Tag Archives: Alapaha River

Tannin tea color of blackwater rivers

A major feature of coastal plain blackwater rivers is their tea color, ranging from yellow to red, from tannins from oak trees. Pretty close to it is the background color of this paragraph, RGB #FF9933, or 0 40 80 0 CMYK, or Pantone Solid Coated 1375 C. Here are some examples from three of WWALS’ rivers.

Come see for yourself at upcoming WWALS outings, such as:

Alapaha River Rise, Suwannee River, and Sabal Trail Pipeline, WWALS Outing 2015-08-15

Update 2015-07-27: Pictures and new pipeline information at this link.

After the Alapaha River sinks into the Florida Aquifer, some of it comes back up at the Alapaha Rise, which actually flows into the Suwannee River, a bit upstream from the Alapaha Confluence. Come with WWALS to the Alapaha Rise, then down the Suwannee River past the Confluences of both the Alapaha and the Withlacoochee Rivers, seeing the proposed site of the Sabal Trail Pipeline on the way.

This is a pretty easy outing, but the Suwannee is deep, so as always bring your personal flotation device. If you need a boat, let us know, and we can find you one.

When:8AM Saturday, August 15th, 2015
What: 8 mile paddle from Gibson Park to Suwannee River State Park, with a side trip upstream first to the Alapaha Rise, then downstream past the Alapaha-Suwannee confluence, the proposed Sabal Trail Pipeline crossing, and ending at the Withlacoochee confluence, taking out at Suwannee River State Park.
Duration: 4 hours, after a 30 minute shuttle.
Directions: Florida Highway 6 in Hamilton County, Florida, west to CR751 South to park just before the river.
Responsible party: Chris Mericle

This event is FREE! All we ask is that you are a current member of WWALS Watershed Coalition. If not, it’s easy to join online today at /donations/. You do not have to be a member to come on this outing. If you like the experience, we recommend that you join to support the efforts of WWALS. Continue reading →

Pictures: Rowetown Church to GA 135 –Bret Wagenhorst

Expedition leader Bret Wagenhorst’s always-excellent pictures of the 18 April 2015 WWALS Outing on the Alapaha River Water Trail.

And don’t forget coming up May 16th theThird annual BIG Little River Paddle Race at Reed Bingham State Park on the Little River. Continue reading →

Lanier Park to CSX RR track Hotchkiss Road, WWALS outing 2015-07-11

Update 10 July 2015: Outing leader Chris Graham says there’s plenty of water, so we’ll be putting in on the Alapaha River tomorrow morning at Lanier Park. However, he says we’ll be taking out at Hotchkiss Road (instead of CSX RR), so about 14 miles or seven hours. Bring your lunch and plenty of water. See you at 8AM. -jsq

Breeze over mild rapids past sand beaches on the Alapaha River, from Lakeland to US 84.

It’s long, but there should be no deadfalls. In most places the river may be so low you could stand up, but as always bring your personal flotation device.

When: 8AM Saturday, July 11th, 2015
What: 15 mile paddle from Lanier Park to CSX RR track on the public right way.
Duration: 7-8 hours, after a 30 minute shuttle
Directions: Highway 122 about 1.5 miles west of Lakeland, GA, turn south on unmarked dirt road just west of river to ramp.
Responsible party: Chris Graham

This event is FREE! All we ask is that you are a current member of WWALS Watershed Coalition. If not, it’s easy Continue reading →

Sasser landing to Jennings Bluff, WWALS Outing 2015-06-14

Update 2015-06-10: Expedition leader Chris Mericle writes:

I am pleased to report that the Alapaha River water level has increased since my last report (May 31). The Statenville gauge reports an increase of .9′ The Jennings gauage reports an increase of .8′. There should be plenty of water in the river for this weekend’s outing.

Float down the Alapaha River for a couple of hours, then walk to the Dead River Sink, where it disappears into the Floridan Aquifer. facebook event.

This is a pretty easy outing, but as always Continue reading →

Update on Rowetown Church to GA 135: WWALS outing 2015-04-18

300x117 Rowetown with Alapaha, GA gauge, in Alapaha River Water Trail, by John S. Quarterman, for WWALS.net, 16 April 2015 Update from expedition leader Bret Wagenhorst:

The current weather forecast for Saturday in Alapaha, GA is cloudy with 20% chance of thunderstorms. The water level on the Alapaha River at the Alapaha gauge is 9.4 ft and appears to be plateauing. [The river has already been going down for a couple of days upstream at the Irwinville gauge. -jsq] Unless there are heavy rains in or north of Alapaha Friday, we should be able to proceed with our planned outing.

It should be a fast trip with the water this high, and with fast, high water comes increased risk, so this is probably not a great outing for a beginner.

Know that the put in is actually Continue reading →

Rowetown Church to GA 135: WWALS April outing 2015-04-18

Update 2015-04-17: Water’s high, but looks like the outing is on.

Paddle downstream on the Alapaha River past the Willacoochee River and the city of Willacoochee, among ancient cypress, pines, turtles, fish, and birds. This is a long one, so come prepared: water, snacks, and as always personal flotation devices. It’s also remote and possibly difficult with deadfalls, so please be able to swim or at least float. If you need a boat, please contact wwalswatershed@gmail.com. Facebook event.

When:8AM April 18th 2015
Shuttle:40 min. shuttle
Start:9AM on the water
Duration:approximately 4 hour paddle
Stop:About 1PM
Where:Rowetown Church Cemetery,
7 miles east of Alapaha, GA
via Moore Sawmill Road,
on Rowetown Church Road,
Berrien County, GA
31.33906, -83.149789

This event is FREE! All we ask is that Continue reading →

Videos: Valdosta Wastewater meeting with slides 2015-03-17

Calls from Atlanta and from downstream in Florida about the three Valdosta wastewater overflows in February prompted WWALS as the local watershed organization to contact the City of Valdosta about organizing a presentation to the interested parties. Valdosta presented less than two weeks later, and brought their entire hierarchy related to this issue, from the mayor on down. Plus Lowndes County, which isn’t even responsible for Valdosta’s wastewater, was represented by their Chairman and a Commissioner. In Valdosta’s slides and the LAKE videos of that meeting of Tuesday 17 March 2015, you can see many questions were answered, but some are still open. Continue reading →

How many Valdosta overflows into Knights Creek and the Alapaha River watershed?

And how many into Dukes Bay Canal, which also flows into Mud Creek, to the Alapahoochee River, to the Alapaha River, to the Suwannee River, to the Gulf? It’s great the Valdosta City Council Thursday will consider more fixes to wastewater problems in the Withlacoochee River watershed. But what is Valdosta doing about problems in the Alapaha River watershed?

The three Valdosta overflows into the Alapaha River watershed in February 2015 weren’t the first. How many others have there been?

This report is from 19 March 2014: Continue reading →