These 120 sheets of detailed 2009 Construction Plans for the Brooks County Industrial Park contain a clue to how the sewer system there is connected to Quitman.
It turns out the clue is on the 2006 maps, too, but less obvious.
Stay tuned for that connection.
To interpret these sheets, it is useful to know that Prospect Drive is what appears on googlemaps as Fritzke Drive. Aviagen’s chicken incubation plant is south of Prospect Drive, east of GA 333. Continue reading
Making a deposit down at Citizens Community Bank of Hahira, I was waylaid by Senior VP Charles Henry Hobrat, who revealed what those odd machines are in his office.
They are slot machines from Mozell’s Place, which was a seafood restaurant near the GA-FL line and the Withlacoochee River. That restaurant is why State Line Boat Ramp is commonly referred to as Mozell Spells. Anybody who remembers exactly where the restaurant was, please let me know.
CH said he found those slots in an old barn near Barney, Georgia, in Brooks County. Which is like him: he find all sorts of antique things; I’ve known him since junior high school. He speculated that they may not have been entirely legal in Georgia, and maybe were hidden away before the restaurant closed. Continue reading
Thanks to all our sponsors of the WWALS Boomerang paddle race, this Saturday, October 23, 2021, down the Withlacoochee River from Georgia three miles into Florida, and back.
Thank you Adel Outfitters, Azalea City Music Academy, Banks Lake Outdoors, B’s Backporch BBQ, Dry Pocket Apparel, Madison Outpost Adventures, Okra Paradise Farms, Olympia Shooting Range Paintball, Sunbelt Running CLub, and Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA),
Tickets are
$30 online or at the event.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wwals-boomerang-paddle-race-2021-tickets-168646372841
You could be the winner of the $100 First Prize, or win in one of the many categories.
Canoes, kayaks, and paddle boards are welcome to register starting at 9 AM, Saturday, October 23, 2021, to be on the water by 10:45 AM. There will be prizes, and food, and drink.
You do not even have to bring a boat, if you reserve soon and let us know what type of boat you need: kayak or canoe, single or tandem. Free boat rental is provided by Madison Outpost Adventures of Lee, Madison County, Florida, and VSU CORE of Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia.
Boomerang mastermind Bobby McKenzie says, Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hahira, GA, October 15, 2021 — We have a group coming three hours from Dublin, GA, to paddle down the Withlacoochee River from Georgia three miles into Florida, and back upstream, in the WWALS Boomerang, one week from now, Saturday, October 23, 2021. Last year’s winner came from Tallahassee, FL. In one week, you could be the winner of the $100 First Prize! Or win in one of the many categories.
Today is the last day for the
$20 early bird tickets.
Later it’s $30 online or at the event.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wwals-boomerang-paddle-race-2021-tickets-168646372841
Canoes, kayaks, and paddle boards are welcome to register starting at 9 AM, Saturday, October 23, 2021, to be on the water by 10:45 AM. There will be prizes, and food, and drink.
You do not even have to bring a boat, if you reserve soon and let us know what type of boat you need: kayak or canoe, single or tandem. Free boat rental is provied by Madison Outpost Adventures of Lee, Madison County, Florida, and VSU CORE of Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia.
Boomerang mastermind Bobby McKenzie says, “Water levels were steadily dropping and now they are rising slightly.” We have a plan if the Withlacoochee River is running too fast to paddle up; we’ll just straighten out the course to go to Sullivan Landing.
“This is a great way to bring the outdoors community together and showcase the recreational opportunities we have to offer locally,” Bobby McKenzie added. “This event caters to all ages and skill levels, you can either blaze ahead and take first place overall, or push yourself for a personal achievement on the main course or one of the modified routes. You can even just come do a leisurely paddle with like minded outdoor enthusiasts. Just remember to make your way back before the time expires, at most will be 2.5 hours.”
State Line Boat Ramp is at Continue reading
It was amusing and useful to talk with Scott James on his radio show this morning, about the WWALS Boomerang paddle race from Georgia into Florida and back (tickets still $20 through Thursday, then $30), about cleanups and please vote Yes on Georgia Amendment 1 to stop state fee trust fund diversions, about the Halloween Blue Hunter’s Moon paddle on Banks Lake (wear your costume), and about water quality testing and Eco-Tourism.
Here are links to videos of each topic, reorganized a bit, plus some explanations. Continue reading
Tuesday morning at 8AM, Suwannee Riverkeeper will be on Scott James Talk 92.1 FM radio, about the WWALS Boomerang paddle race from Georgia into Florida and back again.
We’ll also talk about the Halloween Full Hunter’s Moon Paddle, the Floyd’s Island Okefenokee Swamp paddle in early November, the Solstice Light Parade on Banks Lake on December 19, the Mayor’s Paddle on the Withlacoochee River in February, the recent successful cleanup, and of course water quality testing.
Oh, yes: please vote Yes on Georgia constitutional Amendment 1, to dedicate state fees and taxes to their state purpose, so for example tire fees actually get used for tire amnesties, so we don’t have to drag as many tires out of our creeks and rivers.
Since the real trash problem is the companies that make it, you can help stop Nestlé from sucking up still more water from the Floridan Aquifer, depleting our rivers, springs, and wells, to make more plastic bottles that we would have to clean up out of our springs, creeks, and rivers.
![[WWALS Boomerang --Suwanee Riverkeeper on Scott James Radio]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-10-13--scott-james-radio/many.jpg)
WWALS Boomerang –Suwanee Riverkeeper on Scott James Radio
When: 8 AM, Tuesday, October 13, 2020
Where:
Talk 92.1 FM radio, Scott James drivetime show
http://talk921.com/
Listen: Over the air, or through the radio show’s own website, or through any of several online listening services.
Event: facebook
On Saturday, October 24, 2020, there’s the Third Annual WWALS Boomerang paddle race from Georgia into Florida and back.
Tickets to the WWALS Boomerang are
$20 online through Ocotber 15,
then $30 at the event.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wwals-boomerang-paddle-race-2020-tickets-118844038719?aff=efbeventtix
For much more, follow this link: wwals.net/pictures/2020-10-24–boomerang/ Continue reading
Here are the chemical tracer and DNA marker test results by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) that WWALS has frequently mentioned, for example in Current Situation of Water Quality Testing, Suwannee River Basin 2020-08-02.
Below, please also find a summary of those results by WWALS Science Committee Chair Dr. Thomas Potter.
![[Human and Ruminant DNA markers]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-08-05--fdep-data/big/hr3.jpg)
Human and Ruminant DNA markers
Thanks to Katrina Yancey of FDEP for sending the data, and for acknowledging that FDEP has no objection to WWALS publishing it. I asked FDEP for whatever they wanted to include, and this is what they sent:
“Thank you for asking, we recently set up our new site so it may be helpful to state that more information may be found at DEP’s webpage for the Suwannee River Basin Sampling Locations (https://floridadep.gov/dear/watershed-monitoring-section/content/suwannee-river-basin-sampling-locations).”
The actual data is on the WWALS website.
Dr. Thomas Potter, WWALS Science Committee Chair
After Continue reading
Update 2020-08-18: Good upstream water quality, Little, Withlacoochee, Okapilco, worst Crooked Creek @ 2020-08-16
The Withlacoochee River looks good for boating, swimming, and fishing this weekend, according to the latest water quality testing results, despite a contamination incident earlier this week.
More than an inch of rain at Moultrie Monday washed E. coli down Okapilco River (as they call it in Colquitt County) and Wednesday Valdosta got very bad 2,800 cfu/100 mL E. coli on Okapilco Creek @ US 84 in Brooks County, and bad 400 on the Withlacoochee River @ Knights Ferry Boat Ramp in Lowndes County. See What do these numbers mean?
Yet downstream at Nankin Boat Ramp and State Line was good Wednesday according to Valdosta, and also good Tuesday and Thursday at State Line, CR 150, and FL 6 according to Madison Health, in data updated online by FDEP early afternoon Friday. WWALS testers Michael and Jacob Bachrach also got very good results Thursday at Knights Ferry and State Line.
![[2020-08-10-14--betterdown]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-08-13--wq/2020-08-10-14--betterdown.jpg)
2020-08-10-14–betterdown
For context and the complete WWALS composite spreadsheet of Georgia and Florida bacterial test results and rainfall, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/.
So I’ve marked all Withlacoochee River “beaches” green on Swim Guide.
However, once again there was heavy rain at Moultrie, this time on Friday, so don’t be surprised if E. coli shows up on Monday or even Saturday on Okapilco Creek @ US 84 or Withlacoochee River @ Knights Ferry.
Meanwhile, heavy rains at Tifton way upstream on the Little River should be Continue reading
Still closed yesterday: land entrance to Pot Spring.
![[Trucks Entering Roadway, 12:12:12, 30.4796780, -83.2201059]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-07-29--state-line-madison-utilities-blue-spring-stt-pot-spring/20200729_121212.jpg)
Trucks Entering Roadway, 12:12:12, 30.4796780, -83.2201059
Indeed, a large truck was coming out right then. I had to move on up the road to let him out. Not carrying logs, though; seemed to be empty.
![[Vehicular Traffic Prohibited, 12:15:03, 30.4795594, -83.2204892]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-07-29--state-line-madison-utilities-blue-spring-stt-pot-spring/20200729_121503.jpg)
Vehicular Traffic Prohibited, 12:15:03, 30.4795594, -83.2204892
I didn’t feel like walking a couple of miles right then, so I turned back.
Also on SW 28th Lane, a Sabal Trail Pipeline crossing. Continue reading
Received 4:19 PM yesterday, Florida has lifted its river warning advisory. But everyone should keep testing rivers, creeks, and wells, not just after this December 2019 record-largest Valdosta raw sewage spill, but ongoing, at least weekly, to eventually lift the stigma so we can all promote eco-tourism. You can help.
![[01-24-2020 Wastewater Spill Valdosta Hamilton Madison LIFTED 0001]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-01-24--fl-withlacoochee-warning-lifted/01-24-2020-Wastewater-Spill-Valdosta-Hamilton-Madison-LIFTED-0001.jpg)
01-24-2020 Wastewater Spill Valdosta Hamilton Madison LIFTED 0001
PDF
But WWALS will leave our warning signs up at Knights Ferry, Nankin, and State Line (GA 31, Madison Highway, Mozell Spells, CR 145) Boat Ramps in Georgia for now.
This is because that 397 cfu/100 mL E. coli at Continue reading
![[Construction Plans, Brooks County Industrial Park 2009-03-03, DeVane PlanEng, Brooks County Industrial Authority]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2009-03-03--brookscoda-maps/fbmany.jpg)
![[Slots, Mozell's Place]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-06-08--ch-hobrat-mozell-spells-slots/many.jpg)
![[Sponsor Banner]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2021-10-23--boomerang/banner-WWALS-Boomerang2021-0001.jpg)
![[Flyer]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2021-10-23--boomerang/big/WWALS-Boomerang-Flyer-2021-0001.jpg)
![[WWALS Boomerang]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-10-13--video-scott-james-radio/boomerang.jpg)
![[Chart and Map]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-08-13--wq/chartmap.jpg)