Tag Archives: north Florida

Clean Rivers 2022-12-01

Little rain, no new sewage spills reported, and good test results: happy swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend!

Maybe you’d like to join us on the WWALS Trashjam cleanup, Knights Ferry to Nankin, Withlacoochee River 2022-12-03.

Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide map 2022-12-01

We all took last week off for the Thanksgiving holiday, since there was no rain that week. Except thanks to Suzy Hall for testing Knights Ferry and Nankin last Saturday. She got very low E. coli.

Valdosta got high results at US 41 three times and most recently at GA 133 on Monday, which is the most recent date for which Valdosta has published results. While that contamination has probably washed downstream and gotten diluted by now, we have no more recent results for that location. There’s not enough water to boat there, anyway. Continue reading →

County Bridge, Hillman Bridge, Suwannee River 2022-11-26

More old bridge history from Ken Sulak, retired from USGS: Ellaville County Bridge, the ferry before that, the log boom, and Hillman Bridge, plus the Ellaville Gauge turns out to be one of the oldest, all on the Suwannee River near the Withlacoochee River Confluence.

You can see these sights on the WWALS paddle, Allen Ramp to SRSP, Withlacoochee River, 2023-02-04.

Abutment, Piling of Ellaville County Bridge, Suwannee River

Ken wrote,

The Ellaville ‘County Bridge’ over the Suwannee was built in 1908. The ‘County Bridge’ was parallel to and just upstream of the RR trestle. Continue reading →

Parking lot litter Click ‘n’ Fix closed without cleanup 2022-11-21

Previously I promised an update on the lack of trash cans in the parking lot on St. Augustine Road at Hightower Creek that resulted in litter.

Pictures and Actions

The short version is in https://seeclickfix.com/issues/13703334: Continue reading →

Take Me to the Suwannee –David Rodock @ Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2022-08-20

And, finally, the winner of Best Song from Inside the Suwannee River Basin for $50 and First Prize for $300: David Rodock, of Adel, Georgia, with Take Me to the Suwannee.

Take Me to the Suwannee –David Rodock

Here’s what he wrote about himself, Continue reading →

Ellaville Westlake & Jennings RR Bridge and Lee Bowstring Bridge, Withlacoochee River @ FL 141 2022-11-26

Ken Sulak, retired from USGS, is a bubbling spring of information about old bridges and ferries in Florida. Here’s what he sent recently about three Withlacoochee River bridges: a railroad bridge and two road bridges.

EWJ RR Pillar and Lee Bowstring Bridge Lally column; Photos: Ken Sulak

You can see two of them on the WWALS paddle from Allen Ramp on the Withlacoochee River to Suwannee River State Park, 2023-02-04. Continue reading →

Trash cans at Wild Adventures 2022-11-26

Bobby McKenzie reports, “Check this out. Took the kids to Wild Adventures last night. Traditionally Wild Adventures has been trashed but now there are multiple trash cans in the parking lot plus cleanup crew out there at closing!”

Trash Cans at Wild Adventures parking lot 2022-11-26

Yay, Wild Adventures!

FYI, Wild Adventures drains down Clyatt Mill Creek to the Withlacoochee River, between Nanking Boat Ramp and State Line Boat Ramp. So those trash cans are keeping trash out of the creek and river. Continue reading →

WWALS at Valdosta Tree Fest 2022-12-03

Come to Valdosta Tree Fest and bid on the WWALS tree, which is decorated with seeds of native plants. Want to replant part of your lawn with native plants? Here’s a start. Or if you just want to start some potted plants.

That’s 10 AM to 5 PM, Saturday, December 3, 2022, at the Hilton Garden Inn, 1702 Gornto Road, Valdosta, GA 31601. There is no fee to get in.

Festival, Tree, Ornaments

Facebook event:
https://www.facebook.com/events/508095037732873/

All proceeds go to WWALS, to support our advocacy and activities.

WWALS volunteers will be there to explain the tree and WWALS. Continue reading →

No trash can results in litter 2022-08-30

Update 2022-11-30: Parking lot litter Click ‘n’ Fix closed without cleanup 2022-11-21.

This happened at the bottom of the parking lot on St. Augustine Road next to Hightower Creek. The same parking lot we previously reported as a good example, upstream from Sugar Creek and the Withlacoochee River.

Yet they never put out trash cans, and this is what results.

Litter, litterers

Bobby Mckenzie sent these pictures August 30, 2022, with this explanation:

Obviously there is no excuse for this woman’s actions. But she walk to look for a trash can and didn’t find one. Then she threw it in the mess that was already there.

Initially the litter bug looked for a trash can.

Just as guilty of allowing this to happen are the business/property owners, the Public Works Director, Assistant City Manager and City Marshalls for failing to do their part.

The business not complying with the existing City Ordinance, the City Marshalls REFUSING to enforce that very City Ordinance
Continue reading →

Allen Ramp to SRSP, Withlacoochee River, 2023-02-04

Update 2023-02-02: An hour later: Allen Ramp to SRSP, Withlacoochee River 2023-02-02.

Double Door Spring is an awesome thing to see for those who haven’t seen this part of the wild and beautiful Withlacoochee River. We will pass numerous rocky shoals requiring some skills so this outing may not be appropriate for beginners and young children. There are many other clear springs to explore.

When: ~~Gather 8 AM, launch 9:30 AM, end 3 PM,~~ ~~Gather 9 AM, launch 10:30 AM, end 4 PM, Saturday, February 4, 2023~~

Put In: Allen Ramp, 2726 SW 64th Way Jasper, FL 32052, in Hamilton County, Florida.

GPS: 30.449167, -83.221328

Take Out: Suwannee River State Park Ramp, Left bank of the Suwannee River, upstream from Withlacoochee River Confluence, 3631 201st Path, Live Oak, FL 32060, in Suwannee County, Florida.

Bring: the usual personal flotation device, boat, paddles, food, drinking water, warm clothes, and first aid kit. Also trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup. Mosquitoes can be bad at dusk so come prepared.

Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) for non-members. You can pay the $10 at the outing, or online:
https://wwals.net/outings

Plus $5 per vehicle parking fee payable at SRSP.

We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations

Double Door Spring, Withlacoochee River, Photo: John S. Quarterman 2019-06-01

Continue reading →

Troupville at flood with dogs 2022-01-20

Me and the dogs were curious to see what the site of future Troupville Nature Park looked like at high water.

Collage, Troupville River Park site, 2022-01-20

We did not make any exciting new discoveries; we just went to see how far we could go south and east at that water level. Well, we did find plenty of trash of various kinds.

The water level has been higher, but it was pretty high:

14.5′ (147.3′ NAVD88) on the Folsom Bridge Gauge (Little River @ GA 122).
14.16′ (124.56′ NAVD88) on the Valdosta Gauge (Withlacoochee River @ US 41 or North Valdosta Road)

Many pictures are on the WWALS website.

You can trace our path be the loop of binoculars on this Continue reading →

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

A healthy watershed with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable water.