Dave Williams, Capitol Beat News Service, in Tribune & Georgian (Serving CAMDEN County, Georgia Since 1894), Mine faces roadblock at Okefenokee Swamp,
ATLANTA—The Alabama company looking to open a titanium mine near the Okefenokee Swamp is being confronted with an additional hurdle.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has Continue reading
It was standing room only, as presenters from India, Bangladesh, Colombia, and the U.S. (me) discussed different approaches to rights to clean water and problems such rights might solve, in a panel at the Waterkeeper Alliance Global Conference 2022, Saturday, June 11, 2022, in Washington, DC.
Update 2022-06-16: Fixed typo (Colombia, not Ecuador).
Many thanks to Rodrigo de la O, Maule Itata Coastkeeper, Chile, for using my phone to video the session.
And congratulations, Rodrigo, on winning the Terry Backer award!
Below are the videos of each presenter and some questions. First a video playlist, then individual videos with a few more pictures.
Here’s a WWALS video playlist:
Continue reading2022-06-17: WWALS Thursday tests clean, but Valdosta bad Wednesday results for US 41 and GA 122, Withlacoochee River 2022-06-16.
All tested clean: Little, Withlacoochee, Alapaha, Ichetucknee, and Santa Fe Rivers, for Thursday. Sure, those were only a few test sites on each river. But there’s been little rain, none predicted, and no sewage spills reported. So happy swimming, boating, and fishing this weekend.
Thanks to Continue reading
WWALS was born yesterday… in 2012. June 8, 2012, so that’s ten years yesterday.
It’s WWALS Watershed Coalition, because we are a coalition of people who got into water conservation and stewardship from many different directions.
The Florida incorporation was filed August 28, 2015. While WWALS started with rivers mostly in Georgia (long story), we now cover the entire Suwannee River Basin and Estuary in both states, from the Okefenokee Swamp to the Gulf of Mexico.
That’s a lot of work for drinkable, fishable, swimmable waters, so we need your help, with donations, with advocacy, outings, and events, and on committees and the board. https://wwals.net/donations/ Continue reading
Update 2022-09-12: The ranger said the launch remains closed until it falls below 62 at White Springs. We are watching that gauge and you can, too.
A brief paddle downstream to the biggest rapids in Florida, portage around, and paddle through the next rapids, with Practicing Geologist Dennis Price.
When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 3 PM, Saturday, September 17, 2022
Put In: Big Shoals Tract Launch. From White Springs, travel north on CR 135 to SE 94 Street (Godwin Bridge Road); turn right and follow road to Big Shoals.
![[White water, 14:19:25, 30.3381380, -82.6834810]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2021-05-14--big-shoals-scouting/20210514_141925.jpg)
White water, 14:19:25, 30.3381380, -82.6834810 2021-05-14
Update 2022-07-11: Pictures.
Leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle, probably with bats.
When: Gather 7:30 PM, launch 8 PM, moonrise 9:19 PM, sunset 8:37 PM, end 10 PM, Tuesday, June 14, 2022
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[bm-0-boats-in-cypress-204040291_10221770130814864_9203863038532809013_n]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2021-06-24--banks-lake-full-strawberry-moon-pictures/bm-0-boats-in-cypress-204040291_10221770130814864_9203863038532809013_n.jpg)
Boats in Cypreas, Photo: Bobby McKenzie 2021-06-24
Update 2022-06-29: Pictures: Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Troupville 2022-06-25.
Third time’s the charm! Let’s start downstream and go up, to get some more of the deadfalls blocking the Withlacoochee River between Langdale Park Boat Ramp and Troupville Boat Ramp. We know there are logjams between the GA 133 Withlacoochee River Bridge and the Little River Confluence. Phil is scouting out which ones to try first. Gather at Troupville Boat Ramp.
Continue readingUpdate 2022-06-29: Pictures: Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Troupville 2022-06-25.
A few hours work by Phil Hubbard and Bobby McKenzie cleared a bunch of small and one huge logjam on the Withlacoochee River, downstream from the Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge, in Lowndes County, Georgia, in another chainsaw cleanup.
We will be doing more of these chainsaw cleanups. Stay tuned here, or watch for them on https://wwals.net/outings/ You do not have to chainsaw; you can come clean up.
That’s downstream from Sugar Creek, which drains most of Valdosta, including its trash, some of which you can see in this logjam.
Valdosta has announced purchase of a trash boom to go in Sugar Creek, which will stop much of the trash before it gets to the river. Valdosta still needs at least two more trash booms, and even more it needs to do something to get upstream fast food outlets and parking lots to clean up their acts.
Then this stretch of the Withlacoochee River right next to Valdosta, the most populous city in the Suwannee River Basin, will be great for Continue reading
Hahira, GA, June 5, 2022 — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has reversed its October 2022 abdication of oversight over the proposed titanium strip mine site too near the Okefenokee Swamp. That puts Twin Pines Minerals back to re-applying for a USACE permit, in addition to its permit applications to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA-EPD).
![[Okefenokee Swamp, Mine site, Ossoff, Connor]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-06-03--usace-tpm-okefnokee/many.jpg)
Okefenokee Swamp, Mine site, Ossoff, Connor
This Friday, Michael Connor, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, issued a memorandum revoking the previous decision by USACE that said there were no Waters of the U.S. related to the proposed mine site. He said the Muscogee Creek Nation had not been properly consulted, despite their request for such consultation. Twin Pines Minerals must resubmit an application if they still want to mine there.
“The Okefenokee is a sacred natural resource. It is a wildlife refuge that must be protected,” said U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff, May 6, 2021. https://wwals.net/?p=55536
“Thanks to Georgia U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff for Continue reading
Update 2022-06-05: WWALS Press Release, Army Corps resumes oversight; miners have to reapply for strip mine too near Okefenokee Swamp.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has reversed its October 2022 abdication of oversight over the proposed titanium strip mine site too near the Okefenokee Swamp. That puts Twin Pines Minerals back to re-applying for a USACE permit, in addition to its permit applications to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA-EPD).
![[Michael Connor. Photo: Indianz.com 2022-02-14--indianz-michael-connor]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-06-03--usace-tpm-okefnokee/2022-02-14--indianz-michael-connor.jpg)
Michael Connor. Photo: Indianz.com 2022-02-14
![[Article]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-06-09--usace-okefenokee/many.jpg)
![[Presenters and Questions]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-06-11--rtcw-wka-videos/many.jpg)
![[Chart, River, Swim Guide]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-06-09--wq/many.jpg)
![[Georgia, Florida]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2012-06-08--wwals-incorporation/many.jpg)
![[Movie: Electric chainsaw, 30.8630861, -83.3232384 (30M)]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-06-05--chainsaw-withlacoochee-pictures/20220605_112557.jpg)
![[Before, during, after]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-06-05--chainsaw-withlacoochee-pictures/many.jpg)