Here are the six additional document Pine Gate Renewables sent to the Brooks County Commission on the day of the Public Hearing for Morven Solar.
![[Six additional documents, Morven Solar 2023-02-06]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-02-06--brooks-county-packet/many.jpg)
Six additional documents, Morven Solar 2023-02-06
Interestingly, none of these documents say Pine Gate would not use herbicides on the project. The Maintenance and Operations document does say Continue reading
After two hours of speakers in the Public Hearing, the Brooks County Commission this Monday denied the Special Exception for Morven Solar, 3:1:1.
![[Speakers, Decision: Morven Solar @ Brooks County Commission 2023-02-06]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-02-06--brooks-county-morven-solar-videos/many.jpg)
Speakers, Decision: Morven Solar @ Brooks County Commission 2023-02-06
Commissioner Myra Exum, after saying that whatever the Commissioners did they would be wrong, Continue reading
Update 2023-02-08: Morven Solar denied @ Brooks County Commission 2023-02-06.
Before this evening’s Brooks County Commission decision on a Special Exception for Morven Solar, WWALS wrote asking for three conditions.
![[Letter and Map --WWALS to Brooks County Commission about Morven Solar 2023-02-06]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-02-06--wwals-to-brooks-county-morven-solar/many.jpg)
Letter and Map –WWALS to Brooks County Commission about Morven Solar 2023-02-06
The meeting is 5PM tonight, Monday, February 6, 2023, at Brooks County Courthouse, East Screven Street, Quitman, GA, 31643.
See also Videos: Morven Solar at Brooks County Planning Commission 2023-01-19.
Here is the WWALS letter, sent to the Brooks County Commission as PDF. Continue reading
Update 2023-02-08: Morven Solar denied @ Brooks County Commission 2023-02-06.
Update 2023-02-06: Herbivores, sediment basins, silt fences for Morven Solar –WWALS to Brooks County Commission 2023-02-06.
These WWALS videos show the Public Hearing that was the only agenda item at the Brooks County Planning Commission, January 19, 2023.
![[Movie: Rules for Speaking --Pat Sharpe, Chair (30M)]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-01-19--morven-solar-videos/big/MVI_0337.jpg)
Movie: Rules for Speaking –Pat Sharpe, Chair (30M)
The Planning Commission recommended approval with conditions.
The actual decision on the Special Exception will be made tonight at 5PM by the Brooks County Commission at Brooks County Courthouse, East Screven Street, Quitman, GA, 31643.
There is no agenda for tonight’s meeting on the county’s website, WWALS has still not received agenda nor board packet in response to our open records request of January 30, 2023.
Here’s a LAKE video playlist:
Videos: Morven Solar at Brooks County Planning Commission 2023-01-19
Videos by John S. Quarterman for WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS).
Below are links to each WWALS video of each speaker. Except for some camera glitches, these videos show the entire meeting.
See also the agenda, the board packet, the pictures of the sites of Morven Solar, and Report: Conditions wanted on Morven Solar by Brooks County Planning Commission 2023-01-20.
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/
Update 2023-02-09: New week river water quality update 2023-02-06.
Happy paddling, fishing, and swimming (if you like cold) this weekend!
Yes, we are paddling tomorrow (Saturday) on the Withlacoochee River from Allen Ramp to Suwannee River State Park. If you like high water including a quarter mile paddle upstream, join us!
All the WWALS water quality tests were well within the one-time test limit.
The rains promised for yesterday mostly did not happen, so most likely not much contamination washed into the rivers.
The only sewage spill was small and at the top of the Alapaha River watersheds, and it did not appear to affect downstream water quality.
The city of Rochelle, Georgia, at least took less than a week to report its sewage spill. Continue reading
Knight Bridge and Rocky Ford Bridge appear in some century-old maps in Georgia Archives.
![[Knight Bridge 1917 and remaining posts 2022]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/1917--lowndes-co-ga-soil-survey-map/many.jpg)
Knight Bridge 1917 and remaining posts 2022
At the top left you can see a road going to the site of Spain Ferry.
Another road reaches the river downstream from there. Current aerial maps show that road is still there in the woods, although the path of the river seems to have shifted west somewhat at that point.
Then there’s Knight Bridge, near where Knights Ferry Boat Ramp is now.
Notice that the old road to Knight Bridge jags south before it gets to the river.
In this current map you can see that old road still there in the woods. Continue reading
Update 2023-03-03: Clean Rivers 2023-03-02.
Update 2023-03-03: Early takeout for Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle: DeLoach Private Boat Ramp 2023-03-03.
Update 2023-03-01: Boats provided by State Line River Outfitters at Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle 2023-03-04.
Update 2023-02-22: Good water levels for Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle 2023-02-22.
Update 2023-02-16: River Low, Action, and Flood Stages 2023-02-16.
Update 2023-02-15: Paddling in the treetops 2023-02-13 and for real two years ago 2021-02-27 2023-02-13. Don’t worry: the water level should come back down before this year’s paddle date.
Valdosta, Georgia, January 30, 2021 — Join us March 4th for this annual eleven-mile river paddle, past the future site of Troupville River Camp and Nature Park, along the west side of the most populous city in the Suwannee River Basin, past Valdosta’s clean outfall of its Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant, with many creeks, oaks, cypresses, pines, fish, turtles, and maybe an alligator, down to Spook Bridge, so scary it has its own movie.
“Come on down to where I used to fish as a child, and with my children!” said Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter. ”This event allows our residents to come out and explore the natural beauties of Lowndes County while enjoying our waterways.”
“I am excited to partner once again with WWALS, plus this time with Lowndes County, to show people our fabulous blackwater rivers, only a few miles from City Hall and VSU,” said Valdosta Mayor Scott James. “After the largest infrastructure project and single largest financial commitment in the history of our City was made toward a completely modern sewer system, we are now exploring the next phase toward beautifying our area waterways. Council and City staff will be addressing the most cost effective way to educate our citizens and eliminate the trash littering our streets that eventually makes into our creeks and rivers. The fight will begin with further education of our friends and neighbors combined with additional focus from City staff and volunteers. I invite everyone to come out and join us for a day of fellowship on the river!”
“Welcome to this one of our many paddles,” said WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman. “We have at least one daytime river paddle a month, in Florida or Georgia, plus an evening Full Moon paddle at Banks Lake, near Lakeland, GA. If you’re ill in any way, please stay home.”
![[Paddlers on the Withlacoochee River, Photo: John S. Quarterman 2022-02-19]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-03-04--mayor-chairmans-paddle/20220219_131303.jpg)
Paddlers on the Withlacoochee River, Photo: John S. Quarterman 2022-02-19
Come as early as 8 AM, Saturday, March 3, 2023, to Troupville Boat Ramp, Continue reading
Update 2023-02-03: Clean rivers 2023-02-02,
Avoid the Little, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers this weekend.
All three rivers tested worse for E. coli than the one-time test limit of 410 cfu/100 mL. The worst river result was at Nankin Boat Ramp on the Withlacoochee River, of 6,567. That contamination has probably washed past State Line Boat Ramp to Florida by now.
I’d also avoid fishing in Beaverdam Creek, Cat Creek, and especially Beatty Branch this weekend.
If you do want to fish, swim, or paddle this chilly weekend, I’d recommend the Suwannee or Ichetucknee Rivers.
But not the chainsaw cleanup tomorrow: we postponed that until February 19th.
![[Chart, Creeks and Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2022-01-26]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-01-26--wq/many.jpg)
Chart, Creeks and Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2022-01-26
All this contamination was washed into the creeks and rivers by big rains Wednesday.
No sewage spills have been reported in the last week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia.
So what is the contamination? Continue reading
Update 2023-02-06: Videos: Morven Solar at Brooks County Planning Commission 2023-01-19.
In front of a standing-room-only audience, and after long hesitation, the Brooks County Planning Commission voted 3-1 to recommend Conditional Approval for the Morven Solar project, pending “A Valid Road use Agreement put in-place” and “Erosion Measures provided and Filtration Plants in the Retention Ponds”.
Here is the report sent from the Planning Commission to the County Commission for its decision on February 6th. The report has some puzzling omissions.
![[Meeting 2023-01-19, Recommendation 2023-01-20]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-01-20--morven-solar-planning-commission-report/many.jpg)
Meeting 2023-01-19, Recommendation 2023-01-20
Staff still recommends denial, and the included Staff Analysis is the same as provided before the Planning Commission meeting. Continue reading
Update 2023-01-27: Bad Water Quality, Creeks and Rivers 2023-01-26.
WWALS results for Thursday and (most of) the recent Valdosta results agree: clean rivers, and happy boating, fishing, and swimming this weekend.
No new sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.
There’s been no rain to speak of, so nothing much has washed from creeks into the rivers, apparently not even Cat Creek.
Valdosta did get too-high E. coli for GA 133 on the Withlacoochee River for Wednesday. So avoid near there.
Other than that, Valdosta’s results for the past week corroborate WWALS’ results reported last week. Continue reading
![[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-02-02--wq/many.jpg)
![[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-01-19--wq/many.jpg)