Videos: Bradford Road Denied @ Berrien County Commission 2025-11-04

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The Berrien County Commission denied the subdividing issue before them: the six lots on Bradford Road, at their November 4, 2025, regular meeting.

However, many irregularities were raised.

[Bradford Road Denied @ Berrien County Commission. Many irregularities raised, 2025-11-04]
Bradford Road Denied @ Berrien County Commission. Many irregularities raised, 2025-11-04

The other lots on Old Valdosta Highway were already decided by the same Commission in 2024, and the minutes for that meeting say at the request of John and Tonia Beville.

At this meeting, John Beville said he and she had not requested that, and never saw any Public Hearing signs posted, even though they lived there at the time. When questioned by the Commission, Zoning Coordinator Teresa Willis said it was done for South Auction, and “Russ” brought the plat to her. She did not say who Russ was.

Della Gladieux pointed out that the three Planning Commission Public Hearings this year all had both plats advertised, for the lots on Old Valdosta Highway, and for the other lots on Bradford Road. She also pointed out other issues in the document she handed the Commissioners: Formal Complaint and Demand for Investigation Re Bradford Road –Della Gladieux 2025-11-04.

Lisa Sumner also spelled out numerous issues.

Below you can see the entire Berrien County Commission meeting of November 4, 2025 in the WWALS videos of each agenda item and speaker, plus a few still pictures, followed by a WWALS video playlist.

See also Continue reading →

Valdosta sewage spill into Sugar Creek –WCTV 2025-11-20

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Update 2025-11-25: Clean Withlacoochee River downstream 2025-11-22.

The WCTV report includes:

Earlier this year, the North Florida Rivers Task Force met with Valdosta leaders about several spills along the same water way.

One riverkeeper said he wants to see more improvements.

[Valdosta sewage spill into Sugar Creek, Suwannee Riverkeeper --WCTV 2025-11-20]
Valdosta sewage spill into Sugar Creek, Suwannee Riverkeeper –WCTV 2025-11-20

“The positive side is they seem to be getting smaller, so that is good,” executive director of [WWALS Watershed Coalition] John Quarterman said. “Valdosta utilities fixed it pretty quick and they put out a press release as well, in less than 24 hours, so that is good. Of course, nobody is going to be happy until there are no more sewage spills.”

See Mishalynn Brown, WCTV, Nov. 20, 2025, Sewage spill reported in Sugar Creek, Valdosta utilities says: The utilities department advised that residents avoid the area.

Thanks to WCTV producer Michael Clark for interviewing me via zoom. I must work on my halo.

The WCTV report starts by reviewing the Valdosta press release, which Continue reading →

Filthy Sugar Creek and Withlacoochee River upstream; downstream and Alapaha River OK 2025-11-20

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Update 2025-11-25: Clean Withlacoochee River downstream 2025-11-22.

Update 2025-11-23: Valdosta sewage spill into Sugar Creek –WCTV 2025-11-20.

Apparently the small Valdosta sewage spill into Sugar Creek Wednesday affected that creek and the Withlacoochee River more than expected.

WWALS tester Suzy Hall for Wednesday got TNTC (Too Numerous to Count) at the WaterGoat, just before the river. Downstream on the river, Valdosta Utilities for Thursday got 2,670 at GA 133 and 1,035 at US 84, both higher than the 1,000 alert limit for E. coli.

Yet WWALS tester Russ Tatum got zero (0) for Wednesday at Holly Point, on the Withlacoochee River in Florida a few miles upstream from the Suwannee River.

Also for Wednesday, WWALS tester Heather Brasell got OK results for the Alapaha River at Sheboggy Boat Ramp at US 82. WWALS testers Bob Mills and Kurt Hurzeler got good tentative results at their Santa Fe River site upstream from Poe Springs.

Of course, the high results could be due to the so far unknown source upstream of St. Augustine Road on Hightower Creek.

No other sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in the past week in Georgia or Florida, so far as we can tell, although FDEP’s Pollution Reports web page and map are both not working corectly. At least we didn’t get any emailed reports for Florida this week.

No rain is expected for the next ten days.

So I’d avoid Sugar Creek and the Withlacoochee River near it. Other than that, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend. If you can find enough water to do those things. Maybe far downstream on the Withlacoochee or Suwannee Rivers.

Or join us tomorrow for Knights Ferry to Nankin Clean Up, Withlacoochee River 2025-11-22.

This image is an overview. Scroll down for the details.

[Filthy Sugar Creek and Withlacoochee River upstream, downstream and Alapaha River OK, 2025-11-20]
Filthy Sugar Creek and Withlacoochee River upstream, downstream and Alapaha River OK, 2025-11-20

Follow this link for the WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results rainfall and sewage spills in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →

Low water at the first gate, Suwannee River Sill, Okefenokee Swamp 2025-11-20

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Looks like you could paddle through the Suwannee River Sill, but it’s not clear how far you would get through the Narrows below Stephen C. Foster State Park Ramp before you got to the Sill.

[Low water, first gate, Suwannee River Sill, Okefenokee Swamp, Thursday, November 20, 2025]
Low water, first gate, Suwannee River Sill, Okefenokee Swamp, Thursday, November 20, 2025

Yesterday Shirley Kokidko checked on water levels in the Suwannee River in the Okefenokee Swamp. She says there is enough water to paddle to Billys Island or Minnies Lake.

Until we get some rain to break this drought, paddling from SCFSP to Griffis Fish Camp will be doubtful.

Here is a video Shirley sent from the First Gate at the Suwannee River Sill, the 4.5-mile-long earthen dam that was supposed to keep water levels up in the Okefenokee Swamp to prevent fires, but did not work.

https://www.facebook.com/Wwalswatershed/videos/854041060433085

https://youtu.be/xrNMTGZtws0 Continue reading →

Drought in Suwannee River Basin? 2025-11-17

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Why hasn’t SRWMD declared a drought yet?

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the entire Suwannee River Basin in both Georgia and Florida is in drought.

If I’m not mistaken, a drought declartion by the Suwannee River Water Management District would mean numerous water withdrawal permit holders would have to reduce their withdrawals.

With the Floridan Aquifer and intermediate aquifers already low, reducing withdrawals would be prudent before some wells run dry and sinkholes appear.

SRWMD posted their monthly press release about the Hydrologic Conditions Report on November 17, 2025.

[Drought in Suwannee River Basin? Low Rain, Rivers, and Wells 2025-11-17, Aquifer starting to be low, What is the threshold?]
Drought in Suwannee River Basin? Low Rain, Rivers, and Wells 2025-11-17, Aquifer starting to be low, What is the threshold?

In the linked October 2025 Hydrologic Conditions Report, page 2:

CLIMATE AND DROUGHT OUTLOOK

La Niña conditions are present and favored to persist from December 2025 to February 2026, with a 55% chance of ENSO-neutral transition between January and March 2026.

The NOAA three-month seasonal outlook suggests above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation within the District from November 2025 to January 2026.

The U.S. Drought Monitor report released on Thursday, November 6th, shows Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions in the southern Levy County, Moderate Drought (D1) and Severe Drought (D2) indices across most central District counties, and Extreme Drought (D3) in all of Hamilton and parts of Suwannee, Columbia, Madison, and Jefferson counties.

That DM report was two weeks ago. And the Drought Monitor report released today, November 20, 2025, with data valid through November 18, 2025, shows Extreme Drought through all the Suwannee River Basin counties along the GA-FL line, adding parts of Baker, Alachua, and Lafayette to the above list, and Severe or Moderate Drought for the rest. Even Levy County no longer has any D0 conditions: it is completely D1 for Moderate Drought. Continue reading →

Small Sugar Creek sewer line leak found and fixed –Valdosta Utilities 2025-11-20

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Update 2025-11-23: Valdosta sewage spill into Sugar Creek –WCTV 2025-11-20.

Update 2025-11-21: Filthy Sugar Creek and Withlacoochee River upstream; downstream and Alapaha River OK 2025-11-20.

Received by email at 8:54 AM this morning, and Valdosta Utilities Director Jason Barnes called about the same time: yesterday Valdosta found and fixed a small sewer leak into Sugar Creek.

I congratulated him and his department.

[Small Sugar Creek sewer line leak found and fixed --Valdosta Utilities, 2025-11-20]
Small Sugar Creek sewer line leak found and fixed –Valdosta Utilities, 2025-11-20

He said he wanted to get the press release out yesterday, but the new interim Valdosta City Manager (Al Crace, since November 10, 2025) reviewed it this morning. I noted that’s still faster than previous Utilities Directors.

Jason Barnes said he had also already called Rick Davis, Chair of the Florida Rivers Task Force. I agree with them that this leak will not have affected the Withlacoochee River in Florida.

Although of course it could affect Sugar Creek downstream at the Watergoat, where WWALS has been getting high E. coli results, and the Withlacoochee River as far downstream as GA 133, where Valdosta has been getting high results. And it could affect any children, adults, pets, or wildlife playing in Sugar Creek or that section of the Withlacoochee River, including down to the Little River Confluence along the future Troupville Nature Park and River Camp.

There’s still the mystery of why results upstream at St. Augustine Road on Hightower Creek remain high. Jason Barnes said they can’t find any leaks in the sewer lines, so maybe it’s coming from the apartments upstream, and there’s also contruction going on. I noted that Lowndes High School, Academy Sports, and all the businesses along St. Augustine Road up to Hobby Lobby also drain into Hightower Creek. I look forward to the source of that Hightower Creek problem also being found.

Meanwhile, congratulations Jason Barnes and the Valdosta Utilities Department for finding and fixing this leak, and for getting a press release out speedily!

Sanitary Sewer Overflow Reported in Sugar Creek

On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at approximately 1:30 PM, members of the City of Valdosta Utilities Department’s Environmental Services Watershed Team discovered a sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) occurring along Sugar Creek during routine monitoring activities.

Personnel observed that an 8-inch sanitary sewer line had been damaged and was actively discharging into the creek. Utilities Director Jason Barnes was immediately notified, and a contracted response crew was dispatched to investigate. Crews were able to install a patch on the damaged line by approximately 2:30 PM. Current estimates indicate that between 1,000 and 1,500 gallons of wastewater entered Sugar Creek.

Continue reading →

ACT acquired 429 Santa Fe River acres by Sawdust Spring Preserve 2025-11-10

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A big win.

[429 acres acquired, Santa Fe River 2025-11-10, Sawdust Spring Preserve, Alachua Conservation Trust]
429 acres acquired, Santa Fe River 2025-11-10, Sawdust Spring Preserve, Alachua Conservation Trust

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2025
Alachua Conservation Trust
Sophie Szymula, Communications Coordinator
(352) 373-1078
info @ AlachuaConservationTrust.org

Community-Supported Conservation Victory Along the Santa Fe River

Gainesville, Florida — Following an influx of regional support, a local land trust has acquired 429 acres of land along the Santa Fe River, increasing protection for North Central Florida’s local springs and surrounding upland and bottomland habitats. Alachua Conservation Trust (ACT) purchased the Columbia County property with funding from private donors, the River Branch Foundation, the 1923 Fund, and the Nature Conservancy. Over a hundred individual donors contributed $82,000 in April 2025 during the Amazing Give towards the acquisition, along with over a hundred other donors who answered ACT through direct mail and online appeals.

The new acquisition directly surrounds ACT’s existing 139-acre Sawdust Spring Preserve, which is Continue reading →

Bad news from FWC about the Ichetucknee Springs Protection Zone 2025-11-10

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On Monday, Linda “Dicker” Weseman forwarded this response from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, denying her proposal for an Ichetucknee Springs Protection Zone (SPZ).

About this sad news, she wrote, “To say this project was near and dear to my heart is an understatement. We had an incredible team step up and support this SPZ. From this, many new friendships formed that I cherish. We gave it a heck of a run and, honestly, I would not change a thing.”

She added, “I only hope it paves the way for success for future efforts to preserve the Ichetucknee and other spring runs.”

She is still leading this January 2026 WWALS outing: Ichetucknee Polar Plunge and Paddle to see SPZ 2026-01-10.
https://wwals.net/?p=68835

[Bad news from FWC, about SPZ 2025-11-10, Denied: Ichetucknee Springs, Protection Zone]
Bad news from FWC, about SPZ 2025-11-10, Denied: Ichetucknee Springs, Protection Zone

From: “Bryant, Rachel”
Date: November 10, 2025 at 12:32:10 PM EST
To: weseman.pe@gmail.com
Cc: “Atkins, Linville”, “Holcomb, William”, “Cook, Madison B.”
Subject: RE: Ichetucknee spring protection zone request

Ms. Weseman

On July 29, 2025, you submitted a request that the Commission consider the establishment of a Springs Protection Zone that creates a no wake zone as well as restricting the use of personal watercraft on the Ichetucknee from the boundary of Ichetucknee Springs State Park to the confluence at the Santa Fe River, the “lower Ichetucknee”. After review by subject matter experts Continue reading →

Withlacoochee Trickle, Hagan Bridge Landing @ GA 122 2025-11-17

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I went to see the Withlacoochee Trickle at Hagan Bridge Landing on GA 122 east of Hahira.

You could jump across it.

We need rain.

[Withlacoochee Trickle, Hagan Bridge Landing, 2025-11-17, GA 122 east of Hahira, Lowndes County, GA]
Withlacoochee Trickle, Hagan Bridge Landing, 2025-11-17, GA 122 east of Hahira, Lowndes County, GA

On the Skipper Bridge Gauge, the level was 122.52 feet NAVD88 (2.22 feet from bottom). Our recommended levels are Lowest boatable: 122.6′, Highest safe: 131′.

You could paddle through the trickle, but I doubt you’d get through much of the 5 river miles to Franklinville Landing without having to climb over or under or chainsaw through deadfalls from Hurricane Helene.

Here’s a video:

https://www.facebook.com/Wwalswatershed/videos/1175008301254844

https://youtu.be/G0ZZ95eZi4k Continue reading →