Update 2024-02-09: Three clean rivers 2024-02-07.

We got good results for Wednesday the Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers. Valdosta’s Wednesday upstream Withlacoochee River results concur.

There is prediction of rain on Sunday, but you can get on the water before then.

So happy fishing, paddling, and swimming this weekend.

Or join us today (Saturday) for Finish: Langdale Park to Sugar Creek Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, 2024-02-03.

Chart, Clean Rivers, Map 2024-02-01

Sewage Spills

For once, there were more spills in Florida than in Georgia, although not all were sewage.

One sewage spill was reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia for last Friday, from Quitman. It first appeared in the Monday, January 29, 2024, GA-EPD Sewage Spills Report, with little detail.

Quitman spill, 2,500 gallons, Brooks County High School into Okapilco Creek

It was updated Wednesday to say it was 2,500 gallons of raw sewage due to debris in the collection system, into a drainage ditch that goes to Okapilco Creek (which of course flows into the Withlacoochee River upstream of Knights Ferry Boat Ramp). The address given is “1801 Moultrie Hwy, Quitman”. That’s the address of Brooks County High School. This was probably too little sewage to have much effect on Okapilco Creek, much less the Withlacoochee River. Although we don’t know, because, as previously noted, Valdosta’s last downstream tests were September 1, 2023.

In Florida, two spills were reported in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Pollution Reports. As noted last week, Lake Butler reported a spill on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at its airport, which apparently wasn’t enough to get into any waterway, much less the New River of the Santa Fe.

Map: Spill from Chemours Trail Ridge South Mine in the WWALS map of the Suwannee River Water Trail (SRWT)

Plus on Tuesday and Wednesday, January 30 and 31, 2024, the Chemours Trail Ridge South titanium dioxide mine spilled an unknown amount of “Stormwater/Process Water” into a pond owned by North Florida Land Trust that drains through Prevatt Creek and Alligator Creek into Lake Rowell, Lake Sampson, the Sampson River, and the Santa Fe River. See separate report:
https://wwals.net/?p=64066

Chart: Clean Rivers 2024-02-01
For context and the entire WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing

Janet Martin tested Mud Swamp Creek at Vann Road for Wednesday, but there was a problem with her control plate, so we can’t use the results. That’s upstream from the Alapahoochee and Alapaha River.

Russ Tatum reports, “ALL CLEAN!” at Holly Point for Wednesday on the Withlacoochee River.

Joanne Tremblay reports for the Santa Fe River on Wednesday at US 27 (River Rise Ramp) and Eddins Ramp, “Looking clean; water level is dropping.”

She also sampled at the sinkhole in O’Leno State Park on Thursday, where she got conductivity 87.5, pH 7.5, DO 6. She did not sample for E. coli.

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

The next training is Saturday, February 10, 2024, mostly by zoom, plus in-person practicum.

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

Here’s a map with O’Leno Sink highlighted towards the center.

Map: Clean Rivers 2024-02-01
in the WWALS map of all public landings in 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/

HP

Plates, Holly Point 2024-02-01

oleno

O’Leno Sink, Santa Fe River @ O’Leno Park Road 2024-02-01

sf27

US 27 Ramp, Santa Fe River @ US 27 2024-02-01

SFEddins

Eddins Ramp, Santa Fe River @ NE 70th Street 2024-01-31

VRMSC

Vann Road, Mud Swamp Creek 2024-01-31

 -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: