Update 2023-04-21: Clean WIthlacoochee River 2023-04-20.
Now that Kimberly Tanner is testing weekly at Naylor Park Beach, we’ve added it to Swim Guide.
![[Sites and Swim Guide Map 2023-04-18]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-04-18--naylor-beach-swim-guide/many.jpg)
Sites and Swim Guide Map 2023-04-18
Since Naylor Boat Ramp is only 300 feet upstream on the Alapaha River, we’ve add it to Swim Guide with the same testing results.
They are both in Naylor Park, which is owned by Lowndes County, Georgia, and operated by Valdosta-Lowndes Parks and Recreational Authority (VLPRA). Continue reading
Update 2023-04-21: Clean WIthlacoochee River 2023-04-20.
Update 2023-04-18: Naylor Beach and Boat Ramp in Swim Guide 2023-04-18.
Happy swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend!
![[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-04-13]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-04-13--wq/many.jpg)
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-04-13
All WWALS water quality test results for Thursday show clean from E. coli for the Little, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers. Crawford Branch at Skipper Bridge Road was a bit higher, but well within the 410 one-time test limit.
No new sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.
Rain is predicted for Sunday morning, but probably not enough to wash much contamination into the rivers. Continue reading
Acting Valdosta City Manager Richard Hardy called me yesterday. This is unusual, although he does usually answer his phone if I call him.
![[Valdosta Acting City Manager Richard Hardy and City Engineer Ben O'Dowd 2023-03-25]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-04-11--seeclickfix/many.jpg)
Valdosta Acting City Manager Richard Hardy and City Engineer Ben O’Dowd 2023-03-25
Even more unusual was his news: the city may be moving ahead on keeping trash out of creeks.
First some background.
Recent adventures in Click ‘n’ Fix include this one, Continue reading
Update 2023-04-07: Clean Withlacoochee River 2023-04-06.
Best to paddle, swim, and fish tomorrow morning. Rains are predicted tomorrow.
But until then, all the water quality tests we have are good, for the Little, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers.
![[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide map 2023-03-30]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-03-30--wq/many.jpg)
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide map 2023-03-30
No new sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia in the past week.
But High Springs had a 150-gallon spill. That small an amount and apparently inland should have no effect on the Santa Fe River or its springs.
Thanks to WWALS tester Continue reading
Update 2023-04-26: Upper and Middle Suwannee River MFL webinar and followon WebBoard meetings 2023-05-02.
SRWMD considered everything from water levels needed for paddling and other boating, to fish passage depths, to Gulf Sturgeon spawning depth. The sturgeon won, with the least allowable flow reduction at the median. This was for all of the reference gauges for both stretches of the river. Which means Gulf Sturgeon determine the minimum flow levels and depths for both the Upper and Middle Suwannee River. The draft MFLs are already in the report.
![[Reviewers, MFL, Public Comment 2022-03-15]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-03-15--suwannee-river-mfl-meeting-videos/many.jpg)
Reviewers, MFL, Public Comment 2022-03-15
As one of the three speakers in the Public Comment agenda item, I got surprising agreement on two points. I said that while limiting water withdrawals might not be within the scope of this process, nonetheless the sensitivity map for the Suwannee River at Ellaville indicated that this process could study what would happen with various potential water withdrawals in various locations. And this process could study the effects of different aquifer replenishment methods. Continue reading
They mostly reviewed changes to the plan they approved at the last meeting, back in November, at this meeting in Nashville, Georgia, of Georgia’s Suwannee-Satilla Regional Water Planning Council.
The biggest agenda item was discussion of the Lake Beatrice dam project, which is intended to impound water as a recreational facility for Ben Hill County and to replenish the Alapaha River when it is low.
![[Attendees and Lake Beatrice project @ SSRWPC 2023-03-14]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-03-14--ssrwpc-videos/many.jpg)
Attendees and Lake Beatrice project @ SSRWPC 2023-03-14
Chair Scott Downing made an interesting point that we do this all the time via drinking water withdrawals, which go back into streams as outfall from wastewater treatment plants. This is why Lake Beatrice has enough incoming water to dam: outfall from the Ben Hill Wastewater Treatment Plant, which goes into Turkey Creek, Lake Beatrice, Willacoochee Creek, the Willacoochee River, and the Alapaha River.
Also, the Lake Beatrice project was his idea. Continue reading
Update 2023-03-17: Clean Rivers 2023-03-16.
Update 2023-03-17: Tifton Evergreen Drive Sewage Spill 2023-03-11.
It rained this evening, but probably not enough to wash much contamination into the rivers, which were very clean before, according to WWALS water quality tests. So I would paddle, fish, or swim this weekend.
Actually, I’ll be at the Azalea Festival in Valdosta Saturday and Sunday.
No new sewage spills were reported in the past week. However, Tifton got around to reporting today a spill from a month ago. Continue reading
Update 2023-03-23: Pictures: Jennings Bluff Florida State Geological Site with Dead River Sink 2023-03-17.
Update 2023-03-16: Partly cloudy and 62 degrees at Jennings at 10 AM, is the current prediction for tomorrow. See you at Jennings Bluff.
One of the most popular WWALS destinations is becoming a Florida State Geological Site.
![[Dead River Sink 2022-10-02, Jennings Bluff Tract, Hamilton County, Florida]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-03-17--jennings-bluff-dead-river/many.jpg)
Dead River Sink 2022-10-02, Jennings Bluff Tract, Hamilton County, Florida
We last did a WWALS hike to the Dead River Sink on October 2, 2022, after paddling down the Alapaha River in the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
~Short walk to Dead River Swallet will follow ceremony~
Continue reading
Update 2023-03-10: Clean Rivers 2023-03-09.
Happy boating, swimming, and fishing this weekend!
That’s what all the recent water quality testing data says. There’s been no rain lately, other than a few scattered showers today, so nothing should have washed into the rivers.
Come on down to Troupville Boat Ramp tomorrow for the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle!
No new sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida since the last of Valdosta’s five February spills totalling almost a million gallons.
![[Chart, River, Swim Guide Map 2023-03-02]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-03-02--wq/many.jpg)
Chart, River, Swim Guide Map 2023-03-02
Thanks to Continue reading
2023-03-02: Videos: Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle, Sewage spills, Trash, Okefenokee Swamp over stripmine @ Radio 2023-02-28.
Valdosta, population 55,567, spilled almost a million (966,970) gallons of sewage in February 2023: that’s 17 gallons for each citizen.
Are we back to the bad old days before the GA-EPD Enforcement Order of 2020? This is the worst period since the notorious December 2019 spill that provoked that Order.
Anybody who sees dead fish in Knights Creek, please let us know.
Ashburn, GA, spilled about a third as much in late January and early February. Given its population is a tenth that of Valdosta’s, Ashburn was worse per capita.
Neither were good for people or wildlife. Zero gallons of sewage spilled should be the goal.
Here are Valdosta’s five February sewage spills: Continue reading
![[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-03-09--wq/many.jpg)
![[Bypass pipe north from US 84, Warning sign on E. Park Av. at Knights Creek, ARWT map to Alapaha River, Sewer bypass under CSX RR at US 84]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-03-01--sewage-summary/many.jpg)