Monthly Archives: November 2022

GAGives and WWALS –VDT 2022-11-23

Brittanye Blake, Valdosta Daily Times, November 23, 2022, GAgives reaches out to S.Ga nonprofits,

[Advocacy, donations, music --Gretchen Quarterman, WWALS E.D. @ Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2022]
Advocacy, donations, music –Gretchen Quarterman, WWALS E.D. @ Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2022

They quoted WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman, “ We have a lot to be thankful for in our area with these rivers and growing community of people to realize their value so we are hoping that the community to share their resources to help support us. We are grateful for everyone who supports us because $10 a month or more to a nonprofit truly goes a long way.”

You can donate here all month, not just Tuesday:
https://www.gagives.org/story/6xgv8g

Also, facebook offers, “Become a recurring donor and Meta will match your donation up to $100 dollars.”
https://www.facebook.com/donate/832066994758500/832067008091832/

VALDOSTA — Georgia Center for Nonprofits hosts the 11th year of GAgives on GivingTuesday to provide nonprofits a platform for donations.

Continue reading →

Videos: Dirty Bird and the Flu @ Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2022-08-20

The second headliner at the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2022 was Dirty Bird and the Flu, with a surprise guest appearance by Free Range Strange.

[Rattle that Cage -Dirty Bird and the Flu]

Here’s a WWALS video playlist:


Videos: Dirty Bird and the Flu @ Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2022-08-20
https://wwals.net/pictures/songwriting2022

Thanks for playing, Flu!

And here are links to each video segment, mostly corresponding to songs: Continue reading →

Geology in …the Real Florida ℠ – Big Shoals State Park –FGS 2022-11-17

WWALS Science Committee Chair Dr. Tom Potter found in the November 2022 issue of FGS News and Research this article: Geology in …the Real Florida ℠ – Big Shoals State Park

[Upstream and Downstream, Big Shoals, Suwannee River, FGS]
Upstream and Downstream, Big Shoals, Suwannee River, FGS

Over a length of nearly 600 feet, the Suwannee River loses 10 feet of elevation. That’s 1 foot down for every 60 linear feet as one travels downriver. Though this may not sound like much, Continue reading →

Videos: Best Folk for Suwannee River Nights by Kyle Chamberlain @ Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2022-08-20

See Kyle “Bird” Chamberlain of Lake Park, Georgia, winning the Best Folk Song plaque for his song “Suwannee River and Me.”

[Suwannee River and Me --Kyle Chamberlain]
Suwannee River and Me –Kyle Chamberlain

Here’s a WWALS video playlist: Continue reading →

Right to Clean Water policy by Georgia Water Coalition 2022-11-09

At its annual Fall meeting, the Georgia Water Coalition members unanimously adopted this Right to Clean Water (RTCW) policy:

Georgia should adopt a constitutional amendment to the state Bill of Rights establishing that each person has an inherent and inalienable constitutional right to clean and healthy air, soil, and surface and underground water, to support substantial interests, including human health, safety and welfare, native fish and wildlife, conservation of natural resources, outdoor recreation, and aesthetic values throughout the State.

[Georgia RTCW Logo]
Georgia RTCW Logo

This new policy will be visible online among some other new ones when the 2023 GWC Report appears among the earlier policy documents.

What does this mean? Continue reading →

Trash cans at Freedom Park 2022-11-21

Bobby McKenzie reported yesterday, “I’m at Freedom Park and what is new? I count 11 trash receptacles strategical placed in the baseball parking lot….guess what in them..😆 trash”

[Trash cans at Freedom Park 2022-11-21]
Trash cans at Freedom Park 2022-11-21

Imagine that: trash cans in a parking lot, like Valdosta city ordinances require.

And people do use them. Continue reading →

Clean rivers 2022-11-17

Update 2022-12-09: Almost clean rivers 2022-12-08.

All test results good, no rain, no sewage spill reports: happy fishing, swimming, and boating this weekend!

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide

I hate to be right, but when I warned last Friday that the rain the day before would probably wash contamination into the creeks and rivers, Valdosta’s testing that Friday caught the contamination. US 41, GA 133, and even US 84 showed far too much E. coli, with Fecal coliform at US 41 and GA 133 ten times the E. coli. Knights Ferry also showed E. coli higher than the one-time test limit.

By the time WWALS tested Sunday, most of that had already washed downstream or gotten diluted. We did still see high results at Franklinville and Langdale Park on the Withlacoochee River, and at several creek locations. Continue reading →

Pictures: Banks Lake Full Frost Moon paddle 2022-11-08

Lindsey Williams says, “Nice evening out on Banks Lake. It was just 4 of us but we have a great time.”

[Sunset, Boaters, Moonrise 2022-11-08]
Sunset, Boaters, Moonrise 2022-11-08

Thanks to Lindsey Williams for leading this one at the last minute, the Banks Lake Full Frost Moon Paddle, 2022-11-08. There was confusion about who was going to lead it, and being on a Tuesday and starting before most people were off from work, not many people showed up.

The next one is also mid-week and early, but maybe more people will come: Banks Lake Full Cold Moon Paddle, 2022-12-07.

Below are pictures of the November paddle from Lindsey’s facebook photoset.

For more WWALS outings and events, see: Continue reading →

WWALS #GAGives 2022

Celebrating 10 years of advocacy in the Suwannee Basin. Help WWALS to continue working for clean water.

[WWALS #GAGives 2022]

Incorporated in June 8, 2012, WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. (WWALS) is ten years old. Since December 2016, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER® is a project and staff position at WWALS as the Member of Waterkeeper Alliance® for the 10,000 square miles of the Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia.

You can donate here, all month, not just Tuesday:
https://www.gagives.org/story/6xgv8g

See https://wwals.net/ for some WWALS projects, including stopping sewage spills, water trails, water quality testing, stopping titanium and phosphate mines, Right to Clean Water, opposing fracking, natural gas pipelines, and LNG, promoting solar power, and examining corporate agriculture.

For some WWALS accomplishments, see:
https://wwals.net/about/wwals-accomplishments/

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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

Alapaha River Cleanup, Sasser Landing and Statenville Boat Ramp, 2023-01-07

On-land cleanup in Georgia and Florida on the Alapaha River. You can bring a boat if you want to, so you can clean up on the river near the ramps.

These locations are on both sides of the GA-FL line on the https://wwals.net/maps/alapaha-water-trail/.

When: 9 AM – noon, Saturday, January 7, 2023

First Site: Statenville Boat Ramp, 206 GA 94 West, Statenville, GA 31648, right bank, west of river, north of highway bridge, in Echols County, Georgia.

GPS: 30.704437, -83.03468

Second Site: Sasser Landing, From Jennings, Hamilton County, FL, travel east on CR 150; cross the Alapaha River; turn left onto NW 72 Court and follow to river, in Hamilton County, Florida.

GPS2: 30.599562, -83.069828

Bring: Cleanup materials will be provided, but if you’ve got a trash picker, bring it along.

Free: This outing is free to everyone!

We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations

[Statenville and Sasser, 2019-07-06]
Statenville and Sasser, 2019-07-06

Continue reading →