Alapaha River Water Trail and GA-EPD Recreational redesignation of the Alapaha River at Atkinson County Commission last Thursday made the news.

Typhani Gray, Fox 31 WFXL, 9 July 2021, WWALS Watershed Coalition thanks Atkinson Commission for support,

Willacoochee Landing @ GA 135, Alapaha River Water Trail, Suwannee Riverkeeper at Atkinson County Commission, Reporter Typhani Gray and Tester Valerie Folsom, ARWT road sign

WWALS Watershed Coalition was started after organizers were concerned about sewage spills, and roads being closed because of trees being down in the river.

Most of that was in the Withlacoochee River around 2009, but the Alapaha River did have water quality issues back then.

The organization came to the Atkinson County Board of Commissioners to thank them for the Alapaha River Water Trail contribution.

In 2018 commissions passed a resolution supporting the water trail.

Here is that Atkinson County Commission resolution of 18 January 2018 supporting the Alapaha River Water Trail.

This trail runs for more than 100 miles on the Alapaha River all the way down to Florida.

Atkinson County has one landing on Georgia 135 that’s called Willacoochee [Landing].

According to John Quarterman, the Watershed Coalition has expanded its organization and is now tests waters to make it safer for people to swim and fish.

Valerie Folsom, who tests in Atkinson County at Willacoochee Landing @ GA 135, also spoke to the Atkinson County Commission about the latest test results.

Fox 31 Reporter Typhani Gray, WWALS water quality tester Valerie Folsom

“The environmental protection division is currently reviewing its water quality standards and that has to do with this Alapaha River because fishing or recreational,” stated Quarterman. “Recreational has tighter restraints on contaminants and the board here also send a letter to Georgia EPD in favor of recreational designation so I was thanking them for that too.”

Here’s what WWALS sent to GA-EPD about that. At the Atkinson County Commission meeting I asked County Clerk Miranda Peterson to send me a copy of what they sent GA-EPD about this, because there seems to be some confusion at GA-EPD about who sent what. Thanks again to her and to the Commission and to Chairman Lace Futch for all their hospitality and assistance over the years.

Atkinson County Commission and Clerk

WWALS Watershed Coalition test a dozen different locations on three different local rivers.

All about the WWALS volunteer water quality testing program is on the wwals website, https://wwals.net.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

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