Daily Archives: August 12, 2022

Bad Water Quality Creeks and Withlacoochee River 2022-08-11

Update 2022-08-26: Quitman’s 2022-08-08 sewage spill did strongly affect the Withlacoochee River.

Update 2022-08-19: Good Withlacoochee River water quality 2022-08-18.

Update 2022-08-16: Good water quality, Ichetucknee and Santa Fe Rivers 2022-08-12.

Update 2022-08-15: Valdosta sewer spill, Meadowbrook Drive at Gornto Road 2022-08-14.

WWALS sampled 19 locations yesterday, and found bad water quality upstream on the Withlacoochee River, with worse on Beaverdam Creek, Cat Creek, and Beatty Branch. Valdosta had another small sewage spill Wednesday a week ago, but that probably did not get into the river, and is gone by now.

Quality was surprisingly good downstream of Okapilco Creek, which usually has cattle manure runoff coming out of Brooks County, Georgia, but apparently did not yesterday. Even Quitman’s Monday sewage spill of unknown quantity apparently had little effect or was washed away by yesterday.

[Chart + Little River, Creeks, Withlacoochee River, Alapaha River, Swim Guide]
Chart + Little River, Creeks, Withlacoochee River, Alapaha River, Swim Guide

Still, I would worry about that upstream contamination washing downstream. Instead of the Withlacoochee River, maybe you’d like to come along on the Suwannee River tomorrow. Continue reading →

Personnel and trash at Valdosta City Council 2022-08-11

It wasn’t us this time.

Council Sandra Tooley brought up trash, Click ‘n’ Fix, and Valdosta’s favorite excuse for not doing much: “we’re short on staff“ and “A lot of people have a lot of things going on in their departments.” This was in the last five minutes of the August 11, 2022, Valdosta City Council meeting.

[Council Sandra Tooley requests Executive Session about personnel and trash]
Council Sandra Tooley requests Executive Session about personnel and trash

The Mayor said they had a request for an Executive Session, and asked for a motion. Council Tim Carroll wondered why.

Council Sandra Tooley explained, “Citizens have come to me, and they have this thing they like to say, that we do not have enough staff, that we’re short on staff, that we’re not getting things done.”

See for yourself in this excerpt of Valdosta’s own facebook live video of the meeting. Continue reading →

Trash behind Family Dollar, Inner Perimeter, Valdosta, GA 2022-08-08

Bobby McKenzie wrote Monday, “I swear I’m not looking for these! I just pulled into Family Dollar by my house to get a drink….which I never do and it’s staring me in the face.

[Trash down ditch beside Family Dollar, Inner Perimeter]
Trash down ditch beside Family Dollar, Inner Perimeter

Bobby added, “Any meeting discussing ways to fix this problem MUST HAVE City Marshalls in it!”

Seems like that would be necessary, since City Marshals are supposed to enforce Valdosta’s ordinances, which include parking lot owners are supposed to have so many garbage cans per number of parking spaces, and are not supposed to let trash off their property.

This is Family Dollar #10742, at 3820 Inner Perimeter Road, Valdosta, GA 31602. That’s next just across Barack Obama Blvd. from the old Valdosta High School. That drainage ditch appears to go towards Northway Community Church, and seems to be uphill from a row of houses on Highland Heights Lane. This trash may wash down past Newbern Middle School. Continue reading →