Three Clean Rivers 2024-01-04

Update 2024-01-13: Valdosta sewage spill, Three Mile Branch, Withlacoochee River 2024-01-10.

We got excellent results for eleven sites on three rivers for Thursday: Alapaha, Withlacoochee, and Santa Fe. Valdosta’s Wednesday results on the Withlacoochee River in Georgia concurred. Even Valdosta’s weekly test results on Knights Creek concurred.

However, there was almost an inch of rain upstream this Saturday morning, so that may have washed E. coli into the rivers, but probably not a lot.

More rain is predicted starting tomorrow. Meanwhile, the rivers are back down to reasonable levels. So if you don’t mind being chilly, happy fishing, swimming, and boating this weekend, and once again Happy New Year!

Please join us on zoom this Thursday as Fannie Gibbs kicks off the new WWALS Webinar series.

Please join us in two weeks for a Sunday Langdale Park to Sugar Creek Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2024-01-21.

Chart, Rivers, Map 2024-01-04

In the last week, no pollution spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida.

And no new ones in Georgia. But GA-EPD corrected the December 11 Valdosta major spill location on December 28 to 1850 E Park Ave. That’s better, since that is where the problem sewer line is. I still don’t know why latlong GPS coordinates cannot also be included. Florida requires them for every report.

On January 2, GA-EPD corrected the December 17 Quitman wastewater plant lift station spill to Quitman instead of DeKalb County.

Thanks, GA-EPD, for the corrections, after Suwannee Riverkeeper asked you to look into it.

Chart: Clean Rivers 2024-01-04
For context and the entire WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing

Heather Brasell got OK results at the City of Alapaha WWTP Outflow and on the Alapaha River just upstream from Sheboggy Boat Ramp.

Kimberly Godden Tanner got excellent results on the Alapaha River at Lakeland Boat Ramp (plus a rainbow) and at Naylor Park Beach.

John S. Quarterman got very good results on the Withlacoochee River at Hagan Bridge (GA 122), Langdale Park (North Valdosta Road), and Knights Ferry, Nankin, and State Line Boat Ramps. That zero at Knights Ferry may be a first ever.

Joanne Tremblay tested two sites on the Santa Fe River. At the US 27 Ramp, she wrote, “This week we have low ecoli with 0+1+0 = 1/3=33.3 CFU’s per 100 at the 27 bridge. Great numbers.”

About a new site, Eddins Ramp, she wrote “This is a beautiful little pocket ‘park’ bordering Ginnie Springs Recreational Complex. Its a great place to put in if you want to avoid the insanity of people partying at Ginnie. There is a tight turn around area, and a rough muddy landing. There is no trash recepticals. There were a couple of bonfire spots. The water is clean with 1+0+0= 33 CFU/100 Consistant with the 27 bridge reading upriver.”

WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall reviewed all the results, as did Cindy Vedas.

For once, WWALS Testing Trainer Gretchen Quarterman was off duty on vacation, as was Russ Tatum.

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

As previously noted, Valdosta’s last downstream tests were September 1, 2023.

All the WWALS “beaches” for which we have recent data are green on the map.

For those who may be wondering how the two Santa Fe River test sites relate to the Withlacoochee and Alapaha test sites, here’s a map with Eddins Ramp on the Santa Fe River highlighted towards center bottom. Sheboggy Boat Ramp on the Alapaha River is the northernmost public landing shown on the map.

Map: Clean Rivers 2024-01-04 in the WWALS map of the Suwannee River Basin

Here’s a live Swim Guide Map.

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/

Plates, Lakeland Boat Ramp 2024-01-04

Hagan Bridge Landing upstream, Withlacoochee River @ GA 122 2024-01-04

-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/

Short Link:

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

A healthy watershed with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable water.

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