The Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) “is excited to provide this letter of support for the development of the Troupville River Camp. This project will increase tourism and recreational opportunities for local communities in our area.”
![[This project will increase tourism and recreational opportunities for local communities in our area.]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-10-31--wwals-gosp-troupville-river-camp/2019-12-04--SRWMD-Troupville-River-Camp-0001.jpg)
This project will increase tourism and recreational opportunities for local communities in our area.
PDF
Thank you, SRWMD Executive Director Hugh Thomas and Edwin McCook for this support letter. Continue reading
Update 2019-12-19: Still dirty at GA 133 Bridge, Withlacoochee River 2019-12-19.
It looks like Valdosta’s record raw sewage spill may finally be washing downstream after the recent small rains.
![[Sugar Creek via Ga 133 to US 84]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-12-17--wq-testing-ga-133-withlacoochee/map.jpg)
Sugar Creek via Ga 133 to US 84, Withlacoochee River with the GA 133 bridge highlighted,
on the WWALS
map of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail.
Valdosta’s numbers went way down at Gornto Road on Sugar Creek on Sunday, December 15 and Monday, December 16, in this table the Valdosta City Clerk sent this data today in response to my open records request: Continue reading
Update 2019-12-18: Valdosta sewage at GA 133 on Withlacoochee River? 2019-12-17.
There’s good news from the recent WWALS water quality tests that fill in the gap between Valdosta’s water quality testing inside Valdosta and at US 84 in Lowndes County, Georgia, and SRWMD’s testing in Florida. Valdosta’s sewage had not even reached US 84 as of 5 PM yesterday, Monday, December 16, 2019.
![[Looking down]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-12-16--wq-testing-fl-campsites-us84/20191216_165346.jpg)
Looking down onto the rapids above US 84 bridge.
You can donate to the WWALS water quality testing program and help pay for the Petrifilms and other equipment.
For Sunday, December 15, Suzy Hall found 100 cfu/100 ml E. coli at Knights Ferry Boat Ramp, 33 at Nankin Boat Ramp, and 100 at State Line Boat Ramp. Those numbers are higher than the zeros I got for Wednesday, December 11, at Knights Ferry and Nankin, and the zero Sara Jay got for that Wednesday at State Line. However, Suzy’s Sunday numbers are Continue reading
Sent via email and filed online today. See also PDF.
You can still send in your own comment or come to the SRWMD Board meeting tomorrow morning, 9 AM, Tuesday, December 10, 2019.
December 9, 2019
To: Hugh Thomas, Executive Director
Suwannee River Water Management District
9225 Co Rd 49, Live Oak, FL 32060
Hugh.Thomas@srwmd.org
386-362-1001
Cc: Lindsey Garland
Public Communications Coordinator
SRWMD
Lindsey.Garland@srwmd.org
![[Please Deny Seven Springs permit renewal, Ginnie Springs, Santa Fe River]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-12-09--wwals-srwmd-nestle/2019-12-09--wwals-srwmd-nestle-0001.jpg)
Please Deny Seven Springs permit renewal, Ginnie Springs, Santa Fe River
Re: Please deny and review Nestlé water withdrawal permits
Director Thomas,
Suwannee Riverkeeper for WWALS Watershed Coalition asks the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) to act for the public good by denying the Seven Springs Water Company permit renewal request at Ginnie Springs on the Santa Fe River, and by reviewing the Nestlé permit for Madison Blue Springs on the Withlacoochee River, among others.
On the Valdosta City Council agenda for 5:30 PM this Thursday is:
7.b. Consideration of a request from the WWALS Watershed Coalition for a Letter of Support for the Troupville River Camp.
![[2019-10-31--center-of-wlrwt]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-10-31--wwals-gosp-troupville-river-camp/2019-10-31--center-of-wlrwt.jpg)
Troupville River Camp at the center of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT), leading from the Little and Withlacoochee Rivers upstream in Georgia, down the Withlacoochee River to Florida and the Suwannee River, with its own River Camps.
If I understand correctly, the Mayor plans to discuss this item with Council, and then write and send a letter of support. Anyone who wants to attend to support this action by Valdosta, please come. I may stand up afterwards in Citizens to Be Heard to thank them.
At 5:30 PM, Tuesday, December 10, 2019, at the Lowndes County Commission Regular Session, I will Continue reading
You can help oppose Nestlé’s water withdrawals from the Floridan Aquifer, at the next Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) board meeting in Live Oak.
You can sign one of many petitions, such as one by SumOfUs.
Even better, you can come object to that extension. I ask people to come to every SRWMD board meeting, and maybe you can make this one.
Best, you can file a comment with SRWMD.
When:
9:00 AM, Tuesday, December 20 10, 2019
Where: SRWMD Headquarters, 9225 County Road 49, Live Oak, FL 32060-7056
What: SRWMD Board meeting
You can also ask SRWMD to review Nestlé’s withdrawal permit at Madison Blue Spring on the Withlacoochee River.
These are Nestlé’s landholdings next to Madison Blue Spring, according to the Madison County Property Appraiser:
![[Nestle-madison-blue-spring]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-12-10--srwmd-packet/nestle-madison-blue-spring.jpg)
For comparison, this little bit on the Withlacoochee River is Madison Blue Spring State Park, smaller than Nestlé’s main bottling plant. Continue reading
Announced yesterday to press across Georgia and beyond, the titanium mine near Georgia and Florida’s Okefenokee Swamp proposed by Twin Pines Minerals of Alabama made the Georgia Water Coalition Dirty Dozen (see also PDF).
You can still file a comment with the Army Corps and GA-EPD asking them to reject the mine or at least require an Environmental Impact Statement. Convenience for miners is no excuse to risk the fishing, boating, and birding in the swamp and hunting and forestry nearby.
![[Closeup]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-11-14--gwc-dd-tpm/20191114_143439.jpg)
Closeup of TPM equipment on mine site from GA 94 westbound.
Photo: John S. Quarterman for WWALS, November 14, 2019
2019’s
Worst Offenses Against
GEORGIA’S WATER
OKEFENOKEE SWAMP, ST. MARYS AND SUWANNEE RIVERSProposed 2,400-Acre Titanium Mine Threatens Signature Landscape of Georgia
INTRODUCTION:
Twenty years ago when chemical giant DuPont proposed mining titanium dioxide ore near the Okefenokee Swamp, opposition to the plan was so strong— Continue reading
Testimony sent as PDF yesterday, for the Georgia Power rate hike Public Hearings continuing today at GA-PSC.
November 5, 2019
|
To: |
Jason Shaw, Commissioner, District 1 Georgia Public Service Commission 244 Washington Street, SW Atlanta GA, 30334-9052 jshaw@psc.ga.gov |
|
|
Re: Docket 42516 Georgia Power Company’s 2019 Rate Case
Commissioner Shaw,
It was good to meet with you Thursday.
I have not met anyone unaffiliated with the electric power industry who supports a rate hike for Georgia Power, especially not a mandatory connection fee. Many people around here are already struggling to balance electric bills, grocery bills, and gas bills. A mandatory connection fee would most greatly affect those least able to afford it. Despite Georgia Power’s arguments, the beneficiaries of such a rate hike would not be its customers, rather its investors, following a playbook spelled out by the electric utility industry think tank Edison Electricity Institute back in 2013.
I urge the Georgia Public Service Commission to reject Georgia Power’s request for a connection fee raise, or at the least to make it as minimal as possible. Georgia Power as a regulated public utility should be “A Citizen Wherever We Serve,” not an agent for its investors to get more profit at the expense of its customers.
![[Urge reject connection fee raise]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-11-05--wwals-shaw-ga-psc-ga-power-rate/2019-11-05--WWALS-Shaw-GA-PSC-GA-Power-Rate-0001.jpg)
Urge reject connection fee raise
It is not surprising that Georgia Power is in need of funds, due to Southern Company’s failing Big Bet on Continue reading
Another letter in the Charlton County Herald, October 23, 2019, same issue as the letter posted previously. You can send your own letter to the editor or comment to the Army Corps or GA-EPD.
![[Lawtey, FL, Highland Mine, Chemours]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-10-23--hunt-arwood-charlton-county-herald/Lawtey-Chemours-Highland-Mine.jpg)
Lawtey, FL, Highland Mine, Chemours, google earth.
Mining Ruined Family Field
Dear Editor,
Let me start out by saying that I have not been a part of any protests that have been going on. I don’t think anyone can foresee if the proposed strip mining will actually harm the swamp. We probably won’t know until many years have passed. Only time will truly tell.
However, I can say that the strip mining by Dupont in Bradford County did do a lot of harm to my Grandfather’s strawberry farm! My Grandfather owned a farm that joined Dupont’s Continue reading
Excellent letter in the Charlton County Herald, October 23, 2019. You can send your own letter to the editor or comment to the Army Corps or GA-EPD.
Twin Pines should not be given the keys to the Okefenokee
Dear Editor,
Since announcing plans to strip mine along the Trail Ridge adjacent to Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Twin Pines Minerals has held multiple hearings and meetings with political figures and the people of Charlton County to make their case and ostensibly calm fears about the miners environmental impact. Unfortunately, the company continues to display a lack of transparency and misrepresent both the nature and scale of the proposed mine, as well the costs of mining next to the swamp.
To truly understand what is at stake, here are the facts.
![[Hunt]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-10-23--hunt-arwood-charlton-county-herald/hunt.jpg)
First, Twin Pines has repeatedly claimed that operations will only Continue reading
![[2016 Peak Day Marginal Costs]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-11-05--wwals-shaw-ga-psc-ga-power-rate/Exhibit-A-0002.jpg)