Phil Hubbard and I got 2.6 miles up the Withlacoochee River from the Little River Confluence, so almost 3 miles including the third of a mile down the Little River from Troupville Boat Ramp.

We stopped at a cluster of big deadfalls at the top of Riverhill Drive, as sunset approached, so we could get back to Troupville Boat Ramp before dark.

That’s 2.3 miles more than the previous WWALS chainsaw cleanup on this stretch, four days before.

And a bit more than a mile to go up to Sugar Creek.

2.6 miles done, One mile to go, Withlacoochee River Upstream, Troupville Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-03-08

The only casualty was one Husqvarna 24-inch chainsaw bar; I did salvage the chain. Fortunately, we had another bar. That’s the chainsaw paid for by the grant from Wild Green Future.

Which also paid for the 9.9 hp outboard motor. Which worked fine this time, except when we ran it into something going pretty fast and choked it down. Then it did not want to start.

But Phil tried something new: take off the cowling and put water on the ignition module to cool it. That worked! Back in action.

Ignition module

That also explains why when we have seen this behavior previously, just waiting gets it to work again: the ignition module cools down on its own after a while.

So this time we did not have to use the 86lb-thrust trolling motor or the two LiFEPO4 batteries the Wild Green Future grant also bought.

The water level Saturday at 1:15 PM was 120.15 feet NAVD88 on the Valdosta Gauge at US 41, slightly lower than at noon that last Tuesday at 120.27.

We will try again Tuesday, March 11, at 4 PM. We think we can finish cutting passage through this Hurricane Helene debris.

This chainsaw cleanup is in preparation for the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle next Saturday, March 15.
https://wwals.net/?p=66833

It looks like we can get that last mile and stick to the original route, Langdale Park to Troupville Boat Ramp, for the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle. We will know for sure by Thursday morning.

For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see the WWALS outings web page, https://wwals.net/outings/. WWALS members also get an upcoming list in the Tannin Times newsletter.

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

HD

Heading down the Little River, 2025:03:08 13:06:50, 30.8502148, -83.3486329

LRC

Little River Confluence, 2025:03:08 13:08:41, 30.8477607, -83.3479062

PDS

Phil’s directional signs with driftwood, 2025:03:08 13:09:07, 30.8477607, -83.3479062

CDF

CiHiG Deadfall (Cut it Here, I Guess), 2025:03:08 13:16:43, 30.8449663, -83.3458064

WP

Widening passage, 2025:03:08 13:45:30, 30.8451679, -83.3457023

TP

Trash pile, right bank, 2025:03:08 13:57:49, 30.8459139, -83.3436719

MoSL

Mess of small limbs, 2025:03:08 14:18:18, 30.8476208, -83.3429850

CS

Clear sailing, 2025:03:08 14:30:26, 30.8487615, -83.3404485

IGM

Ignition module

GA133

GA 133 Bridge, 2025:03:08 14:30:32, 30.8487615, -83.3404485

LCH

Looks clear here, 2025:03:08 14:33:15, 30.8502878, -83.3392872

CoVDF

City of Valdosta Deadfall, 2025:03:08 14:40:35, 30.8513685, -83.3390475

CoVDFSC

Second cut, 2025:03:08 14:43:12, 30.8513799, -83.3389452

CoVDFTC

Third cut, 2025:03:08 14:45:31, 30.8514480, -83.3391347

CoVDF

Now cut the base, 2025:03:08 14:52:36, 30.8513318, -83.3391694

HCB

Husqvarna Chainsaw Bar, 2025:03:08 15:09:08, 30.8513360, -83.3392032

ABC

Movie: Another bar and chain, 2025:03:08 15:10:14, (19M) 30.8513360, -83.3392032

VMDF

Valdosta Mulch Deadfall, 2025:03:08 15:35:48, 30.8526297, -83.3394872

IwD

It went down, 2025:03:08 15:46:16, 30.8526297, -83.3394872

VLBDF

Movie: City of Valdosta Left Bank Deadfall, 2025:03:08 15:53:58, (26M) 30.8525928, -83.3393094

61 – 65

Movie: Do you have a good battery?, 2025:03:08 15:57:29, (23M) 30.8525928, -83.3393094

E18

EGO 18-inch electric chainsaw, 2025:03:08 15:58:17, 30.8525928, -83.3393094

TftB

Triming from the bank, 2025:03:08 16:14:50, 30.8526510, -83.3392799

66 – 70

Movie: Now the larger log, 2025:03:08 16:14:57, (90M) 30.8526510, -83.3392799

VMTJ

Valdosta mulchpile trashjam, right bank, 2025:03:08 16:23:28, 30.8537420, -83.3390295

I75

I-75 Bridge, 2025:03:08 16:36:49, 30.8542936, -83.3246604

I75TJ

I-75 trash, left bank, 2025:03:08 16:38:52, 30.8548569, -83.3334688

PFB

Private footbridge, left bank, 2025:03:08 16:40:32, 30.8542283, -83.3329772

RS

Removing strainers, 2025:03:08 16:43:40, 30.8544482, -83.3317000

MDF

Marple Deadfall, 2025:03:08 16:46:19, 30.8544482, -83.3313439

81 – 85

Movie: Husqvarna with house, 2025:03:08 16:56:41, (31M) 30.8544722, -83.3311338

TBDF

Toll Bar Deadfall, 2025:03:08 17:13:09, 30.8550100, -83.3303737

RDDF

Riverhill Drive Deadfall, 2025:03:08 17:26:41, 30.8563118, -83.3286054

ADF

Alexis Deadfalls, 2025:03:08 17:38:09, 30.8570041, -83.3270775

 -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/