Tag Archives: Alapaha River

Video: The effects of forest management on water quality –Heather Brasell, WWALS Webinar 2024-11-14

Heather Brasell demonstrated why she is the 2023 Tree Farmer of the Year of the American Tree Farm System, in a thorough discussion of many aspects of forest management, from water quality testing to logging, replanting, prescribed burns, and herbicides, to educating the public.

As she said, forestry is more than just Best Management Practices, and sustainable forestry is more than replanting trees. Plus good stewardship costs money that may not be offset by income.

Here is the video:
https://youtu.be/WLyaMNlBAx4

She spoke in a WWALS Webinar via zoom on the impacts of forest management on water quality, from noon to 1 PM, Thursday, November 14, 2024. WWALS president Sara Squires Jones gave a brief introduction before Heather spoke, and the last ten minutes were for questions and answers.

[Forest Management and Waterways, Heather Brasell, GEFC, WWALS Webinar 2024-11-14]
Forest Management and Waterways, Heather Brasell, GEFC, WWALS Webinar 2024-11-14

This is the same topic as when Heather spoke at the Continue reading →

Withlacoochee River and Two Mile Branch better, Hightower and Sugar Creeks very bad 2024-11-14

Update 2024-11-20: Madison Health lifts Health Advisory for Withlacoochee River 2024-11-20.

It’s best to avoid the Withlacoochee River for a few more days at least, with it still in Action Stage around Valdosta, and not coming down fast, plus still questionable water quality results.

We have rescheduled to next week our Withlacoochee River Chainsaw Cleanup after Hurricane Helene, Troupville Boat Ramp 2024-11-23.

Better luck with the Suwannee or Santa Fe Rivers, or the Ichetucknee if any park entrances are open there.

Remember, many parks and put-ins remain closed after Hurricane Helene. So check before you go.

[Filthy Hightower and Sugar Creeks Better Withlacoochee River 2024-11-14 OK Two Mile Branch Good Franks Creek]
Filthy Hightower and Sugar Creeks Better Withlacoochee River 2024-11-14 OK Two Mile Branch Good Franks Creek

Water quality has improved for the Withlacoochee River, although Fecal coliform was still high at GA 133 and US 84 as well as One Mile Branch (Valdosta Utilities), and State Line (Madison Health).

Meanwhile, Valdosta Utilities reported E. coli and Fecal coliform still too high on Sugar Creek at Gornto Road and increased to extremely high on Hightower Creek at St. Augustine Road.

While no new sewage spills were reported in Georgia or Florida, it’s a little hard to believe there is no sewer spill on Hightower Creek with 42,500 cfu/100mL E. coli (42 times the 1,000 alert limit), Continue reading →

Bad Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek, One Mile Branch and Alapaha River 2024-11-13

Update 2024-11-16: Withlacoochee River and Two Mile Branch better, Hightower and Sugar Creeks very bad 2024-11-14.

Water quality was bad for the Withlacoochee River at Sullivan Launch for Tuesday in results from Madison Department of Health.

Bad for One Mile Branch and Sugar Creek in results from the City of Valdosta for Wednesday and from WWALS tester Scotti Jay.

And bad for the Alapaha River at Sheboggy for Sunday in results from WWALS tester Heather Brasell.

Plus the Withlacoochee River is still in Action Stage around Valdosta, and not coming down fast.

So it’s best to avoid the Withlacoochee River for a few more days at least. Probably the Alapaha River, as well.

Better luck with the Suwannee or Santa Fe Rivers, or the Ichetucknee if any park entrances are open there.

Remember, many parks and put-ins remain closed after Hurricane Helene. So check before you go.

[Bad Withlacoochee River 2024-11-12 Bad Sugar Creek 2024-11-13 Bad One Mile Branch 2024-11-13 Bad Alapaha River 2024-11-10]
Bad Withlacoochee River 2024-11-12 Bad Sugar Creek 2024-11-13 Bad One Mile Branch 2024-11-13 Bad Alapaha River 2024-11-10

No new sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida.

Valdosta’s flash flood spills finally showed up today in the GA-EPD Sewage Spills Report. Continue reading →

Valdosta City update on closed city streets after flash flood 2024-11-12

Update 2024-11-16: Withlacoochee River and Two Mile Branch better, Hightower and Sugar Creeks very bad 2024-11-14.

Update 2024-11-14: DOH-Madison Issues Health Advisory Near Withlacoochee River 2024-11-13.

Update 2024-11-14: Plus this from a Valdosta facebook post: “Due to recent severe weather that has caused hazardous conditions, Hightower Street is closed to all traffic between Melissa Drive and West Gordon Street until further notice.”

Valdosta put out a press release yesterday, November 12, 2024, about street closures due to storm damage. Here it is, followed by an update of the WWALS table of roads closed.

[Valdosta streets closed 2024-11-12 after flash flood 2024-11-06 Lowndes County, Georgia]
Valdosta streets closed 2024-11-12 after flash flood 2024-11-06 Lowndes County, Georgia

City of Valdosta Issues Road Closure Advisory for Numerous City Streets Due to Recent Storm Damage

The City of Valdosta advises all residents and commuters to exercise caution as emergency crews respond to storm damage across the area. Due to hazardous conditions resulting from recent severe weather, Country Club Drive is closed to all traffic between Williamsburg Drive and Ramblewood Circle until further notice. River Street near Saunders Park and Cypress Street near the intersection of Price Street are also closed.

Continue reading →

The effects of forest management on water quality –Heather Brasell, WWALS Webinar 2024-11-14

Update 2024-11-18: Video: The effects of forest management on water quality –Heather Brasell, WWALS Webinar 2024-11-14.

Heather Brasell will speak on the impacts of forest management on water quality, by zoom from noon to 1 PM, Thursday, November 14, 2024.

[Effects of Forest Management on Water Quality 2024-11-14, Heather Brasell, WWALS Webinar]
Effects of Forest Management on Water Quality 2024-11-14, Heather Brasell, WWALS Webinar

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwpd-iqrDkuGtV59UFeunR2rGYoX_KDdPsp

Here’s a facebook to encourage people to attend:
https://www.facebook.com/events/936192075233375/

But you must register for the zoom.

This is the same topic as when she spoke at the WWALS River Revue 2024, but in this WWALS Webinar she gets 45 minutes instead of 20 minutes.

WWALS president Sara Squires Jones will give a brief introduction, Heather will speak, and the last ten minutes will be for questions and answers.

Heather Brasell is the Founder of the Gaskins Forest Education Center, Alapaha, Georgia. Continue reading →

Roads closed after Valdosta flash flood 2024-11-10

Update 2024-11-13: Valdosta City update on closed city streets after flash flood 2024-11-12.

Update 2024-11-12: Valdosta sewage spills contained after flash flood 2024-11-11.

Here’s a list of the roads and streets we have heard were closed after the flash flood of Wednesday, November 6, 2024, with twelve inches of rain and neighborhoods flooded.

[Roads still closed 2024-11-10 after flash flood 2024-11-06 Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia]
Roads still closed 2024-11-10 after flash flood 2024-11-06 Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia

The list is embedded below, or see it in its native googlesheets form:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1umwILXv2v6WVOqy_O3v3GyAmy48miHiWrFZIOsWMipE/edit?usp=sharing

So far as we know, only the locations highlighted in yellow are still closed. Continue reading →

Cleaner downstream Withlacoochee River 2024-11-09

Update 2024-11-11: Roads closed after Valdosta flash flood 2024-11-10..

Apparently it’s washing downstream. WWALS tester Russ Tatum got much better E. coli results for Saturday for Holly Point on the Withlacoochee River, near the Suwannee River.

Still best to avoid the Withlacoochee River for a few more days at least. Also, the Withlacoochee and the Alapaha are in Action Stage, so too high anyway.

Better luck with the Suwannee or Santa Fe Rivers, or the Ichetucknee if any park entrances are open there.

Remember, many parks and put-ins remain closed after Hurricane Helene. So check before you go.

Or join us Saturday for the Walking Withlacoochee River Chainsaw Cleanup after Hurricane Helene, Troupville Boat Ramp 2024-11-16. Which may involve boating if the river level doesn’t go back down by then.

[Cleaner downstream Withlacoochee River 2024-11-09 After Valdosta flash flood]
Cleaner downstream Withlacoochee River 2024-11-09 After Valdosta flash flood

Unlike his result for Friday of 1,033, Russ Tatum’s result for Saturday at Holly Point was 4 + 4 + 2 = 10 / 3 = 3.3 * 100 = 333.3 cfu/100mL. Continue reading →

Clean Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers 2024-10-31

WWALS testers Kimberly Godden Tanner and Cindy Vedas got very low E. coli for the Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers Thursday. For the Withlacoochee River Wednesday, WWALS tester Russ Tatum got very low results, and Valdosta Utilities got low results.

The weather prediction is still sunny.

The water levels are back down to normal or low everywhere in the Suwannee River Basin. Some rivers, such as the Withlacoochee near Valdosta, are too low for much paddling or motoring.

However, many parks and put-ins remain closed after Hurricane Helene, including Langdale Park and Ichetucknee Springs North.

So if you can find an accessible stretch, happy paddling, motoring, swimming, and fishing.

[Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers 2024-10-31 No sewage spills and no rain: happy paddling!]
Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers 2024-10-31 No sewage spills and no rain: happy paddling!

Alapaha River

Kimberley Godden Tanner noted for Lakeland Boat Ramp and Naylor Park Beach on the Alapaha River Thursday, Continue reading →

Clean Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers 2024-10-24

Update 2024-11-02: Clean Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers 2024-10-31.

WWALS testers Cindy Vedas and Kimberly Godden Tanner got zero (0) E. coli for the Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers Thursday. That matches the very low results from Valdosta Utilities for the Withlacoochee River Wednesday.

The weather prediction is still sunny and cool.

The water levels are back down to normal, except for the Santa Fe River at Three Rivers Estates, which is still in Action Stage and predicted to stay there for a while. Some rivers, such as the Withlacoochee near Valdosta, are almost too low.

However, many parks and put-ins remain closed after Hurricane Helene, including Ichetucknee Springs North.

So if you can find an accessible stretch, happy paddling, motoring, swimming, and fishing.

[Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha River 2024-10-24 Sunny and No Rain. Happy paddling, boating, swimming, and fishing.]
Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha River 2024-10-24 Sunny and No Rain. Happy paddling, boating, swimming, and fishing.

Cindy Vedas noted for Franklinville Thursday, “Several trees down. River looks clean. And it is.”

For Staten Road Thursday, also on the Withlacoochee River, she wrote, “ Got lots of chainsaw work to do. River level looks good for fishing. And clean!”

Kimberley Tanner noted for Lakeland Boat Ramp and Naylor Park Beach on the Alapaha River Thursday, “Both locations looked great and the samples were clean. No issues with the control this time using the microwave method. Hard to believe what a difference a couple weeks makes.” Continue reading →

Clean rivers, dirty Franks Creek 2024-10-17

Update 2024-10-20: Clean Withlacoochee River 2024-10-18.

The Little, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers tested clean for E. coli.

The weather report is sunny and cool for the next week, although you never know what might blow in off the Gulf or the Atlantic.

Many national, state, and local parks are still closed, especially on rivers. We did not hold the Banks Lake Full Hunters Moon paddle Thursday, because Banks Lake is closed indefinitely due to unstable trees.

The Santa Fe River is in Action Stage upstream and in flood at TREPO, and the Lower Suwannee River is in Action Stage from Rock Bluff to Manatee Springs.

The Little, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers are all back to paddleable levels.

Happy paddling, motoring, fishing, or swimming this weekend, if you can find a place to put in and take out, and be careful.

Afterwards, there will be plenty of more opportunities for pleasant paddles and chainsaw cleanups.

[Clean Little, Withlacoochee, Alapaha Rivers 2024-10-17 Dirty Franks Creek 2024-10-16]
Clean Little, Withlacoochee, Alapaha Rivers 2024-10-17 Dirty Franks Creek 2024-10-16

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida. by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), or in Georgia by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA-EPD).

John S. Quarterman tested three rivers on GA 122. Continue reading →