Clean Withlacoochee River 2024-10-18

Update 2024-10-26: Clean Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers 2024-10-24.

WWALS testers Cindy Vedas and Gretchen Quarterman also got clean results at three more Withlacoochee River sites, in Georgia and Florida.

That matches the other results for last week, for the Withlacoochee, Little, and Alapaha Rivers (with Franks Creek as the outlier).

The weather prediction is still sunny and cool.

The water levels are back down to normal, except for the upper and lower Santa Fe River, and the lower Suwannee River.

However, many parks and put-ins remain closed after Hurricane Helene.

So if you can find an accessible stretch, happy paddling, motoring, swimming, and fishing.

[Clean Withlacoochee River 2024-10-17, 2024-10-16 Also Little and Alapaha Rivers]
Clean Withlacoochee River 2024-10-17, 2024-10-16 Also Little and Alapaha Rivers

Cindy Vedas sampled Thursday at Staten Road on the Withlacoochee River, and got 0+1+2 /3×100 = 100 cfu / 100 mL. She reported, “River is going down daily. Only sampled at Staten Rd. Langdale park is closed and no partner for Franklinville.”

Gretchen Quarterman sampled Friday at two Withlacoochee River locations, and got zero at both. For Allen Ramp, she noted, “Right down at the “loop” there was a road closed sign. The water was not high, but clearly had been. The water was very clean.

For State Line Boat Ramp (aka Mozell Spells), she noted, “Also very clean. Water was a lovely level.”

[Chart: Clean Withlacoochee River 2024-10-18]
Chart: Clean Withlacoochee River 2024-10-18
For context, see: https://wwals.net/issues/testing

The numbers in the chart boxes indicate E. coli levels as colony-forming units per 100 mililiters (cfu/100 mL), according to Georgia Adopt-A-Stream bacterial monitoring protocols:
Zero (0) is what we want to see, and often we do, on the Alapaha and upstream on the Suwannee Rivers.
From 1-125 is within long-term average limits according to U.S. EPA and Georgia and Florida state agencies.
From 126-409 long-term is not good, and is likely to make some people sick.
From 410-999 is likely to make some people sick; try not to get that water on you.
From 1,000 and up: high alert; best not to get close to that water without gloves; wash clothes afterward.

The letters before the numbers indicate the source of the datapoint, as in W100 means 100 cfu/100 mL found by a WWALS tester.

W: WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. (WWALS), Suwannee Riverkeeper
V: Valdosta, GA
L: Lowndes County, GA
Q: Quitman, GA
SGRC: Southern Georgia Regional Commission
SRWMD: Suwannee River Water Management District
FDOH: Florida Department of Health
FDEP: Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Rain: From USGS and UGA and other gauges.

Water quality testing training and funding

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

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/

staten

[Withlacoochee River @ Staten Road 2024-10-17]
Withlacoochee River @ Staten Road 2024-10-17

[Other, Withlacoochee River @ Staten Road 2024-10-17]
Other, Withlacoochee River @ Staten Road 2024-10-17

[Plates, Staten Road, Withlacoochee River 2024-10-17]
Plates, Staten Road, Withlacoochee River 2024-10-17

SLBR

[State Line Boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River @ Madison Highway 2024-10-18]
State Line Boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River @ Madison Highway 2024-10-18

[Bridge, State Line Boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River @ Madison Highway 2024-10-18]
Bridge, State Line Boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River @ Madison Highway 2024-10-18

[Seepage, State Line Boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River @ Madison Highway 2024-10-18]
Seepage, State Line Boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River @ Madison Highway 2024-10-18

[Plates, State Line Boat Ramp 2024-10-18]
Plates, State Line Boat Ramp 2024-10-18

Allen

[Allen Ramp, Withlacoochee River @ 2726 SW 64th Way Jasper, FL 32052 2024-10-18]
Allen Ramp, Withlacoochee River @ 2726 SW 64th Way Jasper, FL 32052 2024-10-18

[Road Closed, Allen Ramp, Withlacoochee River @ 2726 SW 64th Way Jasper, FL 32052 2024-10-18]
Road Closed, Allen Ramp, Withlacoochee River @ 2726 SW 64th Way Jasper, FL 32052 2024-10-18

[Allen Ramp upstream, Withlacoochee River @ 2726 SW 64th Way Jasper, FL 32052 2024-10-18]
Allen Ramp upstream, Withlacoochee River @ 2726 SW 64th Way Jasper, FL 32052 2024-10-18

[Allen Ramp downstream, Withlacoochee River @ 2726 SW 64th Way Jasper, FL 32052 2024-10-18]
Allen Ramp downstream, Withlacoochee River @ 2726 SW 64th Way Jasper, FL 32052 2024-10-18

[Plates, Allen Ramp, Withlacoochee River 2024-10-18]
Plates, Allen Ramp, Withlacoochee River 2024-10-18

 -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/