Pictures: Clean up One Mile Branch at Azalea City Trail, Wainwright Drive, Valdosta GA 2025-01-25

Thanks to the four Alpha Phi Alpha of VSU.

[Cleanup, One Mile Branch, Azalea City Trail 2025-01-25, Wainwright Drive, Alpha Phi Alpha, VSU]
Cleanup, One Mile Branch, Azalea City Trail 2025-01-25, Wainwright Drive, Alpha Phi Alpha, VSU

Thanks to Scotti Jay Jones and Sara Squires Jones for organizing this cleanup near the notorious Wainwright Drive manhole on One Mile Branch, along the Azalea City Trail in Valdosta, Georgia.

Donovan Henderson of Alpha Phi Alpha found the Zacadoo’s cup.

[Donovan found a Zacadoo's cup, 10:24:06, 30.8424342, -83.3018380]
Donovan found a Zacadoo’s cup, 10:24:06, 30.8424342, -83.3018380

You know, Valdosta could ban single-use packaging.

Those are the notorious manholes that spewed 400,000 gallons of raw sewage into One Mile Branch after the November flash flood. One Mile Branch runs into Sugar Creek which goes to the Withlacoochee River.

[Sara by the manholes, 10:25:15, 30.8425786, -83.3017033]
Sara by the manholes, 10:25:15, 30.8425786, -83.3017033

This would be a good idea.

[Dump No Waste, Drains to Waterways, 10:27:37, 30.8427896, -83.3011459]
Dump No Waste, Drains to Waterways, 10:27:37, 30.8427896, -83.3011459

But there was trash to collect.

[Heading up Azalea City Trail, 10:26:45, 30.8427391, -83.3010960]
Heading up Azalea City Trail, 10:26:45, 30.8427391, -83.3010960

Sara says this area along the Azalea City Trail is always wet, even when there is no rain.

[Sara at the always-wet area, 10:30:36, 30.8429449, -83.3002237]
Sara at the always-wet area, 10:30:36, 30.8429449, -83.3002237

Here is a tiny waterfall on One Mile Branch.

[Wainwright Falls, 10:35:12, 30.8431008, -83.2988311]
Wainwright Falls, 10:35:12, 30.8431008, -83.2988311

We need to get more of these trash pickers.

[Trash picker, 10:36:39, 30.8431458, -83.2987755]
Trash picker, 10:36:39, 30.8431458, -83.2987755

Hurricane Helene blew down hundreds of trees along Azalea City Trail.

[Tree stumps numbered into the hundreds after Hurricane Helene, 10:38:22, 30.8431297, -83.2979845]
Tree stumps numbered into the hundreds after Hurricane Helene, 10:38:22, 30.8431297, -83.2979845

This section of fence was still down.

[Scotti following Alpaha Phi Alpha, 10:45:07, 30.8430970, -83.2979551]
Scotti following Alpaha Phi Alpha, 10:45:07, 30.8430970, -83.2979551

Best to get rid of these.

[Coralberry, Ardisia crenata, Christmas Berry, 10:49:01, 30.8431123, -83.2993808]
Coralberry, Ardisia crenata, Christmas Berry, 10:49:01, 30.8431123, -83.2993808

Back to base.

[Banners, 10:57:26, 30.8428274, -83.3011841]
Banners, 10:57:26, 30.8428274, -83.3011841

Children do play in the creeks.

[A child at One Mile Branch, 11:10:44, 30.8428783, -83.3011376]
A child at One Mile Branch, 11:10:44, 30.8428783, -83.3011376

I advised him not to get in the green water.

[Green water, 11:11:19, 30.8429093, -83.3012353]
Green water, 11:11:19, 30.8429093, -83.3012353

It should be tea color, not green.

Anybody interested in getting trained to do water quality testing, please fill out this form:
https://forms.gle/WfNQEnoiv7LDBAsd8

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

SS

[Scotti explains it all, 10:25:04, 30.8425786, -83.3017033]
Scotti explains it all, 10:25:04, 30.8425786, -83.3017033

WD

[Alpha Phi Alpha by Wainwright Drive, 10:26:15, 30.8427391, -83.3010960]
Alpha Phi Alpha by Wainwright Drive, 10:26:15, 30.8427391, -83.3010960

DC

[A drain cover not on a drain, 10:27:01, 30.8427646, -83.3011162]
A drain cover not on a drain, 10:27:01, 30.8427646, -83.3011162

BF

[Broken fence, 10:30:29, 30.8429449, -83.3002237]
Broken fence, 10:30:29, 30.8429449, -83.3002237

AW

WF

[Wainwright Falls over there, 10:34:58, 30.8431008, -83.2988311]
Wainwright Falls over there, 10:34:58, 30.8431008, -83.2988311

SFB

[Steadfast Bridges, Pedestrian Traffic, Light Vehicle, Maximum Load 5 Tons, 10:35:57, 30.8431458, -83.2987755]
Steadfast Bridges, Pedestrian Traffic, Light Vehicle, Maximum Load 5 Tons, 10:35:57, 30.8431458, -83.2987755

BMH

[Manhole buried in debris, 10:37:31, 30.8431693, -83.2980802]
Manhole buried in debris, 10:37:31, 30.8431693, -83.2980802

Sara had to point out the manhole buried in debris.

[Sara and the buried manhole, 10:37:34, 30.8430377, -83.2980705]
Sara and the buried manhole, 10:37:34, 30.8430377, -83.2980705

TS

MHttG

[Manhole through the fence, 10:39:47, 30.8431427, -83.2975117]
Manhole through the fence, 10:39:47, 30.8431427, -83.2975117

DF

[At the downed fence, 10:45:00]
At the downed fence, 10:45:00

[Alpha Phi Alpha cleaning up, 10:45:04, 30.8430970, -83.2979551]
Alpha Phi Alpha cleaning up, 10:45:04, 30.8430970, -83.2979551

WDC

[Wainwright Drive double culverts, 10:53:08, 30.8427897, -83.3009728]
Wainwright Drive double culverts, 10:53:08, 30.8427897, -83.3009728

BB

[Alpha Phi Alpha, Sara, Scotti, banners, manhole in background, 10:57:03, 30.8428274, -83.3011841]
Alpha Phi Alpha, Sara, Scotti, banners, manhole in background, 10:57:03, 30.8428274, -83.3011841

AP

[Apartment construction, 11:00:59]
Apartment construction, 11:00:59

EB

[Sara and her engine block, 11:41:10, 30.8431657, -83.3012035]
Sara and her engine block, 11:41:10, 30.8431657, -83.3012035

ADC

[Another drain cover, 11:41:37, 30.8431657, -83.3012035]
Another drain cover, 11:41:37, 30.8431657, -83.3012035

OMK

[Never underestimate an old man with a kayak, 11:42:37, 30.8431475, -83.3011852]
Never underestimate an old man with a kayak, 11:42:37, 30.8431475, -83.3011852

 -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/