Fish Species, Withlacoochee River, downstream from Sugar Creek 2024-08-21

Somebody asked what fish are in the Withlacoochee River where we did the Troupville upstream Withlacoochee River chainsaw cleanup pictures 2024-08-17.

I answered, redbreast, spotted, redear, and bluegill sunfish, largemouth and warmouth bass, brown and yellow bullhead, pirate perch, brooks silverside, spotted sucker, swamp darter, and others.

Many species are called bream, including all the sunfish.

This is where I got those species, from the April 13, 2020, Consent Order on Valdosta by GA-EPD, after the notorious December 9, 2019 7.59 million-gallon raw sewage spill into Sugar Creek, which was after the 21,814,000 gallons of rainwater and raw sewage spilled from December 2, 2018 to December 17, 2018, much of that also into Sugar Creek.

[Fish Species, Withlacoochee River, Downstream from Sugar Creek to Little River Confluence]
Fish Species, Withlacoochee River, Downstream from Sugar Creek to Little River Confluence

I congratulate the City of Valdosta, and especially the new-since-2019 Utilities Director, City Engineer, City Manager, and Mayor, as well as the City Council, for the steps forward they have made since then on fixing the city’s sewer system infrastructure, for the reduced number of spills and amount of sewage spilled, and for notifiying the public more quickly and more precisely.

This history is still relevant, however, to anyone who boats on that stretch of river, for recreation, cleanups, or clearing deadfalls. Not to mention anyone who fishes in there.

And of course effects not as obvious as a fish kill continued far downstream into Florida. Continue reading →

Five Finalists Selected, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024 2024-08-21

Hahira, GA, August 21, 2024 — The five finalists will play at the Finals of the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, at the WWALS River Revue, Saturday, September 7, 2024, at the Turner Center for the Arts, in Valdosta, Georgia. The audience and the three judges will watch and listen. The judges will award prizes, and the winner will sing again.

[Five Finalists Selected, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024]
Five Finalists Selected, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024

This is all after dinner and after Dr. Jason Evans of Stetson University in Florida talks about his long detective work to determine water lettuce is indeed native, and Heather Brasell of the Gaskins Forest Education Center in Georgia talks about the effects of forest management on water. There will also be a silent auction in this fundraiser to benefit WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc.

One entry, a duo, is from Tennessee and Georgia: Robert Thatcher of Signal Mountain, TN, and Tom Brown of Dalton, GA.

Two are from Georgia: David Rodock of Adel, and Bill Berry of Valdosta.

Two are from Florida: Sweet William Ennis of Palatka, and Rachel Grubb of Lake City.

Continue reading →

Jon boat Withlacoochee River Chainsaw Cleanup, Langdale Park Boat Ramp 2024-08-25

Update 2024-08-27: Chainsawing deadfall from Langdale Park Boat Ramp entrance Road 2024-08-25.

Kayaks and canoes and jon boats are invited to join a jon boat and the WWALS jon boat with 9.9hp outboard seeking deadfalls to chainsaw and trash to collect.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 3 PM, Sunday, August 25, 2024

Put In: Langdale Park Boat Ramp, 3781 N. Valdosta Rd., Valdosta, GA 31602, in Lowndes County.

GPS: 30.88747, -83.32395

[Dual jon boat Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Langdale Park Boat Ramp 2024-08-25]
Dual jon boat Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Langdale Park Boat Ramp 2024-08-25

Continue reading →

Troupville upstream Withlacoochee River chainsaw cleanup pictures 2024-08-17

Update 2024-08-19: Jon boat Withlacoochee River Chainsaw Cleanup, Langdale Park Boat Ramp 2024-08-25.

Evidently nobody had been there since Hurricane Debby, because there were several new deadfalls, most small, one big, and another huge, before we got to I-75. Those and others could use more attention at lower water, but kayaks can get through now. That was our goal on this Upstream Withlacoochee River Chainsaw Cleanup.

We put in at Troupville Boat Ramp, went 1/3 of a mile down to the Little River Confluence, and turned left and up the Withlacoochee River.

There was remarkably little trash. Some locations with a few bottles or styrofoam in branches are noted in the pictures; all have GPS coordinates.

[Several small deadfalls, one big one 2024-08-17, Troupville upstream Withlacoochee River chainsaw cleanup]
Several small deadfalls, one big one 2024-08-17, Troupville upstream Withlacoochee River chainsaw cleanup

Thanks to Quen Metzler for leading this chainsaw cleanup and doing much of the sawing.

I also sawed with both saws, but there are no pictures, because then Quen was busy holding the boat steady.

Here are some video snippets:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-Qz0i9YNkM5S5-1zx3fbZQrF&si=iHgSY-2Js-zgjh99

The Valdosta (US 41, North Valdosta Road) Withlacoochee River Gauge read about 120.83 feet NAVD88 at 9:00 AM when we upstream on the Withlacoochee River from the Little River Confluence, and 120.64 when we reached the I-75 Bridge at 11:39 AM. That’s more than 2 feet below Action Stage, which is 123 feet. The current was still plenty fast and strong to contend with.

The Hahira (GA 122) Little River Gauge was at about 139.36 feet NAVD 88 when we started moving, and 139.56 when we took out at Troupville Boat Ramp. That’s more than 8 feet below Action Stage, which is 148 feet.

Thanks to Wild Green Future for the generous grant that paid for the 9.9hp outboard motor and the 24-inch Husqvarna chainsaw that we used on this outing.

For more Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee River 2024-08-14

Update 2024-08-23: Withlacoochee and Alapaha River clean 2024-08-21.

The Withlacoochee River tested clean.

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida, or Georgia.

There’s been little rain for a week, so no contamination is expected. The weather prediction is no rain until Sunday afternoon.

The Santa Fe and much of the Suwannee River are still in flood or Action Stage. We hear Gibson Park at the Alapaha River Confluence is closed. The Little, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers are now below Action Stage, although still high.

So happy fishing, swimming, and boating this weekend.

Maybe you’d like to join us tomorrow for Upstream Withlacoochee River from Troupville Chainsaw Cleanup 2024-08-17.

[Clean Withlacoochee River 2024-08-14 Little rain lately. None until Sunday evening.]
Clean Withlacoochee River 2024-08-14 Little rain lately. None until Sunday evening.

Withlacoochee River

The City of Valdosta results for Wednesday are 20 cfu/100 mL E. coli, which is very good, at both GA 133 and US 84.

Also for Wednesday, Russ Tatum got 33 cfu/100 mL at Allen Ramp and Holly Point. “Clean results! The water is still high but dropping slowly. It never came out of the banks here. It is tanic, slightly silty but mostly clear.” Continue reading →

Banks Lake Full Sturgeon Moon Paddle 2024-08-19

Update 2024-11-28: Pictures: Banks Lake Full Sturgeon Moon Paddle 2024-08-19.

August’s full moon, called the Sturgeon moon, will be a super moon and a seasonal blue moon, which occurs when there are four full moons in a single astronomical season, instead of the usual three, according to Space.com. These two events make this moon fairly rare, so it will be a sight to see.

When: Gather 7 PM, launch 7:30 PM, moonrise 8:29 PM, sunset 8:10 PM, end 9:15 PM, Monday, August 19, 2024

Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).

GPS: 31.034824, -83.096725

[Banks Lake Full, Sturgeon Moon Paddle, Alapaha River Water Trail, Seasonal Blue Moon 2024-08-19]
Banks Lake Full, Sturgeon Moon Paddle, Alapaha River Water Trail, Seasonal Blue Moon 2024-08-19

Continue reading →

Video: Bats of Georgia, including Banks Lake and Douglas –Emily Ferrall, GA-DNR, A WWALS Webinar 2024-08-15

Thanks to Emily Ferrall for the overview of the bats of Georgia. She including species likely to occur at Banks Lake, and footage of the Douglas warehouse bats. She mentioned the Anabat Acoustic Survey Volunteer Project. There was discussion of the Okefenokee Swamp, in a lively question and answer period.

Here’s the zoom video:
https://youtu.be/vLrNyShslSI

[Bats of Georgia, Emily Ferrall, GA-DNR 2024-08-15, A WWALS Webinar, Banks Lake, Douglas, GA, Okefenokee Swamp]
Bats of Georgia, Emily Ferrall, GA-DNR 2024-08-15, A WWALS Webinar, Banks Lake, Douglas, GA, Okefenokee Swamp

Emily Ferrall is a Wildlife Biologist, in the Wildlife Resources Division of the Wildlife Conservation Section of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA-DNR).

She specializes in research and monitoring for nongame mammals in Georgia and spends much of her time working with bats. Emily has been with GA DNR since 2016. Emily earned both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from the University of Georgia with an emphasis in wildlife science.

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman said a few words about what WWALS does, and WWALS Board President Sara Jay Jones gave a brief introduction, before Emily Ferrall spoke for about 45 minutes, followed by the Q&A period. Continue reading →

Possible Valdosta trash trap sites 2024-08-01

Here are three possible trash trap sites where a Valdosta City vac truck could retrieve the trash.

They are also all narrow stream stretches where a small trash trap should work.

Here are some video views of each of these three sites:
https://youtu.be/lw2QfeF_me0

[Possible Valdosta creek trash trap sites;
Possible Valdosta creek trash trap sites;

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

Continue reading →

Upstream Withlacoochee River from Troupville Chainsaw Cleanup 2024-08-17

Update 2024-08-18: Pictures and video.

Kayaks and canoes and jon boats are invited to join the WWALS jon boat with 9.9hp outboard seeking deadfalls to chainsaw and trash to collect.

We will put in at Troupville Boat Ramp, go down the 1/3 of a mile to the Little River Confluence, turn left and go up the Withlacoochee River, chainsawing what needs it, collecting trash, and ending by retracing our watery steps back to Troupville.

If we’re lucky, we’ll make it up as far as Sugar Creek. Any canoes or kayaks are welcome to take out there.

If we’re very lucky, we’ll get all the way up to Langdale Park. But we won’t be taking out there, due to water over the access road seen yesterday.
https://wwals.net/?p=65622

[Upstream Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2024-08-17, Troupville Boat Ramp, Little River Confluence]
Upstream Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2024-08-17, Troupville Boat Ramp, Little River Confluence

Thanks to Wild Green Future for the generous grant that paid for the 9.9hp outboard motor, the 24-inch Husqvarna chainsaw, the 86lb thrust trolling motor, and the two Lithium-Iron-Oxide batteries, all of which we will be using on this outing.

When: Gather 8 AM, launch 8:30 AM, end 2 PM, Saturday, August 17, 2024

Put In: Troupville Boat Ramp, 19664 Valdosta Hwy, Valdosta, GA 31602. I-75 exit 18, west on GA 133 (St. Augustine Road) away from the Valdosta Mall, at the traffic light for Val Tech Road, turn left down to the boat ramp, in Lowndes County. It is on the site of the future Troupville Nature Park and River Camp.

GPS: 30.851842, -83.346536 Continue reading →

Water still high at Troupville Boat Ramp, Sugar Creek, Langdale Park, Withlacoochee River 2024-08-13

Putting in at Troupville Boat Ramp on the Little River would be no problem, kayak or power boat.

But the Withlacoochee River upstream from the Little River Confluence is still a tad high, a week after Hurricane Debby. Langdale Park Boat Ramp is completely underwater, as is much of its access road.

The Suwannee and Santa Fe Rivers remain mostly in flood. The Alapaha River has come back down.

[Troupville & Langdale Park Boat Ramps 2024-08-13, Still high, Little and Withlacoochee Rivers]
Troupville & Langdale Park Boat Ramps 2024-08-13, Still high, Little and Withlacoochee Rivers

The closest I could get by land to the Little River Confluence was more than a hundred feet away, at the fourth place the river was across the woods access road. Continue reading →