Daily Archives: September 29, 2023

Mostly Clean Rivers 2023-09-28

Update 2023-09-30: Clean Alapaha River 2023-09-28.

The only place on the Withlacoochee River that tested bad for Thursday was the most stagnant location: Langdale Park Boat Ramp.

There was significant E. coli in the other locations, as well as in the Alapaha Little River at Troupville Boat Ramp, but none of the others were above the 410 cfu/100 mL one-time test limit.

There was rain Tuesday, but effects of that seem to have been mostly gone by Thursday.

So I’d avoid Langdale Park, which you can’t drive into anyway.

Other than that, happy boating, swimming, and fishing this weekend.

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-09-28]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-09-28

If you want to get trained to be a WWALS water quality tester, please fill out the form:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084

The most recent Valdosta results we have are for Monday upstream (good) and the Friday four weeks ago, September 1st, downstream (not bad).

No new sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida in the past two weeks.

Thanks to Kimberly Tanner for testing the Alapaha River last week at Lakeland Boat Ramp and Naylor Park Beach: both showed zero E. coli. Can’t get better than that. Continue reading →

Langdale Park open for walk-ins, Withlacoochee River, Lowndes County, GA 2023-09-28

Update 2023-10-11: Entrance cleared to Langdale Park Boat Ramp 2023-10-10.

Update 2023-09-29: Mostly Clean Rivers 2023-09-28.

It seemed like a good idea at the time. Yesterday I thought it would be faster and easier to collect a water quality sample at Langdale Park, rather than drive through the high grass on the way below the U.S. 41 bridge, or to walk on busy US 41 to throw a bucket into the Withlacoochee River.

I briefly forgot Hurricane Idalia had been here. Not surprisingly, clearing deadfalls in a park has not been high priority.

[Deadfalls on Langdale Park entrance road and Withlacoochee River 2023-09-28]
Deadfalls on Langdale Park entrance road and Withlacoochee River 2023-09-28

I have reconstructed the right rear bumper of my Prius. But I recommend doing what the next pair of visitors did: stop before the first entrance road deadfall and walk in.

Langdale Park Boat Ramp is at 3781 N. Valdosta Rd., Valdosta, GA 31602, in Lowndes County.

And before you ask, the cleared area along the entrance road as you go in was never part of the park. It is privately owned and is being prepared for a subdivision. Continue reading →