Monthly Archives: October 2025

Video: Bats of Georgia, Samuel Holst, GA-DNR, a WWALS Webinar 2025-08-21

1 Reply

A Wildlife Biologist with GA-DNR, Samuel Holst, talked about the bats of Georgia, including in Banks Lake and the Okefenokee Swamp. Plus some of our rare small mammals that are found around the Okefenokee.

WWALS Board Member Janet Martin gave a brief introduction, with questions and answers at the end. Including where to put your bat house. He sent some papers about that, and how to make a bat house, how to attract bats, how to identify bats, their importance in agriculture, and how to keep them out of your house:
https://wwals.net/pictures/bat-papers

[Video: Bats of Georgia, Samuel Holst, GA-DNR, a WWALS Webinar, August 21, 2025]
Video: Bats of Georgia, Samuel Holst, GA-DNR, a WWALS Webinar, August 21, 2025

Here is the link to the website about the Acoustic Survey Volunteer Project:
https://georgiawildlife.com/AnabatProject

Here is the video of Samuel Holst talking about bats of Georgia and other small mammals:
https://youtu.be/k8LQa0fVhHk Continue reading →

Joe First, Dowling Park, FL, an Americana song, Beautiful Florida Day 2025-09-06

Leave a reply

The two judges awarded Joe First the First Prize! In addition to a plaque, organizing committee chair Sara Squires Jones handed him a $300 check.

Thanks to Joe First of Dowling Park, Florida, for writing the song, and to Joe on accordion, Martin Sensiper on guitar, and John White on percussion for playing it, at the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2025. Joe was the last Finalist to arrive, yet won First Prize.
https://wwals.net/pictures/songwriting2025

About Joe First:

I earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree from The University of Florida.and then taught K-5 Elementary Music for 10 years in Alachua County, FL and 20 years in Pinellas County, FL I retired in 2007 and moved to Nashville, TN for 18 years. I returned to north Florida in 2023 and reside in the Advent Christian Village in Dowling Park, FL. I play a lot with the Song Farmers of the Suwannee and The Suwannee Bluegrass Association and play my singer-songwriter material in Tallahassee, Nashville, and Switzerland.

[Joe First, Dowling Park, FL, with an Americana song 2025-09-06, Beautiful Florida Day: First Prize, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest]
Joe First, Dowling Park, FL, with an Americana song 2025-09-06, Beautiful Florida Day: First Prize, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest

About Joe’s song:

I was visiting friends who had a house right on the Santa Fe River and did a lot of kayaking there. At one point, looking at a map, I envisioned a trip through the river connections all the way to the Gulf and, instead of taking the trip, I made up a song about my sort of dream.

Here’s Joe First and band singing his song:
https://youtu.be/Xs68D_tD8Zk Continue reading →

Arnold Springs, Mozell Spells, Withlacoochee River 2017-10-14

2 Replies

Update 2025-10-13: better picture format, and links to the previous parts.

A fine fall day on the Withlacoochee River with WWALS Watershed Coalition and Suwannee Riverkeeper, diving and landowners at Arnold Springs, Old Clyattville Road Bridge, exotic invasive Japanese Climbing Fern, Horn Bridge. and Mozell Spells (State Line Ramp). Thanks to all who came to paddle from as far as two hours from Gainesville, Florida and four hours from Pine Mountain, Georgia.

[Clear spring water, 2017-10-14, 15:13:01, 30.6410851, -83.3367726 --jsq for WWALS]
Clear spring water, 2017-10-14, 15:13:01, –jsq for WWALS 30.6410851, -83.3367726
Blue-green Arnold Springs water meets tea-colored Withlacoochee River water.

The Quitman Gauge (US 84) read 2.17 feet (85.67 NAVD88), which was slightly above our recommended low level, and just fine for Arnold Springs. Here are some pictures and a Google Map. A few videos will follow.

This part of the outing was all in Georgia, but we paddled downstream from Florida to get there; see Continue reading →

Shoals into out of Florida, Withlacoochee River 2017-10-14

1 Reply

The Withlacoochee River goes into and out of Florida twice before it makes up its mind. We saw karst, shoals, and rapids, into Florida and back to Georgia all downstream, Valdosta Railway Trestle, Madison County Four Freedoms Trail, and exotic invasive Japanese Climbing Fern, on a fall day on the Withlacoochee River with WWALS.

[White water, 2017-10-14, 13:58:34, 30.63457, -83.34178 --jsq for WWALS]
White water, 2017-10-14, 13:58:34, –jsq for WWALS 30.6345700, -83.3417800

This is Part 2, after Continue reading →

Cleanup and outing, Nankin, Mcintyre and Arnold Springs, Mozell Spells, Withlacoochee River 2017-10-14

2 Replies

Update 2025-10-13: improved image format, and separated the shoals into another post.

Tires and trash cleaned up at Nankin Boat Ramp, saw Clyatt Mill Creek, and swimming and diver tales at McIntyre Spring. This was also a Georgia Rivers Alive cleanup, all on a fall day on the Withlacoochee River with WWALS Watershed Coalition and Suwannee Riverkeeper. Thanks to all who came to paddle from as far as two hours from Gainesville, Florida and four hours from Pine Mountain, Georgia.

[A free diver, 2017-10-14, 12:47:33, 30.6416153, -83.3661699 --jsq for WWALS]
A free diver, 2017-10-14, 12:47:33, –jsq for WWALS 30.6416153, -83.3661699

Here are some pictures. There are more in the following two parts. Continue reading →

Clean Ichetucknee and Santa Fe Rivers; mostly clean Withlacoochee River 2025-10-09

1 Reply

Update 2025-10-18: Too much E. coli at the Watergoat, Sugar Creek 2025-10-10, Problematical Withlacoochee River 2025-10-16.

Update 2025-10-11: Plus Staten Road for Thursday.

WWALS testers found the Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers clean within the past seven days, and the Withlacoochee River mostly clean.

We don’t know about Sugar Creek, because Valdosta Utilities stopped testing after the state-required four weeks beyond a major spill.

GA-EPD finally added the gallons spilled in Valdosta’s big August sewage spills to its Sewage Spills Report. But no new sewage spills have been reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.

It’s supposed to be mostly sunny or sunny for the next ten days.

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

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

[Clean Ichetucknee and Santa Fe, Mostly clean Withlacoochee River, Unknown Sugar Creek, 2025-10-09]
Clean Ichetucknee and Santa Fe, Mostly clean Withlacoochee River, Unknown Sugar Creek, 2025-10-09

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. Continue reading →

Agenda: WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting 2025-10-12

Leave a reply

Here is the draft agenda and the zoom parameters for the WWALS Quarterly Board meeting Sunday evening, October 12, 2025.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89308028204?pwd=VmwyMzVTMVR6WGJxbUFUSlFXWFRWQT09

WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting

When: 6:30 PM, Sunday, October 12, 2025

What: The usual board business.

Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1737521980245805/

[Agenda: WWALS, Quarterly Board Meeting , Online by zoom, 6-8 PM, Sunday, October 12, 2025]
Agenda: WWALS, Quarterly Board Meeting , Online by zoom, 6-8 PM, Sunday, October 12, 2025

Here is the agenda (see also PDF). Continue reading →

Full Beaver Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-11-05

Leave a reply

Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddla on our mini-Okefenokee just west of Lakeland, Georgia. Watch the sun set, the moon rise, and there may be bats.

Chris Adams, aka Turtleman, will be leading this paddle. He is a very experienced naturalist and former guide at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. He has often paddled with us at Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge. You’ll enjoy his insights.

This Outing is honoring Veterans, who get free entry.

When: Gather 4:45 PM, launch 5:15 PM, moonrise 5:39 PM, sunset 5:41 PM, end 6:45 PM, Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).

GPS: 31.034824, -83.096725

[Full Beaver Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-11-05, Sunset, Moonrise, and maybe bats]
Full Beaver Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-11-05, Sunset, Moonrise, and maybe bats

Continue reading →

Pictures: Lower Ichetucknee River Springs Protection Zone @ Suwannee BOCC 2025-10-07

1 Reply

The Suwannee Board of County Commissioners agreed to support the Lower Ichetucknee River Springs Protection Zone. Specifically, they support the no wake zone. They expressed no opinion on the personal watercraft ban.

That was yesterday, Tuesday, October 7, 2025.

[Suwannee County is for the Lower Ichetucknee River Springs Protection Zone, October 7, 2025]
Suwannee County is for the Lower Ichetucknee River Springs Protection Zone, October 7, 2025

You can also write to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWC), using this handy form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScYFArSQsstOauhRVYTCMoikXYIo0i_gDmkuDlbTC-7OSsgQQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=114012348461689332646

Or you can write to:

Captain Rachel Bryant <Rachel.bryant@myfwc.com>
Major Bill Holcomb <William.holcomb@myfwc.com>
Rob Klepper <Robert.klepper@myfwc.com>

Before a dozen people spoke for the zone, and none against, Parks & Recreation Director Alden Rosner presented the FFWC request for input as item 14 in the Suwannee County Commission agenda, which took up pages 88-130 of the board packet. Here’s who was who up front. Continue reading →

Public Hearing, Bradford Road subdivision @ Berrien Planning Commission 2025-10-16

3 Replies

Update 2025-10-20: Videos: Public Hearing, Bradford Road subdivision 2025-10-16.

After it was tabled a second time, there’s yet another Public Hearing about plopping ten houses in the middle of an agriculture character area, with runoff and recharge issues that affect the neighbors, Gin Branch Creek, the Withlacoochee River, and groundwater down to the Floridan Aquifer. As well as all the usual issues of trespassing, poaching, pets, livestock, traffic, and road erosion.

Plus transparency and the Berrien Planning Commission should follow the Berrien County Code and Comprehensive Plan.

The farther out from existing services, the more a subdivision costs the county in calls on Sheriff Deputies, Fire Rescue, school buses and places at the schools. Property taxes on those houses would not pay for all that. The rest of Berrien County would have to pay the difference.

[Public Hearing, Bradford Road subdivision @ Berrien Planning Commission, Thursday, October 16, 2025]
Public Hearing, Bradford Road subdivision @ Berrien Planning Commission, Thursday, October 16, 2025

For what happened at the previous Public Hearing and why it was tabled, see previous post:
https://wwals.net/?p=68463

Here’s a facebook event to encourage people to come to this Public Hearing:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1476163917000214/

This is what the Public Notices on the roads say:

PUBLIC NOTICE

Public Hearing:

Cole Livingston, Subdividing multiple lots off the Old Valdosta Hwy, Bradford Rd and Strawder Rd
Ray City, Ga 31645

Time: 5:30 October 16, 2025 Planning Commission Meeting
6:00 pm November 4, 2025 County Commissioners Meeting

Public Hearing

Location: Planning Commission 201 N. Davis Street Nashville GA
County Commissioner’s Board Room 201 North Davis Street Nashville Ga 31639 Continue reading →