Author Archives: jsq

SRWMD negotiating to buy Tanner Springs, Withlacoochee River, Hamilton County, FL 2023-06-13

The Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) Board will decide whether to negotiate to buy Tanner Springs. This is a second magnitude spring on the left (west) bank of the Withlacoochee River a third of a mile downstream from Madison Boat Ramp and two and a third miles downstream from Madison Blue Spring. It is also known as HAM612981.

[SRWMD Location Map, WWALS Photograph]
SRWMD Location Map, WWALS Photograph

The 40-acre parcel has a 2023 market value of $86,000 and taxable value of $10,284. It was bought October 31, 2013, for $100 by Lena Faye C. Dixon, who wants to sell it to SRWMD.

GoTo Webinar Link:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3020434738864536413

Public Comment Form Link:
www.MySuwanneeRiver.com/Comments

Open to Public, June 13, 2023, 9:00 a.m., District Headquarters, Live Oak, Florida.

The board packet is on the WWALS website.

There are more images from the board packet below.

Continue reading →

Pictures: Valdosta trash tour with Valdosta Daily Times reporter 2023-02-28

Update 2023-06-14: Videos: Valdosta trash tour again 2023-05-23.

Malia Thomas, reporter for the Valdosta Daily Times, came to see some Valdosta trash locations.

[Trash locations]
Trash locations

You may remember Malia from reporting such as:

Here is a WWALS video playlist from some of the locations we toured. Continue reading →

Origins of WWALS and Suwannee Riverkeeper Part 1

People are often confused: what are WWALS and Suwannee Riverkeeper, where did they come from, how are they related, and what do they do?

Well, it’s a long story. Here is the first of several parts.

[Black and white square WWALS and Suwannee Riverkeeper logos]
Black and white square WWALS and Suwannee Riverkeeper logos

You’ll probably see this reposted on Walk Around Lowndes:
https://walkaroundlowndes.spyderserve.info/

Justin Coleman is walking every road and street in Lowndes County, Georgia, and blogging about it, featuring Suwannee Riverkeeper.

What is the mission of WWALS?

Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee River, bad Sheboggy on Alapaha River 2023-06-01

Update 2023-06-09: Clean Rivers 2023-06-08.

The Withlacoochee River tested good for Thursday, and the Little River good enough. Rain is predicted, but if you can get in before that, happy swimming, boating, and fishing this weekend.

Or join us tomorrow evening at the Banks Lake Full Strawberry Moon Paddle.

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-06-01]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-06-01

However, the Alapaha River at Sheboggy Boat Ramp tested bad for Monday. With worse a mile or so upstream below the City of Alapaha sewage settling ponds.

No new sewage spills have been reported. in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.

The most recent results we have from Valdosta are for Wednesday upstream and for last Friday downstream. Continue reading →

Judge agrees with voters: Titusville Right to Clean Water Charter amendment is legal 2023-05-22

In a big win for Right to Clean Water (RTCW) in Florida, a judge sided with the voters who passed a Titusville charter amendment. Addressing every point of a Motion for Summary Judgement for Declaratory Judgment filed by the City of Titusville, the judge denied that motion and granted the request by Speak Up Titusville, Inc. to require the City to certify the Amendment.

[Right to Clean Water and Sand Point Park Sewer polluted water flowing to Indian River Lagoon 2021-04-24 --Florida Today]
Right to Clean Water and Sand Point Park Sewer polluted water flowing to Indian River Lagoon 2021-04-24 –Florida Today

Registered Florida voters, please sign the statewide petition to put a state constitutional amendment on the ballot:
https://www.floridarighttocleanwater.org/ Continue reading →

Jennings Bluff Tract State Geological Site, Cedar Keys Formation, and Madison Blue Spring –FGS News and Research 2023-05-01

The May 2023 issue of FGS News and Research by the Florida Geological Survey has several articles relevant to the Suwannee River Basin.

[FGS N&R Madison Blue Spring]
FGS N&R Madison Blue Spring

On the Alapaha River Water Trail, Jennings Bluff Tract in Hamilton County Named as the Seventh State Geological Site covers what we reported from the site at the announcement. See also Continue reading →

Naylor to Mayday Paddle, Alapaha River 2023-08-12

Update 2023-07-31: After a scouting trip it has been determined this outing is NOT for beginners. The river is low but some of the rocky shoals, ledges and chutes are challenging.

Parking for the takeout at Mayday is soft dirt/sand and not suitable for vehicles that can’t handle rough conditions.

We’re not canceling unless the river drops too low or in case of thunderstorms. We also have some outings coming up that will be more suitable for all paddlers.

Paddle 11.24 miles on the Alapaha from Naylor to Mayday, through significant shoals, past several creeks.

Shirley Kokidko, leading this paddle, says, “I really want the shuttle to begin on time at 9, Mayday is a popular beach and parking is helter skelter.”

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman noted, “You can help us solve the mystery of why is Cow Creek always foaming.”

Shirley adds, “Be prepared at the end to climb up the sandhill at Mayday. It’s tough getting boats uphill in the deep sand, I’m not sure wheels are much help.”

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 4 PM, Saturday, August 12, 2023

Put In: Naylor Boat Ramp, 6955 US 84 E, Naylor, GA 31641, right bank, west of the river, north of US 84, in Lowndes County.

GPS: 30.924282, -83.038427

[River Bend Rapids, Foaming Cow Creek, Naylor Landing Sandhill 2016-05-07]
River Bend Rapids, Foaming Cow Creek, Naylor Landing Sandhill 2016-05-07

Continue reading →

Nutrien phosphate mine on the ground 2023-05-12

Update 2023-06-11: Crossings under CR 6 by Nutrien Phosphate Mine 2023-06-10.

A little birdie dropped these pictures, which were taken near Fivemile Still Road off of Woodpecker Route (CR 135), in Hamilton County, Florida, northeast of White Springs.

The locations are all less than a mile up Fivemile Still Road, which was closed above that.

[Inside the Nutrien phosphate mine, Hamilton County, Florida]
Inside the Nutrien phosphate mine, Hamilton County, Florida

Fivemile Still Road parallels Long Branch, which runs into the Suwannee River above Big Shoals Tract Launch.

Or did. Hard to say where Long Branch runs after all this mining. Continue reading →

New Executive Director, One Valdosta Lowndes 2023-05-23

The Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce, host of One Valdosta-Lowndes (OVL), invited WWALS to a reception for the new OVL Executive Director, Mary Beth Brownlee.

[OVL E.D. Mary Beth Brownlee]
OVL E.D. Mary Beth Brownlee

Mary Beth Brownlee was previously with Association County Commissioners of Georgia.

I congratulated her on her new appointment.

She agreed that Troupville River Camp is top of OVL’s project list. Continue reading →

Banks Lake Full Strawberry Moon Paddle 2023-06-03

Update 2023-06-09: Pictures: Banks Lake Full Strawberry Moon –jsq 2023-06-03.

Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle, with bats!

When: Gather 7:30 PM, launch 8 PM, moonrise 8:28 PM, sunset 8:32 PM, end 9:30 PM, Saturday, June 3, 2023

Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).

GPS: 31.034824, -83.096725

[Photos: John S. Quarterman, Paula Williams, 2022-06-14]
Photos: John S. Quarterman, Paula Williams, 2022-06-14

Continue reading →