Category Archives: Blueway

Resolution in Support of National Water Trail Designation of The Suwannee River in Madison County 2016-10-12

Madison BOCC passed a Resolution unanimously, with the same wording as the resolution by Suwannee BOCC.

SRWT Upper and Middle Suwannee River In the MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016:

Upon a motion by Commissioner [Wayne] Vickers, seconded by Commissioner [Justin] Hamrick, the Board voted unanimously (5-0) to approve the Consent Agenda (1. Agreement between the County and the North Central Florida Planning Council for Monitoring Hazardous Waste Generators for Fiscal Year 2017; 2. Resolution 2016-10-12A; Support of National Water Trail Designation for the Suwannee River).

Resolution

Continue reading →

Resolution in Support of National Water Trail Designation of The Suwannee River in Suwannee County 2016-12-06

They passed a Resolution and wrote a Letter.

Thanks to Eric Musgrove, Clerk, Suwannee BOCC, for the PDF.

Resolution

RESOLUTION NO. 2017-16

A Resolution in Support of National Water Trail Designation of I

The Suwannee River in Suwannee County

WHEREAS, the benefits of designation of the Suwannee River in Suwannee County as a National Water Trail include Continue reading →

Pictures, McIntyre and Arnold Springs, Nankin to Madison Hwy, Withlacoochee River 2016-07-09

Update 2024-02-29: Now with better picture format.

We found McIntyre Spring, and Arnold Springs, too, on the WWALS Withlacoochee River Outing from Nankin Boat Ramp to Madison Highway Boat Ramp, July 9th 2016. Swimming, snorkeling, karst, shoals, an abandoned railroad trestle, more shoals, State Line Shoals, old road bridge posts, dragonflies, and Halberdleaf rosemallow (Hibiscus laevis All.), unfortunately plus Chamber bitter.

[McIntyre Spring and State Line Shoals 2016-07-09]
McIntyre Spring and State Line Shoals 2016-07-09

Update 2017-05-13: On 2016-07-09, the US 84 Quitman gage showed about 1.75 feet (85.26 NAVD), and the Pinetta gage showed about 6.57 (53.08 NAVD). That’s a foot lower than June 22, 2013, when we thought that was already as low as you’d want to paddle.

Here are a few videos, some pictures, and a google map showing where the pictures were taken.

 -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/

Videos

Here is a playlist of WWALS videos:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-Qyed6eWPp4xcYNjZI-NMW-j Continue reading →

GA HR 281 Water Trails resolution

This bipartisan resolution sounds like a good idea to me. And apparently it also looks good to the Georgia Forestry Association (of which I am a member).

Capitol Forestry Report, GFA, 20 February 2017:

House Resolution 281
Sponsor: Rep. Spencer Frye, D-Athens
This is a resolution with no force of law the supports the use and enjoyment of river trails in the State of Georgia. GFA has engaged with the bill’s author, Rep. Spencer Frye, who is very supportive of private property rights for forest landowners in Georgia.
Status: House Natural Resources and Environment Committee.

WWALS has two water trails, the Alapaha River Water Tral, and the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail, both following up on many years of harmony among boaters and landowners dating back to earlier Canoe Trails on the same rivers in the 1970s.

HR 281: A RESOLUTION recognizing and encouraging the proliferation and use of water trails in Georgia; and for other purposes. Continue reading →

Berrien Beach Landing (GA 168) to Lakeland (GA 122), WWALS Outing 2017-02-11

12 + 4 boats and about 18 paddlers went even faster down the Alapaha River than we expected: six hours on the water between GA 168 and GA 122, including a lunch stop. That’s about 3 miles per hour on a chilly morning and a fine breezy warm day. And there were bon-bons and kumquats!

WWALS banner by Gretchen Quarterman
WWALS banner at lunch stop; picture by Gretchen Quarterman for WWALS.

Lots of native vegetation, no invasive species, some birds (buzzards, ducks, heron, flycatcher, cardinals), no animals on the land or in the water. People fishing at Lakeland said they didn’t even get a nibble. I did see a few fish beds below a creek confluence.

The water level was Continue reading →

5th Annual BIG Little River Paddle Race with grilling and silent auction 2017-04-29

Update 2017-06-04: And the winners!

Update 2017-04-30: Summary of news coverage.

Update 2017-04-29: Pictures and videos.

Update 2017-04-27: Paddle or Race, Scott James Talk 92.1 FM radio 2017-04-27

Update 2017-04-26: River radio videos: Charlie Walker dried off in time on KIX 99.5 FM for the BIG Little River Paddle Race 2017-04-26 and Video: BLPR and Neighbor Steve Nichols, WVGA 105.9 FM 2017-04-26.

Update 2017-04-25: More river radio: BLPR on The Morning Drive with Steve Nichols, 105.9 FM, 8:15 AM Wednesday April 26, 2017, and you can get a kayak raffle ticket online or at the paddle race.

Update 2017-04-24: Hear about it on the Scott James Talk 92.1 FM radio show 8AM Thursday April 27th.

Back by popular demand! This year plus lunch grilling and a silent auction afterwards: the fifth annual BIG Little River Paddle Race, a fundraiser for WWALS and Friends of Reed Bingham (FORB). Last year we had 34 paddlers, and the traditional winner almost lost! Come on down and you can be a winner, if not first place, in one of many categories.

Ready! Where: Red Roberts Landing
31°11’32.0″N 83°31’13.2″W
Rountree Bridge Road
Between Moultrie and Adel, GA
I-75 Exit 41 (at Sparks) to Rountree Bridge Road

When: 8AM-9AM Registration
9:30 AM Mass Start

What: Canoes or Kayaks Only
Life jackets required of all participants.

Let people know: facebook event or the Meetup event.
But remember to register.

Registration: Register on-line Continue reading →

Videos: Suwannee Riverkeeper at Hahira Historical Society 2017-01-09

We all drink from straws into the same Floridan Aquifer, so we need to keep it clean and full, said WWALS acting Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman at the Hahira Historical Society, a very influential institution between the Little and Withlacoochee Rivers in Lowndes County, Georgia.

You can see in this video that she also explained we paddle upstream in the rainy season and downstream in summer, how WWALS added Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®, and what WWALS does and where, including Continue reading →

Suwannee Riverkeeper at Hahira Historical Society 2017-01-09

Monday WWALS acting Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman will talk about Front door agriculture and the recent Mott regrant to WWALS for conservation outreach, about the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail, and about Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®, at the Hahira Historical Society, a very influential institution between the Little and Withlacoochee Rivers in Lowndes County, Georgia. Come on down and hear how you can be a steward for our waters as a WWALS member, a committee member, or even as a board member.

When: 7PM Monday, Januar 9th, 2017

Where: 102 South Church, Street, Hahira, GA 31632

Event: facebook

I used to go see Dr. Parrott and then Dr. Acree in that building, which is Continue reading →

WWALS receives grant for water conservation outreach to farmers and community

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WWALS receives grant for water conservation outreach to farmers and community (PDF)

Hahira, Georgia; December 27, 2016 — Local water conservation group WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) has received a grant of Just enough water here, 31.0016918, -83.4573364 $6,000 from the Georgia Water Coalition (GWC) to help groups in towns, counties, and countryside to draw the big picture of watershed conservation, as well as to help organize at least one grant from a different source to assist at least one farmer in erosion control.

The award contract of November 11, 2016, says Continue reading →

GA 168 (Berrien Beach) to GA 122 (Lakeland) Alapaha River Outing 2017-02-11

Long, but if the water is high, should be fast: 16 1/2 miles from Berrien Beach Landing to Lakeland Boat Ramp on the lovely wild Alapaha River Water Trail. As long as the rains keep coming, the river should be high and it should take less time than the usual estimate of eight hours. Bring the usual personal flotation device, boat paddles, food, drinking water, warm clothes, and first aid kit. There is no good place to take out before the end point, so be prepared to paddle all day.

When: 7:00AM, Saturday, February 11th, 2017

Put In: Berrien Beach Ramp, on GA 168 east of Nashville, Berrien County, Georgia, at 31.159076, -83.045554. Continue reading →