Category Archives: NCFRPC

Slides: Valdosta Utilities Director to Florida River Task Force 2025-08-14

Update 2025-08-25: Overflowing Catch Basin at Valdosta Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant 2025-08-24.

You’ve seen the WWALS videos of the presentation by Valdosta Utilities Director Jason Barnes to the Rivers Task Force.
https://wwals.net/?p=68201

These are the slides he used, obtained from the City of Valdosta with an open records request.

See also:

[Slides: Jason Barnes, Valdosta Utilities Director, to Florida River Task Force, August 24, 2025]
Slides: Jason Barnes, Valdosta Utilities Director, to Florida River Task Force, August 24, 2025

Here are the slides: Continue reading

Videos: Florida River Task Force and City of Valdosta City Council Joint Workshop 2025-08-14

Update 2025-08-25: Slides: Valdosta Utilities Director to Florida River Task Force 2025-08-14.

Update 2025-08-22: Clean Withlacoochee River 2025-08-21.

Valdosta, especially Utilities Director Jason Barnes, did something they really needed to do: they said what has been done to fix their sewer system problems, what they’re doing now, how much money they’ve spent (more than $160 million), and what they plan to spend (more than $69 million).

[Florida River Task Force and Valdosta City Council Joint Workshop, August 14, 2025]
Florida River Task Force and Valdosta City Council Joint Workshop, August 14, 2025

More happened in that meeting of the Middle and Lower Suwannee River and Withlacoochee River Task Force with Valdosta city officials, the few City Council members who showed up (Tim Carroll and eventually Nick Harden), and Mayor Scott James Matheson for a few minutes.

You can see it all in these WWALS videos of the whole August 14, 2025, meeting at the Valdosta City Hall Annex.

Better communications was the most popular request. For example, this was the third time that the Florida Task Force discovered Valdosta Mayor and Council had some other meeting they had to go to at the same date and time.

Several speakers asked for better notification from Valdosta about sewage spills and bad water quality, including notification for weekend visitors. One Task Force member recommended looking at the website of the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD), but I’m not finding what they want on there.

I commend the City of Valdosta for being the only Georgia local government I know of that posts its water quality results on its own website:
https://www.valdostacity.com/utilities/river-stream-water-quality-monitoring

Although if you’re on a phone or tablet you can’t actually see the sidebar with the links to those results.

The only place I know with composite water quality testing results (Valdosta, WWALS, and any Florida results) is on the WWALS website, including a weekly water quality report:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/

WWALS collects each working day the GA-EPD Sewage Spills Report and posts differences from the previous day for the Suwannee River Basin, and for the state:
https://wwals.net/issues/vww/ga-spills/

Several people asked what was being done to deal with stormwater before it becomes an infiltration and inflow problem for Valdosta’s sewer system. The answer was that Engineering is always working on it. OK, fine, let’s see that project list.

One speaker requested more attention to trash. There is much more Valdosta can do about trash. See The Real Trash Problem is the Producers, and How to Stop It 2023-12-23.
https://wwals.net/?p=63786

As one Florida resident pointed out, even treated wastewater still has PFAS and other contaminants in it.

Task Force Chair Rick Davis asked Valdosta to resume testing for fecal contamination three times a week at all the locations that the 2020 GA-EPD Consent Order required for four years. Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman discussed three cases where water quality testing found fecal contamination sources that were then speedily dealt with. The most the city said was they would have internal discussions about more testing.

Valdosta did their own news post about the Thursday’s meeting: Rivers Joint Task Force Meeting Highlights City’s Progress on Water Safety and Quality.

More of the story was published by Stew Lilker, Columbia County Observer, August 16, 2025, N. FL’s Withlacoochee River Task Force met with Valdosta officials on Thursday to be updated on the formerly spill-prone Valdosta utility system. Continue reading

Rescheduled: Florida River Task Force and City of Valdosta City Council Joint Workshop 2025-08-14

Update 2025-08-01: OK Withlacoochee River, Cleaner Sugar Creek, Dirty Beatty Branch 2025-07-30.

Buried in the middle of a reminder of the cancellation of the previous workshop:

“The Joint Workshop has been rescheduled for August 14, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.

That message doesn’t say where, but I have confirmed with Scott Koons that it will be in the same place:
Valdosta City Hall Annex, 300 North Lee Street, Valdosta, Georgia.

[Florida River Task Force and Valdosta City Council, Joint Workshop, Rescheduled: 2025-08-14, 6 PM]
Florida River Task Force and Valdosta City Council, Joint Workshop, Rescheduled: 2025-08-14, 6 PM

As I noted when the meeting was originally scheduled, back in 2020, this Task Force of the dozen downstream Florida counties was instrumental in getting a Consent Order on Valdosta by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA-EPD). Continue reading

Jobs and Comprehensive Plans at NCFRPC 2024-07-25

I don’t see anything in the agenda about the Middle and Lower Suwannee River and Withlacoochee River Task Force that the NCFRPC reactivated in May after Valdosta’s April sewage spills. Maybe they are meeting separately and have nothing to report yet.

Also, in the statewide metrics of https://thefloridascorecard.org/ I don’t see anything about water: not drinking water, river water, springs, levels, flows, E. coli, nitrates, cyanobacteria, nothing.

But on the agenda are several county Comprehensive Plan updates, so those could be interesting.

[North Central Florida Regional Planning Council 2024-07-25, Metrics, Jobs, and Comprehensive Plans]
North Central Florida Regional Planning Council 2024-07-25, Metrics, Jobs, and Comprehensive Plans

Received this morning:

Council Members, Interested Persons, and News Media,

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MEETING STARTS AT 7:00 P.M.

Please be advised that there will be a Hybrid Meeting in-Person at Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites, Suwannee Room, 213 Southwest Commerce Boulevard, Lake City, Florida, and via Communications Media Technology for the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council on Thursday, July 25, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.

Continue reading

Gainesville: North Central Florida Regional Planning Council 2024-05-23

Update 2024-05-24: Clean Withlacoochee, Santa Fe, and Ichetucknee Rivers 2024-05-22.

Years ago, the dozen downstream Florida counties formed a task force about Valdosta sewage spills. See for example https://wwals.net/?p=51455

Due to recent events, it appears that task force will get reactivated this Thursday, at the monthly meeting of the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council (NCFRPC).

See for example https://wwals.net/?p=64677 and for background see https://wwals.net/issues/testing/

[NFRPC in Gainesville, Thursday, May 23, 2024, M&L Suwannnee & Withlacoochee River Task Force Reactivation]
NFRPC in Gainesville, Thursday, May 23, 2024, M&L Suwannnee & Withlacoochee River Task Force Reactivation

When: 7 PM, Thursday, May 23, 2024

Where: Drury Inn and Suites, Orange Blossom Room/Sweetwater Room, 4000 Southwest 40th Boulevard, Gainesville, Florida
Note the meeting will be in Gainesville, not the usual Lake City location.

Or online: https://meet.goto.com/408138813
DIAL IN NUMBER: Toll Free: 1.866.899.4679
ACCESS CODE: 408-138-813

Includes: VII. B. Middle and Lower Suwannee River and Withlacoochee River Task Force Reactivation

 -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/

North Florida Regional Water Supply Plan in SRWMD presentation to NCFRPC –Columbia County Observer 2023-10-09

Thanks to Stew Lilker for recording and analysis of a presentation about water planning in the Suwannee and St. Johns River Basins.

To answer his question: No, there won’t be enough water, unless water withdrawals are limited, which neither of the Suwannee nor St. Johns River Water Management Districts seem inclined to do.

Please sign the petition to get Right to Clean and Healthy Waters on the ballot:
https://www.floridarighttocleanwater.org

[SRWMD, NFRWSP]
SRWMD, NFRWSP

Stew Lilker, Columbia County Observer, October 9, 2023, North Florida Regional Water Supply Plan: Just a Suggestion – Will There Be Enough Water in the Future?

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – The North Florida Regional Water Supply Plan (the east side of the Suwannee River Water Management District and the top half of the St. Johns River Water Management District) is being updated. The Plan focuses on the sustainability of resources. It is just a plan, and water users “are not required to implement” any options identified in the Plan.

Well, slide 24 seems to indicate some requirements. Maybe local governments don’t have to implement exactly what NFRWSP says, but I’d bet they will be strongly recommended to do so. Continue reading

Agenda: North Central Florida Regional Planning Council 2023-06-22

It’s refeshing when a public body includes its agenda and board packet along with its meeting announcement.

[Notice and location, NCFRPC, 2023-06-23]
Notice and location, NCFRPC, 2023-06-23

Council Members, Interested Persons, and News Media,

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MEETING STARTS AT 7:00 P.M.

Please be advised that there will be a Hybrid Meeting in-Person at Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites, Suwannee Room, 213 Southwest Commerce Boulevard, Lake City, Florida, and via Communications Media Technology for the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council on Thursday, June 22, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.

The guest speaker will Vivian Young, Communications Director, 1000 Friends of Florida.

Meeting access via communications media technology in the following format:

To join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.

https://meet.goto.com/939292965

DIAL IN NUMBER: Toll Free: 1.877.309.2073

ACCESS CODE: 939-292-965

Please find attached the meeting notice and agenda for the Council meeting.

Click on the following link for a printable version of the complete Council meeting packet.
http://ncfrpc.org/CouncilPackets/NCFRPC/2023/NCFRPCMeetingPacket%2006-22-23.pdf

Please let me know if you will be attending either in person or virtually. Continue reading

Agenda: Speaker David Sobush, Florida Chamber Foundation @ NCFRPC 2023-04-27

Received around midnight.

[Notice and Map @ NCFRPC 2023-04-27]
Notice and Map @ NCFRPC 2023-04-27

Council Members, Interested Persons, and News Media,

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MEETING STARTS AT 7:00 P.M.

Please be advised that there will be a Hybrid Meeting in-Person at Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites, Suwannee Room, 213 Southwest Commerce Boulevard, Lake City, Florida, and via Communications Media Technology for the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council on Thursday, April 27, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.

Continue reading

Phosphate and titanium mining, water withdrawals, and trash @ NCFRPC 2023-01-26

The North Central Florida Regional Planning Council had several public speakers cram topics into their three minutes each.

[Phosphate and Titanium Mines, and Trash @ NCFRPC 2023-01-26]
Phosphate and Titanium Mines, and Trash @ NCFRPC 2023-01-26

Two directly-affected women and Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, a board member of Our Santa Fe River (OSFR), talked about the Cornerstone Crossings mega development on top of Clay Hole Creek and Cannon Creek confluence, a part of the Ichetucknee Trace, which is in the Southwest quadrant of I-75 and SR 47 Hwy interchange, due south of Lake City in Columbia County, Florida. Merillee wondered about the development’s water withdrawal permit, and how much PFAS it might unleash into the waterways and the underlying Floridan Aquifer. She displayed LiDAR maps she got from SRWMD that clearly show the Ichetucknee Trace. Continue reading

Videos: toll road planning –E.D. Scott R. Koons & Ken Cornell @ NCFRPC 2019-05-23

Last Thursday, NCFRPC E.D. Scott R. Koons noted that Appointments to the task forces for each of the toll road corridors would start soon. Among the types of representatives that are supposed to be appointed, are environmental organizations (two of those listed in the bill are on record opposing it).

[Scott R. Koons, E.D., NCFRPC]
Scott R. Koons, E.D., NCFRPC

Koons also discussed approved funding for a hurricane evacuation study. Why, you may wonder, was the toll road bill, supposedly largely about hurricane evacuation, passed before that study was even started?

Ken Cornell of Alachua County noted “There’s a lot of election cycles before this is going to be done.” Indeed, a new governor could decline to implement this toll road boondoggle, and if enough elected officials on the task forces oppose it, that might even stop it. He also said:

[Planning, Ken Cornell, Alachua County]
Planning, Ken Cornell, Alachua County

Cornell asked for new Executive Committee members to get together before the next Council meeting,

So we can have some discussions at this Council like what we’re doing for Valdosta, and have a united front. Alachua County and I know many others will stand in support of this issue.

Suwannee Riverkeeper stands in support of the counties opposed to the toll roads.

Below are the WWALS videos from that North Central Florida Regional Planning Council meeting in Lake City, FL, with more details. Continue reading