Clean rivers and creek 2024-03-07 | WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

Update 2024-03-15: Clean rivers 2024-03-13.

We got good results for Wednesday for the Santa Fe and Withlacoochee Rivers and Franks Creek, and for Thursday for the Alapaha River.

Valdosta’s recent upstream Withlacoochee River results through Monday are good. However, Valdosta got very bad downstream Knights Creek results for Wednesday after significant rain Tuesday. Is this an unreported sewage spill upstream from the Alapahoochee and Alapaha Rivers? And why can Valdosta get its Knights Creek followup testing results for Wednesday on its own website by Saturday, but not its Withlacoochee River test results?

Rain is predicted for Saturday, and maybe thunderstorms.

The rivers are down to good paddling levels, and it’s not cold. So watch the weather, bring rain gear, and happy paddling, fishing, and maybe swimming this weekend.

Or join us tomorrow and Sunday at Drexel Park in Valdosta for the Azalea Festival, on One Mile Branch, upstream from Sugar Creek and the Withlacoochee River.

Chart, Rivers and creek, Map 2024-03-06

No sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia.

However, on Wednesday, March 6, GA-EPD reported that Rochelle spilled 10,000 gallons of raw sewage on Monday, February 12, due to “Wet weather” from “Sook Road manhole.”

Rochelle 10,000 gallon sewage spill 2024-02-12

The waterway is given as “none” and the river basin is blank in the report. Actually, Sook Road is on a ditch that runs into Reynolds Creek into Mill Creek into the Alapaha River. It’s mysterious why this spill took more than four weeks to show up, and why the report has so little information. Even more mysterious is that it does not appear in later Sewage Spills Reports. I have asked GA-EPD about this.

Chart: Clean rivers and creek 2024-03-07
For context and the entire WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing

As previously noted, Valdosta’s last downstream tests were September 1, 2023. It’s not clear why they can’t resume that, what with their new water quality lab.

Kimberly Godden Tanner got Thursday results for the Alapaha River: 1+1+1=3/3=1×100= 100 cfu/100 mL at Lakeland Boat Ramp @ GA 122, and 0+0+3=3/3=1×100= 100 cfu/100 mL at Naylor Park Beach @ US 84.

Debbie Smith reported OK results for Franks Creek for Wednesday at the GA 122 bridge just west of Hahira: 2+2+7 = 11 for 367 cfu/100 mL, “Increased rain on the day before sampling.”

Russ Tatum reported Wednesday results for two Withlacoochee River Florida sites, “Good results. Water is at normal level, light tannic in color and pretty clear.” At Holly Point: 0 + 0 + 0 = 0 / 3 = .0 * 100 = 0 cfu/100 Ml. At Allen Ramp: 1 + 1 + 1 = 3 / 3 = 1.0 * 100 = 100 cfu/100 Ml.

Joanne Tremblay reported for the Santa Fe River at a new site, William Guy Lemmons Memorial Park Ramp @ US 129, near the Confluence with the Suwannee River, “The water is still high here though edging down.” 2+1+1 for 133 cfu/100 mL.

Joanne also reported Wednesday results for TREPO Point Park on the Ichetucknee River, “The water is finally creeping down. The ecoli number here are higher than normal.” 5+3+2=10/3=3.33*100=333 cfu/100 Ml.

WWALS Testing Trainer Gretchen Quarterman delivered supplies to some testers.

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

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

Here’s a map with Franks Creek highlighted towards top left.

Map: Clean Franks Creek and Withlacoochee, Alapaha, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers 2024-02-14
in the WWALS map of all public landings in the Suwannee River Basin

That’s a little hard to spot, so here’s a map highlighting the GA 122 bridge on Franks Creek.

Map: Franks Creek in the WWALS map of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT).

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/

-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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