Tag Archives: Georgia

Workshop at VSU, Outings, Movie, and Hike to the Suwannee River –WWALS to Lowndes County Commissioners

Following up on the invitation I gave them in person last week, I sent this to the Lowndes County Commissioners just now, addressed to all five voting Commissioners, the Chairman, and the County Clerk:

Subject: Workshop at VSU, Outings, Movie, and Hike to the Suwannee River

Dear Commissioners,

Thanks again for the continued work on the Alapaha Boat Ramp, which will contribute to the quality of life recommended in the Comprehensive Plan.

As I mentioned at your Regular Session last week, you are invited to several WWALS events coming up soon, especially this one, which requires no boats: Continue reading

Sewage into Two Mile Branch towards the Withlacoochee River 2016-02-15

I wonder what this “debris” was? And the rags? Anyway, Valdosta has fixed another sanitary sewage spill. Probably if you stay out of the water around 2500 Bemiss Road (south of Northside Drive) you’ll be OK. But you may also want to know where Two Mile Branch goes downstream, and as usual Valdosta didn’t tell us.

HUC boundaries aerial As we recall from Valdosta’s last episode of multiple wastewater spills earlier this month, Two Mile Branch runs into Sugar Creek which goes into the Withlacoochee River, and eventually into the Suwannee River and the Gulf of Mexico. Don’t be surprised if you see a Florida Department of Health advisory like the one earlier this month. Continue reading

Hutchinson Mill Creek at Withlacoochee River, GA 122

Deadfalls on this creek, backing up flood waters onto Skipper Bridge Road forcing a bridge to close in 2009, Movie: Hutchinson Mill Creek (2.0M) 31.0155182, -83.3020477 were one reason for the formation of WWALS. Here are some pictures and a very brief movie.

In a typical day for a Waterkeeper®, starting slow after a road trip to Atlanta the previous day with several Riverkeepers and other environmental organizations, I was preparing for the movie in Live Oak Friday evening when I got a message from Noelani Mathews wanting an interview about the pipeline movie. As I threw a kayak in the truck, the Yellow Dog hopped in, and Continue reading

Pictures: Withlacoochee River, GA 122 to Franklinville Road 2013-04-20

One of the remotest segments of the Withlacoochee River, yet with easy access, and when the water was high enough. Unter den acer Also one of the least-attended WWALS outings, because we hadn’t really gotten the hang of announcing outings yet. But that just made it more intimate for the three of us who went. I got especially intimate with the river, choosing to swim twice. I always choose to swim when the water comes up to meet me…. Eventually I learned not to lean towards the side you’re tipping towards.

The closest USGS gauge is Continue reading

Yet more Valdosta wastewater spills

Maybe soon this February baker’s dozen of wastewater spills will be a thing of the past, but for now it’s deja vu similar to but worse than last February.

300x388 Figure 2.2.5. Sub-basins Areas, in Section 2 Methodology, by City of Valdosta, for WWALS.net, 14 January 2011 It looks like Valdosta has updated, as repeatedly asked, its schedule for wastewater project completion, with the force main project now aimed at July 2016 and relocation of the Withlacoochee WasteWater Treatment Plant (WWTP) for August 2017. See also Valdosta PR 22 January 2016, Withlacoochee Aerial Sewer Mains Replacement Project.

Those schedule changes are mentioned in the most recent Valdosta News. It does not, however, say which watersheds the various spills affect. I have added * for Alapaha River watershed and ** for Withlacoochee River watershed. It’s not that hard, and Valdosta has a water management plan that spells this all out, with maps. One Mile Branch** and Two Mile Branch** flow into Sugar Creek**, which goes into the Withlacoochee River**. Knights Creek* goes into Mud Creek* which goes into the Alapahoochee* River and then the Alapaha River*, eventually joining the Suwannee River in Florida, as does the Withlacoochee. Valdosta Utilities and Public Relations know all that. But why should every citizen, Continue reading

Reject Sabal Trail easement payment tonight –WWALS to Lowndes County Commission 2016-01-26

The Lowndes County Commission is voting tonight on an easement for the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline through a mercury-contaminated closed landfill. STA. 12818+00 TO STA. 12871+00, Clyatt Mill Creek, Railroad Ave. They only gave one day’s notice, and they didn’t mention the landfill. Here is the letter (PDF) I just sent them asking them to reject that easement, to support their own previous unanimous resolution against Sabal Trail, and to contact state and federal elected and appointed officials and ask them also to reject Sabal Trail. You can write them, too, to commissioner@lowndescounty.com.

To: Lowndes County Board of County Commissioners, Continue reading

Sabal Trail risks drinking water –Gordon Rogers in Georgia Sierran

Apparently fracked methane is Sierra Club Georgia’s next fight now that Keystone XL is dead, since almost its entire January/February/March issue of Georgia Sierran is about opposing natural gas: PDF.

See for example “Why Natural Gas Is Not a Climate Solution”, by Joshua Hanthorn. And “LNG Puts Savannah at Risk”, by Karen Grainey and Stacey Kronquest. Karen is chair of the Coastal Group of Sierra Club Georgia. Pretty much everything in that article also applies to Jacksonville, and quite likely to Palm Beach and other locations in Florida very soon.

Mentioning WWALS is “Pipeline in Southwest Georgia and Central Florida Risks Drinking Water,” by Gordon Rogers, Flint Riverkeeper,

001 The Sabal Pipeline, a joint venture of Spectra Energy, Duke Energy, and NextEra Energy, poses threats to Georgia and Florida communities on multiple fronts. For southwest Georgia and north Florida residents it’s all risks and no rewards. However, so far federal and state authorities have thus far been unmoved by arguments against it.

During the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) public comment period, the agency received more than 1,000 written comments, mostly opposing the project, including resolutions against it from seven counties in Georgia and Florida, and three of the largest cities in its path (Albany, Moultrie and Valdosta).

The article talks about FERC’s FEIS, EPA, GA-EPD, and other matters, before turning to WWALS and Florida. Continue reading

WWALS Water Trail trailers 7PM tonight at VSU CAUSES mini-film festival 2016-01-23

April Huntley submitted a 90-second video about the Alapaha River Water Trail, and Gretchen Quarterman sent one in about the BIG Little River Paddle Race on the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail. Come cheer for them and other local community entries, 7PM tonight, Bailey Auditorium, VSU, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia.

-jsq

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

Water Resources of the upper Suwannee River Watershed

Even the trend of sinking groundwater levels hasn’t changed a lot in the Georgia parts of WWALS’ watersheds of the Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and upper Suwannee Rivers. Figure 1: Georgia Watersheds Thanks to Tom Potter for the pointer, and we’re inviting someone to talk about this subject at the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail Workshop at VSU February 27th, 2016.

WATER RESOURCES OF THE UPPER SUWANNEE RIVER WATERSHED, by Mary M. Davis1 and David W. Hicks2,

1 Ecologist, Continue reading

Solar and wind can make coal go away with no need for natural gas. –WWALS to Suwannee BOCC 2016-01-19

The Commissioners for the one county on every Sabal Trail fracked methane path ever proposed, Suwannee County, Florida, meet tonight at 6PM in Live Oak. I can’t go, so I sent them this letter (PDF). If you can go, please do, or you can send them a letter, too.

To: Suwannee County Board of County Commissioners,

Dear Commissioners,

Thanks again for your hospitality at your meeting of December 15th.

Solar and wind can make coal go away with no need for natural gas.

The FPL representative who spoke didn’t seem aware of what Southern Company CEO Tom Fanning said about solar power last June: “If somebody wants to buy distributed generation, I want to sell it to 'em." See Herman K. Trabish, UtilityDive, June 11, 2015, “Inside Georgia Power's move into the residential solar market: The utility says it will offer solar through an unregulated business, but installers fear possible anticompetitive impacts”:
http://www.utilitydive.com/news/inside-georgia-powers-move-into-the-residential-solar-market/400562/

That meeting gave me deja vu about a few years ago when Georgia Power and Southern Company were claiming Continue reading