Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers 2026-06-25

The Withlacoochee River and the Santa Fe River tested clean in the results we have for this week. Even Sugar Creek tested pretty clean.

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia.

According to the results we have, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating, and it’s even supposed to be sunny this weekend.

Maybe you’d like to join WWALS for Gibson County Park to SRSP Paddle, Suwannee River 2026-06-27.

https://wwals.net/?p=70541

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

Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers, plus Sugar Creek, 2026-06-25

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: Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers, 2026-06-25 –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.

Upstream Withlacoochee River

For Thursday, June 25, 2026, WWALS tester John S. Quarterman (jsq) got a pretty clean 133 cfu/100 mL at Franklinville Road.

The river was up to the bottom of Tyler Bridge.

Signs and Tyler Bridge, Franklinville Road, Withlacoochee River, 2026:06:25 –jsq for WWALS 13:22:02, 30.9813334, -83.2678380

Also for Thursday, jsq also got 133 for Langdale Park.

The river was above the top of the boat ramp and into the access road. Someone was fishing from a park bench near the road.

Water above top of boat ramp, Langdale Park, Withlacoochee River, 2026:06:25 –jsq for WWALS 13:57:26, 30.8873306, -83.3235543

Sugar Creek

And for Thursday jsq got 133 for Sugar Creek at the WaterGoat, just downstream from Two Mile Branch.

That is much improved from the WWALS result for last Friday.

The creek was not especially high, but had no current. Apparently the river was backed up into it.

Watergoat @ Sugar Creek, 2026:06:25 –jsq for WWALS 14:32:09, 30.8624593, -83.3186042

Downstream Withlacoochee River

For Monday, June 22, 2026, Valdosta Utilities got a pretty clean 240 cfu/100 mL at the GA 133 (St. Augustine Road) bridge over the Withlacoochee River. That’s downstream from Sugar Creek.

They got an even cleaner 50 at US 84. That’s downstream from the Little River Confluence with the Withlacoochee River.

Table: GA 133 & US 84, Withlacoochee River 2026-06-22 –Valdosta Utilities

WWALS tester Russ Tatum for Wednesday, June 24, 2026, got a cleanest zero (0) for Holly Point on the Withlacoochee River in Florida, four miles upstream from the Suwannee River.

He noted, “The river is up a bit and muddied up a bit as well but, still clean!”

Holly Point, Withlacoochee River @ NE Withla Bluffs Way 2026-06-24 –Russ Tatum for WWALS

Santa Fe River

For Mills Dock, a bit upstream from Poe Springs Ramp on the Santa Fe River, Bob Mills and Kurt Hurzeler also got a cleanest zero, also for Thursday.

They remarked, “Increasing algae surface and below surface.”

Also:
Air temp. – 27.8
Water Temp. – 28.8
pH – 8.0
Dissolved Oxy – 5.8 & 6.2
no conductivity test

Mills Dock, Santa Fe River @ NW 282nd Dr 2026-06-24 –Bob Mills and Kurt Hurzeler for WWALS

Water quality testing training and funding

WWALS testers Cindy Vedas, Suzy Hall, Kim Tanner, and Kurt Hurzeler 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/

Short Link:

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

A healthy watershed with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable water.

Upstream Withlacoochee River

Sugar Creek

Downstream Withlacoochee River

Santa Fe River

Water quality testing training and funding

FV

LP

PH

JJDGR

WGSC

HP

MillsDock

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