Update 2024-11-27: Retrieving PFAS samplers, Withlacoochee River 2024-11-23.
This weekend we deployed four PFAS samplers, upstream and downstream from two wastewater treatment plants, on the Withlacoochee River and on Mud Swamp Creek.
These are a new design that you leave in the flowing water for 28 days thereabouts, then retrieve, and effectively they’ve been taking a sample a day.
If you encounter them, please leave them be.
Continue readingUpdate 2024-11-26: Pictures: Banks Lake Full Harvest Moon 2024-09-17.
Come out and join us for a leisurely sunset and full moon paddle.
When: Gather 6:30 PM, launch 7 PM, moonrise 7:31 PM, sunset 7:35 PM, end 8:30 PM, Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Banks Lake Full Harvest Moon 2024-09-17, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, Georgia]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-17--banks-lake-full-harvest-moon/fbmany.jpg)
Banks Lake Full Harvest Moon 2024-09-17, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, Georgia
Some of the WWALS water trail signs have been stolen, others shot up, and some places and rivers we never placed any.
Due to generous grants from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA-DNR) and the Hamilton County, Florida, Tourist Development Council (TDC), we are working up new signs.
After spending many months rationalizing river miles and icons, we solicit your input as we start designing the new signs.
What landmarks or interesting sites do you think should be mentioned on the signs?
Please enter your suggestions here:
https://forms.gle/LTryv7yqdHFd54rq8
The GA-DNR grant funds road signs, which are in a fixed format, at-water signs, which will have details upstream and downstream. They are for:
Follow the links for what we have so far for each of these water trails.
https://wwals.net/water-trails/
The GA-DNR grant also funds rack cards. Continue reading
Not so good below the Town of Alapaha, Georgia, wastewater settling ponds Friday.
Heather Brasell tested on what’s in the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT) map as
Alapaha Elementary School Stream and got 667 CFU/100 mL of E. coli,
which is above the 410 one-time test limit.
She tested on the power line right of way you can see just downstream (northeast)
of the Alapaha WPCP Outfall. Continue reading
Yes, alligator hunting is happening in Banks Lake NWR.
Well, actually, already happened.
According to GA-DNR,
“The 2024 season opens at SUNSET on Friday, August 16, 2024, and closes at SUNRISE on Monday, October 7, 2024.”
https://georgiawildlife.com/Hunting/Alligator
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: “Alligator: All State of Georgia Regulations will apply and the season will be limited to two three-day units within the state season. Hunters will access the lake using the refuge boat ramp…. Alligator hunting on the Refuge will be the first two weekends in accordance with the state season.”
So that was August 16-18 and 23-25, 2024.
Excerpts from
Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge Hunt Plan,
July 2020,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/221089
Avg total nightly count = 56 Avg known legal nightly count = 24
Due to increased information from alligator surveys and monitoring from Georgia DNR, the process to allow alligator hunting on Banks Lake NWR was initiated in 2019. The alligator population in Georgia is one of many renewable natural resources that can sustain limited harvest in concert with biological monitoring and periodic evaluations. Allowing an alligator hunt on Banks Lake NWR will provide hunters additional opportunities where other public lands hunting opportunities are limited. Opening this hunt also supports the refuge’s compliance with Secretarial Order 3356, “to support and expand hunting and fishing, enhance conservation stewardship, improve wildlife management, and increase outdoor recreation opportunities for all Americans”.
II. Statement of Objectives
Continue reading
Frequently there’s no flow in the Little Alapaha River at US 41, but Saturday there was.
In the Alapaha River where it is often completely dry under US 41, there was plenty of water, a bit west of Jasper, Florida, in Hamilton County.
![[Rivers at US 41, Hamilton County, FL, 2024-08-24, Alapaha River, Little Alapaha River]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-08-24--alapaha-little-alapaha-rivers-hamilton-county-fl/fbmany.jpg)
Rivers at US 41, Hamilton County, FL, 2024-08-24, Alapaha River, Little Alapaha River
The Alapaha River Jennings Gauge was about 66.06 feet NAVD88 at 2:15 PM, Saturday, August 24, 2024. That’s well within the WWALS recommended water levels of low 65, high 76 at US 4 1 on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
Here’s a bit of video:
https://youtu.be/FWFsUfMSOP0 Continue reading
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).
![[Banks Lake Full, Sturgeon Moon Paddle, Alapaha River Water Trail, Seasonal Blue Moon 2024-08-19]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-08-19--banks-lake-full-blue-moon-paddle/fbmany.jpg)
Banks Lake Full, Sturgeon Moon Paddle, Alapaha River Water Trail, Seasonal Blue Moon 2024-08-19
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
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
Update 2024-08-12: Cancelled due to water too high and fast, especially in the Suwannee River, which is still rising.
Due to Tropical Storm Debbie, pushed back a week to August 17, 2024.
Paddle 12.3 miles on two rivers.
Our takeout is very close to the Alapaha River Confluence, so most of the day we will enjoy this last section of the Alapaha River. The river has been fluctuating from too low to too high so we are hoping to hit it just right for paddling. There could be some deadfall but this outing is appropriate for anyone.
We will paddle under the ever-busy I-75, but passing that we will reenter quiet wilderness. Everyone must wear a PFD.
We will also paddle up into the Alapaha Rise, off of the Suwannee River, where the Alapaha reemerges after traveling miles underground.
When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 3 PM, Saturday, August 17, 2024
Put In: US Hwy 41 Alapaha River Landing. South side of the road, under the power line, between Jennings and Jasper, FL, in Hamilton County.
![[Alapaha River to Suwannee River 2024-08-17, US 41 to Gibson Park, Up to Alapaha River Rise]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-08-17--alapaha-river-to-suwannee/fbmany.jpg)
Alapaha River to Suwannee River 2024-08-17, US 41 to Gibson Park, Up to Alapaha River Rise
If you want to see water levels throughout the Suwannee River Basin, for example after a hurricane, there are at least three ways:
They all get their data from the USGS gauges.
What’s your favorite way? One of these, or something else?
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides this color-coded map: Continue reading
![[PFAS Sampling Deployment, Waterkeeper Alliance Program, Withlacoochee River 2024-09-14, Mud Swamp Creek 2024-09-15]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-14--pfas/fbmany.jpg)
![[Input Solicited for Water Trail Signs on the Withlacoochee, Little, Alapaha, Alapaha, and Suwannee Rivers in Georgia and Florida]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-05--water-trail-signs/fbmany.jpg)
![[Bad Alapaha WPCP Outflow, Alapaha River 2024-08-30 Yet clean downstream above US 82 & Sheboggy Boat Ramp]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-08-30--wq/many.jpg)
![[Alligator Hunting in Banks Lake NWR 2024, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Georgia Department of Natural Resources]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-07-16--banks-lake-nwr-hunt-plan/igmany.jpg)
![[Bats of Georgia, Emily Ferrall, GA-DNR 2024-08-15, A WWALS Webinar, Banks Lake, Douglas, GA, Okefenokee Swamp]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-08-15--bats-webinar-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
![[River Water Levels, Suwannee River Basin, NOAA, USGS, SRWMD, WWALS, Action Stage, Flood, Georgia, Florida]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-08-07--noaa-gauges/many.jpg)