Tag Archives: Cindy Vedas

Cleaner Withlacoochee River 2024-11-21

Update 2024-11-30: Bad Sugar Creek, clean Withlacoochee River 2024-11-26.

Madison Health on Wednesday lifted its health advisory about the Withlacoochee River, after they got two successive good water quality results, for Friday and Monday, at CR 145, aka Mozell Spells, State Line Boat Ramp, on GA 31, Madison Highway.

Valdosta’s Tuesday results at US 84 agree, but Valdosta’s GA 133 results were too high, and Valdosta’s Hightower and Sugar Creek results were way too high.

WWALS upstream testing Thursday was good.

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

The Withlacoochee River is well below Action stage. So happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating.

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

Or join us tomorrow for the Withlacoochee River Chainsaw Cleanup after Hurricane Helene, Troupville Boat Ramp 2024-11-23.

[Cleaner Withlacoochee River 2024-11-21 Questionable Hightower and Sugar Creeks]
Cleaner Withlacoochee River 2024-11-21 Questionable Hightower and Sugar Creeks

WWALS tester Cindy Vedas got 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 Withlacoochee River 2024-10-18

Update 2024-10-26: Clean Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers 2024-10-24.

WWALS testers Cindy Vedas and Gretchen Quarterman also got clean results at three more Withlacoochee River sites, in Georgia and Florida.

That matches the other results for last week, for the Withlacoochee, Little, and Alapaha Rivers (with Franks Creek as the outlier).

The weather prediction is still sunny and cool.

The water levels are back down to normal, except for the upper and lower Santa Fe River, and the lower Suwannee River.

However, many parks and put-ins remain closed after Hurricane Helene.

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

[Clean Withlacoochee River 2024-10-17, 2024-10-16 Also Little and Alapaha Rivers]
Clean Withlacoochee River 2024-10-17, 2024-10-16 Also Little and Alapaha Rivers

Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers 2024-09-12

Update 2024-09-20: Clean Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers 2024-09-19.

The Withlacoochee River tested clean for Wednesday and Thursday, and the Alapaha River for Thursday. Valdosta got high results for Franks Creek at Inner Perimeter, upstream of Mud Swamp Creek, the Alapahoochee River, and the Alapaha River.

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.

There was some rain Wednesday and Friday, but mostly far upstream, so probably not much contamination washed into the river. As always, we can merely report what test results we have. Actual conditions may vary.

The weather prediction shows high chance of storms today through most of the week, but mostly in the afternoon.

Only the lower Ichetucknee River and the New River (of the Santa Fe) at Lake Butler are in Action Stage, and nothing is in flood.

The Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers have come back up a bit.

So if you can avoid the rain, happy fishing, swimming, and boating this weekend.

[Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers, Bad Knights Creek at Inner Perimeter 2024-09-12]
Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers, Bad Knights Creek at Inner Perimeter 2024-09-12

Withlacoochee River

Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee River, Dirty Franks Creek 2024-09-04-05

Update 2024-09-14: Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers 2024-09-12.

The Withlacoochee River tested clean for Wednesday and Thursday, but Franks Creek upstream of Hahira tested dirty; that’s upstream of the Little River.

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.

There’s been little rain for a week, so no contamination is expected. The weather prediction shows high chance of storms starting today.

The lower Ichetucknee River, and the Suwannee River downstream from the Santa Fe are in Action Stage, and the Santa Fe at TREPO is still in flood.

The Little, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers are now below Action Stage. The Alapaha is actually getting too low, as is the Withlacoochee upstream.

So if you can avoid the rain, happy fishing, swimming, and boating this weekend.

Be sure to join us tomorrow, Saturday, September 7, 2024, for the WWALS River Revue, 5-8 PM at the Turner Center for the Arts in Valdosta. It’s a sit-down fundraising dinner with speakers from Florida and Georgia, a silent auction, and the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.
https://www.betterunite.com/WWALS-wwalsriverrevue2024

[Clean Withlacoochee River Above and below Valdosta, Dirty Franks Creek Above Hahira and Little River 2024-09-04-05]
Clean Withlacoochee River Above and below Valdosta, Dirty Franks Creek Above Hahira and Little River 2024-09-04-05

Continue reading →

Clean Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers 2024-08-29

Update 2024-09-02: Bad Alapaha WTP Outflow 2024-08-30.

The Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers tested clean for Wednesday and Thursday.

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida. We did hear of a fish kill in Lakes Rowell and Sampson far upstream of the Santa Fe River, apparently on Friday, August 23. People are investigating.

There’s been little rain for a week, so no contamination is expected. The weather prediction shows chance of storms starting Monday, but not for the weekend.

Santa Fe Lake, The lower Santa Fe, and the Suwannee River at Fargo and downstream from the Santa Fe are in Action Stage, and the Santa Fe at TREPO is still in flood.

The Little, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers are now below Action Stage. The Alapaha is actually getting too low.

So happy fishing, swimming, and boating this weekend.

Be sure to join us Saturday, September 7, 2024, for the WWALS River Revue, 5-8 PM at the Turner Center for the Arts in Valdosta. It’s a sit-down fundraising dinner with speakers from Florida and Georgia, a silent auction, and the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.
https://www.betterunite.com/WWALS-wwalsriverrevue2024

[Clean Withlacoochee & Alapaha Rivers 2024-08-29 No sewage spills and No rain]
Clean Withlacoochee & Alapaha Rivers 2024-08-29 No sewage spills and No rain

Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee, Alapaha, Santa Fe Rivers 2024-07-25

Update 2024-07-28: No spills yet from rain on Valdosta 2024-07-28.

Three rivers tested clean this week: Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and Santa Fe.

There has been rain, scattered, but heavy in spots.

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

The weather prediction all weekend is likely rain, but most likely in the afternoon.

So pick a river at a level you like, and happy fishing, swimming, and boating this weekend.

Or join us Saturday morning for the Jon boat outing, Troupville to Nankin, Withlacoochee River 2024-07-27.

[Clean Withlacoochee, Alapaha, Santa Fe Rivers, No sewage spills, But rain 2024-07-25]
Clean Withlacoochee, Alapaha, Santa Fe Rivers, No sewage spills, But rain 2024-07-25

Alapaha River

Kimberly Godden Tanner tested her usual two sites on the Alapaha River for Thursday, July 25, 2024, noting, “Great results at both locations.” Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers 2024-06-27

Update 2024-07-05: Bad Franks Creek, unknown rivers, after much rain 2024-07-03.

The Withlacoochee River tested clean for Wednesday and Thursday, and the Santa Fe River for Monday.

Retesting upstream and downstream from the previous One Mile Branch Valdosta Williams Street anomolous results found little to no E. coli.

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

The rivers are almost all down to good boating and fishing levels; maybe too low in some areas.

There was rain on the Withlacoochee River in several places over several days, so some contamination may have washed in.

Other than that, happy boating, swimming, and fishing this weekend!

[Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers, but rain 2024-06-27]
Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers, but rain 2024-06-27

Cindy Vedas tested three upstream Withlacoochee sites Thursday.

For Franklinville Road at Tyler Bridge, she got Continue reading →

Clean Alapaha, Withlacoochee, Ichetucknee, Santa Fe Rivers except @ US 129 2024-06-13

Update 2024-06-21: Clean Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and Santa Fe Rivers, problem on One Mile Branch 2024-06-19.

With no rain for a week, four rivers tested clean, except the Santa Fe River at US 129 (Guy Lemmon) Ramp was above the one-time limit for E. coli.

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

The rivers are mostly down to good boating and fishing levels.

There is some chance of rain Sunday.

Other than that, happy boating, swimming, and fishing this weekend!

Oh, and welcome back WWALS tester Cindy Vedas, and first-time tester Mark Coppage.

[Clean Alapaha, Withlacoochee, Ichetucknee, and Santa Fe Rivers except at US 129 2024-06-13]
Clean Alapaha, Withlacoochee, Ichetucknee, and Santa Fe Rivers except at US 129 2024-06-13

Cindy Vedas sampled Thursday at two upstream sites on the Withlacoochee River, and got zero E. coli at both.

About Staten Road, she wrote, Continue reading →