Category Archives: Lake

Hydrologic Conditions Report –SRWMD 2025-11-30

Update 2025-12-17: Drought Workshop Presentation –SRWMD 2025-12-09.

Every county in the Suwannee River Basin is in drought, according to SRWMD’s own Hydrologic Conditions Report for November 30, 2025 presented in their Board meeting of December 9, 2025.

But not droughty enough for SRWMD to declare even a voluntary Drought Warning, according to the Drought Workshop after the Board meeting. I have sent in a FOIA request for the Workshop slides. Both meetings are in the SRWMD YouTube post for 2025-12-09.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LDIIdFqxaY

Meanwhile, here is the SRWMD Hydrologic Conditions Report for November 2025, plus some related information.

Such as SRWMD actually does have “Year-Round Lawn & Landscape Irrigation Measures,” but nobody seems to know about them. And that page does not seem to include agricultural, mining, or water bottling water use. Continue reading →

Full Wolf Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2026-01-03

Update 2026-01-03: Cancelled due to bad weather.

Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle on our mini-Okefenokee just west of Lakeland, Georgia. Watch the sun set, the moon rise, and there may be bats. will be leading this paddle.

When: Gather 5 PM, launch 5:30 PM, moonrise 6:07 PM, sunset 5:55 PM, end 7 PM, Saturday, January 3, 2026

Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).

GPS: 31.034824, -83.096725

[Full Wolf Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 5 PM, 2026-01-03, West of Lakeland, GA, Sunset, Moonrise, and maybe bats]
Full Wolf Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 5 PM, 2026-01-03, West of Lakeland, GA, Sunset, Moonrise, and maybe bats

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Outboard birding, Banks Lake 2025-12-04

Sheila Willis and Teresa Aldrich Ammons saw many birds on Banks Lake.

Sheila is the President of the Okefenokee Bird Club and Teresa is a member. Sheila has been very helpful with information about the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge where she used to work.

[Outboard birding, Banks Lake 2025-12-04, Bat tree, feathers, Sand Hill Cranes, White Ibis, hydrilla, Lily pads]
Outboard birding, Banks Lake 2025-12-04, Bat tree, feathers, Sand Hill Cranes, White Ibis, hydrilla, Lily pads

Plus some feathers at the bat tree, falling from a nest that nobody had noticed before. They might be from a Great Blue Heron.

Continuing southwest towards Moody Air Force Base, we saw a flock of Great Blue Herons. And a flock of White Ibis sitting on the water, then flying, then one perching.

There were more birds, but I was busy going too far into the lily pads and hydrilla with the 25-hp outboard. Although stalks of those plants wrapped around the prop, they weren’t the worst. That was Continue reading →

Full Cold Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-12-04

Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, our mini-Okefenokee. Maybe we will see bats.

Full Moon paddle regulars, Holly Jones and Xiaoai Ren, will be leading this paddle.

When: Gather 4:15 PM, launch 4:45 PM, moonrise 5:07 PM, sunset 5:31 PM, end 6:15 PM, Thursday, December 4, 2025

Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).

GPS: 31.034824, -83.096725

[Full Cold Moon Paddle, Banks Lake, Lakeland, GA, Sunset, Moonrise, Maybe bats 2025-12-04]
Full Cold Moon Paddle, Banks Lake, Lakeland, GA, Sunset, Moonrise, Maybe bats 2025-12-04

Continue reading →

Pictures: Full Beaver Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-11-05

Update 2026-02-03: Videos,
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1586908412518046/
https://www.instagram.com/p/DUTbxcWCFiD/
https://youtu.be/T6U66xA_lBk

We saw many species of bats on our leisurely Sunset and Full Beaver Moon Paddle on our mini-Okefenokee just west of Lakeland, Georgia, after the sun set and the moon rose.

Thanks to Chris Adams, aka Turtleman, for leading this paddle. He is a very experienced naturalist and former guide at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. He has often paddled with us at Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

Thanks to Bat Biologist (and WWALS Board Member) Elizabeth Brunner for identifying many species of bats living in the one bat tree, and probably a couple more flying by.

[Full Beaver Moon Paddle, Banks Lake, 2025-11-05, Guide: Chris Turtleman Adams, Bat Biologist: Elizabeth Brunner]
Full Beaver Moon Paddle, Banks Lake, 2025-11-05, Guide: Chris Turtleman Adams, Bat Biologist: Elizabeth Brunner

Thanks to Lanier County and Banks Lake Outdoors for free boat rental for these WWALS Full Moon Paddles.

For bat species reference, see: Continue reading →

Formal Complaint and Demand for Investigation Re Bradford Road –Della Gladieux 2025-11-04

Update 2025-11-23: Videos: Bradford Road Denied @ Berrien County Commission 2025-11-04.

This is the formal complaint Della Gladieux submitted to the Berrien County Commission at the meeting on November 4, 2025.

[Formal Complaint... Regarding Rezoning ... Bradford Road --Della Gladieux to Berrien County Commission 2025-11-04]
Formal Complaint… Regarding Rezoning … Bradford Road –Della Gladieux to Berrien County Commission 2025-11-04

Della Gladieux
1595 Bradford Road
Ray City, GA 31645

Tuesday, November 4, 2025

Berrien County Board of Commissioners
John Nugent, Post 1
Ronnie Gaskins, Post 2
Jimmy Parker, Post 3
Kylon Fort, Post 4
Pixie Harrod, Post 5
Brenda Ferrell, County/Clerk/Administrator
Jennifer Herzog, County Attorney
201 N. Davis Street, Room
Nashville, GA 31639

Re: Formal Complaint and Demand for Investigation Regarding Rezoning of Property at Old Valdosta Highway and Bradford Road, Parcel ID #M&P 061-14-000

Dear Parties Listed Above,

This letter serves as a formal complaint regarding the rezoning of property located at Old Valdosta Highway and Bradford Road (parcel: 061-14-000), which was changed from an agricultural use to a residential use on October 15, 2025 2024. This action is invalid due to significant procedural and ethical violations of Georgia law.

The specific grounds for this complaint are as follows:

Continue reading →

Paddle with a naturalist for sunset and full moonrise on Banks Lake 2025-11-05

Hahira, Georgia, November 4, 2025 — Join experienced naturalist and swamp guide Chris “Turtleman” Adams for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle on our mini-Okefenokee just west of Lakeland, Georgia. There may be bats. That’s at 4:45 PM this Wednesday, November 5, 2025.

Chris Adams, aka Turtleman, is a very experienced naturalist and former guide at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. He has often paddled with us at Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge. He runs the Wiregrass Ecological and Cultural Project, bringing awareness to the heart of the Deep South and showcasing its natural & cultural communities. You’ll enjoy his insights.

This Outing is honoring Veterans, who get free entry.

Gather 4:45 PM, launch 5:15 PM, moonrise 5:39 PM, sunset 5:41 PM, end 6:45 PM, Wednesday, November 5, 2025

We will put in and take out at Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT). GPS: 31.034824, -83.096725

[Paddle with naturalist and swamp guide Chris Turtleman Adams, Full Beaver Moon Paddle, Sunset, and maybe bats at Banks Lake 2025-11-05]
Paddle with naturalist and swamp guide Chris Turtleman Adams, Full Beaver Moon Paddle, Sunset, and maybe bats at Banks Lake 2025-11-05

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Video: Senate Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism meeting in Valdosta 2025-10-15

Update 2025-10-19: Filthy Sugar Creek 2025-10-17.

WWALS will never have the direct economic effect that many of the other projects described to the five Georgia State Senators this week. But many of our activities require very little economic input, such as water trails, outings, and even the future Troupville Nature Park and River Camp.

And some solutions for things we oppose would have outsized effects.

[Video: Senate Study Committee on Georgia Tourism, meeting in Valdosta, 2025-10-15]
Video: Senate Study Committee on Georgia Tourism, meeting in Valdosta, 2025-10-15

What does an area need for tourism? A good reputation.

What’s the opposite of that? Stigma, as in:

  • A strip mine near the Okefenokee Swamp.
  • Or a long-outdated legal definition of navigability, impeding river passage.
  • Or sewage and trash in creeks and rivers.
Continue reading →

Full Beaver Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-11-05

Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddla on our mini-Okefenokee just west of Lakeland, Georgia. Watch the sun set, the moon rise, and there may be bats.

Chris Adams, aka Turtleman, will be leading this paddle. He is a very experienced naturalist and former guide at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. He has often paddled with us at Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge. You’ll enjoy his insights.

This Outing is honoring Veterans, who get free entry.

When: Gather 4:45 PM, launch 5:15 PM, moonrise 5:39 PM, sunset 5:41 PM, end 6:45 PM, Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).

GPS: 31.034824, -83.096725

[Full Beaver Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-11-05, Sunset, Moonrise, and maybe bats]
Full Beaver Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-11-05, Sunset, Moonrise, and maybe bats

Continue reading →

Full Beaver Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-11-05

Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddla on our mini-Okefenokee just west of Lakeland, Georgia. Watch the sun set, the moon rise, and there may be bats.

Chris Adams, aka Turtleman, will be leading this paddle. He is a very experienced naturalist and former guide at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. He has often paddled with us at Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge. You’ll enjoy his insights.

This Outing is honoring Veterans, who get free entry.

When: Gather 4:45 PM, launch 5:15 PM, moonrise 5:39 PM, sunset 5:41 PM, end 6:45 PM, Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).

GPS: 31.034824, -83.096725

[Full Beaver Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-11-05, Sunset, Moonrise, and maybe bats]
Full Beaver Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-11-05, Sunset, Moonrise, and maybe bats

Continue reading →