Daily Archives: December 13, 2024

Filthy Sugar Creek, dirty Franks Creek, bad upstream Withlacoochee River, clean downstream 2024-12-12

Update 2024-12-21: Clean Alapaha River, OK Withlacoochee River, Filthy Sugar Creek 2024-12-19.

Update 2024-12-21: Malia Thomas of WTXL TV at closed Gornto Road bridge over Sugar Creek 2024-12-20.

Update 2024-12-18: Where are the sewage spill signs, Valdosta? 2024-12-17.

WWALS testing showed Sugar Creek got even more contaminated after the rains Wednesday. Valdosta Utilities testiong showed Hightower Creek and One Mile Branch were bad again, and the Withlacoochee River too high in E. coli at GA 133.

WWALS tests showed Franks Creek bad, upstream from the Little River.

WWALS water quality results downstream at Holly Point for Wednesday showed the Withlacoochee River clean there. But upstream contamination from the recent rain had not had time to get there.

No new sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia. But this E. coli contamination has to be coming from somewhere.

No flooding is shown on any river gauge in the Suwannee River Basin.

So if you like cold, this weekend seems good to paddle, motor, swim, or fish, as long as you avoid the vicinity of Sugar Creek and the Withlacoochee River near GA 133, and possibly the Little River downstream of Franks Creek.

Or join us Sunday evening for the Banks Lake Full Cold Moon Paddle, 2024-12-15 and, also at Banks Lake, raffle drawing for the Skimmer 128 Hurricane kayak.

[Filthy Sugar Creek 2024-12-12, dirty Franks Creek 2024-12-11, bad upstream Withlacoochee River, clean downstream 2024-12-11]
Filthy Sugar Creek 2024-12-12, dirty Franks Creek 2024-12-11, bad upstream Withlacoochee River, clean downstream 2024-12-11

Sugar Creek

Continue reading

Raffle: Skimmer 128 Hurricane kayak drawing later in the day Sunday and at Banks Lake 2024-12-15

Update 2024-12-16: Video: Kayak raffle drawing for Skimmer 128 Hurricane kayak at Banks Lake 2014-12-15.

Update 2024-12-13: The raffle drawing will still be on Sunday, December 15, 2024. However, it will be later in the day, at 4:45 PM, and at Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT). You have until noon Sunday to get your tickets.

WWALS is raffling this slightly-used 12-foot 9-inch sit-on-top kayak with paddle, a Hurricane Skimmer 128.

New, it lists for $1,399.

The suggested donation is $10 for one ticket or $50 for six tickets.

Tickets are available online in person at WWALS events, or online with small fees.

Kayak Raffle Tickets

A single ticket is $10 + $1 fee:
https://wwalswatershed.square.site/product/2024-kayak-raffle-hurricane-skimmer/49?cp=true&sa=true&sbp=false&q=false

Six tickets online are $50 + $1.50 fee:
https://wwalswatershed.square.site/product/2024-kayak-raffle-bundle-hurricane-skimmer/51?cp=true&sa=true&sbp=false&q=false

[Raffle: Hurricane Skimmer 128 Sit-On-Top Kayak with Paddle]
Raffle: Hurricane Skimmer 128 Sit-On-Top Kayak with Paddle

Proceeds go to support the advocacy and activities of WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc., and IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational charity.
https://wwals.net/donations/ Continue reading

Rivers, creeks, and Alapaha River Water Trail in Echols County Comprehensive Plan Update 2024-01-25

The state-required five-year update process for the Echols County Comprehensive Plan has started, with a kick-off meeting December 5, 2024.

The first Workshop appears likely to be January 25, 2025, most likely in Statenville.

Stay tuned for updates from the Southern Georgia Regional Commission (SGRC).
https://www.sgrc.us

Or ask SGRC Planner II Alexandra Arzayus, aarzayus@sgrc.us, 229-333-5277.

[Rivers, creeks, and Alapaha River Water Trail in Echols County Comprehensive Plan Update]
Rivers, creeks, and Alapaha River Water Trail in Echols County Comprehensive Plan Update

Meanwhile, WWALS has been doing its part since the last update, adopted July 9, 2020.
https://dca.georgia.gov/document/plans/plan-update-2020-3/download

We thank the Echols County Commission for their Okefenokee Resolution to help protect the Suwannee River from strip mining near the Okefenokee Swamp.

We have paddled on the Suwannee River, including Fargo to campsite, Suwannee River 2022-03-05 and State Line to Turner Bridge, Suwannee River 2022-03-06.

We have formalized a Suwannee River Water Trail (SRWT).

We have suggested to Echols County a boat ramp on the Suwannee River. As far as we know, the county is pursuing that opportunity with the landowner and the GA-DNR.

WWALS convinced GA-EPD to redesignate all of the Alapaha River in Echols County from Fishing to Recreational, meanwhile stricter levels of permitted contamination.

WWALS has designed, printed, and planted at-water signs and road signs for the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT). Continue reading

Valdosta sewage spill reports to GA-EPD from November 7 through December 3, 2024

Update 2024-12-13: Filthy Sugar Creek, dirty Franks Creek, bad upstream Withlacoochee River, clean downstream 2024-12-12.

I got part of what I asked for in an open records request to the City of Valdosta: “All sewage spill reports sent to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA-EPD) on or after November 6, 2024, through December 2, 2024”. Those provide some extra detail, and some hints of fixes being planed for these problems.

[Valdosta sewage spill reports to GA-EPD, from November 7 through December 3, 2024]
Valdosta sewage spill reports to GA-EPD, from November 7 through December 3, 2024

I did not get the rest of it: “together with all associated correspondence between the City of Valdosta, GA-EPD, and other parties including state agencies in Georgia and Florida and relevant landowners.”

The December Meadowbrook Drive spill into Two Mile Branch

Let’s look at the most recent spill in the GA-EPD Sewage Spills Report, and compare that to what Valdosta Utilities sent to GA-EPD. Continue reading