The National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) provides data on wetlands throughout the country, plus a mapper, from which I’ve pulled these stills of the Suwannee River Basin.
I used a topo map as background.
One that already exists, and where another one wants to be.
All those straight lines don’t look natural, because Continue reading
The HPS II proponents don’t want to pay for consultant work on future effects of their phosphate mine. Why should the county (the taxpayers) be stuck with all or part of $53,265.00 to consultants about a for-profit mine that would adversely affect the waters on which the whole county depends, not to mention downstream on the New, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers and perhaps beyond in the Floridan Aquifer? Mine proponents also complained that one subconsultant had “articulated a position of opposition to the HPS application”. If the consultants were uniformly in favor of the mine, what would be the point of hiring them at all?
A map as clear as mining mud. Legend:
Union Project Boundary (5,421.91 Acres);
Bradford Project Boundary (5,262.92 Acres)
I sent Chairman Ross Chandler the the Resolution Against Phosphate Mines in Florida by several Waterkeepers across Florida.
In the agenda sheet for agenda item 4.B. Direction to staff regarding scope-of-work/subconsultants for Onsite Environmental Consultants (OEC) — Review of application for Special Permit for Mining (Section 14.6, LDR): Continue reading
Sending written comments makes more sense than four hours to Atlanta Tuesday, May 22, 2018, for this two-hour Public Hearing on water quality rules changes.
Reed Bingham State Park Lake, site of the
6th Annual BIG Little River Paddle Race,
Saturday April 28, 2018.
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO GEORGIA’S RULES FOR WATER QUALITY CONTROL
CHAPTER 391-3-6
TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS AND PARTIES:
Continue reading
I went to their board meeting and they invited me back to present slides on Earth Day:
When: 9AM to noon, Earth Day, Friday, April 20, 2018
Where:
Lower Suwannee Wildlife Refuge
16450 Northwest 31st Place, Chiefland 32626
Who: Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges
PR from the Friends says: Continue reading
Last week the Committee met by telephone. This week it will meet in person, tomorrow, in Valdosta for the first time.
When: 1PM Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Where:
Michael’s Deli, 1307 N Ashley St, Valdosta, GA 31601-4017
To attend by telephone, contact us for the number.
What: Finishing up contest rules, entry form, scorecards for selecting finalists and winners, sponsor application form, and banners for sponsors. Oh, and a date to start accepting submissions and a budget.
Draft sponsor banners: Which one do you like? Here are five sketches: mix and match what you would like to see flying over sponsor businesses and festival booths.
The First Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest is scheduled! Soon song submissions will open. And you can still help plan it.
Song Submissions:
Starting soon (date to be announced) through Sunday May 13
Finalists will be announced Saturday May 19, 2018.
The Contest: 1-5PM, Saturday, June 23, 2018
Where: Community Center, Cedar Key, Florida, with food and beverages
What: Finalists will play, sponsors will be acknowledged, and judges will award prizes.
Clockwise from left:
Anna, Teri, Eileen, jsq, (Mike), Scotti, Sara.
What to submit: Lyrics and sound (mp3) about any river, creek, spring, sink, swamp, or pond in the Suwannee River Basin (except not the Santa Fe River nor creeks, sinks, etc. on it, because it has its own contest). Nature, people, or events, are all Continue reading
Many thanks to the Hahira Mayor and Council for passing a resolution in support of the water trail for the rivers that run less than six miles west (the Little River) and east (the Withlacoochee River) of the Hahira Courthouse where they met.
Left to right:
Council Patrick Warren (District 3)
Mayor Pro Tem Kenneth Davis (District 2),
Mayor Bruce Cain,
Empty Chair for City Attorney Rob Plumb,
City Manager Jonathan Sumner,
Council Terry Benjamin (District 1),
Council Mason Barfield (District 4),
City Clerk Lisa Mashburn.
I spoke briefly at their Work Session, Tuesday, January 30, 2018, outlining the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT) and the resolution, and I invited them to upcoming WWALS outings. Several of the Council had positive comments.
Council Patrick Warren also mentioned his fear of Continue reading
Thanks to Jay Bushnell for the heads-up on this FDEP notice of February 6, 2018:
Impaired Waters Rule (IWR) Notification
The department announces the availability of the 2018 Strategic Monitoring Plans. These plans represent the water quality and biological monitoring needs identified by the department in preparation for basin assessments as part of the watershed management approach.
The Watershed Assessment Section developed Continue reading
HR 158 may be scheduled for a vote in the Georgia House as soon as tomorrow. Help dedicate state fees to their intended purposes: please contact your Georgia House Representative or Georgia State Senator (follow the links for contact information) and ask them to pass HR 158. If you don’t know who your Georgia Representative or Senator are, see Georgia My Voter Page.
Hahira is the most recent of six local governments representing the majority of the population in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia, in five Georgia House districts and two Senate districts, that have passed a resolution supporting Georgia HR 158 against state fee diversions, with five stories and an editorial in the biggest circulation newspaper in the Basin. More local resolutions passed elsewhere in the state, but that ain’t bad for the Suwannee River Basin.
Tonight, a resolution supporting the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail, and a resolution for Georgia HR 158 against state fee diversions, (the one already passed by three counties and two cities in the Suwannee River Basin), on the agenda at the Hahira City Council Work Session (and Thursday at the Regular Session). Both will be introduced by Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman.
When: 6:00 PM, Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Where: Hahira Courthouse, 301 W Main Street, Hahira, GA 31632
What: Work Session, Hahira City Council
