Here’s what the second and third gates in the Suwannee River Sill looked like a week after Shirley Kokidko’s Low water at the first gate, Suwannee River Sill, Okefenokee Swamp 2025-11-20. Plus a gator ambling down to the river, and Mixon’s Hammock, upstream towards Stephen C. Foster State Park.

Suwannee River Sill, Okefenokee Swamp –Shirley Kokidko, Alligator, Second and Third Gates, and Mixons Hammock 2025-11-26

Here are a few videos:

• Alligator Walking
  https://www.facebook.com/Wwalswatershed/videos/1230576652459525
  https://youtu.be/DJexVblWCJ8
• Second Gate
  https://youtu.be/OXq3OKdP2kI
• Third Gate, really just a breach in the Sill
  https://youtu.be/MbMeYom-rdg

Remember, despite the Florida myth, the gates in the Suwannee River Sill are always open, since about 2001.

The third gate isn’t even a gate: it’s just a breach in that 4.5-mile earthen dam, so the North Fork of the Suwannee River can get through. The Sill was meant to keep water levels up in the Swamp to prevent wildfires, but it did not succeed. Also, it turns out wildfires are necessary for the Swamp’s vegetation to regenerate itself. So after a study starting in 1998 and a two-year trial period, the gates have always been open.

The current low water in the Swamp and in the Suwannee River is because we’re in a drought.

It rained a bit the last day or so, and more is predicted. But so far that has made almost no difference in the level of the Suwannee River at Fargo, GA.

Other rivers in the Suwannee River Basin also show almost no change. See Current River and Lake Levels by Florida’s Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD).
http://www.mysuwanneeriver.org/realtime/river-levels.php

There is a gauge at the Sill, but it last recorded data September 30, 2002.

 -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/

G1

Closed sign Suwannee River Sill Boat Ramp at first gate, 2025:11:26 13:20:56, –Shirley Kokidko 30.8042611, -82.4194194

Movie: Alligator walking, Suwannee River Sill, above First Gate, (13M) –Shirley Kokidko 30.8163778, -82.4135750

Gator entering water, Suwannee River Sill, –Shirley Kokidko 30.8163778, -82.4135750

Walk to Second Gate, Suwannee River Sill, 2025:11:26 11:39:46, –Shirley Kokidko 30.8059611, -82.4157861

G2

Second Gate, Suwannee River Sill, 2025:11:26 12:09:58, –Shirley Kokidko 30.8163778, -82.4135750

Movie: Second Gate, Suwannee River Sill (24M), 2025:11:26 12:09:58, –Shirley Kokidko 30.8163778, -82.4135750

Second Gate another view, Suwannee River Sill, 2025:11:26 12:09:58, –Shirley Kokidko 30.8163778, -82.4135750

G3

Movie: Third opening, Suwannee River Sill (20M), 2025-11-26, –Shirley Kokidko 30.8205470, -82.4149100

Third gate, really just an opening, Suwannee River Sill, 2025-11-26, –Shirley Kokidko 30.8205470, -82.4149100

MH

Mixons Hammock, Suwannee River, Okefenokee Swamp 2025:11:26 10:27:42, –Shirley Kokidko 30.8240639, -82.3812778

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