Clean Withlacoochee, Ichetucknee, and Santa Fe Rivers; Dirty New River upstream 2026-02-12

WWALS got good river results on the Withlacoochee, Ichetucknee, and Santa Fe Rivers this week, as did Valdosta Utilities on the Withlacoochee.

But new WWALS tester Isis Swartz got too-high E. coli results on the New River at 18th Street in Tifton, Georgia.

We have no new creek test results.

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

The weather prediction for Saturday is mostly sunny with rain on Sunday. So if you can find a river with enough water, happy paddling, boating, swimming, and fishing this weekend.

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

Clean Withlacoochee, Ichetucknee, and Santa Fe Rivers; Dirty New River upstream, 2026-02-09-12

Or come with WWALS tomorrow (Saturday), on the Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek to Troupville 2026-02-14.

https://wwals.net/?p=69369

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 Except New River, 2026-02-12 –WWALS composite spreadsheet
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.

New River

New WWALS tester Isis Swartz got zero E. coli for the New River at US 82 east of Tifton, for Tuesday, February 3, 2026.

US 82 New River Bridge, Tifton, GA, New River of Withlacoochee @ US 82 2026-02-03 –Isis Swartz for WWALS

But she got 567 cfu/100 mL for the New River at 18th Street for Tuesday, February 10, 2026. That’s higher than the 410 one-time test limit, so it’s bad.

716 18th Street, Tifton, GA, New River of Withlacoochee @ 18th Street 2026-02-10 –Isis Swartz for WWALS

Withlacoochee River

WWALS tester Cindy Vedas got a very clean 33 cfu/100 mL at Staten Road on the Withlacoochee River for Thursday, February 12. She noted, “River is low but looks great.”

Valdosta Utilities for Monday got pretty good 370 at GA 133 and very clean 40 at US 84, both well below the 410 one-time test limit, and both downstream from Sugar Creek.

Table: GA 133, US 84, 2026-02-09 –Valdosta Utilities

WWALS tester Suzy Hall got zero for Thursday at State Line Boat Ramp (Mozell Spells).

She called it, “Beautiful 😍”

State Line Boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River @ Madison Highway 2026-02-12 –Suzy Hall for WWALS

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

He noted, “Clean down here. Looow and Slooow.”

Holly Point, Withlacoochee River @ NE Withla Bluffs Way 2026-02-12 –Russ Tatum for WWALS

Ichetucknee River

WWALS tester Christiaan Ard got 66 at Hodor Park and zero at Point Park, both for Monday, February 9, 2026, and both very clean.

Hodor Park, Ichetucknee River @ SW Riverside Ave. 2026-02-09 –Christiaan Ard for WWALS

He observed, “Yeah, it’s the lowest I’ve seen it in the 5 years I’ve lived here. The confluence of the Ichetucknee and Santa Fe Rivers is only about 4”-6”. No manatees in the river this year, too low for them to get through.”

Point Park, Ichetucknee River @ SW Riverside Ave. 2026-02-09 –Christiaan Ard for WWALS

Santa Fe River

WWALS testers Bob Mills and Kurt Hurzeler for Wednesday at Mills Dock, a bit upstream from Poe Springs Ramp, bot a very clean 33 cfu/100 mL, with 18 C air temperature and 18.7 C water temperature.

Mills Dock, Santa Fe River @ NW 282nd Dr 2026-02-12 –Bob Mills and Kurt Hurzeler for WWALS

They noted, “low water and increased hyacinth and duckweed.”

Water quality testing training and funding

WWALS tester John S. Quarterman reviewed the WWALS results. Such review is part of the WWALS standard ongoing testing quality analysis.

If you want to get trained by WWALS 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/