Dirty Withlacoochee River upstream, clean downstream 2026-05-14

WWALS got bad results upstream on the Withlacoochee River for Wednesday and Thursday at Langdale Park and Staten Road, even though Valdosta Utilities got OK results for Monday downstream at GA 133 and US 84.

WWALS got clean results for Thursday in Florida on the Withlacoochee near the Suwannee.

That pattern looks like first flush, when a big rain washes the woods wildlife have been using as a latrine.

No new sewage spills have been reported this week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida, but Tifton had one in Georgia; see below.

I’d avoid the Withlacoochee River upstream of the Little River Confluence.

And considering Colquitt and Brooks Counties, Georgia, got a lot of rain that could wash contamination into Okapilco Creek, I’d avoid the Withlacoochee River in Georgia.

So at your own risk, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating, where-ever you can find enough water, and if you can avoid the rains predicted for Sunday.

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

Dirty Withlacoochee River upstream, clean downstream, 2026-05-14, After recent rains, Paddle at your own risk

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: Dirty Withlacoochee Upstream, Clean Downstream, 2026-05-14 –WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results
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

The Tifton spill was at a repeat location, 2406 North Ridge Avenue, across the street from Park Avenue Creek, which runs into the New River, which goes to the Withlacoochee River. The spill amount is still unknown. It started Wednesday. It was reported on Thursday, when it appeared in the GA-EPD Sewage Spills Report.

Table: Tifton Spill reported 2026-05-14, unknown amount, 2406 North Ridge Avenue 2026-05-13 –GA EPD

Withlacoochee River

WWALS tester Suzy Hall got 433 cfu/100 mL for Thursday at Staten Road. That’s over the 410 one-time test limit.

Staten Road, Withlacoochee River @ Staten Road 2026-05-14 –Cindy Vedas for WWALS

WWALS tester Suzy Hall got 466 for Wednesday at Langdale Park Boat Ramp. That’s bad.

She remarked, “Could be worse for sure, but still over the “one time limit” number. Several had no gas associated that I can see. It’s terribly muddy, but levels were definitely up. Definitely not pretty to me.”

Langdale Park Boat Ramp , Withlacoochee River @ North Valdosta Road 2026-05-13 –Suzy Hall for WWALS

Valdosta Utilities for Monday got 170 at GA 133 and 120 at US 84.

That first number is above the three-test average limit, but still not bad.

Table: GA 133 & US 84, Withlacoochee River, 2026-05-11 –Valdosta Utilities

WWALS tester Russ Tatum for Thursday got a pretty clean 100 at Holly Point on the Withlacoochee River four miles upstream from the Suwannee River.

He noted, “Results of rain in the area recently. Elevated coliform, slightly increased E. coli and a significant increase in visible algae.”

Holly Point, Withlacoochee River @ NE Withla Bluffs Way 2026-05-14 –Russ Tatum for WWALS

Water quality testing training and funding

WWALS testers Cindy Vedas, Kimberly Tanner, Suzy Hall, and 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 Water Quality Testing Trainer Gretchen Quarterman to be a WWALS water quality tester, please fill out the form:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084

Thanks to Joe Brownlee, Don Hutchinson, 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/

Upstream Staten Road, Withlacoochee River @ Staten Road 2026-05-14 –Cindy Vedas for WWALS