Credit to Quitman Utilities for reporting quickly that they had spills.
![[Two sewage spills, Quitman, GA 2024-08-05, Unknown locations, Unknown amounts]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-08-05--quitman-sewage-spills/many.jpg)
Two sewage spills, Quitman, GA 2024-08-05, Unknown locations, Unknown amounts
The two spills showed up today in the daily GA-EPD Sewage Spills Report. That’s way faster than Quitman’s typical at least a week late. Continue reading
Thanks to Amanda Rollins of Georgia Forestry Foundation for inviting WWALS to talk about forestry and water to elementary school students from Moultrie, Colquitt County, and Albany, Georgia.
At each of two sessions, there were seven groups of students, who cycled by us for 20 minutes each, as one of seven stations.
Thanks to Heather Brasell for hosting this event twice at the Gaskins Forest Education Center.
Thanks to WWALS President Sara Squires Jones and Board member Scotti Jay Jones for staffing the WWALS booth on July 10. Gretchen Quarterman and John S. Quarterman did the same on June 28. Continue reading
Hurricane Debby has made landfall near Steinhatchee, following the same path as Hurricane Idalia, right up the Suwannee River Basin. Fortunately, Debby is only a Category 1, but that’s plenty. Wind, rain, and flooding are happening.
In case you haven’t heard from your local emergency management agency, stay inside if you can, and I hope you already stocked up. The power is out where I am, and maybe where you are. Best to stay out of the way of the line crews.
![[State of Emergency, Georgia & Florida 2024-08-03, Hurricane Debby, Wind, Rain, Flooding]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-08-03--soe-debby/fbmany.jpg)
State of Emergency, Georgia & Florida 2024-08-03, Hurricane Debby, Wind, Rain, Flooding
On Thursday, Florida declared a state of emergency (SOE), when Debby didn’t have a name and was merely a “tropical wave”. That SOE includes all the Florida counties of the Suwannee River Basin. Many of the same counties have mandatory evacuation orders, and some have voluntary evacuation orders.
Yesterday, Georgia declared a SOE, for all 159 counties. Continue reading
Update 2024-08-12: Cancelled: Alapaha to the Suwannee River Paddle 2024-08-17.
Due to Tropical Storm Debbie, pushed back a week to August 17, 2024.
Paddle 12.3 miles on two rivers.
Our takeout is very close to the Alapaha River Confluence, so most of the day we will enjoy this last section of the Alapaha River. The river has been fluctuating from too low to too high so we are hoping to hit it just right for paddling. There could be some deadfall but this outing is appropriate for anyone.
We will paddle under the ever-busy I-75, but passing that we will reenter quiet wilderness. Everyone must wear a PFD.
We will also paddle up into the Alapaha Rise, off of the Suwannee River, where the Alapaha reemerges after traveling miles underground.
When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 3 PM, Saturday, August 17, 2024
Put In: US Hwy 41 Alapaha River Landing. South side of the road, under the power line, between Jennings and Jasper, FL, in Hamilton County.
![[Alapaha River to Suwannee River 2024-08-17, US 41 to Gibson Park, Up to Alapaha River Rise]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-08-17--alapaha-river-to-suwannee/fbmany.jpg)
Alapaha River to Suwannee River 2024-08-17, US 41 to Gibson Park, Up to Alapaha River Rise
The Withlacoochee River tested dirty at GA 133 but clean downstream.
Heavy rain apparently washed something in.
No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida.
But in
Georgia,
Ashburn was at it again, with 290,000 gallons of raw sewage into Hat Creek and the Alapaha River,
reported more than a week late.
See separate post.
https://wwals.net/?p=65523
The weather prediction for the next ten days is thunderstorms or chance of storms, but most likely in the afternoon. If it’s like that past ten days, the rains will be here and there.
Many of the rivers are pretty high now. But if you can find one that is low enough, happy fishing, swimming, and boating this weekend. Continue reading
Update 2025-03-01: Ashburn spill locations and causes in GA-EPD Sewage Spills Report 2025-02-26.
Update 2024-08-02: Partly clean Withlacoochee River 2024-08-01.
One of Ashburn’s spills was huge: 250,000 gallons (10,000 is a major spill). All three late-reported spills were into Hat Creek into the Alapaha River.
![[Ashburn spills 290,000 gallons 2024-07-20, raw sewage into Hat Creek]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-07-20--ashburn-spills/fbmany.jpg)
Ashburn spills 290,000 gallons 2024-07-20, raw sewage into Hat Creek,
reported in the
July 31, 2024, GA-EPD Sewage Spills Report
That increases Ashburn’s running (pun intended) total to 2,096,500 gallons of raw sewage over the past 13 months: July 2023 through July 2024. Continue reading
Cancelled: Juneteenth again in August at Reed Bingham State Park 2024-08-31.
Hahira, GA, August 1, 2024 — “Like we did in June, WWALS volunteers will again act as stunt adults to paddle with children whose parents don’t want to get in a boat,” said Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman.
WWALS will also provide boats for new paddlers at this gathering of people from Brooks, Cook, and Tift Counties, Georgia, and beyond in another celebration of Juneteenth, this time in August. We’re calling it Augusteenth.
Food and activities for children will be provided by Fannie Gibbs and Macedonia Community Foundation.
When: 11 AM, Saturday, August 31, 2024
Put In: Reed Bingham State Park Beach, 542 Reed Bingham Rd, Adel, GA 31620. Take I-75 Exit 39, turn west on GA 37, right on Evergreen Church Road (CR 99), left on Reed Bingham SP Road (CR 221), in through the gate and across the dam, and the beach is on your right, in Colquitt County.
Continue readingUpdate 2024-08-12: Cancelled: Alapaha to the Suwannee River Paddle 2024-08-17.
Update 2024-08-04: Rescheduled: Alapaha to the Suwannee River Paddle 2024-08-17.
Paddle 12.3 miles on two rivers.
Our takeout is very close to the Alapaha River Confluence, so most of the day we will enjoy this last section of the Alapaha River. The river has been fluctuating from too low to too high so we are hoping to hit it just right for paddling. There could be some deadfall but this outing is appropriate for anyone.
We will paddle under the ever-busy I-75, but passing that we will reenter quiet wilderness. Everyone must wear a PFD.
We will also paddle up into the Alapaha Rise, off of the Suwannee River, where the Alapaha reemerges after traveling miles underground.
When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 3 PM, Saturday, August 10, 2024
Put In: US Hwy 41 Alapaha River Landing. South side of the road, under the power line, between Jennings and Jasper, FL, in Hamilton County.
![[Alapaha River to Suwannee River 2024-08-10, US 41 to Gibson Park, Up to Alapaha River Rise]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-08-10--alapaha-river-to-suwannee/fbmany.jpg)
Alapaha River to Suwannee River 2024-08-10, US 41 to Gibson Park, Up to Alapaha River Rise
Songwriters, please send in your song by August 7, as Bill Osborne and I reminded everyone on his morning drive radio show at 7:30 this morning.
The Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest finals will be Saturday, September 7, 2024, during the WWALS River Revue, at the Turner Center for the Arts in Valdosta, Georgia.
For that and many other topics we discussed, go to:
https://wwals.net
Here is a video playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-QwPL1huvH5anLwRwLEAWu3S&si=guytfiq-hr-aRjPm
We cut a deadfall in the Withlacoochee River just below Wetherington Branch, below Valdosta’s treated outfall from its Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant. We found Okapilco Creek, cut a few deadfalls in there, and collected some trash on the creek and from the river. Including two blue barrels labeled Black Tea Extract that apparently had been used to support somebody’s dock.
We don’t see how Okapilco Creek is currently navigable up to US 84, according to GA HB 1397, a bill that did not pass the Georgia legislature this year. We had to cut some deadfalls even to get up to the mouth of Piscola Creek. Later we will motor up from Knights Ferry Boat Ramp to clear more deadfalls and trash from Okapilco Creek, and soon it will be navigable.
Both of those creeks drain Quitman, and Okapilco Creek comes down from Moultrie and above.
![[Black tea blue drums, Okapilco Creek trashjam, deadfalls, rapids, two jon boats 2024-07-27]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-07-27--withlacoochee-jon-boat-outing-pictures/many.jpg)
Black tea blue drums, Okapilco Creek trashjam, deadfalls, rapids, two jon boats 2024-07-27
We went 19.5 river miles from Troupville Boat Ramp to Knights Ferry Boat Ramp. We decided due to the time spent on Okapilco Creek not to continue to Clyattville-Nankin Boat Ramp.
The US 84 (Quitman) Gauge read 10.15 feet (93.65 feet NAVD88) at 10 AM, and rose another quarter foot while we were on the water. That’s near the WWALS recommended too-high water level, but it was fine with these boats and motors.
Here are some video snippets:
https://youtu.be/_o7FqYMMg6E Continue reading
![[Gaskins Forest Education Center, Alapaha, GA, 2024-06-28, 2024-07-10, Forestry and Water, Boys & Girls Club, Georgia Forestry Foundation]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-06-28--gfec-forestry-water/fbmany.jpg)
![[Juneteenth Boating again in August, Reed Bingham SP 2024-08-31, WWALS & Macedonia Community Foundation]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-08-31--augusteenth/fbmany.jpg)
![[Send songs by August 7, Bill Osborne Radio 2024-07-30, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, WWALS River Revue 2024-09-07]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-07-30--radio-bill-osborne-video/fbmany.jpg)