Tag Archives: Lakeland GA

Why spoiled milk into Lakeland oxidation pond? 2026-06-12

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Update 2026-10-03: Clean Alapaha, Withlacoochee, Santa Fe Rivers before rains 2026-10-02.

Rashad Brooks asked with a facebook video, “Why do they dump so much spoiled milk into the oxidation pond in Lakeland, Georgia?”

https://www.facebook.com/reel/2095397258066137

[Why spoiled milk into Lakeland 2026-06-12, oxidation pond? Also Thomasville & Adel]
Why spoiled milk into Lakeland 2026-06-12, oxidation pond? Also Thomasville & Adel

He added, “Pretty sure it comes from the new Walmart plant”.

I asked, “When was this video taken? Also, how do you know it was milk?”

He answered, “June 12th the guy said it and it smells like spoiled milk and it’s white” and “They come at least three times a day about 4 to 5 days a week sometimes”.

So I called the City of Lakeland, who sent me to Bill Darsey, Mayor of Lakeland. Paraphrased, this is what he told me on the telephone on August 31, 2026:

The white stuff comes from the Walmart dairy processing center in Valdosta. It’s wastewater from washing out tanks. Lakeland, Thomasville, and Adel also took some. A contractor in Valdosta who built the disposable system didn’t have it working yet. Each city got $100/load to accept this liquid. Lakeland hasn’t accepted any in about three weeks.

He added a bit of history: Continue reading →

Videos: Full Hunters Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-10-06

The moon rose before the sun set over Banks Lake. Not just any moon: a supermoon. The moon’s orbit is not a circle, and it was the closest it ever comes, appearing 18% larger than some other times.

Thanks to Kimberly Godden Tanner for leading this paddle. A little drizzle didn’t stop us. The bats didn’t come out, but we heard them in their tree.

Video:

https://youtu.be/0ba4Qj6Y1Ds

https://www.facebook.com/Wwalswatershed/videos/1480346073300582/

https://www.instagram.com/p/DPmBkixiHE6/

[Full Hunters Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, West of Lakeland, GA, 2025-10-06]
Full Hunters Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, West of Lakeland, GA, 2025-10-06

There are more pictures below. Continue reading →

Full Hunters Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-10-06

Update 2026-08-20: Pictures: Full Hunters Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-10-06.

Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle on our watery living room, Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge, just west of Lakeland, Georgia. Come see the sun set, the moon rise, and probably bats fly from cypress trees!

This Outing is honoring Farmers, who get free entry.

When: Gather 6 PM, launch 6:30 PM, moonrise 6:53 PM, sunset 7:11 PM, end 8 PM, Monday, October 6, 2025

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

[Full Hunters Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-10-06, Just west of Lakeland, GA, sunset, moonrise, and maybe bats]
Full Hunters Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-10-06, Just west of Lakeland, GA, sunset, moonrise, and maybe bats

Continue reading →

Lanier County Commission, Lakeland, Georgia 2025-08-11

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.

[Lanier County Commission, Lakeland, Georgia, 2025-08-11, Boats at Banks Lake Outdoors, Comprehensive Plan and ARWT]
Lanier County Commission, Lakeland, Georgia, 2025-08-11, Boats at Banks Lake Outdoors, Comprehensive Plan and ARWT

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 reading →

Pictures: Banks Lake Full Cold Moon Paddle 2024-12-15

Thanks, Kim Tanner, for leading this paddle.

[Banks Lake Full Cold Moon, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA 2024-12-15]
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 →

Raffle Kayak Winner: Belinda Edwards Herndon 2024-12-19

Thanks to WWALS Board Member Janet Massengale for delivering the Skimmer 128 Hurricane kayak to raffle winner Belinda Edwards Herndon in Live Oak, Florida.

[Winner Belinda Edwards Herndon with WWALS raffle kayak 2024-12-19, Delivered to Live Oak, FL by Board Member Janet Massengale]
Winner Belinda Edwards Herndon with WWALS raffle kayak 2024-12-19, Delivered to Live Oak, FL by Board Member Janet Massengale

It’s slightly-used 12-foot 9-inch sit-on-top kayak with paddle, a Hurricane Skimmer 128. Continue reading →

Clean Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers: Sugar Creek still nasty 2024-12-05

Update 2024-12-13: Filthy Sugar Creek, dirty Franks Creek, bad upstream Withlacoochee River, clean downstream 2024-12-12.

WWALS water quality results for Thursday show the Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers clean upstream, and for Wednesday show the Withlacoochee clean downstream.

But the last results we have for Sugar Creek, from Valdosta Utilities for Tuesday, show Sugar Creek at Gornto Road still way too high in E. coli.

There has been no rain to speak of for a week, so rain is not washing contamination into the creeks.

It is very hard to see what could be causing such Sugar Creek E. coli numbers other than a sewage spill.

No new sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia since the small Valdosta spill into Two Mile Branch on Meadowbrook Drive on November 26, which cannot be causing the Sugar Creek contamination at Gornto Road.

No flooding is shown on any river gauge in the Suwannee River Basin.

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.

[Clean Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers 2024-12-05 Sugar Creek still nasty]
Clean Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers 2024-12-05 Sugar Creek still nasty

Alapaha River

Continue reading →

Pictures: Banks Lake Full Sturgeon Moon Paddle 2024-08-19

Shirley Kokidko reported, “Not much full moon viewing with all the clouds tonight but a relaxing time and fun conversations make for a very pleasant evening.”

[Banks Lake Full Sturgeon Moon, Cloudy but good conversation 2024-08-19]
Banks Lake Full Sturgeon Moon, Cloudy but good conversation 2024-08-19

Previously she noted, that Sturgeon moon was also a super moon and a seasonal blue moon, which occurs when there are four full moons in a single astronomical season, instead of the usual three, according to Space.com. Continue reading →

Pictures: Banks Lake Full Beaver Moon Paddle –Kimberly Godden Tanner, 2024-11-15

“A great paddle with 8 boats and 13 paddlers! Beautiful sunset and moonrise!” said expedition leader Kimberly Godden Tanner about the Banks Lake Full Beaver Moon Paddle 2024-11-15 at Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).

[Banks Lake Full Beaver Moon 2024-11-15 Sunset and Moonrise]
Banks Lake Full Beaver Moon 2024-11-15 Sunset and Moonrise

She added, “We had people from Tennessee, Alabama, and Tallahassee, Florida on this paddle.”

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