Apparently clean rivers after rain 2024-04-04

Update 2024-04-12: Valdosta Huntley Drive FOG sewage spill 2024-04-09.

All the recent results we have are good for every river tested, although the results are somewhat sparse. Even tests on the Withlacoochee and Suwannee Rivers after the big rains were quite clean. Valdosta’s Wednesday Withlacoochee River results before the rains were also good.

High Springs, Florida, had a sewage spill, but it was small and probably had no effect on the Santa Fe river.

It’s sunny days for a week.

However, the rivers are mostly quite high and fast, around action stage or higher. Your best bet is probably the Suwannee River from White Springs to Suwannee Springs.

Or join us next week on Saturday for Withlacoochee River Earth Day Cleanup, Langdale Park Boat Ramp 2024-04-13.

Chart, Apparently Clean Rivers, Map 2024-04-04

Valdosta’s last week Wednesday results, which only showed up this week because of the holiday last Friday, were not good. However, their results for Wednesday this week are good.

As previously mentioned, Valdosta is sampling now only weekly, and only at GA 133 and US 84 on the Withlacoochee River.

Although Valdosta did report followup Knights Creek sampling for Tuesday, with good results upstream and down from its chronic collapsed sewer line location.

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

High Springs Sewage Spill

In a plot twist, No sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia in the past week, but one was reported in Florida.

Type of Notice: Initial Report
Date of Notice: 04/04/2024

Incident Information

Name of Incident: SSO 040424
State Watch Office Case Number:
Start of Incident: 04/03/2024 10:00
End of Incident: 04/03/2024 11:00
Incident Description: Boring crew in the area ran into 3″ HDPE line. Area was marked, crew was off the mark where they believed they were by several feet and hit the 3″
Wastewater Type: Untreated
Cause: Contractor
Spill Volume: 400
Volume Recovered: 0
Waterbodies Impacted: NA
Clean-up Status: In-progress
Clean-up Actions: Applied lime, Signs posted
Agencies Notified:

Incident Location

Facility/Installation Name: High Springs WWTF
Address Line 1: 23721 NW 178th Pl
Address Line 2:
Directions:
City: High Springs
State: FL
Zip Code: 32643
Coordinates (in decimal degrees):
Lat: 29.81872306795599, Long: -82.59593380356448
Impacted Counties: Alachua

Incident Reported By

Name: Richard Cason
Title: Waste Water Operator/Superintendent
Phone: (352) 258-2763
E-mail Address: rcason@highsprings.us

On-Site Contact

Name: Richard Cason
Phone: (352) 258-2763
E-mail Address: rcason@highsprings.us

Russ Tatum sampled Thursday (yesterday) at two Florida Withlacoochee River sites. He wrote, “Surprisingly good results. Water is the highest it’s been in a while but still well within the banks and looks to be cresting. It’s light tannic in color, somewhat clear and swift.

“At Holly Point: 0 + 1 + 0 = 1 / 3 = .33 * 100 = 33 cfu/100 mL

“At Allen Ramp: 0 + 0 + 1 = 1 / 3 = .33 * 100 = 33 cfu/100 mL”

Also Thursday, Reina Lingle sampled two Florida Suwannee River site. For Ivey Memorial Park in Branford, she got 0 + 0 + 0 = ( 0 / 3 ) * 100 = 0 cfu/100 mL

She remarked, “Flooded Branford Springs photos included along with regular boat launch and dock photos.”

For Royal Springs she got 0 + 1 + 0 = ( 1 / 3 ) x 100 = 33 cfu/100 mL. She wrote, “Clean water on the Suwannee River. Springs (Royal and Branford) at both testing locations are browned out. Photos included to show the flooded springs in their respective folders.”

I (jsq) sampled at Troupville Boat Ramp Wednesday, and got 1+1+2 = 4 * 100 / 3 = 133 cfu/100 mL.

I wrote, “The water was high and fast at Troupville Boat Ramp, 14.59′ (147.39′ NAVD88), half a foot below Action Stage, on the Folsom Bridge (GA 122) Little River Gauge. Going down, though, which was surprising after the rains earlier in the day. They had slacked off by noon-thirty when Chuck Roberts announced the winner of the Eddyline Kayak raffle.”

New WWALS tester Mark Coppage sampled at State Line Boat Ramp at GA 31 on the Withlacoochee River on Sunday and Monday, and got good results each time.

Also on Monday, new tester Gee Edwards at 5PM sampled two sites. For Knights Creek at Howell Road, he got 1+0+3 = 4 * 100 / 3 for 133 cfu/100 mL. He noted, “ outside temperature was 26.6, ph was 6, conductivity was 75.9, water temp was 19 celsius, dissolved O2 was 5.”

For Mud Swamp Creek @ Johnson Road he got 2+0+3 = 5 * 100 / 3 for 166 cfu/100 mL. He noted, “At Mud Creek it was a ph of 5.5, H2O temp of 19.75, 78.6 conductivity, and 5.9 dissolved O2.”

WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall reviewed all the results. She also sampled Friday last week at Sullivan Launch on the Withlacoochee River (first public access downstream from the GA-FL line) and got good results, 2+0+1 for 100 cfu/100 mL. “Beautiful day. High water. This is the only registered site I passed that day. Sadly, a freezer [empty] and cooler had been dumped at entrance.”

WWALS Testing Trainer Gretchen Quarterman shuffled test kits to new testers. We hope more of them will test soon.

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 Sheboggy Boat Ramp highlighted towards the top.

Map: Ivey Memmorial Boat Ramp, Branford, FL, Suwannee River 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/

Plates, Sullivan Launch 2024-03-30

-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.

High Springs Sewage Spill

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