Tag Archives: Alapaha River Water Trail

Mayday Landing ARWT Signs 2025-02-26

Update 2025-04-01: Installed: Troupville Boat Ramp water trail signs 2025-04-01.

Thanks again to Echols County Manager Alan Levesque and Road Crew, the signs are planted for Mayday Landing on the Alapaha River.

Mayday Landing, Alapaha River, ARWT Signs Planted 2025-02-26, At-Water and Road: Thanks, Alan Levesque & Echols County Road Crew

Both the road signs and the at-water signs were paid for (80%) by a generous grant from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA-DNR). The signs were made by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), but the state could not plant the signs, because Howell Road is not a state or federal road. But the county could, and Echols County did.

Like the Statenville Boat Ramp signs, I delivered the Mayday signs to Echols County at a Comprehensive Plan Five-Year Update meeting the day before.

Mayday Landing is at 749 Howell Road, Stockton, GA 31649. It is on the left bank, the east side of the Alapaha River, south of Howell Road, north of the railroad bridge, in Echols County.

It is towards the middle of the WWALS Alapaha River Water Trail.
https://wwals.net/maps/alapaha-water-trail/ Continue reading →

ARWT signs planted at Statenville Boat Ramp 2025-02-26

Update 2025-03-12: Mayday Landing ARWT Signs 2025-02-26.

Thanks to Echols County Manager Alan Levesque and the Echols County Road Crew for planting the Statenville Boat Ramp signs next to the ramp.

ARWT signs planted, Statenville Boat Ramp 2025-02-26, Thanks, Alan Levesque, Echols County Manager

I delivered them the previous day at an Echols County Comprehensive Plan Five-Year Update meeting. Continue reading →

Clean Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers 2025-03-06

Update 2025-03-14: Dirty Withlacoochee River 2025-03-12.

For the Withlacoochee River this week, WWALS got good results upstream and down, and Valdosta Utilities got good results for the Withlacoochee River at GA 133 and US 84.

We have no new water quality test results for Sugar Creek. Chances are that the previous sewage spill has washed out, although more testing would be good.

WWALS got excellent results for the Alapaha River at Naylor Park Beach.

No new sewage spills were reported in Florida or Georgia.

Saturday is supposed to be mostly rainless, before thunderstorms Sunday. River levels are good.

So happy fishing, swimming, paddling, and boating Saturday!

Clean Alapaha and, Withlacoochee Rivers, 2025-03-05, 2025-03-06

Join us tomorrow for the Troupville Withlacoochee Upstream Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-03-08
https://wwals.net/?p=67153

Or come on down to the WWALS Booth at Azalea Festival, One Mile Branch, Drexel Park, Valdosta, GA 2025-03-08.
https://wwals.net/?p=67089

And Saturday week join us for the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle.
https://wwals.net/?p=66833

Continue reading →

Statenville Boat Ramp, Alapaha River 2025-02-25

The Alapaha River is moving fast at Statenville Boat Ramp, just upstream of the GA 94 bridge and west across the river from Statenville, Georgia, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
https://wwals.net/maps/arwt

Statenville Boat Ramp, Alapaha River 2025-02-25, GA 94 Bridge, Sky Dog

The Statenville Gauge read 9.61 feet (85.71 feet NAVD88), with 1580 cubic feet per second of discharge (2.04 kcfs).

Sky the Suwannee Riverkeeper Dog came along to sniff out the situation.

More pictures and videos below. Continue reading →

Full Flower Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-05-12

Update 2025-05-14: Pictures: Full Flower Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-05-12.

Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle on our watery living room, Banks Lake, just west of Lakeland, Georgia.

This Outing is honoring Teachers and Nurses, who get free entry.

When: Gather 7:30 PM, launch 8 PM, moonrise 8:40 PM, sunset 8:19 PM, end 9:30 PM, Monday, May 12, 2025

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

Full Flower Moon Paddle, Banks Lake, Lakeland, Georgia, Monday, May 12, 2025

Continue reading →

Pictures: Full Snow Moon Paddle, Banks Lake, 2025-02-12

Warm and choppy was Banks Lake, until we found glassy smooth water beyond the cypress, where we watched the moon rise after sunset with Venus and Jupiter, on the Full Snow Moon Paddle, 2025-02-12.

Full Snow Moon, Banks Lake 2025-02-12, Thanks, Janet Martin, and all who paddled

Thanks to Janet Martin for leading, and to all who paddled.

Thanks to Turtleman Chris Adams for capturing the one piece of trash when it escaped my paddle spoon. It was a plastic juice bottle.

These pictures are by John S. Quarterman except where labled SJM for Janet.

The next one is Full Worm Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-03-14.
https://wwals.net/?p=66887 Continue reading →

Okefenokee Day, Atlanta, GA 2025-02-06

Where Georgia state legislators and aides could not miss us, half a dozen groups presented Okefenokee Day in the hallways of the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta.

Okefenokee Day, Georgia state Capitol 2025-02-06, Okefenokee Swamp Park, Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

This was the flyer for organizers. I’m one, since Suwannee Riverkeeper is part of the Okefenokee Partnership which was the principal organizing body for this event. Continue reading →

Full Pink Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-04-12

Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle, probably with bats.

When: Gather 7 PM, launch 7:30 PM, moonrise 7:56 PM, sunset 7:59 PM, end 9 PM, Saturday, April 12, 2025

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

Full Pink Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2024-04-12, Lakeland, Georgia, Probably with bats

Continue reading →

Clean New Little, Withlacoochee, Alapaha Rivers; Sugar Creek finally OK 2025-01-29

Update 2025-02-08: Withlacoochee River and New River clean, Sugar Creek Dirty 2025-02-06.

Finally! Valdosta Utilities got OK water quality results for Sugar Creek at Gornto Road, for the first time since the November 6-7, 2024, flash flood. Apparently the bypass is working.

WWALS got OK results for the ~~New~~ Little River south of Tifton and the Alapaha River at US 82, GA 122, and US 84.

Valdosta Utilities got OK results for the Withlacoochee River at US 41, good at GA 133, and OK at US 84.

However, Valdosta Utilities got too-high results at Knights Creek at Inner Perimeter Road. I wonder if there is a Sewage Spill warning sign there?

No new sewage spills have been reported in the last week in Georgia or Florida.

No rain is predicted for the next nine days, with balmy weather this weekend.

So happy fishing, swimming, paddling, and boating this weekend!

Or join us next weekend for a chainsaw cleanup on Saturday, January 8.
https://wwals.net/?p=66873

Or another one on Sunday, January 9.
https://wwals.net/?p=66892

Clean New, Withlacoochee, Alapaha Rivers 2025-01-30, Sugar Creek finally OK 2025-01-28