Category Archives: creeks

Dirty upstream, clean downstream: New and Withlacoochee Rivers 2025-04-03

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WWALS water quality tester Samantha Carr found the New River dirty at 18th Street in Tifton, GA, but clean downstream at GA 125.

Valdosta Utilities found the Withlacoochee River dirty at GA 133, downstream of Sugar Creek. See previous report about filthy Sugar Creek:
https://wwals.net/?p=67384

But Valdosta Utilities found the Withlacoochee clean downstream at US 84, as did WWALS tester Russ Tatum at Holly Point, almost to the Suwannee River. Presumably the larger flow of the Little River entering the Withlacoochee River diluted the contamination.

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

No rain is predicted until Monday.

The rivers are all back down to boatable levels.

So avoid Sugar Creek after rains, at least downstream from Baytree Road.

Other than that, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend!

[New River and Withlacoochee River: Dirty upstream, Clean downstream 2025-04-03]
New River and Withlacoochee River: Dirty upstream, Clean downstream 2025-04-03

Join us this Saturday for Rescheduled: Ichetucknee to Santa Fe Rivers 2025-04-05.
https://wwals.net/?p=66991

Or come help prevent privatization of Florida State Parks one of the many Florida State Parks Love Fests at the Suwannee or Santa Fe Rivers:
https://wwals.net/?p=67329 Continue reading →

Clean Little & Withlacoochee Rivers, Filthy Sugar Creek 2025-04-01

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Update 2025-04-04: Dirty upstream, clean downstream: New and Withlacoochee Rivers 2025-04-03.

Avoid Sugar Creek after rains, at least downstream from Baytree Road.

I sampled Tuesday, hoping to get low E. coli so we could all put that long-term Sugar Creek sewage spill behind us. But the results were very bad, as in Too Many to Count (TNTC) at Gornto Road and 4,933 cfu/100 mL at the WaterGoat. The alert limit is 1,000, so many times that.

Why? Most likely the banks and bed of Sugar Creek are still contaminated from the sewage spill and the rains washed some of that into the creek. Valdosta Utilities Director Jason Barnes assures me the sewage bypass is working. Even though its pump wasn’t running when I went by there, he says it turns on as needed.

The good news: the Withlacoochee River downstream at GA 133 was pretty clean. Apparently rainwater in the river diluted the contamination from Sugar Creek. The Little River at Troupville Boat Ramp was even cleaner. So downstream on the Withlacoochee River you should have no problems this time from Sugar Creek.

[After rains, Filthy Sugar Creek 2025-04-01, Clean Little River &, Withlacoochee Rivers]
After rains, Filthy Sugar Creek 2025-04-01, Clean Little River &, Withlacoochee Rivers

The usual weekly WWALS water quality report will be published tomorrow (Friday). Continue reading →

Pictures: DeLoach private boat ramp to Spook Bridge, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-22

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We continued on March 22 from Paul DeLoach’s private boat ramp, the early takeout for the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle, 2025-04-19.

[Deloach private BR, many creeks, Langdale Company midpoint landing, US 84, CSX RR, to Spook Bridge, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-22]
Deloach private BR, many creeks, Langdale Company midpoint landing, US 84, CSX RR, to Spook Bridge, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-22

On March 22, we stopped at the midpoint lunch spot and on to Spook Bridge, with several creeks, bridges, and other sights in between.

Thanks to The Langdale Company for access at the midpoint and Spook Bridge.

Stay tuned for Okapilco Creek and on to Knights Ferry Boat Ramp. The left bank is Lowndes County all the way, while the right bank and Okapilco Creek are in Brooks County.

Thanks to Phil Hubbard for leading this expedition in the WWALS jon boat with the 9.9 hp outboard bought with a generous grant from Wild Green Future, along with the 24-inch Husqvarna chainsaw, the 86lb-thrust trolling motor, and the two LiFeO2 batteris.

Thanks to Phil Royce for bringing his jon boat and 3.5 hp outboard. We brought a bunch of other saws, too, but were happy enough not to have to use them for once on a chainsaw cleanup. Continue reading →

Pictures: Expert paddle, Troupville to Paul DeLoach private boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-22

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Update 2025-03-30: Pictures: DeLoach private boat ramp to Spook Bridge, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-22.

Last Saturday, Phil Hubbard and Phil Royce and I took two jon boats down the Withlacoochee River on the route of the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle, which will be April 19, 2025.
https://wwals.net/?p=67242

The water levels were high and fast. Even on the Little River, there were some risks for novice paddlers, and more on the Withlacoochee River.

[Expert high-water paddle, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-22, Troupville Boat Ramp to Paul DeLoach private boat Ramp]
Expert high-water paddle, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-22, Troupville Boat Ramp to Paul DeLoach private boat Ramp

These pictures go as far as the early takeout, at Phil DeLoach’s private boat ramp.

You’ve already seen some of them, along with some historical pictures and videos, in Erosion and sign missing at Valdosta WWTP Outfall 2025-03-22.
https://wwals.net/?p=67276

Stay tuned for more pictures farther downstream.

The only time we used a chainsaw was when Phil Hubbard tuned the idle on the 24-inch Husqvarna, paid for by a generous grant from Wild Green Future, along with the 9.9 hp outboard, the 86lb-thrust trolling motor, and the two LiFeO2 batteries. Continue reading →

River water and groundwater interchange interacts with drinking water treatment 2025-03-26

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We all drink with straws from the groundwater here in the U.S. southeast coastal plain.

[River water and groundwater interchange interacts with drinking water treatment in Georgia and Florida]
River water and groundwater interchange interacts with drinking water treatment in Georgia and Florida

So surface water interchange with groundwater produces problems for city and county drinking water treatment, and for E. coli contamination of private water wells. Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee River and Ty Ty Creek 2025-03-19

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Update 2025-03-29: Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers 2025-03-26.

It’s a good weekend for boating, if you are experienced and like water high and fast.

WWALS and Valdosta Utilities got good water quality results both upstream and downstream of Sugar Creek for Wednesday, and there has only been a sprinkle of rain since.

No new sewage spills were reported in Georgia or Florida.

No rain is predicted until Monday.

The Withlacoochee River at Pinetta is too high to paddle, as is the Suwannee at Fargo and the Ichetucknee and Santa Fe Rivers near where they join.

Avoid those spots, and happy high and fast water fishing, swimming, paddling, or boating this weekend.

If you are experienced, join us on Saturday, March 22, 2025, for the Expert paddle with jon boats: Troupville to Knights Ferry, Withlacoochee River.

The Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle has been rescheduled to April 19th.

For these and other WWALS outings and events, see: https://wwals.net/outings/

[Clean Withlacoochee River and Ty Ty Creek 2025-03-19, No new sewage spills, No rain this weekend]
Clean Withlacoochee River and Ty Ty Creek 2025-03-19, No new sewage spills, No rain this weekend

Continue reading →

Bradford County Local Mitigation Strategy Planning Committee 2025-03-20

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Several people informed me yesterday that they were alarmed to discover there is a meeting today at the Bradford County, FL, Sheriff’s Office about flooding.

Turns out it’s at the Sheriff’s Office because that’s where this long-running committee has been meeting. It works on flooding and wildfire issues.

[Bradford County Local Mitigation Strategy Planning Committee, Sheriff's Office, Starke, FL 2025-03-20]
Bradford County Local Mitigation Strategy Planning Committee, Sheriff’s Office, Starke, FL 2025-03-20

According to the agenda, Paul Still already has them talking about Sampson River Blockages and Radium and Chemours Discharges, which were the two big topics people were concerned about. The Sampson River blockages would seem to include the so-called three-pipes dam gates under CR 225 on the Sampson River just downstream from Lake Sampson. These gates were another concern I heard: people wish SRWMD would use them to lower Lake Sampson before big rains.

Like many such committees, this one has had few participants. Maybe this week’s alarm will get more people to attend.

Apparently most people saw this notice in the local newspaper, but it was also posted on facebook by Bradford County Sheriff’s Office – Emergency Management Division, March 7, 2025,

The Bradford County Local Mitigation Strategy (LMS) Planning Committee/Workgroup will meet Thursday, March 20th, 2025, at 3:00 pm in the Bradford County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) located in the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office at 945B North Temple Avenue, Starke, FL 32091.

Continue reading →

Walkaround Quitman large sewage settling pond 2022-07-26

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These pictures of Quitman’s large sewage settling pond appear to show evidence of recent sewage runoff from these ponds, as well as holes in the fence and a rather rotted pier. They were taken Tuesday, July 26, 2022. Water quality testing downstream the day before indicates something contaminated Okapilco Creek and the Withlacoochee River downstream after rains a day before that.

For months I have been asking for a tour of Quitman’s sewage facilities to see if conditions have improved.

[Quitman sewage settling ponds: Spills? 2025-07-26, None reported, WQ monitoring says maybe]
Quitman sewage settling ponds: Spills? 2025-07-26, None reported, WQ monitoring says maybe

On the preceding Sunday, July 24, 2022, there had been more than an inch of rain on Quitman. I find no Quitman reports for July 2022 in the GA-EPD Sewage Spills Report.

Yet Valdosta’s water quality monitoring for that Monday got 1,000 cfu/100 mL E. coli for Okapilco Creek at US 84 (US 221), which is downstream of those Quitman settling ponds and upstream of the nearest dairy. Valdosta got worse on the Withlacoochee River downstream of Okapilco Creek at Knights Ferry Boat Ramp: 2,700. Continue reading →

Rescheduled: Chairman and Mayor’s Paddle: Troupville to Spook Bridge, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-19

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Rescheduled again due to high water, this time to April 19, 2025.

Join us for a leisurely paddle with Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter on the Withlacoochee River. You can choose 3 miles or 11 miles.

[Chairman and Mayor's Paddle, Troupville to Spook Bridge, Little River, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-19]
Chairman and Mayor’s Paddle, Troupville to Spook Bridge, Little River, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-19

Thanks to a generous grant from Georgia Power, this outing is free for everyone.
Thanks to Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) for shuttle vans.
Thanks to Valdosta Boys & Girls Club for bringing youth and boats to paddle.
Thanks to Phil Hubbard for leading this expedition and Phil Royce for being sweep.

When: Gather 8 AM, shuttle by 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 4 PM, Saturday, April 19, 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.
By the boat ramp, see the WWALS water trail signs about the WWALS Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT).

GPS: 30.851842, -83.346536 Continue reading →

Quitman Land Application Site 2022-11-16

These are aerial drone pictures and movies of the Quitman, Georgia, Land Application Site (LAS) or sprayfield.

[Quitman Land Application Site, Sprayfield by Okapilco Creek, Drone aerials in 2022, 12318 E US 84, Quitman, GA 31643]
Quitman Land Application Site, Sprayfield by Okapilco Creek, Drone aerials in 2022, 12318 E US 84, Quitman, GA 31643

It’s NPDES Permit No. GAJ020022.

We do not know exactly when the drone images were taken, but sometime between about June and November 2022.

I have repeatedly asked for a tour of Quitman’s wastewater facilities, over many months. So far, their contractor has only delayed doing that.

Here’s a playlist of two drone videos:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-QyC13CJd1la5Hov1W-JlMmC&si=pfGZGdcSEUHg2gj3

You’ll find the entrance with signs saying keep out at 12318 E US 84, Quitman, GA 31643. On US 84 east of Quitman, turn right just before Okapilco Creek, in Brooks County. See the pictures of that entrance I took July 5, 2024. Continue reading →