River up at Langdale Park Boat Ramp; erosion on access road 2026-08-13

The Withlacoochee River is up at Langdale Park Boat Ramp.

At 118 feet NAVD88 yesterday and 119.19 feet today on the Valdosta Gauge at US 41, that’s several feet above the WWALS recommended minimum of 116 for boating. It’s probably even high enough to put in a boat with a motor and go over most of the remaining deadfalls at the bottom of the park.

Unfortunately, the rains that brought the river up also once again produced erosion on the access road, out of the private development site.

[2026-08-13: River up at Langdale Park Boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River, erosion on access road]
2026-08-13: River up at Langdale Park Boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River, erosion on access road

Down at the boat ramp, you can see the WWALS signs for the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT) and below them a container with rack cards for people to take.

[WLRWT signs at Langdale Park Boat Ramp, 2026-08-13 --jsq for WWALS]
WLRWT signs at Langdale Park Boat Ramp, 2026-08-13 –jsq for WWALS

[Gauge: Valdosta at US 41, Withlacoochee River 2026-08-14 --NOAA National Water Prediction Service]
Gauge: Valdosta at US 41, Withlacoochee River 2026-08-14 –NOAA National Water Prediction Service

And here’s the erosion no Hyta Mederer Road, coming out of the private subdivision site.

[Context: Erosion on Hyta Mederer Road, 2026-08-13 --jsq for WWALS]
Context: Erosion on Hyta Mederer Road, 2026-08-13 –jsq for WWALS

While the owner of Hyta Mederer Road is Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA), the source of the erosion is water running out of the adjoining private property.

According to the Lowndes County Tax Assessors maps, the private property owner is North Valdosta Road Partners, LLC.

[Map: North Valdosta Road Partners LLC 2026-08-14 --Lowndes County Tax Assessors]
Map: North Valdosta Road Partners LLC 2026-08-14 –Lowndes County Tax Assessors

On this VALORGIS map, you can see that the erosion source is outside Valdosta City Limits, in unincorporated Lowndes County.

[Map: North Valdosta Road Partners LLC, 2026-08-14 --VALORGIS]
Map: North Valdosta Road Partners LLC, 2026-08-14 –VALORGIS

Seems like the owner of that property should do something about that erosion.

According to Georgia Corporations Division, the owner is:

Organizer and Registered Agent Name: William P. Langdale, Jr.

Physical Address: 1007 N. Patterson Street, Valdosta, GA, 31601, USA

It’s not clear to me why Lowndes County Public Works should have to yet again fix up this erosion in Hyta Mederer Road when neither the county nor VLPRA is causing it.

 -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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