Last year, back at the first festival WWALS ever attended, Alapaha Station Celebration at the historic railroad station in Alapaha, Georgia, near Sheboggy Boat Ramp on the Alapaha River, the most upstream public landing on the WWALS Alapaha River Water Trail.
![[WWALS booth and float, Town of Alapaha, raffle kayak, music @ Alapaha Station Celebration 2022-11-12]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-11-12--alapaha-station-pictures/many.jpg)
WWALS booth and float, Town of Alapaha, raffle kayak, music @ Alapaha Station Celebration 2022-11-12
We’ll be back this year, Saturday, November 11, 2023.
WWALS members, maybe you’d like to help at the WWALS booth? Continue reading
Update 2023-11-03: Clean rivers, dirty Sugar Creek 2023-11-02.
This was another week with no rain, and the rivers were mostly clean: the Withlacoochee, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers. Not clean were Franks Creek that runs into the Little River and Sugar Creek that runs into the Withlacoochee River. Crawford Creek of the Withlacoochee was just below the E. coli one-time test limit. That’s 11 WWALS test sites on three rivers and three creeks in two states.
No rain is predicted for this weekend.
In the last week, no new sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.
So happy swimming, boating, and fishing this weekend!
![[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-10-26]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-10-26--wq/many.jpg)
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-10-26
Joanne Tremblay got clean results at High Springs Ramp @ US 41 and at US 27, both on the Santa Fe River.
Reina Lingle got very clean results at Ivey Metropolitan Park in Branford and at Royal Springs, both on the Suwannee River.
New WWALS tester Debbie Smith got too-high results for Franks Creek at GA 122 just west of Hahira. Which is interesting, because that is upstream of Hahira’s Land Application Site.
Cindy Vedas got good results at Franklinville, Crawford Branch (well, OK results there), Staten Road, and Langdale Park, on the Withlacoochee River. She photographed the trash still at Langdale Park Boat Ramp from at the WWALS Langdale Park Withlacoochee River Cleanup of last Saturday. I will nudge Lowndes County Public Works to pick it up.
WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall tested Sugar Creek, and got too-high results. She also double-checked everybody else’s results. And the other testers cross-checked each others’ results.
If you want to get trained to be a WWALS water quality tester, please fill out the form:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084
The most recent Valdosta results we have are for Monday upstream, which were good. As usual, Valdosta’s last week upstream results corroborated what WWALS saw Thursday last week.
And, as previosly noted, Valdosta’s last downstream tests were September 1, 2023. Continue reading
WWALS cleaned up near Langdale Park Boat Ramp during the United Way Day of Caring. We ended up with trash bagged, plus 4 shower doors, a big screen tv, a kids toy float tug boat and lots of plastic and styrofoam, glass and aluminum.
Outings leader Russell Allen McBride previously scouted the Withlacoochee River upstream and down from Langdale Park Boat Ramp, and found too many deadfalls for boating, so we cleaned up on land. Thanks to Bobby McKenzie, Suzy Hall, and Gretchen Quarterman for cleaning up.
![[Trash, t-shirts, slough, and signs at Langdale Park Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2023-10-20]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-10-20--langdale-park-withlacoochee-river-cleanup-pictures/many.jpg)
Trash, t-shirts, slough, and signs at Langdale Park Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2023-10-20
Thanks to Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson for cleaning up with us, and for bringing still more donuts. Also the United Way t-shirts, to add to our Rivers Alive t-shirts.
There are more pictures below.
See also the facebook photosets by:
Continue readingToday, in White Springs, Florida State Parks is holding a public meeting about Big Shoals State Park and Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center.
I have a prior engagement, but you may want to go.
When: 3-7 PM, Wednesday, October 25, 2023
Where: White Springs Tourism Building, 10499 Spring Street, White Springs, Florida 32096
More: https://floridadep.gov/parks/public-participation
![[Maps and Flyer, Hamilton County Parks Meeting, Big Shoals State Park 2023-10-25]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-10-25--hamilton-county-parks-big-shoals/many.jpg)
Maps and Flyer, Hamilton County Parks Meeting, Big Shoals State Park 2023-10-25
The agenda is basically show up, look at the materials, ask questions. Continue reading
Good news: “Atmospheric [mercury] deposition from domestic power plants decreased by 91% across the contiguous U.S. from 6.4 Mg in 2010 to 0.55 Mg in 2020.”
Bad news: “Despite large deposition declines, an end-member scenario for remaining exposures from the largest active power plants for individuals consuming self-caught fish suggests they could still exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reference dose for methylmercury.”
![[Better with room for further improvement]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-06-05--mercury-sociodemographic-disparities/many.jpg)
Better with room for further improvement
We know mercury is a problem in the Alapaha River, coming through the air from coal Plant Scherer, north of Macon, Georgia. So by this paper the problem is lessened, but still is a problem.
It’s also a problem on land, for example near the Okefenokee Swamp, where the proposed strip mine may stir up mercury, as mentioned in the Clinch County resolution against that mine and for the Swamp.
You can still help stop that mine.
Sociodemographic Disparities in Mercury Exposure from United States Coal-Fired Power Plants, Continue reading
FDEP has been running a series of county meetings about state parks, but this is the only one that also includes the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail and its River Camps. Let’s go see what they are proposing.
You can also send written comments through November 10, 2023, to FlStateParkPlanning@dep.state.fl.us.
For Lafayette Blue Springs, according to its Executive Summary, the idea is to turn the service road into Allen Mill Pond Trail, to upgrade electricity and buildings in the support area, to manage erosion and replace the boardwalk in the headspring access area, and to renovate the campground elecricity and remove the outhouse and the old Metzger house, plus some proposed additions to its boundary.
For the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail, according to its Executive Summary, the intention is to compose a management guidance document for all river camps, replace all wooden staircases, and upgrade the portable restroom and shower buildings, plus consider a designated Fanning Springs River Camp.
For Troy Spring State Park, according to its Executive Summary, multiple upgrades are planned for the Springhead Day Use Area, to the riverfront, and at the south end to convert the stables into a park support structure. There are also some possible acquisitions.
Here is the agenda: Continue reading
Update 2023-10-27: Clean Rivers and some dirty creeks 2023-10-26.
With no rain this week, the rivers were mostly clean: the Little, Withlacoochee, Alapaha, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers, plus Sugar Creek in Valdosta and Alligator Lake in Lake City. Except not clean were Langdale Park Boat Ramp on the Withlacoochee River, and Crawford Creek upstream.
No rain is predicted for this weekend.
In the last week, no new sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.
So happy swimming, boating, and fishing this weekend!
![[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-10-19]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-10-19--wq/many.jpg)
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-10-19
Please welcome new WWALS testers Joanne Tremblay and Reina Lingle.
Joanne got very clean results at High Springs Ramp @ US 41 on the Santa Fe River.
Reina got very clean results at Ivey Metropolitan Park in Branford on the Suwannee River.
Kimberly Tanner got very clean results at Lakeland Boat Ramp and Naylor Park Beach on the Alapaha River.
WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall tested Sugar Creek, just upstream from the Withlacoochee River, and got suprisingly clean results.
Cindy Vedas was out sick, but she reviewed most everybody else’s results. I tested her sites at Franklinville, Crawford Branch (bad), and Langdale Park (worse), plus Hagan Bridge and GA 133, all on the Withlacoochee River, and Troupville Boat Ramp on the Little River.
WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman tested at Clyattville-Nankin and State Line Boat Ramps, plus Sullivan Launch, all on the Withlacoochee River, and at Alligator Lake Boat Ramp in Lake City, where she taught some students and delivered a test kit to Joanne.
About Nankin, she notes, “The pile of trash just off to the side of the turn around drive is still there.” Continue reading
Update 2023-11-07: Pictures: Banks Lake Full Hunters Moon Paddle 2023-10-28 2023-10-28.
Leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle, right after the Halloween full moon costume contest.
When: Gather 5:40 PM, launch 5:45 PM, moonrise 6:45 PM, sunset 6:48 PM, end 7:45 PM, Saturday, October 28, 2023
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Banners, Boating witch, Lights 2020-10-31]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-10-28--banks-lake-full-hunters-moon-paddle/many.jpg)
Banners, Boating witch, Lights
2020-10-31
Update 2023-11-03: Pictures: Halloween full moon costume contest, Banks Lake Boat Ramp 2023-10-28.
Hey, Ghouls & Gals! Looking for a spooky one of a kind Halloween experience? Conjure up your best costume and come join the WWALS family friendly 1st Annual Full Moon Halloween Float costume contest fundraiser at Banks Lake in Lakeland, Ga.! (Extra points for light up and glow in the dark costumes IF you stay to paddle with us.)
When: Gather 4 PM, Costumes judged 4:30 PM, end 4:50 PM, Saturday, October 28, 2023
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Costumes at Banks Lake 2020-10-31]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-10-28--halloween-full-moon-costume-contest/many.jpg)
Costumes at Banks Lake 2020-10-31
Update 2023-10-26: Pictures: Langdale Park Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2023-10-20.
Join us for a WWALS river cleanup during Valdosta United Way Day of Caring.
No boat required, since we will mostly be on land.
Outings leader Russell Allen McBride scouted the Withlacoochee River upstream and down from Langdale Park Boat Ramp, and found too many deadfalls for a river cleanup.
![[Deadfalls, bridge, and trash, Withlacoochee River, Langdale Park]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-10-20--langdale-park-withlacoochee-river-update/many.jpg)
Deadfalls, bridge, and trash, Withlacoochee River, Langdale Park
Russell wrote, “I went down to Langdale Park yesterday. There are 3 deadfalls downstream before 3 mile branch and one deadfall upstream before the N Valdosta Bridge. I found a good size pocket of trash in a slough that is dried up downstream a short walk from boat ramp. Not much trash in river upstream. A small amount of trash in the deadfalls downstream but until they are cut out it would be hard to get. I suggest we pick up what I found on land.”
When: Gather 9 AM, launch 9:30 AM, end 1 PM, Friday, October 20, 2023
Put In: Langdale Park Boat Ramp, 3781 N. Valdosta Rd., Valdosta, GA 31602, in Lowndes County.
![[Map and flyer]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-10-26--parks-mayo/many.jpg)