Pictures: Withlacoochee River and Okapilco Creek jon boat outing 2024-07-27 | WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

We cut a deadfall in the Withlacoochee River just below Wetherington Branch, below Valdosta’s treated outfall from its Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant. We found Okapilco Creek, cut a few deadfalls in there, and collected some trash on the creek and from the river. Including two blue barrels labeled Black Tea Extract that apparently had been used to support somebody’s dock.

We don’t see how Okapilco Creek is currently navigable up to US 84, according to GA HB 1397, a bill that did not pass the Georgia legislature this year. We had to cut some deadfalls even to get up to the mouth of Piscola Creek. Later we will motor up from Knights Ferry Boat Ramp to clear more deadfalls and trash from Okapilco Creek, and soon it will be navigable.

Both of those creeks drain Quitman, and Okapilco Creek comes down from Moultrie and above.

Black tea blue drums, Okapilco Creek trashjam, deadfalls, rapids, two jon boats 2024-07-27

We went 19.5 river miles from Troupville Boat Ramp to Knights Ferry Boat Ramp. We decided due to the time spent on Okapilco Creek not to continue to Clyattville-Nankin Boat Ramp.

The US 84 (Quitman) Gauge read 10.15 feet (93.65 feet NAVD88) at 10 AM, and rose another quarter foot while we were on the water. That’s near the WWALS recommended too-high water level, but it was fine with these boats and motors.

Here are some video snippets:
https://youtu.be/_o7FqYMMg6E

Many thanks to Phil Royce who came by the previous day with his hoist to help swap out the 25hp outboard for the 9.9hp outboard on the WWALS jon boat. This proved especially useful in Okapilco Creek, because the 9.9hp will tilt up when it hits an obstruction, while the 25hp with its electric tilt will not.

The 9.9hp worked fine the whole time, not even using up half of its 2-gallon gas tank. The only issue was the choke linkage once again came loose during transport. It took me an embarrassingly long time to remember that happens, after which I reconnected it, and the outboard cranked. Well, it cranked when Quen yanked the cord; apparently he has the magic touch.

Phil brought his 3.3hp outboard and jon boat. That one has an internal fuel tank, which he refilled several times along the way.

Thanks to Quen Metzler for coming prepared with a net for trash. We got some from deadfalls along the Withlacoochee and more from trashjams inside Okapilco Creek, plus some floating down the river that Quen netted. Plus those 40-pound barrels labeled Black Tea Extract.

Quen also used my Ego 16-inch electric saw several times on deadfalls, while Phil used his saw.

We had the WWALS 24-inch Husquevarna gas chainsaw, but we did not encounter anything big enough to need to use it.

Thanks again to Wild Green Future for the grant that bought the Husquevarna the 84lb-thrust trolling motor we had along just in case, and both the 9.9 and 25hp outboards.

There are many more pictures below.

For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see the WWALS outings web page, https://wwals.net/outings/. WWALS members also get an upcoming list in the Tannin Times newsletter.

-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

Outfall, Valdosta WWTP, 10:55:49, 30.8365283, -83.3588065

Everybody photographing –Phil Royce, 2024:07:27 10:55:50

-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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