We all drink with straws from the groundwater here in the U.S. southeast coastal plain.
So surface water interchange with groundwater produces problems for city and county drinking water treatment, and for E. coli contamination of private water wells. Continue reading
It’s a good weekend for boating, if you are experienced and like water high and fast.
WWALS and Valdosta Utilities got good water quality results both upstream and downstream of Sugar Creek for Wednesday, and there has only been a sprinkle of rain since.
No new sewage spills were reported in Georgia or Florida.
No rain is predicted until Monday.
The Withlacoochee River at Pinetta is too high to paddle, as is the Suwannee at Fargo and the Ichetucknee and Santa Fe Rivers near where they join.
Avoid those spots, and happy high and fast water fishing, swimming, paddling, or boating this weekend.
If you are experienced, join us on Saturday, March 22, 2025, for the Expert paddle with jon boats: Troupville to Knights Ferry, Withlacoochee River.
The Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle has been rescheduled to April 19th.
For these and other WWALS outings and events, see: https://wwals.net/outings/
![[Clean Withlacoochee River and Ty Ty Creek 2025-03-19, No new sewage spills, No rain this weekend]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-03-19--wq/many.jpg)
Clean Withlacoochee River and Ty Ty Creek 2025-03-19, No new sewage spills, No rain this weekend
Several people informed me yesterday that they were alarmed to discover there is a meeting today at the Bradford County, FL, Sheriff’s Office about flooding.
Turns out it’s at the Sheriff’s Office because that’s where this long-running committee has been meeting. It works on flooding and wildfire issues.
According to the agenda, Paul Still already has them talking about Sampson River Blockages and Radium and Chemours Discharges, which were the two big topics people were concerned about. The Sampson River blockages would seem to include the so-called three-pipes dam gates under CR 225 on the Sampson River just downstream from Lake Sampson. These gates were another concern I heard: people wish SRWMD would use them to lower Lake Sampson before big rains.
Like many such committees, this one has had few participants. Maybe this week’s alarm will get more people to attend.
Apparently most people saw this notice in the local newspaper, but it was also posted on facebook by Bradford County Sheriff’s Office – Emergency Management Division, March 7, 2025,
Continue readingThe Bradford County Local Mitigation Strategy (LMS) Planning Committee/Workgroup will meet Thursday, March 20th, 2025, at 3:00 pm in the Bradford County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) located in the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office at 945B North Temple Avenue, Starke, FL 32091.
These pictures of Quitman’s large sewage settling pond appear to show evidence of recent sewage runoff from these ponds, as well as holes in the fence and a rather rotted pier. They were taken Tuesday, July 26, 2022. Water quality testing downstream the day before indicates something contaminated Okapilco Creek and the Withlacoochee River downstream after rains a day before that.
For months I have been asking for a tour of Quitman’s sewage facilities to see if conditions have improved.
![[Quitman sewage settling ponds: Spills? 2025-07-26, None reported, WQ monitoring says maybe]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-07-26--quitman-large-settling-pond/many.jpg)
Quitman sewage settling ponds: Spills? 2025-07-26, None reported, WQ monitoring says maybe
On the preceding Sunday, July 24, 2022, there had been more than an inch of rain on Quitman. I find no Quitman reports for July 2022 in the GA-EPD Sewage Spills Report.
Yet Valdosta’s water quality monitoring for that Monday got 1,000 cfu/100 mL E. coli for Okapilco Creek at US 84 (US 221), which is downstream of those Quitman settling ponds and upstream of the nearest dairy. Valdosta got worse on the Withlacoochee River downstream of Okapilco Creek at Knights Ferry Boat Ramp: 2,700. Continue reading
WWALS will be back again with a booth at the Florida Folk Festival on Memorial Day Weekend in White Springs at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park.
The festival is a three-day celebration of the music, dance, stories, crafts and food that make Florida unique.
Come talk to us about Right to Clean Water, BMAPs, opposing a strip mine permit too near the Okefenokee Swamp, sewage, trash, and other advocacy as well as outings and water trails.
And of course our own WWALS River Revue, coming up Saturday, September 6, 2025, including the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.
https://wwals.net/pictures/songwriting2025/
When: 10 AM, Friday, May 23, 2025, through 6 PM, Sunday, May 25, 2025
Put In: Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, White Springs, Florida, on the banks of the Suwannee River.
Continue readingThese are aerial drone pictures and movies of the Quitman, Georgia, Land Application Site (LAS) or sprayfield.
It’s NPDES Permit No. GAJ020022.
We do not know exactly when the drone images were taken, but sometime between about June and November 2022.
I have repeatedly asked for a tour of Quitman’s wastewater facilities, over many months. So far, their contractor has only delayed doing that.
Here’s a playlist of two drone videos:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-QyC13CJd1la5Hov1W-JlMmC&si=pfGZGdcSEUHg2gj3
You’ll find the entrance with signs saying keep out at 12318 E US 84, Quitman, GA 31643. On US 84 east of Quitman, turn right just before Okapilco Creek, in Brooks County. See the pictures of that entrance I took July 5, 2024. Continue reading
Update 2025-03-21: 2025-03-21: Clean Withlacoochee River and Ty Ty Creek 2025-03-19.
Avoid the Withlacoochee River this weekend, and perhaps beyond.
Valdosta Utilities got too-high E. coli at GA 133 and US 84, and WWALS tester Russ Tatum also got too high at Holly Point, down near the Suwannee River, all for Wednesday.
![[Dirty Withlacoochee River 2025-03-12, More rain coming 2025-03-15, First Flush, Avoid the rivers]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-03-12--wq/many.jpg)
Dirty Withlacoochee River 2025-03-12, More rain coming 2025-03-15, First Flush, Avoid the rivers
No new sewage spills were reported in Georgia or Florida.
The big rain Sunday probably did first flush, which means it washed the woods the wildlife had been using as a latrine. And I’d bet it washed some remaining sewage residue out of Sugar Creek. The bypass is operational, but lots of sewage spilled in there before the bypass.
Whatever the cause, the Withlacoochee River is dirty. And more thunderstorms are coming this Sunday.
Also the Withlacoochee is way too high to paddle above the Little River Confluence, and also downstream at Pinetta. The Santa Fe River is too high in spots, as well.
If you want to go fishing, swimming, paddling, or boating, avoid the Withlacoochee River and much of the Santa Fe River. Try the Alapaha River or the Suwannee River.
Join us on Saturday, March 22, 2025, for the Chairman and Mayor’s Paddle: Troupville to Spook Bridge, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-22. Continue reading
Numerous people spoke to support the Okefenokee Swamp against mining too near it, about two bills before a subcommittee of the Georgia House Natural Resources and Environment Committee (GA HNRE), on March 3, 2025.
Unfortunately, that was just a hearing, and the Committee did not vote on those bills in any later meeting, either. Which means they did not get a chance for a vote by the full House before Crossover Day. Crossover Day was Thursday, March 6, 2025, after which any bills that passed in one house crossed over to the other house for their consideration.
The good news is that it is a two-year session, so these bills are already introduced for next year: HB 561 and HB 562. Continue reading
Every year, the fifteen Waterkeepers of Florida gather at the law-student-run Public Interest Environmental Conference (PIEC) at the Levin School of Law of the University of Florida, in Gainesville.
![[Waterkeepers Florida, Panel at PIEC, UFL, Gainesville, FL, Right to Clean Water (RTCW)]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-02-21--wkfl-piec-panel-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
Waterkeepers Florida, Panel at PIEC, UFL, Gainesville, FL, Right to Clean Water (RTCW)
This year we had a panel, about sewage sludge, wetland buffers, the climate water nexus, and I spoke about Right to Clean Water (RTCW).
Waterkeepers Florida is a regional entity composed of all 15 Waterkeeper organizations working in the State of Florida to protect and restore our water resources across over 45,000 square miles of watershed, which is home to over 15 million Floridians. Part scientist, teacher, and legal advocate, Waterkeepers combine firsthand knowledge of their waterways with an unwavering commitment to the rights of their communities and to the rule of law. Whether on the water, in a classroom, or in a courtroom, Waterkeepers speak for the waters they defend – with the backing of their local community and the collective strength of Waterkeeper Alliance. Join Waterkeepers from across the state for a discussion of current and future projects to protect our state’s waterways.
https://www.waterkeepersflorida.org Continue reading
Update 2025-03-14: Dirty Withlacoochee River 2025-03-12.
For the Withlacoochee River this week, WWALS got good results upstream and down, and Valdosta Utilities got good results for the Withlacoochee River at GA 133 and US 84.
We have no new water quality test results for Sugar Creek. Chances are that the previous sewage spill has washed out, although more testing would be good.
WWALS got excellent results for the Alapaha River at Naylor Park Beach.
No new sewage spills were reported in Florida or Georgia.
Saturday is supposed to be mostly rainless, before thunderstorms Sunday. River levels are good.
So happy fishing, swimming, paddling, and boating Saturday!
![[Clean Alapaha and, Withlacoochee Rivers, 2025-03-05, 2025-03-06]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-03-06--wq/many.jpg)
Clean Alapaha and, Withlacoochee Rivers, 2025-03-05, 2025-03-06
Join us tomorrow for the
Troupville Withlacoochee Upstream Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-03-08
https://wwals.net/?p=67153
Or come on down to the WWALS Booth at
Azalea Festival, One Mile Branch, Drexel Park, Valdosta, GA 2025-03-08.
https://wwals.net/?p=67089
And Saturday week join us for the
Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle.
https://wwals.net/?p=66833
![[River water and groundwater interchange interacts with drinking water treatment in Georgia and Florida]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-03-26--groundwater-interchange/fbmany.jpg)
![[Bradford County Local Mitigation Strategy Planning Committee, Sheriff's Office, Starke, FL 2025-03-20]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-03-20--bradford-county-emd-lms-meeting/fbmany.jpg)
![[WWALS Booth at Florida Folk Festival 2025-03-23-25, Stephen Foster Cultural Center & SP, White Springs, FL]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-05-23--florida-folk-festival/fbmany.jpg)
![[Quitman Land Application Site, Sprayfield by Okapilco Creek, Drone aerials in 2022, 12318 E US 84, Quitman, GA 31643]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-11-16--quitman-las/fbmany.jpg)
![[Speakers on Okefenokee Bills, GA HNRE Comm. 2025-03-03, No action by Crossover Day, But already introduced for 2026]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-03-03--ga-hnre-committee-okefenokee-bills-pictures/fbmany.jpg)