Update 2023-07-29: Sewage spill sign at Sugar Creek below the Salty Snapper.

Thanks to Russell Allen McBride for leading the rerouted on-land Sugar Creek and mostly Withlacoochee River cleanup. Children and experienced adults teamed up to get the job done. We found only one big trash jam and we cleaned that one up.

Phil Hubbard came with boat and chainsaws ready to do a chainsaw cleanup, but due to the reroute there was no chainsawing.

We thanked Valdosta Assistant Utilities Director Jason Barnes for alerting us to the sewage spill contamination in Sugar Creek that caused us to reroute from a cleanup paddle to an on-land cleanup. He arrived before we left, so we thanked him again in person.

Before, WaterGoat, Trashjam, Level log, after, Sugar Creek, Withlacoochee River 2023-07-22

Yes, Vivian, there could be alligators.

Movie: Safety lecture and alligators –Russell Allen McBride, (164M) 30.8616259, -83.3189170

We also thanked Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson for coming on down and cleaning up. He agreed that a few more WaterGoats would be good, especially on Three Mile Branch at Country Club Drive and on the Withlacoochee River in Langdale Park. And that parking lots are the bane of clean waterways, plus with Valdosta City Marshalls now fully staffed they can get more parking lot owners to follow city ordinances and keep trash from escaping including through strategically-placed trash cans.

Don’t know what happened to Valdosta City Council Andy Gibbs.

The individual who makes all those TikTok videos about trash said he’d found a twelfth fire extinguisher. I think he’s Bobby McKenzie, but some say he’s from China.

Movie: The 12th fire extinguisher –Bobby McKenzie, (73M) 30.8616259, -83.3189170

WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman reminded us of the WWALS River Revue fundraising dinner with speakers, silent auction, kayak raffle, and the finals of the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.

WWALS River Revue –WWALS E.D. Gretchen Quarterman, 30.8616259, -83.3189170

The Mayor attests that we collected only a third as much trash as on the same stretch a year ago.

Russell says he will get Valdosta Stormwater Division to come collect the trash from down by the railroad trestle.

Trash collected, 10:37:38, 30.8628528, -83.3213296

Last year:

Russell McBride, Mayor Scott James, Council Andy Gibbs, Rob Rickert, Jesse Cole, 2022-05-07, 30.8629943, -83.3214285

Elleanor Williams, Gretchen Quarterman, Hazel Williams, Russell McBride, Rob Rickert, Phil Hubbard, Mayor Scott James, Jesse Cole, Council Andy Gibbs, 2023-05-07, 30.8617554, -83.3186387

There are more pictures below. Videos will follow.

For more about the trash situation, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/trash

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

RMB

Russell McBride ready to go, 08:51:50, 30.8616259, -83.3189170

SL

Movie: Safety lecture and alligators –Russell Allen McBride, (164M) 30.8616259, -83.3189170

FE12

Movie: The 12th fire extinguisher –Bobby McKenzie, (73M) 30.8616259, -83.3189170

Banner before

Movie: Thanks to Jason Barnes for alerting us to contamination in Sugar Creek, but no warning sign here, (104M) 30.8616259, -83.3189170

WGN

Movie: Watergoats needed, Three Mile Branch and Langdale Park –Mayor Scott James Matheson, (278M) 30.8616259, -83.3189170

WRR

Movie: WWALS gala 2023-09-22 –WWALS E.D. Gretchen Quarterman, (192M) 30.8616259, -83.3189170

WG

Down to the watergoat, 09:21:21, 30.8624173, -83.3186694

SiW

Something in the woods, 09:31:14, 30.8625123, -83.3203583

MSG

Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson, 09:36:55, 30.8630834, -83.3215773

NSRR

Eliza and Bobby McKenzie and Mayor Scott James Matheson, Norfolk Southern RR Bridge, Withlacoochee River, 09:37:52, 30.8630917, -83.3216074

VC

A variety of cleanupers, 09:38:02, 30.8630917, -83.3216074

HI

Movie: Huge improvement from last year –Mayor Scott James Matheson, 09:40:26, (77M) 30.8632794, -83.3213887

WR

Withlacoochee River –Gretchen Quarterman

WLIL

Movie: Water level indicator log –Russell Allen McBride, (53M) 30.8632794, -83.3213887

CPNtWR

Movie: A child playing near the Withlacoochee River, (25M) 30.8632794, -83.3213887

EPL

Elleanor Phillips leaping into action –Gretchen Quarterman

SJjsqPR

Scott James, jsq, Phil Royce –Gretchen Quarterman

TJ

Movie: Remaining trashjam, (3.5M) 30.8632794, -83.3213887

RPL

Elleanor Phillips on the log –Gretchen Quarterman

BM

Bobby McKenzie surveying the trash –Gretchen Quarterman

WRT

Nice river. Shame it gets trashed, 09:59:54, 30.8639123, -83.3210343

SCC

Sugar Creek Confluence with Withlacoochee River, 09:59:56, 30.8639123, -83.3210343

TTJ

Hooters, 10:01:22, 30.8639028, -83.3210494

FP

Fencepost with insulators, 10:07:14, 30.8639169, -83.3211933

OtTJ

On the trashjam, 10:15:16, 30.8637593, -83.3209051

CO

Cook Out, 10:15:20, 30.8637785, -83.3209180

PRP

Phil Royce walking the log, 10:15:30, 30.8638342, -83.3210049

ZD

Zacadoos, 10:16:05, 30.8638549, -83.3210216

WGPLTC

Movie: Watergoats, parking lots, trash cans, and a proclamation –Mayor Scott James Matheson, 10:16:13, (288M) 30.8638549, -83.3210216

TT

Trash toss: Russell McBride to Scott James, (121M) 30.8638549, -83.3210216

PRWtL

Phil Royce returning on the log, 10:31:04

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

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