Update 2023-12-22: Bad water quality, Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers 2023-12-21.

On the way back from a day in High Springs, Florida, and at springs on the Ichetucknee River, I collected water quality samples from three Withlacoochee River sites.

Three test sites, samples, and results, Withlacoochee River 2023-12-14

The sites are: Sullivan Launch at CR 150 in Madison County, Florida, State Line Boat Ramp at GA 31 in Lowndes County, Georgia, and Clyattville-Nankin Boat Ramp on the road of the same name, also in Lowndes County.

I had intended to test Knights Ferry Boat Ramp as well, but my bucket broke at Nankin, so that was it for that night.

Here is a video:
https://youtu.be/IR4PK7dR1JE

All three sites tested acceptably clean, as did all the other sites WWALS testers sampled last week on the Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and Suwannee Rivers.

For the rest of those results, see:
https://wwals.net/2023/12/15/three-clean-rivers-2023-12-14/

However, yesterday and today (Saturday and Sunday, 16 & 17 December 2023) we’ve had almost three inches of rain in the same areas I tested, and even more on the Santa Fe River.

We know what usually happens with that much rain: contamination washes into the waterways. We will know more when we get Valdosta’s results for Monday (tomorrow).

But if you want to avoid E. coli, best to stay off the rivers for a few days. Beside, today, it’s raining all day, and Tuesday be prepared for freezing temperatures.

Thanks to Joe Brownlee and Georgia Power for another generous grant for water quality testing equipment and materials.

You or your organization could also donate to the WWALS volunteer water quality testing program.

There are more images below.

 -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/

Sullivan Launch, Withlacoochee River 2023-12-14

 -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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