Linda Brock of Suwannee, Florida, down the Suwannee River at the Gulf of Mexico,
got trained in Georgia Adopt-A-Stream (AAS) testing,
both
biological (E. coli)
and
chemical (pH, Dissolved Oxygen, etc.).
Heather Brasell of Alapaha, Georgia, near Sheboggy Boat Ramp on the Alapaha River at US 82,
and
Janet Massengale of Valdosta, Georgia, on the Withlacoochee River,
got retrained, as is required once a year.
WWALS Water Quality Testing Trainer Gretchen Quarterman does this every so often,
as people sign up to get trained:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084
The Withlacoochee River tested clean for Wednesday and Thursday,
and the Alapaha River for Thursday.
Valdosta got high results for Franks Creek at Inner Perimeter,
upstream of Mud Swamp Creek, the Alapahoochee River, and the Alapaha River.
No new sewage spills were reported in the past week
in the Suwannee River Basin in
Georgia
or
Florida.
There was some rain Wednesday and Friday, but mostly far upstream,
so probably not much contamination washed into the river.
As always, we can merely report what test results we have.
Actual conditions may vary.
The weather prediction shows high chance of storms today through most of the week,
but mostly in the afternoon.
Only the lower Ichetucknee River and the New River (of the Santa Fe) at Lake Butler are in Action Stage, and nothing is in flood.
The Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers have come back up a bit.
So if you can avoid the rain, happy fishing, swimming, and boating this weekend.
This map was compiled by Waterkeepers Florida, which is an umbrella organization consisting of the fourteen Waterkeepers of Florida:
Apalachicola Waterkeeper, Calusa Waterkeeper, Collier County Waterkeeper, Emerald Coastkeeper, Kissimmee Waterkeeper, Lake Worth Waterkeeper, Matanzas Riverkeeper, Miami Waterkeeper, Peace Myakka Waterkeeper, St Johns Waterkeeper, St Marys Waterkeeper, Suncoast Waterkeeper, Suwannee Riverkeeper, and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper.
What’s the different between Waterkeeper, Riverkeeper, and Coastkeeper?
Nothing, really: all work for fishable, swimmable, drinkable water in their territories.
All are trademarks of Waterkeeper Alliance (WKA) and refer to an organization
and to a specific individual who is the spokeperson for the waterbody.
WKA is trying to standardize on Waterkeeper for all new ones.
We had to argue to get Suwannee Riverkeeper because all the ones surrounding us are Riverkeepers, and that’s the term people hereabouts know.
The WKFL Territories Map is actually a layer in a WKFL Disaster Map.
Other layers include Districts of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). Continue reading →
Update 2024-09-13:
Brack Barker got a Floyds Island camping permit for Sunday, November 10.
Since Monday, November 11, is a federal holiday, Veterans Day,
that should work.
Join us to paddle 9 miles upstream on the Suwannee River for primitive camping on Floyd’s Island in the Okefenokee Swamp.
You must RSVP on meetup to get a spot.
This is the farthest you can get from any road in Georgia,
with very dark sky.
You can camp inside the century-old Hebard Cabin, or in your tent or hammock outside.
Yes, you will see gators, and probably other wildlife.
When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end All Day, Sunday, November 10, 2024
Launch 9 AM, end 1 PM, Monday, November 11, 2024
Put In:Stephen C. Foster State Park Ramp, 17515 GA-177, Fargo, GA 31631. From Fargo, travel south on US 441 to CR 177; turn left and travel to Stephen C. Foster State Park in Charlton County.
Bill Berry, from Valdosta, Georgia, accompanied by Luke Smith,
played his song “The River”
and won Best Americana Song in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024.
Bill Berry wrote about himself,
“I’m 67, a native of Valdosta, a solo singer/ songwriter, and
play guitar. I’ve been playing and writing for about 45 years.”
Tomorrow (Thursday) at 6 PM at the Brooks County Courthouse is a Town Hall
for the county to hear from citizens about solar power.
According to a Brooks County Attorney,
“At this time there are no active applications for
solar in Brooks County. There is a moratorium on solar applications
until February of 2025 (unless extended).”
Which of course does not mean there are no applications ready to go in February 2025.
Jason Kemp sent two responses yesterday to our open records request for presentation materials for the town hall and any board packet materials for preceding solar proposals in Brooks County. Continue reading →
Update 2024-10-09:
Rescheduled due to impending Hurricane Milton.
New date: Thursday, November 21, 2024, from noon to 1 PM.
Larry Woodward, Deputy Refuge Manager, Okefenokee National Wildlife
Refuge, will give a WWALS Webinar on the Suwannee River’s Water,
Wildlife, and Wilderness, and the importance of the 3 National
Wildlife Refuges of the Suwannee.
WWALS Board President Sara Jay Jones will give a brief introduction, Larry Woodward
will speak for about 45 minutes, and we will have questions and answers. Continue reading →
Hahira, Georgia, September 9, 2024— the First Prize winner in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest is from Lake City, Florida, with Best from Inside the Suwannee River Basin from Adel, Georgia, and Best from Outside the Suwannee River Basin from Palatka, Florida.
Everyone listened to the two main speakers, the talks about WWALS,
and the headliner at the
WWALS River Revue.
More about all that later.
Then the three judges listened to the
five finalists
of the Seventh Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest,
and picked these winners.
The Winners, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, WWALS River Revue 2024-09-07
Center top: Rachel Grubb of Lake City, Florida, won
Best Americana Indie-Folk Song for “Cruising Down the Suwannee”
and First Prize, with $300.
Top left:
Sweet William Ennis from Palatka, Florida, won Best Blues Song for “Catfish Stew (Suwannee River Blues),” and Best Song from Outside the Suwannee River Basin, with $50.
Top right:
David Rodock from Adel, Georgia, won
Best Pop Country Folk Song for “Moonlight Echoes,” and Best Song from Inside the Suwannee River Basin, with $50.
Bottom left:
Robert Thatcher from Signal Mountain, Tennessee and Tom Brown from Dalton, Georgia, won
Best Folk / Americana / Bluegrass Song for “Roll On, Echo River.”
Bottom right:
Bill Berry from Valdosta, Georgia, won
Best Americana Song for “The River.”
![[Georgia Adopt-A-Stream, Water Quality Testing Training 2024-09-14, John W. Saunders Memorial Park, Valdosta, Georgia]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-14--aas-training-saunders-park-valdosta/fbmany.jpg)
![[Banks Lake Full Harvest Moon 2024-09-17, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, Georgia]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-17--banks-lake-full-harvest-moon/fbmany.jpg)
![[Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers, Bad Knights Creek at Inner Perimeter 2024-09-12]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-12--wq/many.jpg)
![[Waterkeepers Florida Territories Map plus FDEP Territories and Disaster Map]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-13--wkfl-map/many.jpg)
![[Floyds Island Campout, Okefenokee Swamp 2024-11-02-03, Suwannee River, Fargo, GA, Stephen C. Foster State Park]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-11-02--okefenokee-floyds-island-campout/fbmany.jpg)
![[Bill Berry, The River, Best Americana Song, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-07--bill-berry-the-river-best-americana-song/fbmany.jpg)
![[Solar in Brooks County, Town Hall 6 PM 2024-09-12, Brooks County Courthouse, 100 E. Screven St., Quitman, GA]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-12--brooks-county-solar/igmany.jpg)
![[Buy-now sale, Silent Auction, WWALS River Revue, Remaining items]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-10--silent-auction-sale/fbmany.jpg)
![[Rescheduled: Water, Wildlife, and Wilderness: The 3 National Wildlife Refuges of the Suwannee River, Larry Woodward, WWALS Webinar 2024-11-21]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-10-10--water-wildlife-wilderness-nwrs/fbmany.jpg)
![[The Winners, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, WWALS River Revue 2024-09-07]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-07--winners-suwannee-riverkeeper-songwriting-contest/fbmany.jpg)