Category Archives: Cleanup

Plastic bag bans keep trash out of rivers and the sea –a study in Science 2025-06-19

Plastic bag bans work, finds a study published in Science this month. And not by a little bit: “a 25 to 47% decrease in plastic bags as a share of total items collected relative to areas without policies” and a “30 to 37% reduction in the presence of entangled animals in areas with plastic bag policies”. The study says even partial bans help, and the effect increases with more bans.

[Plastic bag bans keep trash out of rivers and the sea --a study in Science, June 19, 2025]
Plastic bag bans keep trash out of rivers and the sea –a study in Science, June 19, 2025

Cleanups alone do not solve the trash problem: trash just keeps coming back. Trash traps help keep it out of creeks and rivers, but have to be continually cleaned out. Banning use of the trash goes a long way towards fixing the problem, as this recent study shows.

Local governments in Georgia and even in Florida can ban or regulate such packaging. Continue reading →

Chainsaw upstream from Troupville, Withlacoochee River, 2025-07-12

Update 2025-07-16: Pictures: Chainsaw upstream from Troupville, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-12.

Join us to get the deadfalls revealed by lower water levels. Yes, we’re still cleaning up after Hurricane Helene.

You do not have to saw. You can pick up trash, take pictures, or just paddle.

You can also walk along the right (west) bank of the Withlacoochee River much of the way.

If the water level is too low for boating, we will all be walking.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 3:30 PM, Saturday, July 12, 2025

Put In: Troupville Boat Ramp, 19664 Valdosta Hwy, Valdosta, GA 31602. I-75 exit 18, west on GA 133 (St. Augustine Road) away from the Valdosta Mall, at the traffic light for Val Tech Road, turn left down to the boat ramp, in Lowndes County.

GPS: 30.851842, -83.346536

[Chainsaw upstream from Troupville, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-12, Get deadfalls revealed by lower water levels]
Chainsaw upstream from Troupville, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-12, Get deadfalls revealed by lower water levels

Continue reading →

Running 9.9 hp outboard 2025-06-25

Thanks, Phil Hubbard, for fixing the Mercury 9.9 hp outboard that we usually use with the WWALS jon boat on chainsaw cleanups.
https://wwals.net/outings/chainsaw-cleanups/

We’re working up a chainsaw cleanup probably on Saturday, July 12, in case you want to come along. Stay tuned at:
https://wwals.net/outings

[Phil Hubard fixed the 9.9 hp Mercury outboard 2025-06-25, Also running: the 25 hp Yamaha outboard]
Phil Hubard fixed the 9.9 hp Mercury outboard 2025-06-25, Also running: the 25 hp Yamaha outboard

Thanks to Wild Green Future for the generous grant that bought both outboards, as well as an 86lb thrust trolling motor, two LiFeO2 batteries, and some related materials.

After testing for fuel flow in several locations, Phil disassembled the fuel pump and reassembled it and it works fine now. Continue reading →

Okapilco Creek 2025-03-22

Downstream from Spook Bridge on the Withlacoochee River, Phil Hubbard and I took a side trip up Okapilco Creek.

[Okapilco Creek 2025-03-22, Withlacoochee River, Piscola Creek, Patrick Creek]
Okapilco Creek 2025-03-22, Withlacoochee River, Piscola Creek, Patrick Creek

We passed Piscola Creek and Patrick Creek.

We went up Okapilco Creek about a mile. Then we encountered a deadfall across the creek. We could have sawed it in a few minutes. But our main mission was checking passage on the Withlacoochee River, so we turned back.

There was very little trash in Okapilco Creek. We collected some of it.

Phil Royce had declined to follow us up the creek, so we caught up with him down near Knights Ferry Boat Ramp. Stay tuned for that.

Thanks to Wild Green Future for the generous grant that paid for Continue reading →

Little River Deadfalls upstream from Morven Road 2025-04-26

Ken Lowe tried paddling up from Miller Bridge and found these deadfalls, presumably blown down by Hurricane Helene.

[Little River Deadfalls, upstream from Morven Road, towards Folsom Bridge, --Ken Lowe 2025-04-26]
Little River Deadfalls, upstream from Morven Road, towards Folsom Bridge, –Ken Lowe 2025-04-26

They start about 2/3 of a mile up, and the last one is about 1 1/4 mile up.

It’s only 3 1/4 miles all the way from the private Lawson Mill Pond Landing up to Folsom Bridge, so that’s more than a third of the way there. Most likely there are more deadfalls the rest of the way.

This is all west of Hahira, Georgia. The Little River here is the border between Brooks and Lowndes Counties, Georgia.

We’ll see about getting these deadfalls scheduled for a chainsaw cleanup. Continue reading →

Florida Campsites to Allen Ramp, Withlacoochee River 2025-06-21

Update 2025-06-25: Pictures: Florida Campsites to Allen Ramp, Withlacoochee River 2025-06-21.

Update 2025-06-20: It’s going to be hot, probably 92F in the afternoon with 100F or higher heat index. Bring lots of water. Even better, citrus juice. Wear a hat and long sleeves, or sunscreen. There will be springs to cool off in, but much of the time we’ll be paddling in the hot sun.

Join us to paddle by many springs and sinks in Madison and Hamilton Counties, Florida, on the Withlacoochee River, including first-magnitude Madison Blue Spring.

It’s not far, 5.39 river miles, but full of springs.

When: Gather 10 AM, launch 11 AM, moonrise 10:40 AM, sunset 8:34 PM, end 2 PM, Saturday, June 21, 2025

Put In: Florida Campsites Ramp, 2137 NW 47th St, Jasper, FL 32052, in Hamilton County, Florida.

GPS: 30.501128, -83.242411

[Florida Campsites to Allen Ramp, Withlacoochee River 2025-06-21, Springs including Madison Blue]
Florida Campsites to Allen Ramp, Withlacoochee River 2025-06-21, Springs including Madison Blue

Continue reading →

Pictures: Another Clean up One Mile Branch at Azalea City Trail, Valdosta, GA 2025-04-26

We got quite a bit of trash off of Wainwright Drive, One Mile Branch, and the Azalea City Trail, including near the old trash dump across Hurricane-Helene-damaged fence.

[Clean up One Mile Branch, at Azalea City Trail, Wainwright Drive, Valdosta, GA, April 26, 2025]
Clean up One Mile Branch, at Azalea City Trail, Wainwright Drive, Valdosta, GA, April 26, 2025

The land beyond One Mile Branch left bank, Azalea City Trail, and the fence is owned by University System of GA Board of Regents.

There were children playing in One Mile Branch, including right below the manholes that have repeatedly leaked massive amounts of raw sewage.

One Mile Branch runs into Sugar Creek into the Withlacoochee River.

Thanks to Sara Squires Jones and Scotti Jay for organizing this cleanup.

For more Continue reading →

Videos: Mayor and Chairmans Paddle 2025-04-19

Here WWALS videos of the Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper, and the talks before the Mayor and Chairmans Paddle 2025.

We didn’t get video of Gretchen Quarterman giving the host talk, but she got video of Gee Edwards giving the Safety Lecture as the leader of this expedition.

[Videos: Mayor and Chairmans Paddle, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-19, Langdale Park Boat Ramp to Sugar Creek]
Videos: Mayor and Chairmans Paddle, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-19, Langdale Park Boat Ramp to Sugar Creek

And of the two elected officials: Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson, and Lowndes County Commission Chairman Bill Slaughter.

And of Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman, who thanked Phil Hubbard and Phil Royce for the then most recent WWALS chainsaw cleanups between Langdale Park and Troupville. TJ Johnson also led three of the ten chainsaw cleanups on the Withlacoochee River since Hurricane Helene.

Here are the videos:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-QwGbCYD8RS6O2a9Gbde6KiW&si=3AXMuak4qXkl4DB5

Also thanks to Joe Brownlee and Georgia Power for the grant that kept this paddle free to everyone.

And thanks to Paul Batts and Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) for the two shuttle vans and drivers. And to Lowndes County Fire Rescue for paddling. And to Lowndes County Public Works for grading the access road to Langdale Park Boat Ramp.

Thanks to Steve Miller and son for bringing a golf cart to the take-out at Sugar Creek. They and WWALS President Sara Squires Jones held the fort at Sugar Creek while the rest of us were paddling.

Here are the individual videos in this playlist: Continue reading →

Pictures: Last Mile, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-13

Update 2025-04-20: Pictures: Chainsaw from Troupville up the Withlacoochee River towards Sugar Creek 2025-04-18.

At Langdale Park Boat Ramp Sunday Phil Hubbard got the big chainsaw working again. That’s the Husqvarna 24-inch chainsaw that we dunked in the Withlacoochee River Wednesday.

Then we drove by Sugar Creek for a look-see. There’s a big logjam, which we dealt with later. And geese swimming in the creek by the WaterGoat.

We decided to put in at Troupville Boat Ramp and go down around the Little River to its Confluence and upstream on the Withlacoochee River. All the way to Langdale Park Boat Ramp and back down.

[Withlacoochee River Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-04-13, Troupville Boat Ramp up to Langdale Park]
Withlacoochee River Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-04-13, Troupville Boat Ramp up to Langdale Park

We found plenty of new deadfalls, and some old ones in the way at this kind of water level. The Valdosta Gauge at US 41 read 122.79 feet NAVD88 at 9:15 AM and 122.87 feet at 5 PM, rising as we did this chainsaw cleanup.

Videos: Continue reading →

Last Mile, Withlacoochee River, Langdale Park Boat Ramp 2025-04-13

Update 2025-04-15: Pictures: Last Mile, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-13.

Get the last mile of deadfalls below Sugar Creek and anything else we see.

You can join us in a kayak or canoe; it’s all downstream.

You do not have to use a saw of any kind.

You can photograph, pick up trash, or just paddle.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 9:30 AM, end 4 PM, Sunday, April 13, 2025

Put In: Langdale Park Boat Ramp, 3781 N. Valdosta Rd., Valdosta, GA 31602, downstream from the North Valdosta Road (US 41) Bridge, in Lowndes County.

GPS: 30.88747, -83.32395

[Last Mile Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-13, From Langdale Park, by Sugar Creek, to Troupville Boat Ramp]
Last Mile Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-13, From Langdale Park, by Sugar Creek, to Troupville Boat Ramp

Continue reading →