Tag Archives: John S. Quarterman

WWALS on environmental issues panel in Valdosta at LCDP 2015-06-01

WWALS will be among five organizations discussing environmental issues a the monthly Lowndes County Democratic Party (LCDP) meeting 6PM Monday June 1st 2015, at the Lowndes County Board of Elections, 2808 North Oak Street, Valdosta, GA.

Stopping Valdosta wastewater spills and restarting the Alapaha River Water Trail are among the topics WWALS President John S. Quarterman plans to mention. Solar power, the Sabal Trail pipeline, and fossil fuel divestment will also come up. Anyone can speak from the audience, so please come and join the discussion.

Other panelists, topics, and details in the LCDP post. Please join the facebook event.

-jsq

Landowner in county in WWALS watersheds sued by Sabal Trail; hearing May 28th in Moultrie

WWALS has long opposed the unnecessary, environmentally destructive, and hazardous Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline, see for example the 3 April 2015 front page Atlanta Journal-Constitution article. Now Sabal Trail has sued a landowner in a WWALS watershed county. Everyone who can, please attend the hearing or send letters.

When: 9:30 AM 28 May 2015 Continue reading →

Linkage between ground water and surface water –USGS

Yet more documentation on why gouging a pipeline under the Withlacoochee River, or through this Valdosta Limesink area anywhere, would be a bad idea:

In most watersheds (river basins) in Florida the interactions between ground water and surface water typically result in a single dynamic flow system. This direct hydraulic linkage results from numerous karst features (such as sinkholes, conduit systems in the underlying limestone, and springs) that facilitate the exchange of water between the surface and subsurface (fig. 1). Unique problems can arise in protecting water quality in karst areas because of the direct and rapid transport of recharge through conduits to the subsurface and through resurgence by springs. In some areas, recharge from unknown drainage pathways to areas of discharge may contribute to chemical and biological contamination of water supplies. Such contamination in karst areas has been documented by many studies.

Yes, it says Florida, but the geology doesn’t stop at the state line, as USGS spelled out in a 1999 study of the Withlacoochee River. It works like this in Georgia, too: Continue reading →

Florida pro-fracking bill failed


Photo: Jeff Burlew, via Tallahassee Democrat.

Thanks to Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson of Our Santa Fe River (pictured in blue shirts on left) and many others, a pro-fracking anti-open-records bill failed in the Florida legislature yesterday. WWALS helped persuade both its Florida counties, Madison and Hamilton, to pass anti-fracking resolutions, like so many other Florida counties did as OSFR tirelessly travelled the state. Bills in the Florida House and Senate to ban fracking outright did not pass. But neither did the fracking industry’s bill that would have exempt it from disclosure of its toxic chemicals, and would have prohibited local governments from banning fracking. No doubt the fossil fuel industry will be back next year with a Florida pro-fracking bill, but so will the opponents, with bills to ban fracking. And in another year, maybe Florida will catch on that when the Georgia legislature unanimously approved a solar financing bill, it’s time for the Sunshine State to put fracking behind it and get on with clean, safe, renewable sun, wind, and water power.

Orlando Sentinel, 29 April 2015, Florida fracking bill won’t pass this year, Continue reading →

BIG Little River Paddle Race in Tifton Gazette 2014 2015-04-26

300x197 FullSizeRender, in BIG Little River Paddle Race in Tifton Gazette, by Bret Wagenhorst, for WWALS.net, 26 April 2015 The Tifton newspaper carried the press release Sunday April 26th about the May 16th BIG Little River Paddle Race at Reed Bingham State Park. You can register online. Continue reading →

Draft map of Alapaha River Water Trail

What do you think of the April 26th 2015 draft map of the Alapaha River Water Trail?

How about the table of access points?

And water levels? What do you think is too high or too low on each gauge for paddling?

Here’s your chance to help tune the materials before WWALS goes to press in the next week or two with maps, brochures, and cards for the Alapaha River Water Trail.

-jsq

Tannin tea color of blackwater rivers

A major feature of coastal plain blackwater rivers is their tea color, ranging from yellow to red, from tannins from oak trees. Pretty close to it is the background color of this paragraph, RGB #FF9933, or 0 40 80 0 CMYK, or Pantone Solid Coated 1375 C. Here are some examples from three of WWALS’ rivers.

Come see for yourself at upcoming WWALS outings, such as:

Floridan Aquifer more important than Sabal Trail pipeline –WWALS Amicus Brief to Leesburg

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF LEE COUNTY

STATE OF GEORGIA




SABAL TRAIL TRANSMISSION, LLC,


Plaintiff,


vs.


JAMES E. BELL, II and ROBERT A. BELL,

Defendants.

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Civil Action No.

14-CV-208RS


300x413 Cover, in Wwals leesburg, by John S. Quarterman, for WWALS.net, 13 April 2015 AMICUS CURIAE OF WWALS WATERSHED COALITION, Inc.

IN SUPPORT OF DEFENDANTS THE BELLS

PDF

COMES NOW WWALS WATERSHED COALITION, INC. (WWALS), as friends of the court and concerned citizens in the above-entitled action in support of the Defendants and file this their brief with the court in the above referenced case and states as follows and provides in support thereof the following:

Continue reading →

Update on Rowetown Church to GA 135: WWALS outing 2015-04-18

300x117 Rowetown with Alapaha, GA gauge, in Alapaha River Water Trail, by John S. Quarterman, for WWALS.net, 16 April 2015 Update from expedition leader Bret Wagenhorst:

The current weather forecast for Saturday in Alapaha, GA is cloudy with 20% chance of thunderstorms. The water level on the Alapaha River at the Alapaha gauge is 9.4 ft and appears to be plateauing. [The river has already been going down for a couple of days upstream at the Irwinville gauge. -jsq] Unless there are heavy rains in or north of Alapaha Friday, we should be able to proceed with our planned outing.

It should be a fast trip with the water this high, and with fast, high water comes increased risk, so this is probably not a great outing for a beginner.

Know that the put in is actually Continue reading →