The Third Edition of Canoeing and Kayaking Georgia. is finally out, after perhaps-perfectionist Suzanne Welander worked on it seemingly forever, and it is worth the wait.
It is even more thorough than previous editions, with some new put-ins added Continue reading
Update 2022-07-01: Bad Water Quality, Withlacoochee River 2022-06-30.
Update 2022-06-25: Plus Ichetucknee and Santa Fe Rivers also clean, thanks to Pam Thomas and the TREPO crew.
Not good at Knights Ferry Boat Ramp on the Withlacoochee River: 1,333 cfu/100 mL E. coli, above the alert level of 1,000. That was a Thursday sample, so watch out downstream. This is puzzling, since there has been no rain to speak of. Also, no sewage spills have been reported in Georgia or Florida in the Suwannee River Basin. Yet chances are something came down Okapilco Creek from Brooks County, Georgia. Sure, it could have been wild hogs directly on the river, but that’s less likely. Maybe there was more rain in Brooks County than the stations we use reported. Or maybe there was a sewage spill that has not yet been reported.
Everywhere else tested by WWALS Thursday was good: Little, Alapaha, and Withlacoochee Rivers.
The most recent Valdosta downstream results were for Monday, and was clean. The most recent Valdosta upstream were for Friday (apparently Valdosta city staff took Monday off for the new Juneteenth holiday), and were also clean, after the high GA 133 results last week.
So I’d avoid the Withlacoochee River from Knights Ferry Boat Ramp on down this weekend. Elsewhere looks good for boating, swimming, and fishing.
Thundershowers are expected this weekend, so conditions could change rapidly.
Thanks to Continue reading
Due to thunderstorms, Macedonia Community Foundation has decided to cancel this outing.
Better safe than sorry with children on the water with lightning.
Continue readingUpdate 2022-06-24: Bad Knights Ferry, Withlacoochee River 2022-06-23.
All WWALS Thursday samples tested clean. But Valdosta got very bad Wednesday results for US 41 and GA 133 on the Withlacoochee River. Maybe that has gotten diluted by now. But I’d avoid US 41, Langdale Park Boat Ramp, and downstream on the Withlacoochee from Troupville Boat Ramp for this weekend.
Elsewhere, happy boating, swimming, and fishing, so far as we can tell.
For example, come up to Reed Bingham State Park tomorrow (Saturday) for Juneteenth, where WWALS will be getting children (and adults) into boats, some for their first time.
![[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide 2022-06-16]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-06-16--wq/many.jpg)
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide 2022-06-16
What happened at US 41 and GA 133? Continue reading
2022-06-17: WWALS Thursday tests clean, but Valdosta bad Wednesday results for US 41 and GA 122, Withlacoochee River 2022-06-16.
All tested clean: Little, Withlacoochee, Alapaha, Ichetucknee, and Santa Fe Rivers, for Thursday. Sure, those were only a few test sites on each river. But there’s been little rain, none predicted, and no sewage spills reported. So happy swimming, boating, and fishing this weekend.
Thanks to Continue reading
Update 2022-06-11: Five Rivers Clean 2022-06-09.
Seventh week: all rivers clean! Happy swimming, fishing, and boating in the Little, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers.
For example, tomorrow morning, Florida Campsites to Allen Ramp, Withlacoochee River 2022-06-04.
Of course, there can be undetected local water quality problems (see below). But all the WWALS sites tested Thursday got clean results. While there is a prediction of rain today and tomorrow, if it’s like what we’ve been seeing, it will be light and won’t wash much contamination into the river. No sewage spills have been reported in Georgia or Florida in the past week. So have a good weekend.
The most recent results we have from Valdosta are for Wednesday upstream and Wednesday of last week downstream. Those were all clean, too.
But earlier contamination was detected in Valdosta results. Continue reading
Update 2024-06-22: Grassy Pond still closed and some other updates.
Update 2022-08-08: Couple more short paddle ideas: State Line Boat Ramp upstream to Arnold Springs, and Florida Campsites upstream.
Update 2022-05-30: Three more short paddle ideas (on the Withlacoochee River and the Alapahoochee River), along with safety information and links to the WWALS water trails with more information.
We often get questions like this: “The wife and I just got our kayaks and we’re looking for some ideas for short trips.”
Here are some suggestions on lakes, swamps, and rivers in the Suwannee River Basin.
Safety first! Always wear your personal flotation device (PFD).
You’d be surprised how hard it is to find your PFD after you fall in.
And especially if you’re new to paddling, don’t go alone.
You may want to join some of the many WWALS outings. See:
https://wwals.net/outings/
![[Ideas for Short Paddles, Suwannee River Basin]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-05-30--short-trips/fbmany.jpg)
Ideas for Short Paddles, Suwannee River Basin
See also:
How far from one Boat Ramp to the next landing? WWALS Water Trails
https://wwals.net/?p=52193
Easy paddles with no current, no worries about water levels, and no need for a shuttle: put in and take out at the same spot.
But no matter how easy lakes are to paddle, wear your PFD.
Update 2022-06-03: Clean Rivers 2022-06-02.
All tested sites Thursday were clean on five rivers: Little, Withlacoochee, Alapaha, Ichetucknee, and Santa Fe Rivers. No sewage spills have been reported in Georgia or Florida in the Suwannee River Basin for the last week. It hasn’t rained much, and no rain is predicted for the weekend.
So happy boating, swimming, and fishing this weekend!
The most recent results we have from Valdosta are for Monday upstream and Wednesday of last week downstream. Those were all clean, too. Continue reading
Update 2022-05-28: Clean All Rivers 2022-05-26.
Happy swimming, fishing, and boating on the Little, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers this weekend.
There has been no rain and no sewage spills reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida. All WWALS sampling sites tested clean. No significant rain is predicted, so no cattle manure is likely to wash down Okapilco Creek, nor even much trash down Sugar Creek. So this is about as unqualified as we can get on a positive river quality report.
Thanks to Elizabeth Brunner for her Continue reading
Update 2022-06-18: Outing cancelled due to thunderstorms.
Children (and adults) are invited to paddle in boats at Reed Bingham State Park Swim Area for Juneteenth, in the the Water Works festival by Jenard S. Asthma Foundation and Macedonia Community Foundation. Once again, WWALS will provide boats and stunt adults to get children and others on the water.
![[Brown]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-06-18--juneteenth/IMG-0881.jpg)
A stunt adult goes with a child 16 or under so they can boat, in case their parents don’t want to paddle.
When: Gather 12 PM, end 5 PM, Sunday Saturday, June 19 18, 2022
Put In: Reed Bingham State Park Swim Area
Free: This outing is free to everyone. There is a $5 entrance park fee.
We recommend you support the work of WWALS by
becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations
Event: facebook, meetup Continue reading
![[Cover and inside]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-06-30--welander-book/many.jpg)
![[Chart, River, Swim Guide]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-06-23--wq/many.jpg)
![[Outing Cancelled]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-06-18--juneteenth/many.jpg)
![[Chart, River, Swim Guide]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-06-09--wq/many.jpg)
![[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-05-26--wq/many.jpg)
![[Chart, River, Swim Guide]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-05-19--wq/many.jpg)