Tag Archives: sinkhole

Pictures: Withlacoochee Springs, Shoals, Slough, Sullivan Launch 2023-07-15

Seven shoals, one with a boat, Coffee Spring, second magnitude Hardee Spring, and several islands, and Chitty Bend East Distributary, where some of the Withlacoochee River runs into the woods into some swallets: we saw all of those on our Withlacoochee River paddle from Sullivan Launch to Florida Campsites on a fine July day.

The entire paddle was in north Florida, between Madison County on the right (east) bank and Hamilton County on the left (west) bank, starting in Madison County, ending in Hamilton County.

[Rapids, Spring, Distributary, Withlacoochee River 2023-07-15]
Rapids, Spring, Distributary, Withlacoochee River 2023-07-15

Thanks to Gee Edwards for leading this paddle.

Thanks to Gretchen Quarterman, Karen Lehnart, and Shirley Kokidko for additional pictures.

Pictures are below. Click on any small picture for a bigger one. Latlong links go to the WWALS map of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT).

The pictures are also on facebook.

See also the facebook video, Seven shoals on the WWALS WIthlacoochee River paddle from Sullivan Shoals to Florida Campsites Ramp, 2023-07-15.

For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see Continue reading →

Alapaha Swallets Dye Trace Project 2016-10-01

Down at the designation of the new Jennings Bluff State Geological Site with Dead River Sink 2023-03-17 the Florida Geological Survey (FGS) was giving out links to a report on the Alapaha Swallets Dye Trace Project.

That’s where FGS, FDEP, and SRWMD put fluorescent green dye in the Dead River Sink, back on June 22, 2016, and watched for it to come back up.

[Before and After]
Before and After

As you can see by the graph, the dye came back up four days later in the ALapaha River Rise, and eight days later in Holton Creek Rise.

The report is available Continue reading →

Withlacoochee Springs and Slough, Sullivan Launch 2023-07-15

Update 2023-08-27: Pictures: Sullivan Launch to Florida Campsites, Withlacoochee River 2023-07-15.

Join us for a leisurely paddle by second magnitude Hardee Spring and other springs, as well as Fennels Funnel, a sinkhole leading to the extensive M2 Blue cave system, and Chitty Bend East Distributary, where some of the Withlacoochee River runs into the woods into some swallets.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 9:30 AM, end 2:30 PM, Saturday, July 15, 2023

Put In: Sullivan Launch, The first public access point in Florida to the blackwater Withlacoochee River, Sullivan launch is a narrow concrete launch with free parking and a picnic area, but no picnic tables. It is in the Sullivan Tract of Twin Rivers State Park. From Pinetta, Madison County, FL, travel east on CR 150; turn right at the bridge and follow road to the launch south of the river bridge. Downstream it’s 8.8 miles or about 4.4 miles to paddle to Florida Campsites Ramp. First thing you’ll see is the twisted remains of the old Bellville Bridge, and on the right bank the Pinetta gauge.

GPS: 30.595667, -83.26

[Hardee Spring, 2015-10-24]
Hardee Spring, 2015-10-24 on the WWALS Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT)

Continue reading →

More materials: Hamilton County Planning Commission on Nutrien phosphate mine permit renewal 2023-03-28

Update 2023-04-17: No phosphate mine waste into recreational lakes, and more transparency –WWALS to Hamilton County BOCC 2023-04-17.

See also, from five years ago: Pictures: PCS Phosphate mine permit Public Hearings, Jasper, FL 2018-01-23.

Here are 78 more documents related to the Public Hearing at 6 PM this Tuesday, April 18, 2023, at the Hamilton County Commission in Jasper, Florida, about Nutrien’s phosphate mining permit renewal.

[Mining location, reclamation, flow, and areas]
Mining location, reclamation, flow, and areas

These documents, from a USB stick I picked up from Hamilton County today, are in addition to the documents I posted yesterday.

Ordinarily I would read everything first and post some analysis, but in the interests of time, here are the documents. Continue reading →

Hamilton County Planning Commission wants conditions on Nutrien phosphate mine permit renewal 2023-03-28

Update 2023-04-13: More materials: Hamilton County Planning Commission on Nutrien phosphate mine permit renewal 2023-03-28.

Update 2023-04-12: The County Commission meeting will be April 18th.

The Nutrien Phosphate Mine in Hamilton County, Florida, is up for renewal by the Hamilton Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday, April 28 18, 2023, at 6 PM. There will be a Public Hearing. Since time to speak will be limited, best to send written comments in advance.

The renewal request has already been reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Board (PNZ), on March 28, 2023. PNZ recommends renewal with some conditions.

Private landowners, a number of whose property is inside the mine boundary, object that some of Nutrien’s plans for disposal of waste such as clay will adversely affect those landowners’ businesses as well as wildlife and waters.

Dennis J. Price, P.G., of Hamilton County filed a page of questions.

Bienville Outdoors filed a a request to find other options for settling areas.

Maybe you would like to comment on effects of this mine on the Suwannee River, Swift Creek, the Floridan Aquifer, or public health.

[Private landowners, Clay flows, aerial: Nutrien Phosphate Mine, Hamilton County, FL]
Private landowners, Clay flows, aerial: Nutrien Phosphate Mine, Hamilton County, FL

On the WWALS website are Continue reading →

Gibson Park to Suwannee River State Park, swim view Five Holes, 2022-08-13

A summer saunter on the iconic Suwannee River, with swimming in viewing the connected sinks and springs of Five Holes.

According to the Park, Five Holes is closed for renovation, but we have permission from Park Manager Matt Phifer to swim in view Five Holes on this outing.

There may or may not be swimming through some of the holes if you know what you’re doing. If the water is low like now, you can see through and it will be a walk through. But there are no dark spots; the main danger with swimming is banging your head.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 2 PM, Saturday, August 13, 2022

Put In: Gibson Park Ramp, 6844 SW CR 751, Jasper, FL 32052. Right bank, west side of the river. From Jasper, Hamilton County, FL, travel southwest on Right bank. SW CR 249 to SW CR 751; turn left and boat ramp is on the right in Gibson Park.

GPS: 30.437637, -83.094031

Take Out: Suwannee River State Park Ramp

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

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

Event: facebook, meetup

[Five Holes, Alapaha River Rise, Suwanacoochee Spring, Suwannee River swing]
Five Holes, Alapaha River Rise, Suwanacoochee Spring, Suwannee River swing

Continue reading →

US 41 Little Alapaha River Bridge

Actually, there is a US 41 Little Alapaha River bridge, and it may even be historic. So that’s five bridges across the Little Alapaha River, four above the Swallet, and one below, before its Confluence with the Alapaha River.

[Composite US 41 Little Alapaha River Bridge]
Composite US 41 Little Alapaha River Bridge

The US 41 bridge is the first bridge listed by bridgereports.com for Hamilton County, mislabled as “US-41 (SR-6 & 25) over ALAPAHA RIVER OVERFLOW”. But at 30.52389, -83.01550, it’s much closer to the Little Alapaha River.

At more than a mile east of the Alapaha River, that’s a bit far to be overflow. Continue reading →

Groundwater considered important: WWALS to EPA 2022-02-07

WWALS sent EPA some comments on groundwater, which is very important here above the Floridan Aquifer in south Georgia and north Florida.

WWALS also signed on to comments by Waterkeeper Alliance and SELC, but SELC wrote almost nothing about groundwater, and there was more to say than was in the WKA comments. Those other comments are on the WWALS website.

The WWALS comments should appear on regulations.gov, Docket number EPA-HQ-OW-2021-0602, with Comment Tracking Number kzd-8bdc-p6xf, after EPA finishes reviewing it. Here they are in PDF and inline below.

[Dead River Sink, Alapaha River Rise, WWALS Letter to EPA]
Dead River Sink, Alapaha River Rise, WWALS Letter to EPA

Continue reading →

Little Alapaha River, Swallet, Bridges, Source, Mouth 2022-02-07

Update 2022-02-09: US 41 Little Alapaha River Bridge.

During Sunday’s paddle on the last stretch of the Alapaha River, people got curious about a distributary which turned out to be the Little Alapaha River absorbing water from the Alapaha River.

[Source, Bridge, Swallet, Confluence: Little Alapaha River]
Source, Bridge, Swallet, Confluence: Little Alapaha River

Here is a bit more about the Little Alapaha River: map, Source, Bridges (one wooden), Confluence, where two days ago we found the Alapaha River running into the Little Alapaha River as a distributary. Continue reading →

Pictures: Last stretch, Alapaha River 2022-02-05

Update 2022-02-07: Little Alapaha River, Swallet, Bridges, Source, Mouth 2022-02-07.

Cold but well worth it, said the nineteen paddlers let by Shirley Kokidko on the WWALS paddle from US 41 on the Alapaha River to the Suwannee River. Plus a distributary that turns out to be the Little Alapaha River. And the Alapaha River Rise, where Alapaha River water from the Dead River Sink comes back up 20 miles and three days later, slightly upstream on the Suwannee River.

[US 41 Bridge, Little Alapaha River, Suwannee River, Alapaha River Rise]
US 41 Bridge, Little Alapaha River, Suwannee River, Alapaha River Rise

Here are 360-degree views every 10 seconds, taken with a GOPRO 360. Continue reading →