Even the trend of sinking groundwater levels hasn’t changed a lot in the Georgia
parts of WWALS’ watersheds of the Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and upper Suwannee Rivers.
Thanks to Tom Potter for the pointer, and we’re inviting someone to talk about this subject at the
Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail Workshop at VSU February 27th, 2016.
WATER RESOURCES OF THE UPPER SUWANNEE RIVER WATERSHED, by Mary M. Davis1 and David W. Hicks2,
1 Ecologist, Continue reading
Valdosta has a water treatment byproduct over the recommended limit in its drinking water. Janet McMahan supplied the image below of part of a notice, which says there’s no cause for alarm at the moment:
There is nothing you need do at this time. These violations do not pose Continue reading
Due to widespread opposition to Sabal Trail’s invading fracked methane pipeline,
the Corps extended its deadline 60 days, and FERC slipped a month.
Deadlines coming up this week and next.
This Friday, December 11, 2015:
Deadline to comment to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
The Corps wants comments on cumulative effects, including from local governments and other organizations, as well as individuals.
No Corps permit, no pipeline.
Why does Duke Energy now want to dispose of industrial wastewater from its Suwannee River power plant in Suwannee County? Why did Duke apply for a water permit for the same plant the same day that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers asked for comments about Sabal Trail? Why does Sabal Trail want the same type of permit?
Profile Name: Suwannee Air
Permit: Water – Industrial Wastewater Facility Permit
Project Name: DUKE ENERGY – SUWANNEE RIVER
Location Id: FL0000183
Location Name: Duke Energy Florida – Suwannee River Generating Plant
County: Suwannee
Application Number: FL0000183-007For further information, please contact the Tallahassee Headquarters permitting office in Tallahassee at (850) 245-8589
Why is a wastewater permit labeled “Suwannee Air”? And more questions…. Continue reading
Downstream from Valdosta and Tifton on the Withlacoochee River, and downstream from Fitzgerald on the Willacoochee River: room for improvement in fecal coliform,
said the Georgia Environmental Protection Division in a draft report issued Friday.
The comment deadline is January 20th, 2016.
On a quick read, the various wastewater treatment plants do not seem to be the main source of the contamination.
Other likely culprits include leaking septic tanks, concentrated livestock operations, and landfills and land application sites, both closed and operating.
Also notice the proposed Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline would cross most if not all of these TMDL locations in Lowndes County.
Would drilling under the Withlacoochee River and open cuts in these areas help the TMDL problem?
Here’s the NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF PROPOSED TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOADS FOR WATERS AND POLLUTANTS OF CONCERN IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA November 20, 2015, which includes: Continue reading
What crosses Lee Street and Gornton Road heading to the
Withlacoochee River? 
One Mile Branch and Sugar Creek, but you wouldn’t know that
from Valdosta’s press releases.
Valdosta PR 27 October 2015, Grease Blockage Causes Small Sanitary Sewer Spill in City,
At approximately 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 26, 2015, the City of Valdosta Utilities Department responded to a grease blockage that caused Continue reading
Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson says: “Please consider saying something and be counted.” Here’s How to send an ecomment to FERC.
You can ecomment today on FERC docket number CP15-17 against the
Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline invading Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.
Until December 11, 2015 you can also send comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers against Sabal Trail’s use of rivers and wetlands. You can do this for any of Florida, Georgia, or Alabama.
In Georgia, you can send comments to Continue reading
No minced words on the front page of Hamilton County, Florida’s daily newspaper: “Insanity”!
The online title was more sedate, but the story accurately recorded some of the polite outrage of the citizens who spoke to FERC against the invading Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline.
Among them were at least five WWALS members and many members of Our Santa Fe River.
Amber Vann, Suwannee Democrat, 7 October 2015, Locals speak out against gas pipeline,
One man, Rocky Stewart, explained Continue reading
The Valdosta newspaper wrote about two, and two more WWALS members also spoke to FERC in Valdosta last Wednesday.
Joe Adgie, Valdosta Daily Times, 2 October 2015, REgulators hear from Valdosta about Sabal Trail,
Deborah Johnson of Suwannee County, Fla., spoke of the safety record of Spectra Energy, the parent company of Sabal Trail.
“Spectra Energy has what is considered one of the worst Continue reading
“Water is our most precious commodity, not pipelines, not Sabal Trail,”, said
WWALS member
Alton Burns, and both
he and WWALS president
John S. Quarterman spoke twice, about safety, water, conflicts of interest, the Floridan Aquifer, lack of transparency, Okapilco Creek, the Withlacoochee River, and the Suwannee River, all of which Sabal Trail is trying to drill under.
Local landowners were the most blunt: the FERC process is
a farce
and
a hoax,
they said.
See for yourself in these
LAKE videos from Moultrie last night.
But it’s still important for you to come speak up, to be on the record, so the news media will hear, and so your neighbors will hear. The FERC meetings continue tonight in Valdosta and Continue reading