Kimberly Tanner wrote three days ago, “Looks like there are two new cans; one close to parking and one on the beach. Great news!”
![[Trash cans at entrance to and on Naylor Beach --Kimberly Tanner 2022-12-29]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-12-29--naylor-beach/many.jpg)
Trash cans at entrance to and on Naylor Beach –Kimberly Tanner 2022-12-29
This is speedy action by Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA). And of course these two new cans at Naylor Beach are in addition to the one at the nearby Naylor Boat Ramp. Continue reading
Update 2023-01-04: Pictures: Griffis to Fargo, Suwannee River 2022-12-29.
Come help chainsaw some deadfalls on a longish Suwannee River paddle.
You do not have to actually use a chainsaw, but if you’ve got one and know how to use it in a boat, bring it along.
The days are short, so be at Fargo Ramp by 8AM, so we can do a reverse shuttle, carrying the boats up to Griffis Fish Camp. The weather prediction is sunny and warm: low 51, high 71.
When: Gather 8 AM, launch 8:30 AM, end 4:30 PM, Thursday, December 29, 2022
Put In: Griffis Fish Camp
Take Out: Fargo Ramp
Free: This outing is free to everyone because it is a cleanup.
However, bring $2 in cash for the put-in fee at Griffis Fish Camp.
We recommend you support the work of WWALS by
becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations
![[Map: Griffis Fish Camp to Fargo Ramp in WWALS SRWT]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-12-19--chainsaw-cleanup-suwannee-river/2022-12-24--map-griffis-fargo-srwt.jpg)
Map: Griffis Fish Camp to Fargo Ramp
in the WWALS
map of the Suwannee River Water Trail (SRWT)
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. And a chainsaw, if you have one and know how to use it.
Boats: bring your own if you have it.
If you need a boat,
Continue reading
This month the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) required the State of Florida to update its water quality standards within twelve months, or EPA will do it instead.
This is an outcome WWALS and other Florida Waterkeepers have been pursuing since at least 2016, before we got the Suwannee Riverkeeper license and before the formation of Waterkeepers Florida.
Douglas Soule and James Call, Tallahassee Democrat, December 5, 2022 (updated December 7, 2022), EPA: Florida must change water quality standards to protect citizens’ health
TALLAHASSEE — The United States Environmental Protection Agency has determined that Florida’s antiquated water quality standards do not go far enough in protecting its citizens — particularly those who consume fish — from pollutants and adverse health effects.
Continue reading
Update 2023-03-31: Yet Another Cleanup Knights Ferry to Nankin, Withlacoochee River 2023-04-08.
Update 2023-01-30: Videos: Valdosta trash on the Withlacoochee River 2022-12-17.
Eight WWALS volunteers braved a cold winter’s day on another WWALS Withlacoochee River Cleanup from Knights Ferry to Nankin Boat Ramps, because we couldn’t get it all two weeks before.
After a big on-land cleanup and a floating trash jam, we also saw the wood piers of old Knights Ferry Bridge, Floating Marsh Pennywort, invasive Flowering Cleome houtteana, many private landings, Redland Creek, many rocks, many interesting trees, and Nankin Shoals.
Thanks to Russell Allen McBride for organizing, and volunteers Suzy Hall, Will Hart, Amy Myers, Gretchen Quarterman Scott, and Calvin.
![[Composite, Another KF to Nankin Cleanup, 2022-12-17]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-12-17--kf-nankin-cleanup-pictures/many.jpg)
Composite, Another KF to Nankin Cleanup, 2022-12-17
Where did this styrofoam, plastic bottles, and cans come from? Almost certainly the City of Valdosta. See Valdosta Mayor Scott James on trash at Hightower Creek 2022-12-15.
There’s at least that much more trash on the river that we’ll have to come back to get.
At least Valdosta has started to stop trash from getting into the river.
They have much more to do:
https://wwals.net/issues/trash
Here’s a summary in a WWALS video playlist by Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman:
Continue readingUpdate 2022-12-12: Videos: Dollar General rezoning legally must be tabled, Troupville land purchase is for a park @ LCC 2022-12-12.
Lowndes County tomorrow will take a big step and buy 77.14 acres down to the Little River Confluence with the Withlacoochee River, adjoining the 49.36 acres including Troupville Boat Ramp already owned south of GA 133 by Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA).
The idea is to combine the two tracts into a 126.5-acre Troupville Nature Park, the dream of landowner Helen Tapp, with trails, signage, and an educational pavilion. It will include a Troupville River Camp on the Withlacoochee just upstream from the Confluence. The project still needs ongoing maintenance funds, but this purchase clears a big hurdle after four years of preparation.
That’s 5:30 PM, Tuesday, December 13, 2023, at 327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor, Valdosta, Georgia, 31601.
The price of $121,500 is dirt cheap at $1,575 per acre, because it’s all flood plain, and there was also some discount from the tax-appraised value of $127,347 because of the conservation easement.
Many thanks to landowner Helen Tapp for organizing the conservation easement and for being willing to sell at such a price. This purchase ensures the land won’t turn into a shooting range or some other inappropriate facility. (There already is a shooting range slightly upstream on the Little River.) Continue reading
Back in 1923, Georgia and Florida looked about the same in this Atlas, until you notice, where’s I-75 and I-10? Where are all the roads? Nowhere: those lines are railroads.
Many railroad towns such as Ellaville and Genoa in Florida and Dupont and Haylow in Georgia are depicted, when they aren’t anymore on maps of this scale. Troupville is long gone, because it moved to Valdosta where the railroad was coming: the Atlantic Coast Line, labeled “A.C.L.”, later plus two others, “G.S.”, presumably Georgia Southern, and “G.S.F.”, presumably Georgia Southern and Florida.
![[South Georgia and North Florida]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/1923-01-01--atlas/big/gafl.jpg)
South Georgia and North Florida
Amusingly, the Florida map names and draws “Okefinokee Swamp” in Georgia, but the Georgia map does not. The Georgia map shows a couple of lakes instead. Continue reading
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]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-12-01--wq/many.jpg)
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
Brittanye Blake, Valdosta Daily Times, November 23, 2022, GAgives reaches out to S.Ga nonprofits,
They quoted WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman, “ We have a lot to be thankful for in our area with these rivers and growing community of people to realize their value so we are hoping that the community to share their resources to help support us. We are grateful for everyone who supports us because $10 a month or more to a nonprofit truly goes a long way.”
You can donate here all month, not just Tuesday:
https://www.gagives.org/story/6xgv8g
Also, facebook offers, “Become a recurring donor and Meta will match your donation up to $100 dollars.”
https://www.facebook.com/donate/832066994758500/832067008091832/
VALDOSTA — Georgia Center for Nonprofits hosts the 11th year of GAgives on GivingTuesday to provide nonprofits a platform for donations.
Continue reading
Update 2023-04-01: Florida Right to Hunt and Fish breezing through legislature towards 2024 ballot 2023-03-27.
Floridians, now’s the time to get the petition through the first hurdle: Florida Supreme Court review by March 1, 2023. 223,000 signatures is doable if enough people help.
If you’re a registered Florida voter, go here and sign the petition:
https://www.floridarighttocleanwater.org/
![[Unite for Clean Water flyer]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-11-10--rtcw-fl/big/Unite-for-Clean-Water-flyer.jpg)
And join the campaign:
https://www.floridarighttocleanwater.org/uniteforcleanwater
Individuals, groups, businesses, or non-profits: all can help get constitutional protection for our rivers, creeks, springs, sinks and swamps, not to mention drinking water.
More about Right to Clean Water in Florida and Georgia here:
https://wwals.net/issues/right-to-clean-water/
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/
Thanks, Sweet William Billy Ennis, for winning last year and returning this year to headline the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.
![[Determination, Map]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-12-05--epa-fdep/many.jpg)
![[Agenda item, map]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-12-13--lcc-purchase-troupville/many.jpg)
![[Advocacy, donations, music --Gretchen Quarterman, WWALS E.D. @ Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2022]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-11-23--gagives-wwals/gq.jpg)
![[Dying Man Blues --Sweet William Billy Ennis]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-08-20--billy-ennis-headliner-videos/MVI_2598-09-59-dying-man-blues.jpg)