Update 2024-11-27: Retrieving PFAS samplers, Withlacoochee River 2024-11-23.
This weekend we deployed four PFAS samplers, upstream and downstream from two wastewater treatment plants, on the Withlacoochee River and on Mud Swamp Creek.
These are a new design that you leave in the flowing water for 28 days thereabouts, then retrieve, and effectively they’ve been taking a sample a day.
If you encounter them, please leave them be.
Continue readingA judge today quashed the Special Exception the Levy County BOCC approved for the 3RT Sand Mine.
Craig C. DeThomasis, Florida Eight Judicial Circuit Court Judge, ruled that the county failed several ways to provide notices required by law for hearings and appeal requirements, and failed to do at least two kinds of required studies: traffic and wildlife.
This does not mean it’s all over. It does mean the applicant has to start the whole process over, and this time the county has to follow state law and its own procedures. Meanwhile, the opposition is still organized and ready.
The judge did not consider that the mine is in the springshed of Rainbow Springs nor that SWFWMD in issuing an ERP did not consider its own Rainbow Springs BMAP.
The judge noted: Continue reading
Robert Thatcher, from Signal Mountain, Tennessee, and Tom Brown, from Dalton, Georgia, accompanied by Bob’s wife, played their song “Roll On, Echo River” and won Best Folk / Americana / Bluegrass Song in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024.
These songwriters wrote about themselves, Continue reading
Update 2025-02-23: Chemours Trail Ridge South Mine Process Water Spill 2025-02-16.
Chemours had another spill into the Santa Fe River Basin from its Trail Ridge South titanium dioxide (TiO2) Mine. They say this one was very small.
It took a different path than the one on January 30, 2024, but it also eventually drains into the Santa Fe River.
This spill was north of Camp Road, west of Treat Road, actually in Clay County, on land owned by the State of Florida, draining into Bradford County.
The spill was reported at coordinates 29.89094873, -82.04341783, puts it at the top of Double Run Branch 03110206003356, on land in Clay County owned by Armory Board State of Florida.
That drains west into Bradford County, through land owned by SRWMD and Rayonier Forest Resources, LP, into Double Run Creek, which goes through land owned by Schoeffel Enterprises LLC and Harry W. and Mary Ann Kyle, before it drains through more Rayonier and SRWMD land into the Santa Fe Swamp Conservation Area into the Santa Fe River.
Here is the report we received from FDEP at 5:11 PM, Monday, September 14, 2024. Continue reading
Linda Brock of Suwannee, Florida, down the Suwannee River at the Gulf of Mexico, got trained in Georgia Adopt-A-Stream (AAS) testing, both biological (E. coli) and chemical (pH, Dissolved Oxygen, etc.).
Heather Brasell of Alapaha, Georgia, near Sheboggy Boat Ramp on the Alapaha River at US 82, and Janet Massengale of Valdosta, Georgia, on the Withlacoochee River, got retrained, as is required once a year.
WWALS Water Quality Testing Trainer Gretchen Quarterman does this every so often,
as people sign up to get trained:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084
If you do get trained, please also come on board to test, weekly if you can,
or when you can.
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/ Continue reading
Update 2024-11-26: Pictures: Banks Lake Full Harvest Moon 2024-09-17.
Come out and join us for a leisurely sunset and full moon paddle.
When: Gather 6:30 PM, launch 7 PM, moonrise 7:31 PM, sunset 7:35 PM, end 8:30 PM, Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Banks Lake Full Harvest Moon 2024-09-17, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, Georgia]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-17--banks-lake-full-harvest-moon/fbmany.jpg)
Banks Lake Full Harvest Moon 2024-09-17, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, Georgia
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]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-12--wq/many.jpg)
Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers, Bad Knights Creek at Inner Perimeter 2024-09-12
Update 2024-09-13: Brack Barker got a Floyds Island camping permit for Sunday, November 10. Since Monday, November 11, is a federal holiday, Veterans Day, that should work.
Join us to paddle 9 miles upstream on the Suwannee River for primitive camping on Floyd’s Island in the Okefenokee Swamp.
You must RSVP on meetup to get a spot.
This is the farthest you can get from any road in Georgia, with very dark sky.
You can camp inside the century-old Hebard Cabin, or in your tent or hammock outside.
Yes, you will see gators, and probably other wildlife.
When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end All Day, Sunday, November 10, 2024
Launch 9 AM, end 1 PM, Monday, November 11, 2024
Put In: Stephen C. Foster State Park Ramp, 17515 GA-177, Fargo, GA 31631. From Fargo, travel south on US 441 to CR 177; turn left and travel to Stephen C. Foster State Park in Charlton County.
Continue readingBill Berry, from Valdosta, Georgia, accompanied by Luke Smith, played his song “The River” and won Best Americana Song in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024.
![[Bill Berry, The River, Best Americana Song, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-07--bill-berry-the-river-best-americana-song/fbmany.jpg)
Bill Berry, The River, Best Americana Song, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024
Bill Berry wrote about himself, “I’m 67, a native of Valdosta, a solo singer/ songwriter, and play guitar. I’ve been playing and writing for about 45 years.”
Here’s a WWALS YouTube playlist of Bill Berry and Luke Smith playing The River,
followed by WWALS President Sara Squires Jones awarding the prize:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-QzcEbP8eVTuYmdMe5cPRFgD&si=2BFQe168zq1wQhL2 Continue reading
Tomorrow (Thursday) at 6 PM at the Brooks County Courthouse is a Town Hall for the county to hear from citizens about solar power.
According to a Brooks County Attorney, “At this time there are no active applications for solar in Brooks County. There is a moratorium on solar applications until February of 2025 (unless extended).”
Which of course does not mean there are no applications ready to go in February 2025.
Jason Kemp sent two responses yesterday to our open records request for presentation materials for the town hall and any board packet materials for preceding solar proposals in Brooks County. Continue reading
![[PFAS Sampling Deployment, Waterkeeper Alliance Program, Withlacoochee River 2024-09-14, Mud Swamp Creek 2024-09-15]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-14--pfas/fbmany.jpg)
![[Florida Judge Quashes 2024-09-18 Levy County 3RT Sand Mine: Lack of Public Notices & Lack of required studies]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-18--levy-county-sand-mine-exception-struck-down-by-court/many.jpg)
![[Robert Thatcher & Tom Brown, Roll On, Echo River, Best Folk / Americana / Bluegrass Song, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-07--robert-thatcher-tom-brown-roll-on-echo-river-best-bluegrass/fbmany.jpg)
![[Tailings Spills from Chemours Trail Ridge South Mine in Clay County into Bradford County, Santa Fe River]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-14--spill-trailridge-mine-chemours/fbmany.jpg)
![[Georgia Adopt-A-Stream, Water Quality Testing Training 2024-09-14, John W. Saunders Memorial Park, Valdosta, Georgia]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-14--aas-training-saunders-park-valdosta/fbmany.jpg)
![[Floyds Island Campout, Okefenokee Swamp 2024-11-02-03, Suwannee River, Fargo, GA, Stephen C. Foster State Park]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-11-02--okefenokee-floyds-island-campout/fbmany.jpg)
![[Solar in Brooks County, Town Hall 6 PM 2024-09-12, Brooks County Courthouse, 100 E. Screven St., Quitman, GA]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-12--brooks-county-solar/igmany.jpg)