For the first time in years, there is no WWALS weekly water quality report this week.

Rivers in flood, deadfall on power lines on road

We did not sample yesterday, because:

• After Hurricane Idalia, many roads are still obstructed by downed trees and power lines.
• The Withlacoochee River was in flood, and the Alapaha is heading up there.

For the above reasons, we would not recommend fishing, swimming, or boating this weekend on the Withlacoochee or Alapaha Rivers. The Little River is not in flood, but it’s pretty high and fast. On all three rivers, in addition to the usual flood issues, there are likely to be new deadfalls.

The Santa Fe, Ichetucknee, and Suwannee Rivers were much less affected, so if you want to go out this weekend, please go there.

The only sewage spill so far reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida is 8,400 gallons of sewage into Dukes Bay Canal, Valdosta, GA, due to unknown obstruction 2023-08-28.

This scene is repeated across much of the Suwannee River Basin:

Deadfall on power lines on road

The Skipper Bridge gauge is currently at 132.22 NAVD88. The WWALS recommendation is Highest safe 10.7 feet, 131 NAVD. Lowest boatable 2.3 feet, 122.6 NAVD.

Skipper Bridge Withlacoochee River Gauge

The Statenville gauge is currently at 87.68 NAV88. The WWALS recommendation is Highest safe 10.0 feet, 86.1 NAVD. Lowest boatable 2.0 feet, 78.1 NAVD.

Statenville Alapaha River Gauge

For more about the WWALS volunteer water quality testing program, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing

 -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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