Update 2025-03-14: Dirty Withlacoochee River 2025-03-12.

For the Withlacoochee River this week, WWALS got good results upstream and down, and Valdosta Utilities got good results for the Withlacoochee River at GA 133 and US 84.

We have no new water quality test results for Sugar Creek. Chances are that the previous sewage spill has washed out, although more testing would be good.

WWALS got excellent results for the Alapaha River at Naylor Park Beach.

No new sewage spills were reported in Florida or Georgia.

Saturday is supposed to be mostly rainless, before thunderstorms Sunday. River levels are good.

So happy fishing, swimming, paddling, and boating Saturday!

Clean Alapaha and, Withlacoochee Rivers, 2025-03-05, 2025-03-06

Join us tomorrow for the Troupville Withlacoochee Upstream Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-03-08
https://wwals.net/?p=67153

Or come on down to the WWALS Booth at Azalea Festival, One Mile Branch, Drexel Park, Valdosta, GA 2025-03-08.
https://wwals.net/?p=67089

And Saturday week join us for the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle.
https://wwals.net/?p=66833

Alapaha River

For Thursday, WWALS tester Kimberly Godden Tanner got excellent results at Naylor Park Beach just north of US 84: 33 cfu/100 mL. She noted, “Only had a chance to sample one of my locations this week. The water was rushing by at Naylor Park Beach. I have never seen it like this before. All was well.”

Withlacoochee River

For Thursday, WWALS tester Cindy Vedas got 266 at Staten Road and 100 at Langdale Park Boat Ramp. She noted, “Trash cans were empty. Lots of bumps in the road to the park.”

For Wednesday, Valdosta Utilities got good results for the Withlacoochee River at GA 133 and US 84, both downstream of Sugar Creek.

Also for Wednesday, downstream at Holly Point, almost to the Suwannee River, WWALS tester Russ Tatum got “Excellent results this week!” 0 cfu/100 mL.

Chart: Clean Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers 2025-03-06
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.

Map: NOAA Gauges 2025-03-07

Water quality testing training and funding

Suzy Hall reviewed the results. Such review is part of every WWALS tester’s ongoing training.

If you want to get trained WWALS Water Quality Testing Trainer Gretchen Quarterman 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/

NPB

Naylor Park Beach, Alapaha River @ US 84 2025-03-06

staten

Staten Road, Withlacoochee River @ Staten Road 2025-03-06

LPBR

Langdale Park Boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River @ North Valdosta Road 2025-03-06

HP

Holly Point, Withlacoochee River @ NE Withla Bluffs Way 2025-03-05

 -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/

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