Category Archives: Cleanup

Florida Campsites to Allen Ramp, Withlacoochee River 2022-06-04

Update 2022-08-08: Pictures: Florida Campsites to Allen Ramp, Withlacoochee River 2022-06-04.

Because of low water, we’re shifting downstream, to put in at Florida Campsites Ramp and take out at Allen Ramp. That’s a shorter paddle, 5.39 river miles. It still goes by Sullivan Slough and first-magnitude Madison Blue Spring, and there are more springs downstream from there, including second-magnitude Pot Spring, as well as some nice swimming and lunching beaches.

WWALS and Madison and Hamilton Counties, Florida, invite you to paddle and to clean up the Withlacoochee River.

[River, Route]
River, Route

When: Gather 10 AM, launch 11 AM, moonrise 10:40 AM, sunset 8:34 PM, end 2 PM, Saturday, June 4, 2022

Put In: Florida Campsites Ramp, 2137 NW 47th St, Jasper, FL 32052, in Hamilton County, Florida. From Jasper, Hamilton County, FL, travel north on US 41 to SR 6; turn left; travel west on SR 6 to CR 143; turn right and travel north to NW 44 Street; turn left; follow road to NW 45 Street; turn right; follow road to NW 22 Avenue; turn left and follow road to NW 21 Place and ramp is on the right.

GPS: 30.501128, -83.242411 Continue reading →

Chainsaw cleanup again, Withlacoochee River 2022-06-05

Update 2022-06-06: Pictures: Another big logjam in Chainsaw Cleanup Withlacoochee 2022-06-05.

Let’s go back and get some more of the deadfalls blocking the Withlacoochee River between Langdale Park Boat Ramp and Troupville Boat Ramp. There are plenty more deadfalls downstream below the the railroad bridge below Sugar Creek, even after we cut through the first big logjam last time.

This is a cleanup, so there’s plenty for everyone to do. You do not have to use a chainsaw, and we recommend you do not unless you have experience with them. Everyone near a chainsaw please wear safety eyeglasses. And earplugs.

We’re all ears for when the trash boom Valdosta has ordered for Sugar Creek will arrive and get installed. Meanwhile, we’re going ahead with the deadfall clearing while volunteers are enthusiastic, so once the trash is more contained there can be more paddling on the Withlacoochee River.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 9:30 AM, end 12 PM, Sunday, June 5, 2022

Put In: Salty Snapper parking lot, 1405 Gornto Road, Valdosta, GA 31602.

GPS: 30.8625, -83.31875

Bring: Chainsaw or sawzall if you are experienced with using them, plus protective eyewear and earwear. Everyone the usual personal flotation device, boat, paddles, food, drinking water, warm clothes, and first aid kit. Also trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup. Mosquitoes can be bad at dusk so come prepared.

Free: This outing is free because it is a cleanup.

We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations

Event: facebook, meetup

[Need a new chain and bar for that chainsaw]
Need a new chain and bar for that chainsaw

Continue reading →

Chainsaw cleanup pictures, Withlacoochee River 2022-05-29

Update 2022-06-01: Chainsaw cleanup again, Withlacoochee River 2022-06-05.

Some chainsawed, others cleaned up, on the chainsaw cleanup at the Withlacoochee River.

We met at the Salty Snapper parking lot, but we did not actually go to Sugar Creek. We headed straight for the biggest Withlacoochee River impediment, the infamous NSRR Deadfall, a stack of deadfalls (downed trees) across the river downstream of the Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge.

That took the allotted time of nine to noon. We’ll probably do it again next Sunday; stay tuned.

[Logjam, Sawing, Cleanup, Banners]
Logjam, Sawing, Cleanup, Banners

Thanks to Phil Hubbard for sawing and Jan Krysa for helping in the boat and in the water. Thanks to Elizabeth Brunner and family for cleaning up.

Also, we did not see much trash actually in the big deadfall, presumably because Continue reading →

Chainsaw cleanup, Withlacoochee River @ Sugar Creek 2022-05-29

Let’s clear some more of the deadfalls blocking the Withlacoochee River between Langdale Park Boat Ramp and Troupville Boat Ramp. We will probably float around right near Sugar Creek, although if we get everything there, we might paddle down towards the Little River.

This is a cleanup, so there’s plenty for everyone to do. You do not have to use a chainsaw, and we recommend you do not unless you have experience with them. Everyone near a chainsaw please wear safety eyeglasses.

Yes, Valdosta has ordered a trash boom for Sugar Creek, but we do not yet know when it will arrive and get installed. We want to go ahead with the deadfall clearing while volunteers are enthusiastic, so once the trash is more contained there can be more paddling on the Withlacoochee River.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 9:30 AM, end 12 PM, Sunday, May 29, 2022

Put In: Salty Snapper parking lot, 1405 Gornto Road, Valdosta, GA 31602.

GPS: 30.8625, -83.31875

Bring: Chainsaw or sawzall if you are experienced with using them. Everyone bring the usual personal flotation device, boat, paddles, snacks, drinking water, and first aid kit. Also trash pickers and trash bags. If you do not have a boat, there will probably be plenty to pick up along the shore, and we may have extra spots in boats.

Free: This outing is free because it is a cleanup.

We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations

Event: facebook

[Movie: Phil Hubbard sawing a log in a kayak, 09:36:09, 30.8632605, -83.3193490 (71M)]
Phil Hubbard sawing a log in a kayak, 2022-05-07 30.8632605, -83.3193490

Continue reading →

Pictures: Five Holes Cleanup 2018-02-10

That was a fun cleanup, down at Five Holes, a chain of linked swallets on the Suwannee River. We walked up from Suwannee River Campsites.

[Swallets, Suwannee River]
Swallets, Suwannee River

Five Holes is in Suwannee River State Park. Back then we needed permission and got it (thanks, Craig Liney). We hear it’s now public access. Update 2022-05-28: Actually, Five Holes is closed for renovation. However, we have permission from the Park Manager for an outing there in August; stay tuned. Continue reading →

Pictures: Pafford’s Landing cleanup 2022-04-16

Here are pictures and commentary by WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman at the WWALS Earth Day Pafford’s Landing cleanup on the Alapaha River.

Meanwhile, I’d like to know what we need to do to get people from Lakeland and Lanier County to come clean up? What happened to the regular cleanups apparently promised by the Sheriff and the County Commission? Must we call in the Marines every time to clean up Pafford’s Landing?

After previous cleanups in Lanier County, the county dump accepted all the trash we got from the river, including tires. Why not these three tires this time?

The dump did accept the approximately 300 pounds of bagged trash. Thanks to the Marine recruits for helping bag it.

Also, Hooters, KFC, Hardees, Chick-fil-A, and Budweiser, maybe if you didn’t produce so much single-use trash, there wouldn’t be so much of it thrown away.

[Begin, Volunteers, Marines, Trash]
Begin, Volunteers, Marines, Trash

Shirley and I were the volunteers to sign in and we waited for other WWALS members or Lanier County people to help out but no more came. We are looking fresh and clean at 9AM. Continue reading →

Videos: WWALS Adopt-A-Stream Award from GA-DNR 2022-04-27

Update 2022-04-29: GA-DNR Adopt-A-Stream cleanup award to WWALS, Suwannee Riverkeeper on Scott James Radio 2022-04-29.

WWALS won the Adopt-A-Stream Award for cleanups, presented in the Rivers Alive Awards in Atlanta by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

[Movie: Stopping trash upstream --Suwannnee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman, for WWALS]
Movie: Stopping trash upstream –Suwannnee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman, for WWALS

Here are WWALS videos of the award being delivered, and of Suwannee Riverkeeper talking about work WWALS is doing upstream to stop the trash before it gets to the rivers, working with the City of Valdosta about trash traps and parking lot ordinance enforcement. Continue reading →

Pictures: Two Mile Branch cleanup 2022-04-16

Eighteen people accepted Katherine Ball’s invitation to clean up Two Mile Branch behind Stone Castle.

Trash found in this Georgia Rivers Alive WWALS Earth Day cleanup included a Valdosta rezoning sign from 2007, a street-side trash bin, and many tires, as well as the usual bottles and cans.

Floridians, this is trash that would otherwise go down Two Mile Branch and Sugar Creek to the Withlacoochee River into Florida.

Some VSU students videoed the proceedings for a documentary. Nic Hathaway says he’s organizing Lowndes High students to help with trash.

[Creek, trash, banners]
Creek, trash, banners

Michael’s backhoe was necessary to pull some of that stuff out. The trash bin took a halfdozen to heave-ho.

Here’s a WWALS video playlist: Continue reading →

Floating trash in cypress swamp below VLPRA HQ in Valdosta 2022-04-13

Update 2022-08-17: Refurbished Pepsi Adopt-A-Spot sign, Barack Obama Blvd., Valdosta, GA 2022-08-17.

I was told Monday that Valdosta Stormwater had cleaned up at least some of the trash in the two-acre swamp the City of Valdosta owns just south of Parks and Rec. Headquarters on Barack Obama Boulevard.

I’ll give it an A for effort and a C- for effectiveness. They cut in from the side, apparently cleaned up what was right along the edge, and left masses of trash in the water.

[Swamp, path, trash, Adopt-A-Spot]
Swamp, path, trash, Adopt-A-Spot

I could wade to much of the remaining trash with my ordinary mud boots. Why they couldn’t do that, or use waders and nets, is mysterious.

I don’t understand a Stormwater Division that is afraid of water. This is not like the real danger of cleaning up in a flowing river with deadfalls that could suck you under. This is a still swamp with no current and no more than two feet deep.

And a swamp still full of trash that washes down One Mile Branch into the Withlacoochee River, past the future site of Troupville River Camp. Welcome, campers!

I get it that Stormwater needs more funding and people to do larger things such as more regular cleanups and trash traps. And yes, the City Council needs to allocate funds and direction for such things. We’re working on that. But how much can some waders and nets cost? Continue reading →

WWALS first President Dave Hetzel 1936-2022

Dave Hetzel will be missed. He was the first President of WWALS, a longtime board member and WWALS Ambassador (a Vice President), promoter of solar power, opponent of pipelines, a fixture at festivals for WWALS from Cedar Key, Florida to Alapaha, Georgia, loved to paddle on our rivers and to promote the Alapaha River Water Trail and the BIG Little River Paddle Race; friend to all.

[Dave Hetzel]
Dave Hetzel

Also, Dave was a good sport. On his very first paddle outing with WWALS, he got dunked completely underwater in the Alapaha River, but he popped right up and never complained.

Before the obituary, here are a few pictures. Continue reading →