Tag Archives: Christiaan Ard

Clean Rivers and Creeks, except Hightower Creek 2025-12-11

Update 2025-12-19: Clean Withlacoochee River and most creeks; Dirty Hightower Creek 2025-12-17.

The Withlacoochee River tested pretty clean this week, as did the Santa Fe River, and the Ichetucknee River for Friday last week.

Even Valdosta’s problem Sugar Creek and One Mile Branch tested OK.

But Hightower Creek was bad in Valdosta Utilities’ result, although the WWALS result the same day at the same site was OK.

It appears there is still some other source of sewage upstream of St. Augustine Road into Hightower Creek.

No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week for the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida, although FDEP’s Pollution Notice reporting is half broken: see below.

No rain is predicted for the next ten days.

So if you can find a river with enough water, and you don’t mind cold and rain, happy paddling, motoring, swimming, and fishing this weekend.

This image is an overview. Scroll down for the details.

[Clean Withlacoochee, Santa Fe Rivers, Mostly Good 2025-12-11, OK One Mile Branch and Sugar Creek, But not Hightower Creek]
Clean Withlacoochee, Santa Fe Rivers, Mostly Good 2025-12-11, OK One Mile Branch and Sugar Creek, But not Hightower Creek

Sugar Creek and its feeder creeks

For Thursday at St. Augustine Road on Hightower Creek, Valdosta Utilities got Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee River, Dirty Sugar Creek 2025-11-06

Update 2025-11-15: Clean Santa Fe River and Withlacoochee downstream; Dirty Hightower and Sugar Creek 2025-11-12.

The Withlacoochee River tested clean downstream for Wednesday and Thursday. We also have a completely clean Suwannee River result for last Wednesday.

But Valdosta Utilities again got too-high results upstream on Sugar Creek at Gornto Road and Baytree Road.

However, Valdosta got OK results for the Withlacoochee River Upstream at US 41, and OK downstream at GA 133, plus clean farther downstream at US 84, matching an even cleaner WWALS result on the Withlacoochee almost down at the Suwannee.

So these continuing high Sugar Creek results are still mysterious, especially given no rain to wash residue downstream

No sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in the past week in Georgia or Florida.

It might rain Saturday morning. Other than that, no rain is expected for the next ten days.

So I’d avoid Sugar Creek and the Withlacoochee River near it. Other than that, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend.

Or join us tomorrow (Saturday, November 8) at one of two festivals in two states:

This image is an overview. Scroll down for the details.

[Clean Withlacoochee River, Dirty Sugar Creek, Might rain Saturday, 2025-11-06]
Clean Withlacoochee River, Dirty Sugar Creek, Might rain Saturday, 2025-11-06

Follow this link for the WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results rainfall and sewage spills in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →