While the numbers were way down at US 84 on May 7, bacterial counts were up upstream on the Withlacoochee River, and on Mud Swamp Creek; up more in Fecal coliform than E. coli. These readings seem to indicate nonpoint sources.
![[Fecal coliform Graph, Withlacoochee River Basin]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-05-07--vld-gora/withgraphfecal.jpg)
Fecal coliform Graph, Withlacoochee River Basin
The high readings are all from stations upstream of Valdosta’s Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant, and the low reading at US 84 is downstream of the WWTP. Continue reading
Dear FDEP, please raise no pollutant limits, do more water quality monitoring, and publish all testing results in days, not months.
Continue readingWhat’s this about cyanobacteria blooms in Florida?
It’s a big problem, although no so much in the Suwannee River Basin. However, there is a yellow-green (not cyanobacteria) bloom at Manatee Spring Run on the lower Suwannee River.
FDEP provides Weekly Updates and Subscription to Algal Bloom Monitoring, including maps in Algal Bloom Sampling Status, from which these maps come.
Here’s the detail on the one algal bloom in the Suwannee River Basin. Continue reading
Waterkeepers Florida yesterday voted to send a letter to FDEP about cyanobacteria as comment in the Triennial Review of Florida Water Quality Standards.
![[The cyanobacteria problem in Florida]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-05-31--wkfl-triennial-review/WKFL-Triennial-Review-Comments-re-Cyanotoxins-0001.jpg)
The cyanobacteria problem in Florida
You may recall Continue reading
The Florida Governor should veto SB 7103, which would require local citizens to be stuck with big developers’ attorney bills, greatly limiting citizens’ ability to steer local comprehensive planning. This problem goes far beyond the Everglades, even though that’s the main subject of a letter WWALS co-signed, among 44 organizations. Governor DeSantis did not look much like Teddy Roosevelt when he signed the toll road boondoggle bill, but maybe he will veto this other egregious bill.
Citing threat to Everglades, 44 groups ask Gov. DeSantis to veto bill, Julie Hauserman, Florida Phoenix, 29 May 2019. Continue reading
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).
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]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-05-23--ncfrpc-videos/2-4-planning-ken-cornell.jpg)
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
Update 2019-05-28: See also Videos: toll road planning –E.D. Scott R. Koons & Ken Cornell @ NCFRPC 2019-05-23.
Eight citizens from across the region spoke Thursday against the toll road boondoggle, at the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council meeting in Lake City, FL.
Below are links to each WWALS video of each speaker, followed by a WWALS video playlist.
See also Continue reading
There will be a meeting of the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council tonight in Lake City. Citizen Comments would be a good opportunity to ask what are they going to do to stop the Suncoast Connector toll road boondoggle from crossing the Suwannee River, and promote water quality testing and solar power instead.
When: 7PM, Thursday, May 23, 2019
Where: Lake City Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites, 213 Southwest Commerce Boulevard, Lake City, Florida
Event: facebook
X. CITIZEN COMMENTS
This agenda item provides an opportunity for citizens to address the Council on any matter not included on the agenda. The comment period is limited to three minutes for each individual.
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
In the Gainesville Sun, yesterday, May 22, 2019:
Now that Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed the toll road bill, SB 7068, Suwannee Riverkeeper — which was among the 90 organizations throughout Florida that asked him to veto it — continues to oppose that boondoggle and propose actual benefits to Florida’s economy and waters.
Google map of one likely route of the Suncoast Connector.One of these three unneeded turnpikes would have to cross the Suwannee River, plowing through counties where we have many members. All this very poorly written bill says about its route is: “Suncoast Connector, extending from Citrus County to 164 Jefferson County.” Apparently that means from Crystal River to Monticello, and on to Thomasville, Georgia, through farms, forests and swamps. If this toll road builds its bypasses, bye-bye local businesses in Chiefland, Fanning Springs, Old Town and Cross City.
Yes, the turnpike bill has a “project development phase” for $45 million and increasing each year, with a Continue reading
Thanks, GA-EPD, for another very useful online dataset: GOMAS, the Georgia Environmental Monitoring and Assessment System, with a plethora of water data.
![[Front page]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-05-16--gomas/gomas-front-page.jpg)
Front page of
GOMAS.
GOMAS seems to have all the water quality data reported by permitted wastewater facilities throughout the state, including some not required, apparently including at least some of Valdosta’s creek monitoring data.
GOMAS lets you find locations with data either Continue reading
![[More water quality monitoring]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-05-31--wwals-fdep-triennial-review/2019-05-30--WWALS-FDEP-Triennial-Review-0001.jpg)
![[Scott R. Koons, E.D., NCFRPC]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-05-23--ncfrpc-videos/2-2-scott-r-koons.jpg)