Tag Archives: Gretchen Quarterman

E. coli at Little River Confluence, Spook Bridge, and Knights Ferry, Withlacoochee River 2019-12-21

2019-12-24: E. coli at Troupville, Little River Confluence, and Spook Bridge, Withlacoochee River 2019-12-21.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hahira, GA, Monday, December 23, 2019 — At Knights Ferry Boat Ramp Saturday Suzy Hall tested 4,966.67 cfu/100 ml E. coli, far higher than anything previously recorded there, and almost five times the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream alert level. There were still no warning signs, not at Knights Ferry, and not at State Line Boat Ramp, where Suzy Hall got 100 cfu/100 ml, when all our previous readings were zero (0).

“It appears that Valdosta’s record-largest wastewater has caused a public health emergency in the Withlacoochee River and Valdosta is not even warning people about it at river access locations,” said Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman. “Florida is being proactive; what is Valdosta doing? How about Lowndes Health? Lowndes County (didn’t cause this problem, but needs to help deal with it). GA-EPD? EPA? Statehouse and Congressional delegations? This report will go to all of them today.”

[Knights Ferry & State Line Ramps]
Photo: Suzy Hall, of her Petrifilms of water samples taken from the Withlacoochee River at Knights Ferry & State Line Boat Ramps.
Method: count blue dots with bubbles (E. coli colonies) on each plate.
Add the counts, divide by three, and multiply by 100, to get colony forming units (cfu) per 100 mililiter of water.

The Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Bacterial Monitoring manual says: Continue reading →

Water Quality Testing Training @ SGRC 2019-09-14

Donations to WWALS Water Quality testing project can be made here: https://www.gagives.org/story/Wwals-Waterqualitykits Petrifilm is quite expensive and each bacterial test uses four films. Thank you.

[Suzy with a Petrifilm]
Suzy Hall with a Petrifilm

We are testing after the Valdosta’s biggest raw sewage spill ever. Yesterday we took samples on the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail at Knights Ferry Boat Ramp, Nankin Boat Ramp, State Line Boat Ramp, Pinetta (CR 150), and Madison (FL 6). Incubation of bacterial samples takes 24 hours, so we should have some results by this evening. Other tests already indicate we probably have found the sewage going downstream.

Here are some pictures from our September 14, 2019 Water Quality Testing. Thanks to Erica McLelland and SGRC for Continue reading →

Kayak raffle drawing at Griffis Fish Camp, Suwannee River 2019-12-07

Update 2020-01-01: Gretchen delivered the kayak three days later.

Outings Committee member Shelby Miller, who had not gotten a WWALS kayak raffle ticket, ran to draw the winner as WWALS Board members Dan Phillips and Bobby McKenzie cooked and watched.

[Shelby Miller to draw]
Shelby Miller to draw

WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman took tickets from envelopes from various festivals and other events and put them all in a box. Continue reading →

Pictures: Alapaha Station Celebration 2018-11-10

Lots of people studied the Suwannee Basin map to see where everything is, last year at the 2018 Alapaha Station Celebration. We’ll be back in a few weeks, at the first local festival WWALS attended.

[with Gretchen]
with Gretchen

The Enviroscape (in front of Gretchen) was popular. Continue reading →

Video: River Gauges @ Lowndes County Commission 2019-10-21

Flood Inundation Maps (FIM) are related to Lowndes County taking over funding from Valdosta of the Skipper Bridge Withlacoochee River gauge, said EMA Director Ashley Tye.

[19.7feet]
19.7feet

Joint funding of $135,000 from Valdosta and Lowndes County started work on FIM for Skipper Bridge in 2016, with completion announced 22 May 2018.

The item about joint funding with USGS and SRWMD to fund the Skipper Bridge Withlacoochee River Gauge, in addition to the Folsom Bridge Little River Gauge, was the longest item at five minutes yesterday morning. Continue reading →

Pictures: Cleanup, Alapaha River, Lakeland and Pafford’s Landing 2019-10-12

A fun couple of hours and a truckload of #Rivers Alive trash picked up in and around the Alapaha River at Lakeland Boat Ramp and Pafford’s Landing, on the Alapaha River Water Trail, yesterday, October 12, 2019.

[WWALS #RiversAlive Alapaha River]
Photo: Gretchen Quarterman, WWALS #RiversAlive Alapaha River

Continue reading →

Rivers Alive Cleanup, Lakeland and Pafford’s Landing, Alapaha River 2019-10-12

Rivers Alive clean up at Lakeland Boat Ramp and Pafford’s Landing on the Alapaha River near Lakeland, Georgia, on the Alapaha River Water Trail.

When: Gather 10:00 AM, Saturday, October 12, 2019

Put In: Lakeland Boat Ramp, head east from Lakeland on GA 122, turn right at the Lakeland Boat Ramp sign, immediately turn left along the side of the highway, to the boat ramp at the Alapaha River.

GPS: 31.045456, -83.047068

Take Out: Pafford’s Landing. Take GA 122 east from Lakeland, turn at the sign, go into the woods, to the west side (right bank) of the Alapaha River, in Lanier County, Georgia.

Bring: Cleanup materials will be provided, but if you’ve got a trash picker, bring it along.
No need for a boat, but you can bring one if you want to. It’s only a quarter mile from Lakeland Boat Ramp to Pafford’s Landing, but you may find some trash if you paddle that.

Free: This outing is free to everyone! We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!

Event: facebook, meetup

Turnoff in sight, Eastbound

Continue reading →

Tycor Farms Solamerica Solar Farm in Alapaha River Basin

Solamerica Energy is building another solar farm in the Alapaha River Basin, leasing from Tycor Farms LLC, 6530 GA 376, Lake Park, Georgia, 31636.

[Alapaha River Water Trail Map]
Map: John S. Quarterman, from WWALS Alapaha River Water Trail Map.

There seem to be wetlands on the east side of the property, leading to Enoch Creek, then into the Alapahoochee River, into the Alapaha, the Suwannee, and on to the Gulf. However, the likely wetlands seem to be along the eastern edge of the cleared area, so one can guess Continue reading →

Training, Water Quality Testing 2019-09-14

Update 2019-09-07: Link to signup.

Volunteers for testing, you can get trained at this chemical and Bacteriological water testing training for Georgia Adopt-A-Stream standards by our local trainers. Already-trained trainers, here’s your chance to get a refresher to extend your certification for another year.

Yes, we can test in Florida and put the results in the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream database. For results to be actionable in Florida does require additional Florida training.

When: 9AM, Saturday, September 14, 2019

Where: SGRC, 327 W Savannah Ave., Valdosta, GA 31601

Event: facebook, meetup

[Julie, rope, Bobby, bucket]
Photo: John S. Quarterman, Julie Shutters, rope, Bobby McKenzie, bucket, Onemile Branch in Drexel Park, Valdosta, GA, 2018-09-16

If you want to get trained, please sign up so we will know how many are coming.

Please be prepared to start testing regularly after you are trained.

Thanks to Julie Shutters of Golden Triangle RC&D for previous trainings. Since we got local trainers trained back in May, they will be conducting this training: Continue reading →

WWALS at VSU Happening 2019-08-29

Thousands of college students will come by the WWALS booth today on the front lawn of Valdosta at The Happening 2019.

[Gretchen and Sara]
Gretchen and Sara

When: 1PM to 4PM, Thursday, August 29, 2019

Where: VSU front lawn, 1500 N Patterson St, Valdosta, GA 31698.

Event: facebook Continue reading →