Update 2022-09-06: Trash reporting cleanup, One Mile Branch, Valdosta 2022-10-21.
Update 2022-08-01: Plus a response from the Valdosta Stormwater Manager.
Twelve years late is better than never.
Bobby McKenzie reported Friday:
![[Movie, Detention Pond, One Mile Branch, Sugar Creek]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-07-29--valdosta-homemade-trash-trap/many.jpg)
Movie, Detention Pond, One Mile Branch, Sugar Creek
This is a complete shocker! One step closer Continue reading
Fixing Valdosta’s trash problem would cost far less than a single sewer line. Thanks for starting by putting in one trash boom; thanks especially to Council Andy Gibbs and Mayor Scott James, who have come and helped clean up on Sugar Creek and the Withlacoochee River.
Now what’s the plan to clean that one out? When will we see the other two or more trash booms? And where’s the plan to get businesses to stop trash upstream at the source?
![[Valdosta Mayor and Council, trash boom, Holly Street]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-06-23--vcc/many.jpg)
Valdosta Mayor and Council, trash boom, Holly Street
At their meeting last Thursday, I thanked Valdosta Mayor and Council Continue reading
John S. Quarterman, Valdosta Daily Times, May 21, 2022, QUARTERMAN: Sewage situation better, trash needs work,
Thanks to Valdosta for no sewage disasters since December 2019. Some manholes still need fixing, such as at Wainwright Drive on One Mile Branch.
But Valdosta’s mayor, council and staff seem to be staying ahead of the sewage situation, for example by buying 37 emergency generators, one for each lift station.
Now Valdosta needs to get a grip on its trash problem.
Continue readingUpdate 2022-04-13: Floating trash in cypress swamp below VLPRA HQ in Valdosta 2022-04-13.
As previously mentioned, there are two acres of trash on land owned by the City of Valdosta, just south of VLPRA headquarters, at the corner of Barack Obama Blvd. and Ricardo Street, Behind the Pepsi Adopt-A-Spot sign, near the top of One Mile Branch.
In Valdosta’s own Seeclickfix map, you can see the site just across Barack Obama Blvd. from a drainage canal that runs into One Mile Branch just upstream from Vallotton Park.
![[Map: Seeclickfix VLPRA HQ, One Mile Branch, Vallotton Park https://seeclickfix.com/issues/12055148]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-04-11--vlpra-trash/seeclickfix-vlpra-hq-one-mile-branch-vallotton-park.jpg)
Map: Seeclickfix VLPRA HQ, One Mile Branch, Vallotton Park
https://seeclickfix.com/issues/12055148
This water quality and public health problem was first reported through Valdosta’s Click ‘n’ Fix smartphone app on March 9, 2022, it got some acknowledgement after another report on March 21st, but no cleanup seems to have happened.
Some of the city officials named in these comments are scheduled to be at a meeting with WWALS this afternoon. Maybe they’re waiting on that meeting to schedule a cleanup. We shall see.
Meanwhile, notice the variety of commenters who do not work for the city. First, all the comments from the March 21st report: Continue reading
Update 2022-04-11: Still there: Two acres of trash on Valdosta City land at VLPRA HQ, above One Mile Branch 2022-03-09.
Way up near the top of One Mile Branch, trash is all over about two acres of woods at the corner of Barack Obama Blvd. and Ricardo Street. Behind the Pepsi Adopt-A-Spot sign. Just south of VLPRA HQ. On land owned by the City of Valdosta.
![[Ricardo St., Obama Ave, VLPRA HQ, One Mile Branch]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-03-09--vlpra-trash/many.jpg)
Ricardo St., Obama Ave, VLPRA HQ, One Mile Branch
Good intentions built this Adopt-A-Spot sign at the corner of Ricardo and Obama, but apparently did not maintain the spot. Continue reading
Update March 10, 2022; 5:00p.m.
Attention Azalea Festival Vendors and Patrons,
Severe Weather Statement:
There is a cold front expected to come through between the hours of 6am and 10am on Saturday, and wind gusts of 60-70 mph are expected to push that front through during those hours. The worst of the rain and wind is expected to move out of Lowndes County by 10am. With that being said, after consulting with local officials, arts & crafts vendor setup will be moved to 10am-12:30pm on Saturday. The Festival will open to patrons at noon on Saturday. Because of the late start, the Festival hours will be extended to 7:30pm Saturday evening.
Come to Drexel Park in Valdosta to help WWALS celebrate spring with 30,000 of our south Georgia and north Florida friends, at the Azalea Festival.
![[WWALS Booth, One Mile Branch, Azalea Festival]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-03-12--azalea-festival/many.jpg)
WWALS Booth, One Mile Branch, Azalea Festival
Come talk to us about our outings and advocacy (yes, including Valdosta trash and wastewater), our Water Trails, the pictures for sale Gretchen took of our rivers, notecards, stickers, hats, t-shirts, plus a kayak raffle.
Help everyone out by reporting any trash or litter problem you see with Valdosta’s Click ‘n’ Fix smartphone app.
Like last year, “The Azalea Festival is a 100% all outdoor event. Patrons are encouraged to socially distance and wear masks.”
When:
10AM-6PM 12PM-7:30PM Saturday 12 March 2022
10AM-3:30PM 10AM-5PM Sunday 13 March 2022
Volunteer: If you are a WWALS member and you have had both vaccinations against COVID-19, we could use some help at the WWALS booth.
Where:
Drexel Park, 1401 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, GA, 31601
30.846771, -83.285066
That’s east across Patterson from VSU and north of Brookwood Drive.
It is on One Mile Branch, which flows into Sugar Creek, then the Withlacoochee River,
the Suwannee River, to the Gulf of Mexico.
Fortunately, Valdosta has not had any significant sewage spills for several years.
WWALS is discussing with the City the trash that washes down these creeks.
You can help with cleanups or water quality testing, and by using
Click ‘n’ Fix.
Schedule: Continue reading
It was a fine sunny weekend last year at Azalea Festival, in Valdosta, in Drexel Park, across Patterson Street from Valdosta State University. WWALS will be back there this rainy weekend.
![[Booth, One Mile Branch, Azalea Festival 2021]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2021-03-13--azalea-festival-saturday-pictures/many.jpg)
Booth, One Mile Branch, Azalea Festival 2021
We’ve got a great location, at the entrance from E. Brookwood Drive. Continue reading
Update 2022-03-09: Pictures.
Come back to Drexel Park to help WWALS celebrate spring with 30,000 of our south Georgia and north Florida friends, at the Azalea Festival in Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia. We will have information about our outings and advocacy (yes, including Valdosta wastewater), the new Water Trail brochures, and pictures for sale Gretchen took of our rivers, plus a kayak raffle.
Things will be a little different this year: “The Azalea Festival is a 100% all outdoor event. Patrons are encouraged to socially distance and wear masks.”
When:
10AM-6PM Saturday 13 March 2021
10AM-3:30PM Sunday 14 March 2021
Volunteer: If you are a WWALS member and you have had both vaccinations against COVID-19, we could use some help at the WWALS booth.
Where:
Drexel Park, 1401 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, GA, 31601
30.846771, -83.285066
That’s east across Patterson from VSU and north of Brookwood Drive.
It is on One Mile Branch, which flows into Sugar Creek, then the Withlacoochee River,
the Suwannee River, to the Gulf of Mexico.
Drexel Park is upstream of Wainwright Drive, where
WWALS did a cleanup in November 2017,
and
Valdosta spilled 218,075 gallons of raw sewage in 2019,
as well as other years.
You can help with cleanups or water quality testing.
![[Booth, children, kayak]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2021-03-13--azalea-festival/many.jpg)
Booth, children, kayak
Photos: John S. Quarterman, of
WWALS at Azalea Festival 2019.
Schedule: Continue reading
Update 2020-03-13: No WWALS booth at festivals rest of March 2020 due to virus. No, we will not be at Azalea Festival.
Join WWALS to celebrate spring with 30,000 of our south Georgia and north Florida friends, at the Azalea Festival in Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia. We will have information about our outings and advocacy (yes, including Valdosta wastewater), and pictures for sale Gretchen took of our rivers, plus a kayak raffle.
When:
10AM-6PM Saturday 14 March 2020
10AM-5PM Sunday 15 March 2020
Free: No admission charge.
Volunteer: WWALS members can help at the table!
Where:
Drexel Park
30.846771, -83.285066
1401 N. Patterson at W. Brookwood Drive, Valdosta, GA 31601
(east across Patterson from VSU front lawn; north across Brookwood from VSU Center)
That’s on One Mile Branch, which flows into Sugar Creek, then the Withlacoochee River,
the Suwannee, to the Gulf of Mexico.
Drexel Park is upstream of Wainwright Drive, where
WWALS did a cleanup in November 2017,
and
Valdosta spilled 218,075 gallons of raw sewage.
You can help with cleanups or water quality testing.
Event: facebook
Photo: John S. Quarterman for WWALS, of
Sara Jay, Laura Bauer, Gretchen Quarterman, at WWALS Booth, Azalea Festival, 2019
What: Visit Valdosta, Azalea Festival,
Enjoy shows, contests, food court, art & craft vendors and live entertainment. It’s a packed weekend for a great getaway excursion. And parking is free at Continue reading
WALB TV in Albany, Georgia called me while I was at Lafayette Blue Spring on the Suwannee River in Florida, because reporter Ri’Shawn Bassette had read the WWALS report, Sewage spill, Ashley Street, Valdosta, GA 2019-06-19. Later that same day, Friday, WALB carried his story, Valdosta sees manhole sewage overflow.
He had already contacted Valdosta Utilities, which had confirmed it happened, and blamed it on Continue reading
![[John S. Quarterman]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-05-21--jsq-vdt/big/6287ad0f43a72.image.jpg)
![[No sewage]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-06-22--walb-vld-sewage/no-sewage.jpg)