WWALS and Valdosta Utilities got good E. coli results on the Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers.

We don’t know about Sugar Creek; nobody tested that this week.

No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.

There’s some chance of rain for the next four days.

Since these recent tests were after previous rains, apparently we’re past first flush. That means whatever was in the woods has washed out now, so more rain may not cause much contamination.

So as near as we can tell, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend, if you can beat the rain!

Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers 2025-06-19, Happy swimming, paddling, boating, and fishing

Maybe join us tomorrow for spring hopping, Florida Campsites to Allen Ramp, Withlacoochee River 2025-06-21.
https://wwals.net/?p=67572

Alapaha River

WWALS tester Kim Tanner sampled her usual two Alapaha River sites Wednesday, and got zero (0) E. coli at both Lakeland Boat Ramp @ GA 122 and Naylor Park Beach @ US 84.

She wrote, “Both sites look great and the water is clean. Several families were enjoying the beautiful day frolicing in the water.”

Withlacoochee River

WWALS tester Cindy Vedas got a very good 33 cfu/100 mL for Franklinville Landing at Tyler Bridge.

She noted, “Got some trash in the river and an old couch by the road at this location.”

At Staten Road she also got 33.

At Langdale Park Boat Ramp she got zero (0).

She wrote, “Chainsaw cleanup would be great Everything looked good. Garbage cans emptied. Oh, and the sign is not shot up either.”

Just upstream from Langdale Park, Valdosta Utilities reported nothing for US 41, because the city was only testing there as part of the major spill followup testing.

Table: Withlacoochee River Results at GA 133 and US 84, 2025-06-19 —Valdosta Utilities

For Wednesday Valdosta Utilities reported 220 (OK) at GA 133 and 90 (very good) at US 84, both downstream from Sugar Creek.

WWALS tester Russ Tatum got zero for Wednesday at Holly Point, a few miles upstream from the Suwannee River.

He remarked, “Clean Withlacoochee. The river is clean and clear!”

Chart: Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers 2025-06-19
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.

Franklinville Landing is highlighted near the center of this WWALS map of the Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers.

Map: Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers in the WWALS
map of all public landings in the Suwannee River Basin.

Water quality testing training and funding

The WWALS testers reviewed each others’ results. Such review is part of every WWALS tester’s ongoing training.

WWALS water quality testing trainer Gretchen Quarterman delivered testing supplies to a tester.

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/

LBR

Lakeland Boat Ramp, Alapaha River @ GA 122, 2025-06-18 –Kim Tanner for WWALS

NPB

Naylor Park Beach, Alapaha River @ US 84, 2025-06-18 –Kim Tanner for WWALS

franklinville

Upstream, Franklinville, Withlacoochee River @ Frankinville Road, 2025-06-19 –Cindy Vedas for WWALS

staten

Staten Road, Withlacoochee River @ Staten Road, 2025-06-19 –Cindy Vedas for WWALS

LPBR

Signs, Langdale Park Boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River @ North Valdosta Road, 2025-06-19 –Cindy Vedas for WWALS

VLDU

Table: Withlacoochee River Results at GA 133 and US 84, 2025-06-19 –Valdosta Utilities

HP

Holly Point, Withlacoochee River @ NE Withla Bluffs Way, 2025-06-19 –Russ Tatum for WWALS

 -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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