Tag Archives: Lake Park

US 41 closed between Lake Park, GA, and Jennings, FL, near Alapahoochee River 2023-02-10

Judging by the continuing downpour, I’d guess US 41 will stay closed through today at least.

[Map, US 41 Road closed, 2023-02-11]
Map, US 41 Road closed, 2023-02-11

The GDOT press release is pretty vague about where the water is across the road, so there are some guesses below, after the press release.

Maybe somebody around Lake Park or Jennings can send some pictures.

GDOT Press Alert, Friday, February 10, 2023 Lowndes and Echols Counties: State Route 7 in Lakepark , GA to Jennings, FL is closed due to water over the roadway, Continue reading

Five Finalists, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2022-08-20

Hahira, Georgia, August 11, 2022: Five finalists have been selected to play at the Finals of the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, coming from Tallahassee and Gainesville, Florida, and Lake Park, Valdosta, and Adel, Georgia.

“I’m very excited to hear everyone sing!” said organizing committee chair Angela Duncan. ”It’s going to be a great event.”

That’s 7-11 PM, Saturday, August 20, 2022, at the Turner Center Art Park in Valdosta, Georgia.

[Songwriters Banner]
Kyle Chamberlain of Lake Park, GA; David Rodock of Adel, GA; Emmett Carlisle of Gainesville, FL; Kevin Stephenson of Valdosta, GA; Tracy Horenbein from Tallahassee, FL

Chuck Roberts will be the Master of Ceremonies. Continue reading

Boxes down into the water at Flying J, Exit 2, I-75 2022-03-19

Update 2022-07-07: Chain link fence, trash cans, and dumpsters: Flying J, Exit 2 2022-07-02.

There’s been some improvement down at the Flying J at I-75 Exit 2 in Lowndes County, Georgia, but there are still discarded boxes in the water, and Denny’s and the Flying J still haven’t finished the fence that would help a lot.

[Boxes at Flying J, Marie Calender's]
Boxes at Flying J, Marie Calender’s

Apparently Marie Callender’s itself has fallen on hard times, and Denny’s lost 60% of its customers in 2021, after losing 52.7% the previous year. But that still doesn’t seem an excuse for discarding boxes into nearby waterways.

Maybe if they finished the fence, like they were supposed to be doing in December 2019, that would cut down on the problem, which has been going on at least since August 2019.

I am also sending this report to Lowndes County Code Enforcement. Continue reading

Trash beyond fence not finished at Flying J, I-75 exit 2 2022-02-26

Update 2022-03-21: Boxes down into the water at Flying J, Exit 2, I-75 2022-03-19.

Well, they never finished the fence behind the Flying J at I-75 Exit 2, after Lowndes County Code Enforcement made them and Dennys clean up back there in 2019. The trash is not as bad as it was, but definitely room for further improvement.

[Trash in water, No Dumping sign, trash where no fence]
Trash in water, No Dumping sign, trash where no fence

That’s Flying J Travel Center #631, 7001 Lake Park Bellville Road, Lake Park, GA 31636.

As near as I can tell, that containment pond eventually drains into Deese Tract Creek that runs into the Withlacoochee River just upstream from Sullivan Launch.

I will mention this to Lowndes County Code Enforcement. Continue reading

Kayakers needed to accompany swimmers –TCT7 2021-09-12

Kayakers wanted to volunteer to pace swimmers for the annual TCT7.

[Banner]
Banner

Kayakers will need to be there by 6:45 AM on Sunday, September 12, 2021.

There is the Lake Park 4-H Camp, 5000 4-H Club Road, Lake Park, GA US 31636, on the banks of Long Pond.

Anyone interested in volunteering to kayak can contact Andy Woods at (614) 312-9897.

They are expecting a huge turn out of swimmers since the event is going to be a qualifying event for local swim teams. Please see the following information from John Eunice, whose son the event memorializes.

Thank you for your support of the TCT7 Swim and the James Eunice Charity Fund. This year’s event is Continue reading

Lowndes County repairing collapsed manhole at Bevel Creek lift station 2020-09-02

Eagle-eye WWALS member Amy Hope Jackson spotted trucks next to Bevel Creek off of Loch Laurel Road near Lake Park, in Lowndes County Georgia, on GA 376, on September 2, 2020. This is upstream from Jumping Gully Creek and the Withlacoochee River.

[Location, Bevel Creek Lift Station, manhole collapse, trucks, RPI]
Location, Bevel Creek Lift Station, manhole collapse, trucks, RPI

Turns out they were implementing the $82,000.00 Bevel Creek Manhole Emergency Repair approved by the Lowndes County Commission on June 22, 2020.

This seemed likely since one of the trucks said RPI, and the winning bidder was RPI Underground. I confirmed with Lowndes County Utilities Director Steve Stalvey that this was indeed that repair.

Please remember Lowndes County has a separate sewer system from Valdosta, and Lowndes County has not spilled sewage in many months, apparently due to proactively upgrading the county sewer system. Continue reading

Cleanup finishing at Flying J, Exit 2, I-75, Lowndes County, GA 2019-12-10

Update 2022-03-02: Trash beyond fence not finished at Flying J, I-75 exit 2 2022-02-26.

Thanks, Flying J and Lowndes County Code Enforcement, for finishing cleaning up what was a huge mess of trash at Exit 2 on I-75 in Lowndes County, Georgia.

[Fence keeping trash in]
Fence keeping trash in

Back in August, a WWALS member called Code Enforcement, and I followed up. Code Enforcement responded quickly, came to an agreement with the company, and Continue reading

Trash at GA 376, Alapahoochee River, Echols County, GA 2019-11-08

Elizabeth Reynolds sums it up in her video with her pictures of the trash at the Alapahoochee bridge: “Way to go, humans!“

Who’s interested in a cleanup?

[Mattress]
Mattress

This is about halfway between Lake Park in Lowndes County and Statenville in Echols County, at the GA 376 bridge on the Alapahoochee River.

It’s also about ten miles upstream from Florida, and about a dozen miles from the Alapahoochee Confluence with the Alapaha River. Continue reading

Trash in wetlands at Flying J, Exit 2, I-75 2019-08-23

Update 2019-12-19: Cleanup finishing at Flying J, Exit 2, I-75, Lowndes County, GA 2019-12-10.

I must compliment Lowndes County Code Enforcement, the Flying J, Dynamis, and Deep South Sanitation, about this cleanup at the Flying J, Exit 2, I-75, Lake Park, Georgia, about a mile from the GA-FL line.

[Trash in gap]
Trash in gap

On August 23, 2019, I sent this picture and the location to Lowndes County Code Enforcement:

[Still more trash]
Still more trash

Code Enforcement Director Mindy Bates responded within the hour: 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