We got quite a bit of trash on a fun morning at Berrien Beach Boat Ramp in Berrien County and across the Alapaha River at Berrien Beach in Lanier County, in the September 24, 2022, River Alive cleanup.
![[Banners, trash, and people at Berrien Beach Boat Ramp and Berrien Beach, Alapaha River 2022-09-24]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-09-24--berrien-beach-cleanup-pictures/many.jpg)
Banners, trash, and people at Berrien Beach Boat Ramp and Berrien Beach, Alapaha River 2022-09-24
The most unusual item was cash. Most of the rest was water, beer bottles, and plastic bags. And the usual used diapers. Plus a bumper. Continue reading
Many thanks to Mark Wisenbaker for donating an 18-foot Mohawk fiberglass canoe to WWALS.
![[Donation and canoe: thanks, Mark Wisenbaker]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-09-23--wisenbaker-canoe/many.jpg)
Donation and canoe: thanks, Mark Wisenbaker
Mark and his grandson Parker Jones helped load and secure the canoe, and then posed with it and the WWALS and Suwannee Riverkeeper banners.
I gave Mark a Suwannee Riverkeeper hat, which you can see he’s wearing, a Suwannee River Bass t-shirt, and a thank-you letter written by WWALS E.D. Gretchen Quarterman.
We’re going to have to build a bigger boat rack.
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/
Update 2022-10-03: Pictures: Hahira Honeybee Festival and Parade 2022-10-01
Arts, crafts, food. Often 25,000 people see the WWALS booth. You can help at the booth, or on Saturday you can join us in the parade at noon.
![[Honeybee, Suwannee Riverkeeper in parade, WWALS booth]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-09-30--hahira-honeybee/many.jpg)
Honeybee, Suwannee Riverkeeper in parade, WWALS booth
Update 2022-09-13: Bad GA 133 and US 84, Withlacoochee River 2022-09-12.
By all the recent water quality test results we have, all is clear for boating, swimming, and fishing on the Withlacoochee and other rivers this weekend.
The Tifton 2,000 gallon spill Sunday is very unlikely to affect anywhere anyone is testing on the rivers.
But by all our experience with heavy rains such as fell far upstream Thursday and are falling today, contamination is likely to wash into the Withlacoochee River: most likely cattle or hog manure.
![[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide 2022-09-08]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-09-08--wq/many.jpg)
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide 2022-09-08
The WWALS upstream Thursday samples by Elizabeth Brunner on GA 122 were all clean at Folsom Bridge on the Little River, Hagan Bridge on the Withlacoochee River, and Lakeland Boat Ramp on the Alapaha River.
The WWALS downstream Thursday samples on the Withlacoochee River by Jacob and Michael Bachrach at Knights Ferry, Nankin, and State Line Boat Ramps were also clean.
And the Valdosta upstream results for Wednesday were also pretty clean, at US 41, GA 133, and US 84 on the Withlacoochee River. The most recent downstream results Valdosta has publlshed are for Monday a week ago. WWALS already tested downstream twice since then. Continue reading
Update 2022-09-06: Pictures: State Line to Turner Bridge, Suwannee River 2022-03-06.
The Georgia Environmental Protection Division wants evidence of intentional full-immersion swimming to redesignate river segments from Fishing to Recreational for tighter pollution limits. OK, here are some movies. Plus grandmas in a tree.
![[Movie: Full immersion swimming, 16:30:59, 30.6006764, -82.6839565 (161M)]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-03-05--fargo-downstream-suwannee-river/20220305_163101.jpg)
Movie: Full immersion swimming, 16:30:59, (161M)
30.6006764, -82.6839565
Here is a WWALS video playlist.
Intentional swimming, Suwannee River, Echols County, GA 2022-03-05
30.6006764, -82.6839565
Videos by John S. Quarterman for WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc.
For more swimming, see the still pictures from the same stretch of the river.
For context, see the WWALS map of the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. While the SRWT formally runs from White Springs, Florida, to the Gulf, WWALS maps the entire Suwannee River.
For more WWALS outings, see:
https://wwals.net/outings/
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/
Update 2022-09-02: Good river water quality 2022-09-01.
WWALS got good water quality results downstream on the Withlacoochee River for Thursday, and good upstream results for the Withlacoochee, Little, and Alapaha Rivers. Valdosta’s Wednesday and Monday results concur. So happy fishing, swimming, and boating this weekend.
![[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide 2022-08-25]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-08-25--wq/many.jpg)
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide 2022-08-25
No new sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida. We did get an update on the Quitman spill of week before last; see below.
Of course, there was some heavy rainfall upstream in spots, and that could wash something into the river. But by the test results we have now, have a good time on the water. Continue reading
Mala Vallotton’s son Wesley Vallotton accepted the raffle kayak for her.
Thanks again to Georgia Beer Co. for donating this kayak, worth more than a thousand dollars.
Thanks to all the sponsors who got a raffle ticket for each $100 donated, especially including Mala Vallotton who put in $500. Continue reading
Hahira, GA, August 25, 2022 — WWALS and Georgia Power gathered at the Little River to discuss “a great partnership that works for everybody here” with Georgia Power again providing a grant for WWALS water quality testing.
“We want to say a giant thank-you to Georgia Power for funding our program,” said WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman. ”Our water quality program helps us to have clean water, so that when people come to use the river they know when it’s safe to swim or fish or go in their boats.”
“I want to thank y’all for what you do to keep our rivers clean, and make people aware of our wonderful natural resources,” said Joe Brownlee, Southwest Director, Georgia Power. “And help take care of those natural resources. It’s a great partnership that works for everybody here. We’re proud to be a part of it.”
“It’s really just Continue reading
Update 2022-08-24: VSU Student Life says:
Due to the forecasted inclement weather, we have decided to reschedule the Happening to Tuesday, August 30. All other details regarding the Happening 2022 has remained the same.
Come see us at the annual Valdosta State University student orientation: The Happening.
Or WWALS members, you can volunteer at the WWALS booth to help tell students about the fun and work we do.
![[Rescheduled to Tuesday, October 30, 2022]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-08-30--vsu-happening/many.jpg)
Rescheduled to Tuesday, October 30, 2022
When: 1PM to 4PM, Tuesday, August 30, 2022
Where: VSU front lawn, 1500 N Patterson St, Valdosta, GA 31698.
Event: facebook
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/
Update 2022-08-24: Rescheduled to Tuesday, October 30, 2022.
Come see us at the annual Valdosta State University student orientation: The Happening.
Or WWALS members, you can volunteer at the WWALS booth to help tell students about the fun and work we do.
When: 1PM to 4PM, Thursday, August 25, 2022
Where: VSU front lawn, 1500 N Patterson St, Valdosta, GA 31698. Continue reading
![[Delivered and Drawn]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-08-24--songwriting-kayak-delivery/many.jpg)
![[WWALS E.D. Gretchen Quarterman, Georgia Power SW Director Joe Brownlee, Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman, Georgia Power SREAM Don Hutchinson]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-08-12--gapower-wq-grant/still.jpg)
![[Sara Jay]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-08-29--vsu-happening/69392230_2244225775704140_8459471305366831104_n.jpg)