However, SRWMD has no plans for doing complementary weeks.

I found the public relations method research by Katelyn Potter to be fascinating.

Below are links to each WWALS video of each speaker, with some notes, followed by a WWALS video playlist. Continue reading →

SRWMD Water Quality Monitoring 2019-04-25

Confirmed today by telephone: FDEP is analyzing DNA and human tracers such as sucralose monthly at at least three stations: on the Withlacoochee and Alapahoochee Rivers at the Georgia-Florida line, and at the Withlacoochee River Confluence with the Suwannee River at Ellaville. Those are the top center left blue stars on this map.

[Surface water Trend Stations]
Surface water Trend Stations

Confirmed by: Darlene Velez, Water Resources Chief, Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD).

This is what Waterkeepers Florida (WKFL) heard in Orlando on April 15th from Continue reading →

Waterkeepers Florida met FDEP in Orlando about Triennial Review of Water Quality Standards 2019-04-15

FDEP is analyzing DNA and human tracers such as sucralose monthly at at least three stations: on the Withlacoochee and Alapahoochee Rivers at the Georgia-Florida line, and at the Withlacoochee River Confluence with the Suwannee River at Ellaville. This is what Waterkeepers Florida (WKFL) heard in Orlando on April 15th from FDEP’s Tom Frick. I think he may have also said at the Alapaha Confluence with the Suwannee River.

Tom Frick (DEAR), Ken Weaver (Standards), Dave Whiting (Laboratory), Darryl Joyner (WQSP), FDEP
FDEP, left to right: Tom Frick (DEAR), Ken Weaver (Standards), Dave Whiting (Laboratory), Darryl Joyner (WQSP).

I asked Tom Frick about that at the meeting FDEP requested with Waterkeepers Florida (WKFL) about the Florida Triennial Review of Water Quality Standards,

Unlike in Georgia, Continue reading →

Tallahassee Triennial Review Public Workshop 2019-05-14

As previously noted, FDEP is holding a Triennial Review workshop in Tallahassee Tuesday. Apparently they didn’t notice that that’s the same day as the SRWMD meeting in Live Oak with the Valdosta wastewater agenda item.

When: 9AM, Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Where: Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Bob Martinez Center, Room 609, 2600 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida

2600 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, FL, Map
Map: Google street view. At least there may be parking.

Announcement: on the FDEP website.

It is probably worth going, to recommend FDEP should not raise any limits on any contaminants in any waters.

If you can’t go to this one, Continue reading →

SRWMD Agenda 2019-05-14

Valdosta wastewater is back on the agenda at SRWMD, for Tuesday morning.

Water Ressource Program & E.D., Agenda

When: 9AM, Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Where: SRWMD District HQ, 9225 Co Rd 49, Live Oak, FL 32060

What: “Water Resources Program
WLR Page 20 29. Agricultural Water Use Monitoring Report
30. Valdosta Wastewater Update”

The WLR packet document with those two items did not seem to be included in the board packet.

I have left a message with Darlene Velez, head of SRWMD water quality testing, to get some more information.

Also on the agenda are Continue reading →

Naylor Boat Ramp framed 2019-05-08

Frame and concrete wire.

[Frame]
Frame

Lowndes County Project Manager Chad McLeod says they will probably pour the concrete Saturday. Then 10 to 14 days to set before pushing into the Alapaha River for Naylor Boat Ramp. Continue reading →