Trying the 25hp outboard from Troupville Boat Ramp, Little and Withlacoochee Rivers 2024-04-07

Shawn O’Connor and I tried out the 25hp Mercury outboard motor, paid for by a generous grant by Wild Green Future (WGF).

Works great! Electric start: push the button and it starts. Doesn’t even have a manual choke. Electric trim, i.e., tilt. Very useful for adjusting trim for going fast, as well as raising up in low water.

We also chainsawed some limbs that were obstructing passage downstream on the Withlacoochee River and upstream on the Little River. Shawn used my EGO 16″ electric chainsaw, but in case of larger limbs we had with us the 24″ Husqvarna chainsaw paid for by WGF. Also just in case, the 86lb thrust trolling motor and lithium batteries paid for by WGF. Thanks, WGF!

And thanks to Flint Riverkeeper for the jon boat.

Come hear more about chainsaw cleanups at noon today in the WWALS Webinar by Phil Hubbard.

Trying 25hp outboard, Troupville Boat Ramp, Little and Withlacoochee Rivers, Chainsaw Outing 2024-04-07

Fast: Shawn’s GPS speedometer clocked it at 23 mph going upriver, against a 3-5 mph current. Not clear when we need to go that fast, but we can if we have to. Continue reading →

Permit application deficiencies; water modeling, monitoring, and management, mercury, spills, slimes, Florida –WWALS to GA-EPD, TPM TiO2 mining 2024-04-09

Here are the WWALS comments sent to GA-EPD yesterday against the proposed titanium dioxide mine too near the Okefenokee Swamp.

Thanks to all who also sent comments to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA-EPD) during the 60-day comment period.

Application deficiencies in TPM TiO2 mining permits: Modeling, mercury, spills, slimes, Florida –WWALS to GA-EPD 2024-04-09

Next, we wait for GA-EPD to read all the comments. Supposedly they have to reply to all questions in those comments.

Most likely then GA-EPD will issue the actual permits. Then lawsuits start flying.

If I am not mistaken, you can still send comments to TwinPines.Comment@dnr.ga.gov. They won’t be considered part of the 60-day comment period, but they will go into the public record, retrievable via an open records request, and usable in lawsuits.

The WWALS Comment

Chainsaw Cleanups –Phil Hubbard, WWALS Webinar 2024-04-11

Update 2024-05-01: Video: Chainsaw Cleanups –Phil Hubbard, WWALS Webinar 2024-04-11.

Phil Hubbard, longtime WWALS paddle outings leader, will tell us why he started a series of chainsaw cleanups two years ago.

Does everybody have to saw on a chainsaw cleanup? What else can people do? Who else has been involved? What did we not expect?

Important points, such as: How to order pizza with a chainsaw, and how to tattoo your chainsaw bar. Also: maybe wrap up before dark.

WWALS Chainsaw Cleanups, Phil Hubbard, WWALS Webinar 2024-04-11, Withlacoochee River, Suwannee River, and soon others

Have we finally accomplished the initial goals after 17 or 18 chainsaw cleanups?

Have they all been on two stretches of the Withlacoochee River? Nope, also downstream on the Withlacoochee and on the Suwannee River. Where to chainsaw cleanup next: maybe on the Santa Fe River in Florida, or the Alapaha River or the Little River.

This webinar will be by zoom, noon-1 PM, Thursday, April 11, 2024.

Register in advance with zoom for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUpdeyqrT4rH91Y0CaBM7TxVd2WoIblH5Vj

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

WWALS Board President Sara Jay Jones will give a brief introduction, Phil will speak for about 45 minutes, and we will have questions and answers.

“I think I’m the only one who has been on every chainsaw cleanup, Continue reading →

Apparently clean rivers after rain 2024-04-04

Update 2024-04-12: Valdosta Huntley Drive FOG sewage spill 2024-04-09.

All the recent results we have are good for every river tested, although the results are somewhat sparse. Even tests on the Withlacoochee and Suwannee Rivers after the big rains were quite clean. Valdosta’s Wednesday Withlacoochee River results before the rains were also good.

High Springs, Florida, had a sewage spill, but it was small and probably had no effect on the Santa Fe river.

It’s sunny days for a week.

However, the rivers are mostly quite high and fast, around action stage or higher. Your best bet is probably the Suwannee River from White Springs to Suwannee Springs.

Or join us next week on Saturday for Withlacoochee River Earth Day Cleanup, Langdale Park Boat Ramp 2024-04-13.

Chart, Apparently Clean Rivers, Map 2024-04-04

Valdosta’s last week Wednesday results, which only showed up this week because of the holiday last Friday, were not good. However, their results for Wednesday this week are good.

As previously mentioned, Valdosta is sampling now only weekly, and only at GA 133 and US 84 on the Withlacoochee River.

Although Valdosta did report followup Knights Creek sampling for Tuesday, with good results upstream and down from its chronic collapsed sewer line location.

Continue reading →

Video: Raffle drawing for Eddyline Kayak 2024-04-03

Chuck Roberts drew the winning ticket yesterday for the Eddyline Sandpiper kayak, paddle, PFD, lock, and straps.

This one is slightly used. New, a 12-foot Eddyline kayak lists for $1,749.00.

Since there were only 30 $100 raffle tickets, each ticket had a 1 in 30 chance of winning.

Drawing the winner, Eddyline Kayak Raffle, Troupville Boat Ramp, Little River 2024-04-03

Gretchen Quarterman fired up the zoom from her desk.

Here’s the zoom video: https://youtu.be/VXzBV0jhd2Y

At Troupville Boat Ramp on the Little River, Chuck Roberts first talked about the WWALS River Revue sit-down fundraising dinner, Saturday, September 7, 2024, at the Turner Center for the Arts in Valdosta. Chuck is the M.C.
https://wwals.net/pictures/songwriting2024/

The Revue includes the seventh annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest. Song submissions are open now:
https://wwals.net/?p=64497

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman talked about upcoming outings.
https://wwals.net/outings

Including, coming up next Saturday, Continue reading →

Turner Bridge Ramp to Cone Bridge Ramp Suwannee River Paddle 2024-05-18

Update 2024-05-17: Cancelled due to predicted thunderstorms; to be be rescheduled later.

Join us on an 11.4-mile paddle on the Suwannee River from Turner Bridge to Cone Bridge.

Both ramps are down dirt roads that are usually well maintained. There could be one small section of shoals to paddle over if the river is low but this paddle is appropriate for all levels. Everyone must wear a PFD while on the river. We’ll probably stop along Prospect Church at Hunter Creek for a lunch break.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10:15 AM, end 3:30 PM, Saturday, May 18, 2024

Put In: Turner Bridge Ramp. From White Springs, travel north on SE CR 135; cross over SE CR 6 onto NE 180 Boulevard (Woodpecker Route); travel north to NE 38 Trail; turn right and follow road to ramp, in Hamilton County.
Note the antique lally columns, which are pillars for a former bridge, made of steel columns filled with concrete.

GPS: 30.524333, -82.728167

Turner Bridge Ramp to, Cone Bridge Road Ramp, Suwannee River, 11.4 miles, 2024-05-18

Continue reading →

Drawing the winner at Troupville Boat Ramp, for the Eddyline Kayak Raffle 2024-04-03

Update 2024-04-04: Video: Raffle drawing for Eddyline Kayak 2024-04-03.

Since all 30 tickets are taken, Chuck Roberts will draw the winning ticket this Wednesday noon-thirty, for the Eddyline Sandpiper kayak, paddle, PFD, lock, and straps.

Chuck Roberts will draw the winner, at Troupville Boat Ramp, for the Eddyline Sandpiper kayak, 12:30 PM, Wednesday, April 3, 2024

This one is slightly used. New, a 12-foot Eddyline kayak lists for $1,749.00.

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman will bring the box of 30 raffle tickets to Troupville Boat Ramp.

Gretchen Quarterman will fire up the zoom from her desk.

Chuck Roberts will draw the winner, announce the name, and then call the winner to inform them.

If you attend in person and you win, you can carry the kayak home with you.

If you attend by zoom or not at all, we will discuss with you how to get you the kayak.

Thanks to everyone who got tickets! That helps Continue reading →

Done: Eddyline Kayak Raffle 2024-04-01

Update 2024-04-02: Drawing the winner at Troupville Boat Ramp, for the Eddyline Kayak Raffle 2024-04-03.

That was fast! The last $100 raffle ticket was taken shortly after the post today about one more to go.

So all 30 tickets are gone.

We will draw the winning ticket for the Eddyline Sandpiper kayak within the next few days.

All 30 Raffle Tickets taken, for the Eddyline Sandpiper kayak. Stay tuned for the date, of the raffle drawing.

In addition to the slightly-used 12-foot kayak, it includes paddle, PFD, lock, and straps.

New, it lists for $1,749.00.

Thanks to everyone who got tickets! That helps support everything WWALS does, from water quality tests, paddle outings and swimming & boating lessons, to chainsaw cleanups, and beyond to advocacy to stop trash at its sources, strip mines, and pipelines. We work for water trails, solar power, and Right to Clean Water, with growing engagement for youth and marginalized communities.

About WWALS: Continue reading →

Last call: $100 Eddyline Sandpiper Kayak Raffle Tickets

Update 2024-04-01: Done: Eddyline Kayak Raffle 2024-04-01.

Once somebody gets the last $100 ticket we’ll reach the maximum of 30, and we will draw the winning ticket for the Eddyline Sandpiper kayak.

Eddyline Sandpiper Kayak $100 Raffle Ticket max 30

In addition to the slightly-used 12-foot kayak, it includes paddle, PFD, lock, and straps.

New, it lists for $1,749.00.

Tickets are available online.
https://wwalswatershed.square.site/product/2023-gala-eddyline-kayak-raffle/40

-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/

Rain and river contamination 2024-03-28

Update 2024-04-05: Apparently clean rivers after rain 2024-04-04.

We got bad results for Thursday for the Alapaha River. We have few other results, but we know there was much rain Wednesday and Thursday, and that usually washes contamination into the rivers.

If I were you, I would pick something else to do this weekend instead of boating, swimming, or fishing.

Also, Ashburn had yet another spill, although that was probably too far upstream to have much effect. It sure looks like there was some sort of overflow from the city of Alapaha wastewater treatment plant, even though none has yet shown up in the reports.

Instead, join us a week from Saturday for Withlacoochee River Earth Day Cleanup, Langdale Park Boat Ramp 2024-04-13.

Valdosta’s most recent upstream Withlacoochee River results are for Wednesday a week ago. Apparently they did not post their Wednesday results for this week because today is a holiday.

Similarly, most of the usual WWALS testers are off because of the holiday weekend.