Tag Archives: Kimberly Godden Tanner

Withlacoochee and Alapaha River clean 2024-08-21

Update 2024-08-31: Clean Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers 2024-08-29.

The Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers tested clean for Wednesday.

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida, or Georgia.

There’s been little rain for a week, so no contamination is expected. The weather prediction shows chance of storms for the next few days, but those usually happen in the afternoon.

The Santa Fe and much of the Suwannee River are still in flood or Action Stage.

The Little, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers are now below Action Stage, although still a bit high.

So happy fishing, swimming, and boating this weekend.

Maybe you’d like to join us Sunday for Jon boat Withlacoochee River Chainsaw Cleanup, Langdale Park Boat Ramp 2024-08-25.

[Clean Withlacoochee, Alapaha Rivers, 2024-08-21 Happy fishing, swimming, and boating]
Clean Withlacoochee, Alapaha Rivers, 2024-08-21 Happy fishing, swimming, and boating

For the Withlacoochee River, the City of Valdosta got very good results for Wednesday at both GA 133 and US 84.

Also for Wednesday, for the Alapaha River Kimberly Godden Tanner got zero (0) E. coli at Lakeland Boat Ramp and Naylor Park Beach.

She noted, “Both locations are looking great.” Continue reading →

Clean Alapaha, Withlacoochee, Santa Fe, and Ichetucknee Rivers 2024-08-08

Update 2024-08-16: Clean Withlacoochee River 2024-08-14.

The Withlacoochee, Alapaha, Ichetucknee, and Santa Fe Rivers tested clean. Evidently any contamination Hurricane Debby washed in has been diluted by the massive amount of water.

One new sewage spill was reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida, inland in High Springs; see below.

In Georgia, the four Valdosta Monday spills showed up in the GA-EPD Sewage Spills Report yesterday; see below.

There is still no update on the two Monday Quitman spills: where were they, and how much? See separate post.
https://wwals.net/?p=65559

The weather prediction for the next ten days is chance of storms, but most likely in the afternoon.

Most of the rivers are still in flood or Action Stage, but a few are back down, such as the Little River from Hahira (GA 122) upstream and the ALapaha River at Sheboggy (US 82).

If you can find a river stretch that is low enough, happy fishing, swimming, and boating this weekend.

[Clean Rivers: Withlacoochee, Alapaha, Ichetucknee, Santa Fe 2024-08-08]
Clean Rivers: Withlacoochee, Alapaha, Ichetucknee, Santa Fe 2024-08-08

Alapaha River

Continue reading →

Pictures: Banks Lake Full Buck Moon Paddle 2024-07-21

A dozen people were ready to paddle on a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle, probably with bats, on Banks Lake, just west of Lakeland, Georgia.

[Banks Lake Full Buck Moon, Paddle didn't 2024-07-21, A dozen people, No paddles or PFDs]
Banks Lake Full Buck Moon, Paddle didn’t 2024-07-21, A dozen people, No paddles or PFDs

A few people brought their own paddles and PFDs, and they paddled anyway.

But there was a mixup with getting the paddles and PFDs from Lanier County.

Kimberly Godden Tanner, the outing leader, did not have those, so the WWALS paddle did not happen.

We will investigate a better way.

And thanks again to Lanier County for providing free rental of the kayaks and canoes and the paddles and PFDs.

Thanks to Kim for trying, and better luck next lunar month.

For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see the WWALS outings web page, https://wwals.net/outings/. WWALS members also get an upcoming list in the Tannin Times newsletter.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations

Banks Lake Full Buck Moon Paddle 2024-07-21

Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle, probably with bats.

When: Gather 7:30 PM, launch 8 PM, moonrise 9:17 PM, sunset 8:34 PM, end 10 PM, Sunday, July 21, 2024

Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).

GPS: 31.034824, -83.096725

[Banks Lake Full Buck Moon Paddle 2024-07-21, West of Lakeland, GA, Probably with bats]
Banks Lake Full Buck Moon Paddle 2024-07-21, West of Lakeland, GA, Probably with bats

Continue reading →

Pictures: Banks Lake Full Flower Moon –Kim Tanner 2024-05-23

Thanks to Kimberly Godden Tanner for leading and sending these pictures of the Banks Lake Full Flower Moon Paddle, Thursday evening, May 23, 2024.

[Banks Lake Full flower Moon --Kim Tanner 2024-05-23, Sunset, Moonrise]
Banks Lake Full flower Moon –Kim Tanner 2024-05-23, Sunset, Moonrise

For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see the WWALS outings web page, https://wwals.net/outings/. Continue reading →

Dirty Withlacoochee and Alapaha River and creeks 2024-05-15

Update 2024-05-24: Clean Withlacoochee, Santa Fe, and Ichetucknee Rivers 2024-05-22.

After the big rains Monday and Tuesday, the Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers tested dirty this Wednesday, as did almost every creek location in Valdosta’s followup testing, including Sugar Creek at Gornto Road, just above Valdosta’s Sugar Creek WaterGoat trash trap, and the last test site before the Withlacoochee River.

If I were you, I’d avoid the Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers this weekend. Maybe try the Suwannee River upstream from the Alapaha River, or the Santa Fe River upstream from the Ichetucknee River. Also, rain is predicted.

WWALS has cancelled the Suwannee River paddle for tomorrow, due to predicted thunderstorms. It will be rescheduled later.

[Dirty Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers and creeks 2024-05-15;
Dirty Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers and creeks 2024-05-15;

The river tested too high in E. coli at all three of Valdosta’s test sites, North Valdosta Road (NVR), GA 133, and US 84, and way too high at Russ Tatum’s WWALS test site at Holly Point, below Allen Ramp in Florida. NVR (US 48) is upstream from all of Valdosta’s creek test sites for this week. There are a couple more creeks upstream from there that come out of Valdosta, but we also know something comes down Cat Creek after big rains. We have a grant application in to fund more testing up there. Continue reading →

Clean rivers 2024-03-20

Update 2024-03-29: Rain and river contamination 2024-03-28.

We got good results for Wednesday for the Withlacoochee River and Alapaha Rivers. and for Thursday for the Alapaha River.

Valdosta’s recent upstream Withlacoochee River results for Wednesday are good, all two sites.

[Chart, Clean Rivers, Map 2024-03-20]
Chart, Clean Rivers, Map 2024-03-20

There are no Valdosta Monday results, because, as we learned last week from Acting Utilities Director Jason Barnes, “we are collecting once a week.”

As previously noted, Valdosta’s last downstream tests were September 1, 2023. Since for two weeks now Valdosta has reported “No Sample” for North Valdosta Road, we guess they’re not collecting there any more, either.

Perhaps it is not coincidental that it is now three years (minus one month) since the March, 2020, GA-EPD Consent Order on Valdosta that required downstream testing as a way to reduce the amount of the fine.

It rained today, and more is predicted for tomorrow. That may wash some contamination into the rivers. I’d recommend the Suwannee, Alapaha, or Santa Fe Rivers for this weekend.

For example, join Shirley Kokidko and others Sunday, Suwannee River Wilderness Paddle, Griffis Fish Camp to Fargo 2024-03-24.

The rivers are at pretty good paddling levels, and it’s not cold. So watch the weather, bring rain gear, and happy paddling, fishing, and maybe swimming this weekend. Continue reading →

Banks Lake Full Worm Moon Paddle 2024-03-25

Join us for a leisurely paddle on our watery living room, to see the sun set and the moon rise. The bats may be out, at Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge, just west of Lakeland, Georgia.

When: Gather 6:45 PM, launch 7:15 PM, Sunset 7:48 PM, Moonrise 8:21 PM, End 9:00 PM, Monday, March 25, 2024

Put In:: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, just west of Lakeland.

GPS: 31.0350593, -83.0964848

[Banks Lake Paddle, 2024-03-25, Full Worm Moon, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA]
Banks Lake Paddle, 2024-03-25, Full Worm Moon, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA

Continue reading →

Clean rivers and creek 2024-02-14

Update 2024-02-24: Clean Withlacoochee, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers and Franks Creek 2024-02-21.

Update 2024-02-22: Valdosta Boone Drive and Knob Hill small sewage spills 2024-02-20.

We got good results for Wednesday for the Alapaha, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers, and Franks Creek.

Valdosta’s recent upstream Withlacoochee River results through Wednesday are good.

Rain is predicted for this weekend, through Saturday. But if there is not much rain, paddling Sunday should be OK. If you like high water, since the Little and Withlacoochee Rivers are up from previous upstream rains. The Santa Fe River is coming back down. The Suwannee was never especially high.

WWALS has two outings coming up on Saturday, February 24, 2024: the morning paddle from Knights Ferry to Nankin on the Withlacoochee River, and the evening Full Snow Moon paddle on Banks Lake.

And of course don’t forget that Saturday, March 2, is the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle from Langdale Park to Troupville on the Withlacoochee River. That one is free, thanks to a generous grant from Georgia Power.

[Chart, Clean Franks Creek and Withlacoochee, Alapaha, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers 2024-02-14, Map]
Chart, Clean Franks Creek and Withlacoochee, Alapaha, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers 2024-02-14, Map

No sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida in the past week.

But one was reported in Georgia. Ashburn had a spill of 3,000 gallons of raw sewage into Ashburn Branch, which flows into the Little River. Continue reading →

Three clean rivers 2024-02-07

Update 2024-02-16: Clean rivers and creek 2024-02-14.

We got good results for Wednesday for the Alapaha, Withlacoochee, and Santa Fe Rivers.

Valdosta’s Monday upstream Withlacoochee River and Three Mile Branch results were too high after the Sunday rain. Thanks to Valdosta Acting Utilities Director Jason Barnes for the Valdosta Wednesday results at GA 133 (OK) and US 84 (bad). He promises those and the US 41 (North Valdosta Road) Wednesday results will be on valdostacity.com website next week.

No rain is predicted for this weekend.

In the past week, no sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.

So I’d avoid the Withlacoochee River from US 84 to the state line, but other than that, happy fishing, paddling, and swimming this weekend.

[Chart, Three Clean Rivers, Map 2024-02-07]
Chart, Three Clean Rivers, Map 2024-02-07

Or join us tomorrow (Saturday) for Ichetucknee Polar Plunge and Paddle or Sunday for Sugar Creek to Troupville Chainsaw Cleanup. Continue reading →