Daily Archives: May 1, 2024

Video: Chainsaw Cleanups –Phil Hubbard, WWALS Webinar 2024-04-11

Phil Hubbard, longtime WWALS paddle outings leader, on March 11, 2024, told us why he started a series of chainsaw cleanups two years ago.

He and his son paddled down the Withlacoochee River and encountered more than 20 deadfalls they had to portage. That was Father’s Day, June 19, 2016. He didn’t even know Langdale Park existed before then. They got to Troupville Boat Ramp on the Little River after dark. He joined WWALS to find a way to deal with the deadfalls.

[Video: Chainsaw Outings, --Phil Hubbard, WWALS Webinar, 2024-04-11]
Video: Chainsaw Outings, –Phil Hubbard, WWALS Webinar, 2024-04-11

We have done 21 chainsaw cleanups on the Withlacoochee River, including during the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle this year. Phil thinks with a few more at low water, it will be good. The stretch from Langdale Park down past Sugar Creek, around the Little River Confluence and up to Troupville Boat Ramp will be a nice paddle that anybody can do.

Here is the zoom video of this WWALS Webinar about Chainsaw Cleanups by Phil Hubbard:
https://youtu.be/DhjtzsBncOw?si=0zgQX6L04vllB7jV

WWALS also did two chainsaw cleanups on the Suwannee River and one on the Little River. Here are all the ones we can remember: Continue reading →

Sponsors, WWALS River Revue

Hahira, Georgia, May 1, 2024 — WWALS thanks our sponsors for the WWALS River Revue fundraising dinner, including the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest: Wild Green Future, Georgia Power, and Brooksco Dairy.

WWALS President Sara Jay Jones said, “We thank all our sponsors so far, and we look forward to many more! Many people and businesses will be hearing from me and others in the near future.”

[WWALS River Revue sponsors so far]

Our first Stream $1,000 sponsor is Brooksco Dairy, back again from last year.

Our first Big Shoals $5,000 sponsor is Georgia Power, which contributed $1,000 to keep tickets free to the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle, and which has granted funds to the WWALS water quality testing program for four years running.

Our first Headwaters $10,000 sponsor is Wild Green Future, who contacted us from Live Oak, Florida, and whose grant paid for an 86lb thrust trolling motor, two Lithium-iron-phosphate 100Ah batteries, a 9.9hp Mercury outboard, and a 25hp Yamaha outboard, as well as a Husqvarna 24-inch chainsaw, and some related equipment. We have used all these things on recent chainsaw cleanups to remove deadfalls from the Withlacoochee River, and with the WWALS jon boat as a safety vessel for the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle.

M.C. Chuck Roberts said, “I invite everyone to join us for the WWALS River Revue, at the Turner Center for the Arts in Valdosta, 5-8 PM, Saturday, September 7, 2024. It’s an indoor fundraising dinner to benefit WWALS Watershed Coalition, with an evening of food, drink, and entertainment.”

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman said, Continue reading →