Update 2024-03-29: Rain and river contamination 2024-03-28.
Yes, there was a lot of rain on March 9, 2024, but 315,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled by Ashburn into two river watersheds seems a bit much.
And we finally got a report of the Rochelle Sook Road spill of that same day, of 10,000 gallons into a ditch that went into Reynolds Creek and from there into the Alapaha River.
![[Rochelle and Ashburn spills and maps]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-03-09--ashburn-rochelle-spills/many.jpg)
Rochelle and Ashburn spills and maps
On March 9 I reported that Continue reading
Thanks to the Atkinson County Commissioners for passing this resolution unanimously Thursday evening. We will get a signed copy soon.
Shirley Kokidko, who lives in Pearson, the county seat, said a few words. I gave the shortest speech ever, “We could speak for half an hour. But if the Okefenokee Swamp isn’t worth protecting, what is?”
As they voted, they said things such as, “this would affect our fishing.”
A Commissioner sought me out in the parking lot afterwards to remark, “This is our heritage, our way of life.”
After Berrien County, plus the city of Nashville, this is the second county on the Alapaha River to pass such a resolution.
It is the fifth sixth such resolution in Georgia state Senate District 8,
after Valdosta, Ware County and Waycross, Clinch, and Echols Counties.
Maybe Senator Russ Goodman will be interested in that.
Berrien County and the city of Nashville are in Continue reading
Update 2024-03-22: Ashburn and Rochelle sewage spills 2024-03-09.
We got good results for Wednesday for the Santa Fe and Withlacoochee Rivers and for Thursday for the Alapaha River.
Valdosta’s recent upstream Withlacoochee River results through Wednesday are good.
![[Chart, Clean Rivers, Map 2024-03-13]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-03-13--wq/igmany.jpg)
Chart, Clean Rivers, Map 2024-03-13
There are no Valdosta Monday results, because, according to Acting Utilities Director Jason Barnes, “we are collecting once a week.”
He did not say why. Perhaps it is not coincidental that it is now three years (minus one month) since the March, 2020, GA-EPD Consent Order on Valdosta that required downstream testing as a way to reduce the amount of the fine.
As previously noted, Valdosta’s last downstream tests were September 1, 2023.
There’s a chance of rain today, and more chance Sunday.
The rivers are at pretty good paddling levels, and it’s not cold. So watch the weather, bring rain gear, and happy paddling, fishing, and maybe swimming this weekend.
![[Chart: Clean Rivers 2024-03-13]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-03-13--wq/2024-03-14--chart-clean-rivers.jpg)
Chart: Clean Rivers 2024-03-13
For context and the entire WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing
No sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or in the Georgia Sewage Spills Report.
However, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA-EPD) tells us via email that Rochelle, GA, had another spill on March 9 through 13, 2024. We don’t know how much. We do know all of Rochelle is upstream from the Alapaha River.
GA-EPD did clarify why the earlier, February 12, 10,000 gallon spill took more than three weeks to appear in the Sewage Spills Report: “The spill was reported to us via email on Feb. 15th. It was entered into GAPDES on the 27th due to staffing vacancies and the Program manager being on vacation. However, it was entered into CTS on Feb. 16th . See attached link: https://cts.gaepd.org/Public/ComplaintDetails/107821
As to why the earlier Rochelle spill disappeared from the Sewage Spills Report, the answer was, “Only lasted from 09:45 until 16:00 on the 12th”
I asked, “I don’t understand the answer about why it is not in later Sewage Spills Reports. Normally an item stays in there for 30 days until it rolls off. Spills for Tifton and Ashburn are still in there today, even though they occured in February. Why is this Rochelle spill different?”
Answer, “I do believe that spills to the ground don’t normally make it on the daily spill report. If it was originally updated to a spill to the ground, it may have fallen off for the report.”
That’s an exception I was not previously aware of.
I still wonder whether those very bad downstream Knights Creek results for Wednesday week after significant rain the day before indicated an unreported sewage spill upstream from the Alapahoochee and Alapaha Rivers?
In case you’re not aware, GA-EPD is woefully underfunded. Whenever I get a chance, I suggest to Georgia state legislators that EPD should be funded more.
WWALS tester Kimberly Godden Tanner said everything Continue reading
Update 2024-03-15: Clean rivers 2024-03-13.
We got good results for Wednesday for the Santa Fe and Withlacoochee Rivers and Franks Creek, and for Thursday for the Alapaha River.
Valdosta’s recent upstream Withlacoochee River results through Monday are good. However, Valdosta got very bad downstream Knights Creek results for Wednesday after significant rain Tuesday. Is this an unreported sewage spill upstream from the Alapahoochee and Alapaha Rivers? And why can Valdosta get its Knights Creek followup testing results for Wednesday on its own website by Saturday, but not its Withlacoochee River test results?
Rain is predicted for Saturday, and maybe thunderstorms.
The rivers are down to good paddling levels, and it’s not cold. So watch the weather, bring rain gear, and happy paddling, fishing, and maybe swimming this weekend.
Or join us tomorrow and Sunday at Drexel Park in Valdosta for the Azalea Festival, on One Mile Branch, upstream from Sugar Creek and the Withlacoochee River.
![[Chart, Rivers and creek, Map 2024-03-06]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-03-06--wq/igmany.jpg)
Chart, Rivers and creek, Map 2024-03-06
No sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia.
However, on Wednesday, March 6, GA-EPD reported that Rochelle spilled 10,000 gallons of raw sewage on Monday, February 12, due to “Wet weather” from “Sook Road manhole.”
![[Rochelle 10,000 gallon sewage spill 2024-02-12]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-03-06--wq/2024-02-12--rochelle-spill-in-ga-epd-sewage-spills-report-2024-03-06.jpg)
Rochelle 10,000 gallon sewage spill 2024-02-12
The waterway is given as “none” and the river basin is blank in the report. Actually, Sook Road is on a ditch that runs into Reynolds Creek into Mill Creek into the Alapaha River. It’s mysterious why this spill took more than four weeks to show up, and why the report has so little information. Even more mysterious is that it does not appear in later Sewage Spills Reports. I have asked GA-EPD about this. Continue reading
Update 2024-07-26: Help keep paddle access to Georgia rivers 2024-07-22.
We never had bales of cotton boated down the Withlacoochee River, because there are too many shoals.
![[19th-century navigable definition; 21st-century river economy]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-02-29--ga-navigable-passage/igmany.jpg)
19th-century navigable definition; 21st-century river economy
But we do get fishing both from the shore and in paddle and power boats up and down our rivers, and for other recreation, There are massive investments by nearby cities and counties and other organizations in cleaning up the rivers for those purposes.
The state of Georgia needs to revise its 19th-century definition of navigability and passage to match the 21st-century present.
The Georgia 1863 definition says a navigable stream “is capable of transporting boats loaded with freight in the regular course of trade either for the whole or a part of the year.” See Georgia Navigability Report, 3rd Edition and O.C.G.A. 44-8-5 (2010)
Some people once tried boating down the Withlacoochee River to the Suwannee to establish commerce. They sold the remains of the boat and returned to the former Lowndes County seat of Troupville, at the Little River Confluence with the Withlacoochee River. Atlanta Constitution, January 29, 1889, Continue reading
Update 2024-02-27: Navigable stream additions to GA HB 1397 2024-02-27.
Update 2024-02-25: Need to add Sugar Creek, as well as Cat Creek and Franks Creek.
Following up on the December 2023 report of the Fishing Rights Study Committee, that Committee’s Chair, Rep. Burchett of Waycross, who is also the House Majority Whip, this Thursday introduced HB 1397, which defines navigable streams in Georgia.
![[Warrior Creek, Okapilco Creek, Deep Creek, Bird Wing Run]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-02-22--ga-navigable-streams/igmany.jpg)
Warrior Creek, Okapilco Creek, Deep Creek, Bird Wing Run
The bill’s list appears to include all of Georgia parts of the WWALS water trails, plus some creeks and an upstream reach of the Alapaha River.
However, the entire Alapahoochee River is missing, https://wwals.net/maps/alapaha-water-trail/arwt-map/arwt-points/#ga-376-bridge, as is the East Fork of the Suwannee River in the Okefenokee Swamp. The North Fork of the Suwannee River is missing, but it’s so overgrown that’s not surprising.
Considering the inclusion of Okapilco Creek, the bill needs to add Sugar Creek below Baytree Road, which is a nice urban creek with a beach and shoals, https://wwals.net/?p=56221 with the WaterGoat trash trap, https://wwals.net/?p=63876 and will be used this coming Saturday, March 2, as the early takeout for the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle. https://wwals.net/?p=64095
Similarly, the bill could add add Cat Creek below GA 37 and Franks Creek below GA 122. That would help with finding and fixing E. coli problems seen at bridges on those creeks. WWALS has already started investigating those creek problems and has applied for a testing grant. https://wwals.net/?p=58982
These are the bill’s items in the Suwannee River Basin. If I’ve missed any, somebody let me know. Continue reading
Update 2024-02-24: Clean Withlacoochee, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers and Franks Creek 2024-02-21.
Update 2024-02-22: Valdosta Boone Drive and Knob Hill small sewage spills 2024-02-20.
We got good results for Wednesday for the Alapaha, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers, and Franks Creek.
Valdosta’s recent upstream Withlacoochee River results through Wednesday are good.
Rain is predicted for this weekend, through Saturday. But if there is not much rain, paddling Sunday should be OK. If you like high water, since the Little and Withlacoochee Rivers are up from previous upstream rains. The Santa Fe River is coming back down. The Suwannee was never especially high.
WWALS has two outings coming up on Saturday, February 24, 2024: the morning paddle from Knights Ferry to Nankin on the Withlacoochee River, and the evening Full Snow Moon paddle on Banks Lake.
And of course don’t forget that Saturday, March 2, is the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle from Langdale Park to Troupville on the Withlacoochee River. That one is free, thanks to a generous grant from Georgia Power.
![[Chart, Clean Franks Creek and Withlacoochee, Alapaha, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers 2024-02-14, Map]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-02-14--wq/many.jpg)
Chart, Clean Franks Creek and Withlacoochee, Alapaha, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers 2024-02-14, Map
No sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida in the past week.
But one was reported in Georgia. Ashburn had a spill of 3,000 gallons of raw sewage into Ashburn Branch, which flows into the Little River. Continue reading
Update 2024-02-16: Clean rivers and creek 2024-02-14.
We got good results for Wednesday for the Alapaha, Withlacoochee, and Santa Fe Rivers.
Valdosta’s Monday upstream Withlacoochee River and Three Mile Branch results were too high after the Sunday rain. Thanks to Valdosta Acting Utilities Director Jason Barnes for the Valdosta Wednesday results at GA 133 (OK) and US 84 (bad). He promises those and the US 41 (North Valdosta Road) Wednesday results will be on valdostacity.com website next week.
No rain is predicted for this weekend.
In the past week, no sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.
So I’d avoid the Withlacoochee River from US 84 to the state line, but other than that, happy fishing, paddling, and swimming this weekend.
![[Chart, Three Clean Rivers, Map 2024-02-07]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-02-07--wq/igmany.jpg)
Chart, Three Clean Rivers, Map 2024-02-07
Or join us tomorrow (Saturday) for Ichetucknee Polar Plunge and Paddle or Sunday for Sugar Creek to Troupville Chainsaw Cleanup. Continue reading
Thank you, Nashville, Georgia, Mayor and Council, for passing a resolution supporting the Okefenokee Swamp against the proposed strip mine.
![[City of Nashville Resolution and Okefenokee NWR sign]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-01-08--nashville-ga-okefenokee-resolution/igmany.jpg)
City of Nashville Resolution and Okefenokee NWR sign
For the increasing number of these resolutions, see:
https://wwals.net/?p=57248
Please ask your Georgia statehouse members to pass HB 71. Floridians, ask your friends and relatives in Georgia to do that. And ask your city or county in Florida to also pass a resolution.
For more about this issue, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/titanium-mining/
You can learn how to help test water quality in the Suwannee River Basin.
WWALS testing trainer Gretchen Quarterman will do the classroom portion of the course by zoom,
followed by hands-on practical training at a waterway with physical distancing.
will teach both chemical and bacterial training in person. There is a classroom portion with demonstration, followed by practical and test for each class. Classroom materials will be provided. The tests are on paper and are to be taken on-site.
This is both Chemical and Bacterial training by Georgia Adopt-A-Stream (AAS) methods.
Yes, we can and do use this in Florida as well as Georgia, and we have testers based in Florida.
![[WWALS Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Testing Training 2024-02-10]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-02-10--wq-testing-training/igmany.jpg)
WWALS Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Testing Training 2024-02-10
We currently have testers on the Little, Withlacoochee, Alapaha, Ichetucknee, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers.
We need more of those, and also for the Alapahoochee River, as well as Cat Creek, Beatty Branch, Sugar Creek, Okapilco Creek, and others.
For more, see: https://wwals.net/testing/
Sign up: https://forms.gle/37DawiGAJYoyqtPKA Continue reading
![[Atkinson County Commission and Resolution for the Okefenokee Swamp against the Twin Pines Minerals Strip Mine]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-03-14--atkinson-county-okefenokee/many.jpg)
