I went to thank the Lanier County Commission for letting WWALS use the boats at Banks Lake Outdoors in our Full Moon Paddles. WWALS Outings Committee Co-Chairs Kim Tanner and Janet Martin are getting good use out of those boats.
And to ask if they mind if we put a small shed inside the outdoor fence for the paddles and PFDs so they don’t get left out in the rain and the sun. They said yes, they would accept that free gift.
This is what Janet suggests we get:
Continue readingUpdate 2025-08-22: Clean Withlacoochee River 2025-08-21.
Update 2025-08-18: Videos: Florida River Task Force and City of Valdosta City Council Joint Workshop 2025-08-14.
Sugar Creek still tested bad for E. coli Wednesday, but not as bad as last week. The Withlacoochee River was bad at US 84, but OK at US 41 and upstream, and downstream near the Suwannee River.
The Alapaha River tested clean for Thursday.
No new sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.
There’s a chance of storms through Monday, but mostly in the afternoon.
So if you can get in and out before the rains, avoid Sugar Creek and the Withlacoochee River near it, and happy swimming, fishing, paddling, and boating this weekend.
Or join us tomorrow (Saturday) upstream from Valdosta in Lowndes County, Georgia, for Franklinville Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2025-08-16.
Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, our watery living room. If we’re lucky, there will be bats.
When: Gather 6:45 PM, launch 7:15 PM, moonrise 7:53 PM, sunset 7:48 PM, end 8:45 PM, Sunday, September 7, 2025
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Full Harvest Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, Near Lakeland, GA, Sunday, September 7, 2025]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-09-07--full-harvest-moon-banks-lake/fbmany.jpg)
Full Harvest Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, Near Lakeland, GA, Sunday, September 7, 2025
Update 2025-06-27: Clean Withlacoochee River 2025-06-26.
WWALS and Valdosta Utilities got good E. coli results on the Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers.
We don’t know about Sugar Creek; nobody tested that this week.
No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.
There’s some chance of rain for the next four days.
Since these recent tests were after previous rains, apparently we’re past first flush. That means whatever was in the woods has washed out now, so more rain may not cause much contamination.
So as near as we can tell, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend, if you can beat the rain!
![[Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers 2025-06-19, Happy swimming, paddling, boating, and fishing]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-06-19--wq/many.jpg)
Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers 2025-06-19, Happy swimming, paddling, boating, and fishing
Maybe join us tomorrow for
spring hopping,
Florida Campsites to Allen Ramp, Withlacoochee River 2025-06-21.
https://wwals.net/?p=67572
Continue reading
Update 2025-08-11: Cancelled due to rain and thunder. Pictures: Meet and Greet at Banks Lake 2025-08-09.
Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Sturgeon Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, our watery living room near Lakeland, Georgia.
When: Gather 7:30 PM, launch 8 PM, moonrise 8:52 PM, sunset 8:20 PM, end 9:30 PM, Saturday, August 9, 2025
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Full Sturgeon Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA, Saturday, August 9, 2025]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-08-09--full-sturgeon-moon-banks-lake/fbmany.jpg)
Full Sturgeon Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA, Saturday, August 9, 2025
Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle, probably with bats.
When: Gather 7 PM, launch 7:30 PM, moonrise 7:56 PM, sunset 7:59 PM, end 9 PM, Saturday, April 12, 2025
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Full Pink Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2024-04-12, Lakeland, Georgia, Probably with bats]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-04-12--full-pink-moon-paddle/fbmany.jpg)
Full Pink Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2024-04-12, Lakeland, Georgia, Probably with bats
Update 2025-05-11: Pictures: Full Worm Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-03-14.
Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle. Maybe the bats will be flying.
When: Gather 7 PM, launch 7:20 PM, moonrise 8:14 PM, sunset 7:40 PM, end 9 PM, Friday, March 14, 2025
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Full Worm Moon, Banks Lake 2025-03-14, Kimberly Godden Tanner, Maybe with bats]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-03-14--banks-lake-full-worm-moon-paddle/fbmany.jpg)
Full Worm Moon, Banks Lake 2025-03-14, Kimberly Godden Tanner, Maybe with bats
Update 2025-01-17: OK Little and Withlacoochee Rivers, Dirty New River, Filthy Sugar Creek 2025-01-15.
Update 2025-01-13: Sugar Creek still filthy Saturday in Valdosta test results 2025-01-11.
Update: 2025-01-11: Samantha Carr, WWALS Intern and water quality tester 2025-01-10.
Sugar Creek is still filthy from the sewer line break upstream of Gornto Road on down to the Withlacoochee River.
The Little River tested clean at Troupville Boat Ramp Sunday, and the Withlacoochee River tested clean Thursday at Langdale Park upstream of Valdosta and OK Wednesday at Holly Point, a few miles from the Suwannee River.
The Alapaha River tested clean Thursday at Lakeland Boat Ramp and Naylor Park Beach.
Valdosta Utilities has not yet posted its Withlacoochee River results for this week.
No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida, but in Georgia the Valdosta Sugar Creek broken sewer pipe finally showed up today.
This weekend, I’d avoid Sugar Creek and the Withlacoochee River near downstream from it. If you like cold, this weekend may be good to paddle, motor, swim, or fish, elsewhere, such as the Little, Alapaha, Santa Fe, Ichetucknee, or Suwannee Rivers.
![[Filthy Sugar Creek, OK Withlacoochee River, Clean Alapaha River, 2025-01-09]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-01-09--wq/many.jpg)
Filthy Sugar Creek, OK Withlacoochee River, Clean Alapaha River, 2025-01-09
Thanks, Kim Tanner, for leading this paddle.
![[Banks Lake Full Cold Moon, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA 2024-12-15]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-12-15--banks-lake-full-cold-moon-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
Banks Lake Full Cold Moon, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA 2024-12-15
Thanks to Lanier County and Banks Lake Outdoors for free boat rental for these WWALS Full Moon Paddles.
See also Video: Kayak raffle drawing for Skimmer 128 Hurricane kayak at Banks Lake 2014-12-15.
For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see the WWALS outings web page, https://wwals.net/outings/. Continue reading
Update 2024-12-27: Sugar Creek still filthy, Alapaha River OK 2024-12-26.
With no rain since last week, Sugar Creek is better, but still has too much E. coli at the WaterGoat near the Withlacoochee River. River water dilutes it below there, and upstream also the Withlacoochee River is clean. The Little and Alapaha Rivers tested clean.
No new sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida, but in Georgia, Ashburn had yet another small spill.
No flooding is shown on any river gauge in the Suwannee River Basin. The Santa Fe River at Fort White is actually too low to paddle.
So if you like cold, this weekend seems good to paddle, motor, swim, or fish, as long as you avoid the vicinity of Sugar Creek.
Ashburn reported quickly for once that it had a 2,000-gallon sewage spill into Hat Creek from the usual location of Rockhouse Road and Sylvia Drive. This time the cause was “Equipment failure.” Get a grip, Ashburn! Continue reading
![[Lanier County Commission, Lakeland, Georgia, 2025-08-11, Boats at Banks Lake Outdoors, Comprehensive Plan and ARWT]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-08-11--lanier-county-commission/many.jpg)
![[Dirty Sugar Creek & Withlacoochee River @ US 84, 2025-08-13, Clean Alapaha River & Withlacoochee River, Upstream & Downstream 2025-08-14]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-08-13--wq/many.jpg)
![[Clean Alapaha, Little Rivers, OK Withlacoochee River 2024-12-19 Avoid Filthy Sugar Creek; Good paddling this weekend]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-12-19--wq/many.jpg)