Update 2024-05-30: Pictures: Florida Folk Festival Sunday 2024-05-26.
People kept asking to sign the petition for a Florida Constitutional Amendment for Right to Clean Water.
![[Florida Folk Festival, Saturday 2024-05-25, Livelier. Most popular:, Right to Clean Water Petition]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-05-25--florida-folk-festival-saturday/igmany.jpg)
Florida Folk Festival, Saturday 2024-05-25, Livelier. Most popular:, Right to Clean Water Petition
We’ll have more of those petitions today, on the banks of the Suwannee River in White Springs, Florida, at the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park. Continue reading
Update 2024-01-13: Valdosta sewage spill, Three Mile Branch, Withlacoochee River 2024-01-10.
We got excellent results for eleven sites on three rivers for Thursday: Alapaha, Withlacoochee, and Santa Fe. Valdosta’s Wednesday results on the Withlacoochee River in Georgia concurred. Even Valdosta’s weekly test results on Knights Creek concurred.
However, there was almost an inch of rain upstream this Saturday morning, so that may have washed E. coli into the rivers, but probably not a lot.
More rain is predicted starting tomorrow. Meanwhile, the rivers are back down to reasonable levels. So if you don’t mind being chilly, happy fishing, swimming, and boating this weekend, and once again Happy New Year!
Please join us on zoom this Thursday as Fannie Gibbs kicks off the new WWALS Webinar series.
Please join us in two weeks for a Sunday Langdale Park to Sugar Creek Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2024-01-21.
In the last week, no pollution spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida.
And no new ones in Georgia. But GA-EPD corrected the December 11 Valdosta major spill location on December 28 to 1850 E Park Ave. That’s better, since that is where the problem sewer line is. I still don’t know why latlong GPS coordinates cannot also be included. Florida requires them for every report.
On January 2, GA-EPD corrected the December 17 Quitman wastewater plant lift station spill to Quitman instead of DeKalb County.
Thanks, GA-EPD, for the corrections, after Suwannee Riverkeeper asked you to look into it. Continue reading
Update 2023-12-22: Bad water quality, Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers 2023-12-21.
Update 2023-12-15: Videos: Testing three sites in Florida and Georgia, Withlacoochee River 2023-12-14.
Update 2023-12-15: Yet another Valdosta E. Park Ave. sewage spill near Knights Creek 2023-12-11.
We got clean results for a dozen sites on three rivers in two states for Thursday: Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and Suwannee.
Valdosta saw far too much E. coli in the Withlacoochee River for Mondayafter 2-4 inches of rain, but cleaner for Wednesday.
The rest of this week had little or no rain. The next rain is predicted for tomorrow (Saturday).
So if you want to avoid E. coli, best to go early Saturday and be off the river before noon, yet still expect to get wet.
You’ll probably find cleaner water on the Suwannee or Santa Fe than the Withlacoochee River.
Of course, if the rain is small, as in less than half an inch, there may be few ill effects. But if we get another 1- or 2-inch rain, beware.
![[Chart, Clean Rivers, Map 2023-12-14]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-12-14--wq/many.jpg)
Chart, Clean Rivers, Map 2023-12-14
In the last week, no pollution spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida.
In Valdosta, Georgia, a major spill of 450,000 gallons happened at one of the usual locations, near 1800 E. Park Ave. and Knights Creek, which flows into Mud Creek, the Alapahoochee River, and the Alapaha River. The press release says Valdosta Utilities discovered the spill Monday, December 11. It doesn’t say the spill did not end until yesterday, December 14, the day before the press release of today. I will file an open records request with GA-EPD for the report Valdosta Utilities sent them, to get the rest of the details.
Kimberly Godden Tanner got good Thursday results for the Alapaha River at Lakeland Boat Ramp and Naylor Park Beach. She says, “Both locations looked great. They are doing a great job at trash collection these days.”
Cindy Vedas tested the Withlacoochee River at her usual sites of Franklinville, Crawford Branch at Skipper Bridge Road, Staten Road, and Langdale Park, and got good results at all of them.
John S. Quarterman tested the Withlacoochee River at Clyattville-Nankin Boat Ramp, State Line Boat Ramp, and Sullivan Launch, and got good results.
Russ Tatum tested the Withlacoochee River at Holly Point, between Allen Ramp and the Suwannee River, and got excellent results.
Reina Lingle got good results for the Suwannee River at Royal Springs and Ivey Memorial Park in Branford, Florida.
WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall reviewed all the results and some were recalibrated in the ensuing discussion.
WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman delivered testing supplies to several testers and trained several.
If you want to get trained to be a WWALS water quality tester, please fill out the form:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084
As previously noted, Valdosta’s last downstream tests were September 1, 2023. Continue reading
Update 2023-12-02: Sewage spills: Ashburn, GA, Live Oak, FL 2023-12-01.
We got clean results for the Alapaha and Santa Fe Rivers, and mostly for the Withlacoochee River, except for Langdale Park, where somebody dumped a dead deer.
There was some rain in the past few days, but not much. More rain is predicted for Sunday. However, most of the first flush is probably over from the previous rains. So if you like drizzly paddling or fishing or swimming in low water, you’ll probably be pretty safe from E. coli. this weekend, except downstream from Langdale Park.
In the last two weeks, two new sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin: Ashburn, Georgia, spilled 2,000 gallons on November 19, reported on November 28, into Ashburn Branch, which ends up in the Little River far upstream from Tifton, and Live Oak, Florida, spilled 10,000 gallons at its WWTP Headworks, “confined to wastewater plant site lawn and garden lime is being applied to the affected areas.” See separate report for those spills. Neither are likely to have affected the Little River or the Suwannee River.
![[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-11-30]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-11-30--wq/many.jpg)
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-11-30
Heather Brasell tested the Alapaha River Friday a week ago at the City of Alapaha WWTP outflow and just upstream from Sheboggy Boat Ramp and go acceptable results, below the 410 cfu/100 mL one-time test limit.
Joanne Tremblay tested the Santa Fe River Tuesday, and got good results at the US 27 bridge and at US 41.
Cindy Vedas tested the Withlacoochee River Thursday at Franklinville Landing, Crawford Branch, Staten Road, and Langdale Park. All got acceptable results, except Langdale Park, where somebody had discarded a deer carcass. Why do people like that call themselves hunters?
Russ Tatum tested the Withlacoochee River Wednesday at Holly Point, between Allen Ramp and the Suwannee River, and got excellent results.
WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall reviewed all the results and some were recalibrated in the ensuing discussion.
WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman delivered testing supplies to several testers.
If you want to get trained to be a WWALS water quality tester, please fill out the form:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084
The most recent Valdosta results we have are for Wednesday last week and this Monday, both bad for US 41 and GA 133, but OK for US 84.
So our prediction last week that the Withlacoochee would probably be OK proved incorrect for near US 41 or GA 133.
Due to the holidays, we have no WWALS results for Thursday last week. Apparently Valdosta took both Monday and Friday off last week, since they report no results for those days.
As previously noted, Valdosta’s last downstream tests were September 1, 2023. Continue reading
Update 2023-11-25 Clean Rivers 2023-11-23.
There was some rain in the past few days, but apparently not enough to wash contamination into the Withlacoochee River. Even famously filthy Crawford Branch was clean. However, Langdale Park Boat Ramp tested dirty, but that is probably because the water is so low it is stagnant there.
No rain is predicted for this weekend.
In the last week, no new sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.
So happy swimming, boating, and fishing this weekend!
![[Chart, River, Swim Guide Map 2023-11-16]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-11-16--wq/many.jpg)
Chart, River, Swim Guide Map 2023-11-16
Most of the usual WWALS testers are off for the holiday.
Russ Tatum got clean results for Wednesday for the Withlacoochee River at Holly Point, between Allen Ramp and the Suwannee River.
Cindy Vedas very got good results for Thursday for the Withlacoochee River at Franklinville, Crawford Branch, and Staten Road, but too -high at Langdale Park.
WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall provided sage advice.
WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman delivered testing supplies to several testers.
If you want to get trained to be a WWALS water quality tester, please fill out the form:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084
The most recent Valdosta results we have are for Monday upstream, which were good. As usual, Valdosta’s last week upstream results corroborated what WWALS saw Thursday last week.
As previously noted, Valdosta’s last downstream tests were September 1, 2023. Continue reading
Update 2023-11-17: Mostly clean Withlacoochee River 2023-11-16.
The rivers were still clean, in yet another week with no rain: the Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and Suwannee Rivers. Even famously filthy Crawford Branch was clean. However, notoriously dirty Sugar Creek was dirty, but it did not seem to affect the Withlacoochee River much.
No rain is predicted for this weekend.
In the last week, no new sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.
So happy swimming, boating, and fishing this weekend!
![[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-11-09]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-11-09--wq/many.jpg)
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-11-09
Heather Brasell got good results for Continue reading
In yet another week with no rain, the rivers were clean: the Withlacoochee, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers. Not so clean was Sugar Creek that runs into the Withlacoochee River, but even that was below the 410 cfu/100 mL one-time test E. coli limit. That’s 14 WWALS test sites on three rivers and one creek in two states. Good baselines for later when there is contamination.
No rain is predicted for this weekend.
In the last week, no new sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.
So happy swimming, boating, and fishing this weekend!
![[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-11-02]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-11-02--wq/many.jpg)
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-11-02
Joanne Tremblay got clean results for the Santa Fe River at High Springs Ramp @ US 41 and at US 27.
Reina Lingle got clean results for the Suwannee River at Ivey Metropolitan Park in Branford and at Royal Springs.
Kimberly Tanner says about the Alapaha River at Lakeland Boat Ramp and Naylor Park Beach, “Great results at both locations this week. And both areas were as clean as a whistle, too.”
Cindy Vedas got good results for the Withlacoochee River at Franklinville, Crawford Branch (yes, really), Staten Road, and US 41 (North Valdosta Road), with trash at US 41.
WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall tested Sugar Creek, and got too-high results, but clean at Knights Ferry and Nankin Boat Ramps on the Withlacoochee River. She also double-checked everybody else’s results. And the other testers cross-checked each others’ results.
Russ Tatum got clean results for the Withlacoochee River at Holly Point, between Allen Ramp and the Suwannee River.
WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman delivered testing supplies to several testers. She is also our testing trainer.
If you want to get trained to be a WWALS water quality tester, please fill out the form:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084
The most recent Valdosta results we have are for Wednesday upstream, which were good. As usual, Valdosta’s last week upstream results corroborated what WWALS saw Thursday last week.
And, as previosly noted, Valdosta’s last downstream tests were September 1, 2023. Continue reading
Update 2023-11-03: Clean rivers, dirty Sugar Creek 2023-11-02.
This was another week with no rain, and the rivers were mostly clean: the Withlacoochee, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers. Not clean were Franks Creek that runs into the Little River and Sugar Creek that runs into the Withlacoochee River. Crawford Creek of the Withlacoochee was just below the E. coli one-time test limit. That’s 11 WWALS test sites on three rivers and three creeks in two states.
No rain is predicted for this weekend.
In the last week, no new sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.
So happy swimming, boating, and fishing this weekend!
![[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-10-26]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-10-26--wq/many.jpg)
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-10-26
Joanne Tremblay got clean results at High Springs Ramp @ US 41 and at US 27, both on the Santa Fe River.
Reina Lingle got very clean results at Ivey Metropolitan Park in Branford and at Royal Springs, both on the Suwannee River.
New WWALS tester Debbie Smith got too-high results for Franks Creek at GA 122 just west of Hahira. Which is interesting, because that is upstream of Hahira’s Land Application Site.
Cindy Vedas got good results at Franklinville, Crawford Branch (well, OK results there), Staten Road, and Langdale Park, on the Withlacoochee River. She photographed the trash still at Langdale Park Boat Ramp from at the WWALS Langdale Park Withlacoochee River Cleanup of last Saturday. I will nudge Lowndes County Public Works to pick it up.
WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall tested Sugar Creek, and got too-high results. She also double-checked everybody else’s results. And the other testers cross-checked each others’ results.
If you want to get trained to be a WWALS water quality tester, please fill out the form:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084
The most recent Valdosta results we have are for Monday upstream, which were good. As usual, Valdosta’s last week upstream results corroborated what WWALS saw Thursday last week.
And, as previosly noted, Valdosta’s last downstream tests were September 1, 2023. Continue reading
Update 2023-10-27: Clean Rivers and some dirty creeks 2023-10-26.
With no rain this week, the rivers were mostly clean: the Little, Withlacoochee, Alapaha, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers, plus Sugar Creek in Valdosta and Alligator Lake in Lake City. Except not clean were Langdale Park Boat Ramp on the Withlacoochee River, and Crawford Creek upstream.
No rain is predicted for this weekend.
In the last week, no new sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.
So happy swimming, boating, and fishing this weekend!
![[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-10-19]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-10-19--wq/many.jpg)
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-10-19
Please welcome new WWALS testers Joanne Tremblay and Reina Lingle.
Joanne got very clean results at High Springs Ramp @ US 41 on the Santa Fe River.
Reina got very clean results at Ivey Metropolitan Park in Branford on the Suwannee River.
Kimberly Tanner got very clean results at Lakeland Boat Ramp and Naylor Park Beach on the Alapaha River.
WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall tested Sugar Creek, just upstream from the Withlacoochee River, and got suprisingly clean results.
Cindy Vedas was out sick, but she reviewed most everybody else’s results. I tested her sites at Franklinville, Crawford Branch (bad), and Langdale Park (worse), plus Hagan Bridge and GA 133, all on the Withlacoochee River, and Troupville Boat Ramp on the Little River.
WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman tested at Clyattville-Nankin and State Line Boat Ramps, plus Sullivan Launch, all on the Withlacoochee River, and at Alligator Lake Boat Ramp in Lake City, where she taught some students and delivered a test kit to Joanne.
About Nankin, she notes, “The pile of trash just off to the side of the turn around drive is still there.” Continue reading
Update 2023-10-20: Mostly Clean Rivers 2023-10-19.
The big rains Thursday drove much contamination into the Withlacoochee River, way above the alert limit for E. coli, as far down as Clyattville-Nankin Boat Ramp. Down at State Line Boat Ramp the river is quite clean. It seems likely that the contamination had not yet travelled that far by yesterday afternoon.
I’d wait a few days before going in the Withlacoochee River, for boating, swimming, or fishing.
It’s just as well we already rescheduled tomorrow’s chainsaw outing at Langdale Park to Saturday, December 16, 2023.
However, the regular cleanup at Langdale Park is still on for Friday, October 20, 2023. Probably this contamination will have washed away or been diluted by then.
![[Chart, River, Swim Guide Map 2023-10-12]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-10-12--wq/many.jpg)
Chart, River, Swim Guide Map 2023-10-12
Please welcome Cindy Vedas back from temporary retirement back to active testing, at Franklinville, Crawford Branch, Staten Road, and US 41.
And thanks to WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman for testing at Clyattville-Nankin and State Line Boat Ramps.
For Nankin State Line she noted, “Water was not particularly high.
The dryer door that was there near the river was still there.
Trash can was in place.
Small oil spill on ramp (probably from truck or boat motor).”
About State Line Nankin, she wrote, “Water level was not significantly different from the last time I was there. There was a load of trash in the bushes, just to the right of the little circle turn around area.
Puddles on the drive in were full-ish but not impassible in the Prius-C.”
Thursday Gretchen also delivered test kits to several newly trained testers, and this morning she trained two more testers.
Thanks to WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall for reviewing all the test results and for finding the above-corrected typos in this report.
If you want to get trained to be a WWALS water quality tester, please fill out the form:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084
The most recent Valdosta results we have are for Monday upstream, which were good except for just-over-the one-time test limit at GA 133. As usual, Valdosta’s last week upstream results corroborated what WWALS saw Thursday last week. Except Valdosta does not test Sugar Creek.
The final Valdosta downstream results were for September 1, 2023. According to Valdosta’s Acting Utility Director Jason Barnes, GA-EPD agreed with Valdosta that the 2020 Consent Order does not require those downstream tests, so after three years Valdosta has ceased doing them.
In the last week, no new sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida. Don’t be surprised if some are reported later. Continue reading
![[Chart, Rivers, Map 2024-01-04]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-01-04--wq/many.jpg)