Expert paddle with jon boats: Troupville to Knights Ferry, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-22

Update 2025-03-27: Pictures: Expert paddle, Troupville to Paul DeLoach private boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-22.

Update 2025-03-23: Erosion and sign missing at Valdosta WWTP Outfall 2025-03-22.

This is a 20-mile high water expert scouting of the route of the upcoming Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle and beyond.

We can tow a few kayaks or canoes. But experts only, please. The many overhanging branches and no places to get out on shore make this no paddle for novices. And bring ropes for the front and back of your boat.

[Expert high-water paddle with jon boats 2025-03-22, Troupville to Knights Ferry, Withlacoochee River]
Expert high-water paddle with jon boats 2025-03-22, Troupville to Knights Ferry, Withlacoochee River

In case of deadfalls, we will be carrying the usual chainsaws in the WWALS jon boat with the 9.9 hp outboard. So this is a chainsaw cleanup, but you do not have to saw. You can photograph, pick up trash, pull brush aside, or just come along.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 4 PM, Saturday, March 22, 2025

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.

GPS: 30.851842, -83.346536 Continue reading →

Bradford County Local Mitigation Strategy Planning Committee 2025-03-20

Several people informed me yesterday that they were alarmed to discover there is a meeting today at the Bradford County, FL, Sheriff’s Office about flooding.

Turns out it’s at the Sheriff’s Office because that’s where this long-running committee has been meeting. It works on flooding and wildfire issues.

[Bradford County Local Mitigation Strategy Planning Committee, Sheriff's Office, Starke, FL 2025-03-20]
Bradford County Local Mitigation Strategy Planning Committee, Sheriff’s Office, Starke, FL 2025-03-20

According to the agenda, Paul Still already has them talking about Sampson River Blockages and Radium and Chemours Discharges, which were the two big topics people were concerned about. The Sampson River blockages would seem to include the so-called three-pipes dam gates under CR 225 on the Sampson River just downstream from Lake Sampson. These gates were another concern I heard: people wish SRWMD would use them to lower Lake Sampson before big rains.

Like many such committees, this one has had few participants. Maybe this week’s alarm will get more people to attend.

Apparently most people saw this notice in the local newspaper, but it was also posted on facebook by Bradford County Sheriff’s Office – Emergency Management Division, March 7, 2025,

The Bradford County Local Mitigation Strategy (LMS) Planning Committee/Workgroup will meet Thursday, March 20th, 2025, at 3:00 pm in the Bradford County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) located in the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office at 945B North Temple Avenue, Starke, FL 32091.

Continue reading →

Walkaround Quitman large sewage settling pond 2022-07-26

These pictures of Quitman’s large sewage settling pond appear to show evidence of recent sewage runoff from these ponds, as well as holes in the fence and a rather rotted pier. They were taken Tuesday, July 26, 2022. Water quality testing downstream the day before indicates something contaminated Okapilco Creek and the Withlacoochee River downstream after rains a day before that.

For months I have been asking for a tour of Quitman’s sewage facilities to see if conditions have improved.

[Quitman sewage settling ponds: Spills? 2025-07-26, None reported, WQ monitoring says maybe]
Quitman sewage settling ponds: Spills? 2025-07-26, None reported, WQ monitoring says maybe

On the preceding Sunday, July 24, 2022, there had been more than an inch of rain on Quitman. I find no Quitman reports for July 2022 in the GA-EPD Sewage Spills Report.

Yet Valdosta’s water quality monitoring for that Monday got 1,000 cfu/100 mL E. coli for Okapilco Creek at US 84 (US 221), which is downstream of those Quitman settling ponds and upstream of the nearest dairy. Valdosta got worse on the Withlacoochee River downstream of Okapilco Creek at Knights Ferry Boat Ramp: 2,700. Continue reading →

Rescheduled: Chairman and Mayor’s Paddle: Troupville to Spook Bridge, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-19

Rescheduled again due to high water, this time to April 19, 2025.

Join us for a leisurely paddle with Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter on the Withlacoochee River. You can choose 3 miles or 11 miles.

[Chairman and Mayor's Paddle, Troupville to Spook Bridge, Little River, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-19]
Chairman and Mayor’s Paddle, Troupville to Spook Bridge, Little River, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-19

Thanks to a generous grant from Georgia Power, this outing is free for everyone.
Thanks to Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) for shuttle vans.
Thanks to Valdosta Boys & Girls Club for bringing youth and boats to paddle.
Thanks to Phil Hubbard for leading this expedition and Phil Royce for being sweep.

When: Gather 8 AM, shuttle by 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 4 PM, Saturday, April 19, 2025

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.
By the boat ramp, see the WWALS water trail signs about the WWALS Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT).

GPS: 30.851842, -83.346536 Continue reading →

WWALS Booth at Florida Folk Festival 2025-05-23-25

WWALS will be back again with a booth at the Florida Folk Festival on Memorial Day Weekend in White Springs at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park.

The festival is a three-day celebration of the music, dance, stories, crafts and food that make Florida unique.

Come talk to us about Right to Clean Water, BMAPs, opposing a strip mine permit too near the Okefenokee Swamp, sewage, trash, and other advocacy as well as outings and water trails.

And of course our own WWALS River Revue, coming up Saturday, September 6, 2025, including the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.
https://wwals.net/pictures/songwriting2025/

When: 10 AM, Friday, May 23, 2025, through 6 PM, Sunday, May 25, 2025

Put In: Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, White Springs, Florida, on the banks of the Suwannee River.

GPS: 30.332884, -82.769513

[WWALS Booth at Florida Folk Festival 2025-03-23-25, Stephen Foster Cultural Center & SP, White Springs, FL]
WWALS Booth at Florida Folk Festival 2025-03-23-25, Stephen Foster Cultural Center & SP, White Springs, FL

Continue reading →

A Day in the Woods, Alapaha River, Gaskins Forest Education Center, 2025-04-12

Come see the WWALS Booth at this festival near Alapaha, Georgia. WWALS Members can volunteer to help with this education opportunity.

When: Gather 12 PM, festival 1 PM, end 5 PM, Saturday, April 12, 2025

Put In: Gaskins Forest Education Center, 3359 Moore Sawmill Rd., Alapaha, Georgia 31622

GPS: 31.345454, -83.178356

[A Day in the Woods, Gaskins Forest Education Center, Alapaha River, Alapaha, GA 2025-04-12]
A Day in the Woods, Gaskins Forest Education Center, Alapaha River, Alapaha, GA 2025-04-12

According to the Gaskins Forest Education Center (GFEC), A Day in the Woods “is a non-commercial community event for people of all ages and backgrounds. Over 40 presenters with hands-on activities and interactive demonstrations related to natural resources. Varied fire demonstrations.” Continue reading →

Quitman Land Application Site 2022-11-16

These are aerial drone pictures and movies of the Quitman, Georgia, Land Application Site (LAS) or sprayfield.

[Quitman Land Application Site, Sprayfield by Okapilco Creek, Drone aerials in 2022, 12318 E US 84, Quitman, GA 31643]
Quitman Land Application Site, Sprayfield by Okapilco Creek, Drone aerials in 2022, 12318 E US 84, Quitman, GA 31643

It’s NPDES Permit No. GAJ020022.

We do not know exactly when the drone images were taken, but sometime between about June and November 2022.

I have repeatedly asked for a tour of Quitman’s wastewater facilities, over many months. So far, their contractor has only delayed doing that.

Here’s a playlist of two drone videos:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-QyC13CJd1la5Hov1W-JlMmC&si=pfGZGdcSEUHg2gj3

You’ll find the entrance with signs saying keep out at 12318 E US 84, Quitman, GA 31643. On US 84 east of Quitman, turn right just before Okapilco Creek, in Brooks County. See the pictures of that entrance I took July 5, 2024. Continue reading →

Another Clean up One Mile Branch at Azalea City Trail, Valdosta, GA 2025-04-26

Update 2025-04-30: Pictures: Another Clean up One Mile Branch at Azalea City Trail, Valdosta, GA 2025-04-26.

Rescheduled due to thunderstorms to April 26.

Come clean up trash along Azalea City Trail in Valdosta. Start near the notorious Wainwright Drive manhole on Sugar Creek, and go upstream and downstream.

When: 10 AM, Sunday, April 26, 2025

Put In: Wainwright Drive between Baytree Drive and Brookhaven Drive, and maybe also downstream, in Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia.

GPS: 30.84287, -83.30113

[Azalea City Trail, Cleanup 2025-04-26, Start at Wainwright Drive, One Mile Branch]
Azalea City Trail, Cleanup 2025-04-26, Start at Wainwright Drive, One Mile Branch

Continue reading →

Langdale Park and Troupville Boat Ramp 2025-03-14

Reminder: we’ve rescheduled and rerouted the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle to next Saturday, March 22, 2025, from Troupville Boat Ramp to Spook Bridge:
https://wwals.net/?p=67188

[Langdale Park underwater 2025-03-14, Troupville Boat Ramp OK, Mayor & Chairman's Paddle is 2025-03-22 from Troupville]
Langdale Park underwater 2025-03-14, Troupville Boat Ramp OK, Mayor & Chairman’s Paddle is 2025-03-22 from Troupville

For why that was a wise decision, see these pictures of Langdale Park today. The entrance road is underwater starting about halfway to Langdale Park Boat Ramp.

Meanwhile, Troupville Boat Ramp is doing pretty well.

Also, the Withlacoochee River is dirty with E. coli this week; see the weekly WWALS water quality report:
https://wwals.net/?p=67213

So come on down next Saturday, March 22, to Troupville Boat Ramp, between 8 and 9 AM, for the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle. Continue reading →

Dirty Withlacoochee River 2025-03-12

Update 2025-03-21: 2025-03-21: Clean Withlacoochee River and Ty Ty Creek 2025-03-19.

Avoid the Withlacoochee River this weekend, and perhaps beyond.

Valdosta Utilities got too-high E. coli at GA 133 and US 84, and WWALS tester Russ Tatum also got too high at Holly Point, down near the Suwannee River, all for Wednesday.

[Dirty Withlacoochee River 2025-03-12, More rain coming 2025-03-15, First Flush, Avoid the rivers]
Dirty Withlacoochee River 2025-03-12, More rain coming 2025-03-15, First Flush, Avoid the rivers

No new sewage spills were reported in Georgia or Florida.

The big rain Sunday probably did first flush, which means it washed the woods the wildlife had been using as a latrine. And I’d bet it washed some remaining sewage residue out of Sugar Creek. The bypass is operational, but lots of sewage spilled in there before the bypass.

Whatever the cause, the Withlacoochee River is dirty. And more thunderstorms are coming this Sunday.

Also the Withlacoochee is way too high to paddle above the Little River Confluence, and also downstream at Pinetta. The Santa Fe River is too high in spots, as well.

If you want to go fishing, swimming, paddling, or boating, avoid the Withlacoochee River and much of the Santa Fe River. Try the Alapaha River or the Suwannee River.

Join us on Saturday, March 22, 2025, for the Chairman and Mayor’s Paddle: Troupville to Spook Bridge, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-22. Continue reading →