WWALS got very clean results for the Alapaha and Santa Fe Rivers for Thursday and Wednesday.

Also for Wednesday, a WWALS sample of Sugar Creek at the WaterGoat got lower results than Valdosta’s Tuesday upstream Sugar Creek samples.

I hear there was a water main break upstream on Hightower Creek. Maybe that or something else washed something into Sugar Creek and on out.

As noted yesterday, Valdosta will continue to test Sugar Creek for at least the next two weeks. And the Withlacoochee River for Tuesday both at US 41 (upstream from Sugar Creek) and at GA 133 (downstream).

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

It might rain Monday. Otherwise the long dry spell continues indefinitely.

So I’d avoid Sugar Creek and the Withlacoochee River near it. Other than that, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend.

This image is an overview. Scroll down for the details.

Clean Alapaha River 2025-10-23, Clean Santa Fe River 2025-10-22, Clean Withlacoochee Downstream & Problem Sugar Creek 2025-10-21

Follow this link for the WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet.

Chart: Clean Alapaha 2025-10-23 & Santa Fe Rivers and Withlacoochee Downstream; Problem Sugar Creek 2025-10-21
For context, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing
Previous WWALS water quality reports are here:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results
Also follow that link for the underlying spreadsheet of water quality, sewage spills, and rainfall from Georgia and Florida sources for the Suwannee River Basin.

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.

Alapaha River

Kim Tanner for Thursday got zero (0) at Lakeland Boat Ramp and 33 at Naylor Park Beach, both excellent results. She noted, “There was a kayaker at the Lakeland Boat Ramp who follows the water quality information that WWALS puts out to help decide where he will paddle. I also met a former WWALS member enjoying Naylor Park Beach while having lunch. Both were very pleased to hear about the recent results from these two sites along the Alapaha!”

Santa Fe River

Bob Mills and Kurt Hurzeler for Wednesday got a clean 66 cfu/100 mL at Mills Dock, upstream from Poe Springs. They noted, “Water level remains low, becoming clearer. Some Duckweed noted, hydrilla across the River. Overall looks unremarkable.”

Sugar Creek and Withlacoochee River

For Valdosta’s Tuesday results, see the previous post:
https://wwals.net/?p=68698

Thanks to WWALS tester Suzy Hall for sampling Sugar Creek Wednesday. She got 333 cfu/100 mL, which is an OK result, below the 410 one-time test limit. She remarked, “Water was a little “off” looking to me, but results were improved, so I dont know what may have caused the somewhat odd coloring.”

Here’s a map showing where the WaterGoat is on Sugar Creek, and all of Sugar Creek’s tributaries. Hightower Creek comes from the lower left of the map, down from Lowndes High School and past Academy Sports, northeast across St. Augustine Road.

Map: Sugar Creek, Two Mile Branch, One Mile Branch, Hightower Creek in the WWALS map of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT)

Water quality testing training and funding

WWALS testers Suzy Hall, Christiaan Ard, and John S. Quarterman reviewed the results. Such review is part of WWALS quality control.

If you want to get trained by 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/

WG

Sugar Creek @ WaterGoat 2025-10-22 –Suzy Hall for WWALS

LBR

Lakeland Boat Ramp, Alapaha River @ GA 122 2025-10-23 –Kim Tanner for WWALS

NPB –Kim Tanner for WWALS

Naylor Park Beach, Alapaha River @ US 84 2025-10-23 –Kim Tanner for WWALS

MillsDock

Mills Dock, Santa Fe River @ NW 282nd Dr 2025-10-22 –Bob Mills and Kurt Hurzeler for WWALS

Short Link: