Tag Archives: erosion

Randy Dowdy calls for independent investigation of Sabal Trail soil mixing 2018-03-06

Dear pipeline companies: if you gouge through a rock-star farmer’s world-record-holding soybean fields, you may find he gets national coverage.

Bryan Mitchell, March 6, 2018 08:16 AM, AgWeb powered by Farm Journal, Pipeline Nightmare: Randy Dowdy Calls For Independent Investigation,

Randy Dowdy’s soil death is no mystery, insists the Georgia producer, and now a federal inspection report appears to back his claims of soil damage on record-breaking farmland due to pipeline construction. A letter (Feb. 6) from the Federal Regulatory Commission (FERC) to the Sabal Trail Pipeline Project describes “topsoil and subsoil mixing” on Dowdy’s farming operation, yet significantly does not address issues of noncompliance.

GA-BR-029.000 Dowdy south field, Little Creek, MP 217, 1657-PL-DG-70197-219, 30.9439700, -83.6154600

Dowdy signed Continue reading →

Sabal Trail alleged plan for soil mixing 2018-03-09

Yesterday Sabal Trail filed with FERC a sketchy plan to investigate the subsoil and topsoil mixing it caused on four farmers’ lands in two Georgia counties. The tail wagging the dog, Sabal Trail demanded FERC rubberstamp this plan within one week.

GA-BR-028.000 Dowdy north field, Little Creek, MP 216.4, 1657-PL-DG-70197-218, 30.9503000, -83.6217700

Needless to say FERC didn’t supply the GPS coordinates, nor the county parcel numbers, nor the related Sabal Trail alignment maps: WWALS did that, to figure out things are in what Sabal Trail filed.

The details are on the WWALS website, also including maps by WWALS.

-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

Sabal Trail asks FERC to authorize turning on gas 2017-05-17

Sabal Trail has discovered the southeast has drought! That’s its excuse for not greening up its gouge across what it calls its “greenfield” route. Sabal Trail “will continue to be available” to address landowner concerns, as if they have addressed destroying Randy Dowdy’s world-record soybean fields. They claim they’ve resolved 271 of 279 landowner issues: as near as I can tell mostly by suing the landowners, like they did the Bell Brothers.

Pipeline company chutzpah! Solar power would do this faster, cheaper, and cleaner: “Granting Sabal Trail’s request by May 26 will allow Sabal Trail to commence service promptly to FPL and will significantly increase the available supply of natural gas to the Southeastern United States during the heart of the peak summer cooling season.” More likely Sabal Trail wants to be in-service by the end of May to avoid forfeiting that $200 million bond required by FPL’s RFP.

Sabal Trail’s list of karst features doesn’t match its own Continue reading →

River spraying erosion, Withlacoochee River

Received yesterday:

The property owner sprayed this section of bank along the Withlacoochee with roundup several years ago. This picture clearly shows why we need to protect and leave intact the vegetation along the river banks. The erosion has only occurred at the section that was denuded of vegetation.

Chris Mericle

Madison County side, 30.4162370, -83.2077630.

-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

Videos: Water, Agriculture, and Forestry; WWALS @ VSU 2017-03-28

You can’t use traditional models for the karst Floridan Aquifer; new and harsher pesticides are expected this summer; but you can help raise native species; and later this month you can go see many of them in Berrien County, plus WWALS monthly outings, the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail, and the Alapaha River Water Trail and some WWALS history.

Yeah, coming this summer, and they’re head-scratchers.

All this was at the quarterly WWALS public meeting, this one on Water, Agriculture, and Forestry at Valdosta State University, March 28, 2017.

Here are links to each WWALS video of each talk, with a few notes and a few extra pictures, followed by a WWALS video playlist. Continue reading →

Agenda: Water, Agriculture, and Forestry; public meeting @ VSU 2017-03-28

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (PDF)

Valdosta, Georgia; March 28, 2017 — It’s a full agenda tonight about Water, Agriculture, and Forestry with in a public meeting at Valdosta State University, hosted by WWALS Watershed Coalition.

When: 6-8PM Tuesday March 28, 2017

Where: UC Theater, UC Center, Valdosta State University
1215 N. Patterson St., Valdosta, GA 31698

Event: facebook

Host: WWALS Watershed Coalition
the Waterkeeper® Alliance Member as Suwannee Riverkeeper®

Agenda:

Getting out on the rivers (5 minutes each):

About WWALS
—Dave Hetzel, WWALS Ambassador
Outings: cleanups and monthly paddles
—Phil Hubbard, WWALS Outings Committee Chair
Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail: signs, landings, and addresses
—John S. Quarterman, Suwannee Riverkeeper

Science and practice (15 minutes + 5 minutes Q&A each): Continue reading →

Water, Agriculture, and Forestry: public meeting @ VSU by WWALS 2017-03-28

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (PDF)

Valdosta, Georgia; March 23, 2017 — Suwannee Riverkeeper invites you to discuss Water, Agriculture, and Forestry with forestry and agriculture experts and WWALS board and committee members in a public meeting at Valdosta State University.

When: 6-8PM Tuesday March 28, 2017

Where: UC Theater, UC Center, Valdosta State University
1215 N. Patterson St., Valdosta, GA 31698

Event: facebook

Host: WWALS Watershed Coalition
the Waterkeeper® Alliance Member as Suwannee Riverkeeper®

Topics: including but not limited to:

Getting out on the rivers:
- Outings: cleanups and monthly paddles
- Water Trails: signs, landings, and addresses
- Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail
- Alapaha River Water Trail
Science and practice:
- Geology: erosion and runoff
- Agriculture: pesticides and fertilizer
- Forestry: Best Management Practices
- Botany: Invasive species and native species
- Energy: solar power and pipelines

About: WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) advocates for Continue reading →

Sabal Trail erosion and waterlogged, Brooks County, GA 2017-01-23

Is that pipe supposed to be wallowing in water? Is that end supposed to be in the water? What about the obvious erosion? Remember Sabal Trail is only burying its 36-inch pipe 36-inches deep most places. Erosion could expose it and make it even more likely to corrode.

WWALS video playlist and more pictures below. Continue reading →

WWALS receives grant for water conservation outreach to farmers and community

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WWALS receives grant for water conservation outreach to farmers and community (PDF)

Hahira, Georgia; December 27, 2016 — Local water conservation group WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) has received a grant of $6,000 from the Georgia Water Coalition (GWC) to help groups in towns, counties, and countryside to draw the big picture of watershed conservation, as well as to help organize at least one grant from a different source to assist at least one farmer in erosion control.

The award contract of November 11, 2016, says Continue reading →

EPA Clean Water Rule finalized

I still see EPA’s new Clean Water Rule as a good thing, since it protects drinking water, paddling, and fishing, while opponents remain quite vague about what might be wrong with it.

After last year’s comment period, U.S. EPA has posted a prepublication version of its final Clean Water Rule.

Katie Shepherd, L.A. Times, 27 May 2015, Under new EPA rule, Clean Water Act protections will cover all active tributaries, Continue reading →

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

A healthy watershed with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable water.