Category Archives: River

Nonpoint Source Pollution biggest water quality problem –EPA

EPA found phosphorus and nitrogen from fertilizers, bacteria and other pollutants from urban runoff, plus mercury, in most U.S. rivers and streams. And they didn’t even mention low dissolved oxygen.

Ian Simpson wrote for Reuters, carried by NBC, EPA: More than half of U.S. rivers unsuitable for aquatic life,

Fifty-five percent of U.S. river and stream lengths were in poor condition for aquatic life, largely under threat from runoff contaminated by fertilizers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Tuesday.

High levels of phosphorus and nitrogen, runoff from urban areas, shrinking ground cover and pollution from mercury and bacteria were putting the 1.2 million miles of streams and rivers surveyed under stress, the EPA said.

“This new science shows that America’s streams and rivers are under significant pressure,” Nancy Stone, acting administrator of the EPA’s Office of Water, said in a statement.

Twenty-one percent of the United States’ river and stream length was

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Reservoirs for control of stormwater –Tim Carroll

Valdosta City Council Tim Carroll spoke about the need for watershed-wide planning to reduce flooding and provide water for agriculture with distributed flood containment reservoirs. He referred to the materials he sent in advance as well as to some additional data about water quality measurements upstream and downstream of selected points. And he sent an update the next day.

Tim Carroll noted that one thing that was clear from the Valdosta City Manager Larry Hanson’s 2010 presentation to the Suwannee-Satilla Water Council about the 2009 flood was that the drainage basin study proposed by that Council (which completed its report and disbanded) still needs to be completed. For that purpose, Hanson had just sent a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers requesting assistance. Apparently they have partial answer, and they’re also talking the state.

Carroll said that with the renewed attention to flooding problems Continue reading →

Tim Carroll of Valdosta at WWALS board meeting tonight

Valdosta City Council member Tim Carroll will speak tonight at the monthly WWALS Watershed Coalition board meeting at 7:30 PM at the IHOP in Adel (exit 39 from I-75, 1200 W 4th St, Adel, GA, 229-896-2662); the public is invited. In advance he sent the appended letter from the City of Valdosta to the Army Corps of Engineers requesting assistance related to flooding and droughts.

March 11, 2013

William Bailey
Chief of Planning Division
US Army Corps of Engineers – Savannah District Office
100 W. Oglethorpe Avenue
Savannah, Georgia 31401

Dear Mr. Bailey,

Over the last several years, the City of Valdosta and neighboring communities have been severely impacted by the increase of flood events that have occurred throughout our region and particularly the drainage basin we are located in. The city recognizes the various levels of responsibility throughout government agencies for flood management and flood control and is interested in furthering the discussions to understand the changes that are occurring and to ensure the protection of our communities from future flood events.

In February 2009, the city began updating its 1996 Master Stormwater Management Plan. In April, just two months later, our county along with 46 counties in south Georgia, experienced historic flooding and were declared disaster areas. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reported

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Flooding in Brooks and Lowndes County –jkluke

CNN iReports lets citizens send in videos. One jkluke has posted four videos of flooding on the Withlacoochee River.

Here’s that last video embedded:

-jsq

PS: Owed to John C. Griffin.

Withlacoochee River flood stage 27 February 2013

The Withlacoochee River in flood stage after 10 inches of rain, at the GA 122 bridge in Lowndes County, Georgia.

Buildings beyond flood Fire truck

Trash Pan Bridge

Closer

Here’s a video playlist:

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Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers @ GA 122 18 February 2013

video playlist Movies on 18 February 2013 after the first rains of the Alapaha River on GA 122 at Lakeland in Lanier County and the Withlacoochee River at GA 122 and Hambrick Road in Lowndes County and some points in between.

Withlacoochee in the woods with sunlight Withlacoochee River overflow Withlacoochee River broad

Withlacoochee River broad

Here’s a video playlist.

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Alapaha River Park?

Update 2019-11-12: This is happening, as Naylor Boat Ramp.

WWALS logo WWALS Watershed Coalition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Alapaha River Park?

Adel, GA, 18 February 2013 — WWALS Watershed Coalition opposes closing Old State Road to Hotchkiss Landing at the Alapaha River, and proposes Lowndes County instead increase access and conservation of the Alapaha River by creating a park, which will also boost the regional economy.

looking upstream The Lowndes County Commission will vote Tuesday February 26th on closing the only public access to the Alapaha River in that county. A regional watershed group, WWALS Watershed Coalition, suggests instead that the county purchase land along the Alapaha to create a county park with a boat ramp and trails to match the ones on the Withlacoochee River in Langdale Park.

“A park would simplify maintaining the 100 foot natural vegetative buffer required by the state in a Protected River Corridor,” said Dave Hetzel, WWALS President. “It could even reduce potential liability to the county from Continue reading →