Tag Archives: sewage

Clean Withlacoochee River 2023-02-23

Update 2023-03-03: Clean Rivers 2023-03-02.

2023-02-28: Yet another Valdosta sewage spill into Knights Creek 2023-02-22.

Happy boating, swimming, and fishing this weekend!

All the WWALS water quality test results for this Thursday were good.

We could use more water quality testers. If you want to get trained, please use this form:
https://forms.gle/DzWvJuXqTQi12N6v7

[Chart, River, Swim Guide 2023-02-23]
Chart, River, Swim Guide 2023-02-23

Even though Valdosta had yet another major sewage spill Monday, due to inadequate sewer main bypass, it probably did not have much effect on the Alapaha River. When WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall tested at Sasser Landing after Valdosta’s previous, even bigger, spill of Wednesday a week ago, due to sewer main collapse, results were fine at Sasser Landing, downstream of the spill location at Knights Creek, Mud Swamp Creek, the Alapahoochee River in Echols County, Georgia, and the Alapaha River in Hamilton County, Florida. Continue reading →

Clean water quality at Mud Swamp Creek and Sasser Landing, Alapaha River 2023-02-18

Update 2023-02-21: Valdosta says it spilled 672,250 gallons of sewage into the Knights Creek floodplain 2023-02-21.

WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall tested two sites in the Alapaha River Basin Saturday, and got good results at both. And she videoed a waterfall on Mud Swamp Creek.

[Mud Swamp Creek @ Old Clyattville Road, Alapaha River @ Sasser Landing 2023-02-18]
Mud Swamp Creek @ Old Clyattville Road, Alapaha River @ Sasser Landing 2023-02-18

The site at Old Clyattville Road is upstream on Mud Swamp Creek from where Knights Creek comes in, and the site at Sasser Landing on the Alapaha River is downstream from where the Alapahoochee River carries Mud Swamp Creek water into the Alapaha. So if the Valdosta sewage spill of Wednesday, February 15, 2023, ever had any effect on the Alapaha River, that contamination has apparently washed downstream or has been diluted. Continue reading →

Valdosta sewer main collapse, US 84, effects to E. Park Ave., along Knights Creek 2023-02-15

Update 2023-02-21: Valdosta says it spilled 672,250 gallons of sewage into the Knights Creek floodplain 2023-02-21.

Update 2023-02-21: Clean water quality at Mud Swamp Creek and Sasser Landing, Alapaha River 2023-02-18.

Update 2023-02-17: Valdosta River Street sewage spill into Hightower Creek 2023-02-08.

Well, this sounds like a major Valdosta sewage spill, next to Knights Creek, which flows into Mud Swamp Creek, the Alapahoochee River, the Alapaha River, and the Suwannee River.

[Sewer main @ US 84, VALORGIS, ARWT]
Sewer main @ US 84, VALORGIS, ARWT

Neither this spill, nor last week’s minor spill, yet show up in the GA-EPD Sewage Spills Report.

Received yesterday evening. I’ve added all the maps and images. Valdosta did not even name Knights Creek, referring only to “the low-lying area.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE
DATE: Thursday, February 16, 2023
CONTACT: Sharah Denton, Community Relations & Marketing Manager
Telephone: (229) 259-3548
sdenton@valdostacity.com
www.valdostacity.com

Sewer Main Collapse and Emergency Repairs

The City of Valdosta Utilities Department received communication from a local business regarding a possible sewer issue at the 1800 block of E. Park Ave on Wednesday, February 15. Continue reading →

From bad to worse: Cherry Creek 2023-02-12

Update 2024-01-28: Four more Valdosta sewage spills 2023-12-17.

Update 2023-02-17: Valdosta sewer main collapse, US 84, effects to E. Park Ave., along Knights Creek 2023-02-15.

The Withlacoochee River tested worse than Cherry Creek for E. coli both upstream and downstream from where Cherry Creek comes in, after Valdosta’s Saturday sewage spill.

[Cherry Creek tests 2023-02-12]
Cherry Creek tests 2023-02-12

So that 2,800 gallons of raw sewage apparently did not materially affect the Withlacoochee River.

But the test results mean it would be wise to steer clear of creeks and rivers for a few days. Continue reading →

Cherry Creek water quality sampling after Valdosta sewage spill 2023-02-12

Update 2023-02-12: From bad to worse: Cherry Creek 2023-02-12.

Valdosta had a small sewage spill Saturday, next to a branch of Cherry Creek. It was probably too small to have much effect on the creek and even less on the Withlacoochee River. WWALS sent water quality testers out to sample anyway.

[Boys & Girls Club Lift Station, Lake Laurie Drive, The Dip, Lake Cleve, Cherry Creek 2023-02-12]
Boys & Girls Club Lift Station, Lake Laurie Drive, The Dip, Lake Cleve, Cherry Creek 2023-02-12

Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson texted me yesterday. He says the spill was first reported to Valdosta Utilities about 7:30 PM and “stopped discharging about 11:00p last night.” He was referring to Saturday, February 11, 2023.

The amount is estimated to be 2,800 gallons. That’s a minor spill (less than 10,000 gallons).

The spill was from Valdosta’s Boys and Girls Club Lift Station, 3658 Lake Laurie Drive, Valdosta, GA 31605. That’s in Valdosta City Council District 5, Tim Carroll. Continue reading →

Clean Rivers 2022-12-29

Update 2023-01-06: Bad Upstream: Little and Withlacoochee Rivers 2023-01-05.

WWALS tests for Thursday upstream and downstream, and Valdosta upstream tests for Wednesday agree: clean Little, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers.

There was some rain last night, but probably not enough to wash much contamination into the rivers.

So happy swimming, fishing, and boating for New Years!

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide, 2022-12-29]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide, 2022-12-29

Two pollution spills have been reported this week.

On Sunday, December 18, 2022 (reported more than a week later on December 27), Ashburn, Georgia, spilled 3,000 gallons of sewage from their MLK Lift Station into Ashburn Branch, which flows into the Little River. But that’s too little and too far upstream to affect the river. Ashburn’s excuse: power failure. Maybe they should invest in a backup generator.

On Monday, December 26, 2022, the Chemours Trail Ridge South Mine southeast of Starke, Florida, spilled some unknown amount of not exactly sure what, at the top edge of the Santa Fe River Basin. Their excuse? Cold weather.

More on those spills later in separate posts. Continue reading →

Suwannee Riverkeeper on Scott James Radio 92.1 FM 2022-12-15

Update 2022-12-23: Videos: Troupville Nature Park and River Camp, Trash, Cleanups –Helen Tapp & Suwannee Riverkeeper @ Scott James Radio 2022-12-15.

Suwannee Riverkeeper will talk trash, parks, creeks, and rivers on Scott James Talk 92.1 FM radio tomorrow morning, Thursday, 8:30 AM.

[Withlacoochee River cleanup, Radio, Troupville park land purchase, Langdale Park trail clearing]
Withlacoochee River cleanup, Radio, Troupville park land purchase, Langdale Park trail clearing

Topics discussed will probably include: Continue reading →

Valdosta Utilities speedily addressed sewage smell 2022-11-18

Thanks to Valdosta Utilities for speedily fixing a sewage smell issue that someone reported anonymously and vaguely through Click ‘n’ Fix. .

[Report and fix in Seeclickfix]
Report and fix in Seeclickfix

Once Valdosta Utilities addressed Click ‘n’ Fix report 13713615, they found the manhole that was open and put its cover on.

There is room for improvement. The report was on a Friday, and there was no response until Monday. It could have been an actual sewer spill, continuing all weekend. But it wasn’t.

And although Utilities asked for better location information, they found the problem anyway and fixed it.

They didn’t say it was somebody else’s problem.

They didn’t blame the person who reported it.

They didn’t ask for volunteers to clean it up.

They got out there and did their job in one day. Continue reading →

Bad Beatty Branch and Cat Creek, good downstream Withlacoochee River 2022-10-27

Update 2022-11-04: Creek and river water quality problems 2022-11-03.

After a drizzle of rain Wednesday and several high readings by Valdosta at US 41 and GA 133, WWALS tested upstream creeks yesterday, in addition to the usual river locations. Some of the creek results are much higher than expected.

[Chart, Creeks, Rivers, Swim Guide]
Chart, Creeks, Rivers, Swim Guide

So far, it looks like downstream of the Little River Confluence on the Withlacoochee River is probably good for fishing, swimming, and boating.

There’s not enough water in the Withlacoochee higher up to paddle anyway. But I’ll have four more Withlacoochee River results tomorrow to fill in the upstream gaps. Continue reading →

Good Water Quality, Withlacoochee, Little, Alapaha Rivers 2022-09-29

Update 2022-10-08: Clean rivers 2022-10-06.

Withlacoochee, Little, and Alapaha Rivers declared safe from Hurricane Ian. Maybe as clean as we’ve ever seen!

Happy boating, fishing, and swimming this weekend! Join us tomorrow on the Alapaha River plus hike to the Dead River Sink.

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide

This is despite yet another small Valdosta sewage spill, this time last Friday on Lake Sheri, which drains into the Withlacoochee River just upstream from I-75.

Friday, September 23, 2022, was also the day WWALS tester Scotti Jay discovered a fish kill in One Mile Branch starting on the VSU campus.

Valdosta has not reported any test results for that day; I don’t know why. Valdosta results for Monday, September 26th are normal. Those are the most recent results Valdosta has published. Continue reading →