Tag Archives: south Georgia

Pictures: Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek to RR Bridge 2026-02-14

Update 2026-03-02: Two weeks later, Videos: Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek downstream 2026-02-28.

We went only 0.28 Sugar Creek and Withlacoochee River miles, but we sawed plenty of passage through deadfalls, moved much debris, and picked up a bunch of trash.

Here are some video clips:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/2360050534421356/

https://youtu.be/XsmSiemHLug

We were chainsawing passage for kayaks, canoes, and jon boats through hurricane deadfalls, especially from Hurricane Helene.

Phil Hubbard, leader of this expedition, remarked: “I felt we had a very productive day. With the low water we were able to clear obstructions that had existed but inaccessible for a very long time.”

[Chainsaw Cleanup, Sugar Creek to Withlacoochee River, Short distance but much accomplished]
Chainsaw Cleanup, Sugar Creek to Withlacoochee River, Short distance but much accomplished

We are preparing for the Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper, which is currently scheduled for Saturday, March 7, 2026, if the river level rises enough to avoid rescheduling.

We took a WWALS canoe with the 24-inch Husqvarna Rancher chainsaw and the 86 lb thrust trolling motor paid for by a grant from Wild Green Future, plus other saws, electric and gas. Phil Hubbard and I used the canoe. David Savage and Tish Hall each brought their own kayak. We spent more time walking than paddling.

Phil Hubbard recently Continue reading →

Board Packet online –GA-DNR 2026-02-24

Thanks to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA-DNR) for putting their board packet online!

https://gadnr.org/board

Maybe they got tired of me nagging them last month until they sent the packet so WWALS could post it.

https://wwals.net/?p=69309

Still not back on the agenda after they took it off last time, is the Suwannee River Visitor Center.

[Board Packet online, --GA-DNR 2026-01-24, Congratulations, Moultrie, Eastside Trail in RTP]
Board Packet online, –GA-DNR 2026-01-24, Congratulations, Moultrie, Eastside Trail in RTP

If Moultrie’s Eastside Trail is in the watershed of Okalpilco Creek, that’s in the Suwannee River Basin. Congratulations, Moultrie, for being invited to submit a full proposal for your $200,000 project in the Recreational Trails Program (RTP).

I see nothing else about the Suwannee River Basin in this month’s board packet.

Follow the link above for the rest of the packet for the GA-DNR Board of Natural Resources meeting, Monday, February 24, 2026, at 9 AM, in the DNR Board Room, Atlanta, GA is 2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, SE Suite 1252 East, Atlanta, GA 30334.

Or you can watch live by zoom:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87666619346?pwd=YdFlljH7EofQOa3aFs2beaPiyxtXfw.1

Meeting ID: 876 6661 9346

Passcode: 304473

Continue reading →

Datacenter proposed, Irwinville, near Alapaha River 2026-02-26

Update 2025-03-01: Datacenter: recommended approval –Irwin County Planning Commission 2026-02-26

Update 2026-02-17: Datacenter water use and Irwin County Planning Commission and Industrial Authority @ WALB TV 2026-02-16.

Update 2026-02-17: Sen. Carden Summers tries to amend to weaken GA SB 34 that would require datacenters to pay their own electric bills @ GA Sen. Comm. on Regulated Industries and Utilities 2026-02-12.

Update 2026-02-16: So-called AI hallucinates no matter how good its training data –OpenAI 2025-09-18.

Apparently the Planning Commission meeting on Thursday, February 26, at 6 PM, has been moved to the Courthouse. If so, that indicates much interest in this case.

I’m told this datacenter would be for Google, but it doesn’t really matter which big company wants it.

[Datacenter proposed, Irwinville, GA, near Alapaha River, Planning Commission 2026-02-26]
Datacenter proposed, Irwinville, GA, near Alapaha River, Planning Commission 2026-02-26

Datacenters for so-called AI are wasteful misuses of water that could go to agriculture and other uses, and of power that requires more power plants that use more cooling water.

The current alleged artificial intelligence (AI) and especially the current brute-force methods of implementing it will be leapfrogged by something else within a few years, just like expensive computer workstations got leapfrogged by Intel PCs and now everybody has something faster and more capable in their pocket.

https://wwals.net/?p=69238

Why waste our most irreplaceable resource, water, for this? Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee, Ichetucknee, and Santa Fe Rivers; Dirty New River upstream 2026-02-12

Update 2026-02-18: Filthy Withlacoochee River and Sugar Creek 2026-02-17.

WWALS got good river results on the Withlacoochee, Ichetucknee, and Santa Fe Rivers this week, as did Valdosta Utilities on the Withlacoochee.

But new WWALS tester Isis Swartz got too-high E. coli results on the New River at 18th Street in Tifton, Georgia.

We have no new creek test results.

No new sewage spills have been reported this week in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.

The weather prediction for Saturday is mostly sunny with rain on Sunday. So if you can find a river with enough water, happy paddling, boating, swimming, and fishing this weekend.

This image is an illustration. Scroll down for the details.

[Clean Withlacoochee, Ichetucknee, and Santa Fe Rivers; Dirty New River upstream, 2026-02-09-12]
Clean Withlacoochee, Ichetucknee, and Santa Fe Rivers; Dirty New River upstream, 2026-02-09-12

Or come with WWALS tomorrow (Saturday), on the Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek to Troupville 2026-02-14.

https://wwals.net/?p=69369

Follow this link for the WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge –USFWS 1948-01-01

Perhaps the most unusual feature of this historical writeup is this claim:

“In a sense OKEFENOKEE IS NOT A SWAMP AT ALL, but a saucer-shaped depression fed to a great extent by clear, bubbling springs in the prairies.”

Can somebody point out these mythical springs within the Swamp?

[Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Conservation in Action, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 1945]
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Conservation in Action, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 1945

Thanks to Chapin Burgess for sending this document. I don’t know where he got it. A copy is on the WWALS website. Images of each page are below.

Much of it is about alligators, birds, bears, and fishing.

Some swamp terminology was different in 1945. Floating bottom was called “floating isles”. Batteries were called “houses”, or that term is also equated to “hammock”.

The Refuge headquarters was called Camp Cornelia. Continue reading →

Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek to Troupville 2026-02-14

Update 2026-02-16: Pictures: Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek to Troupville 2026-02-14.

Join us as we chainsaw passage for kayaks, canoes, and jon boats through hurricane deadfalls.

You do not have to use a saw: you can pull sawed limbs aside, collect trash, photograph, or just paddle along.

The river is very low. This is convenient for sawing through dead trees while standing on the river bottom. But beware there will be much dragging of boats.

We are preparing for the Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper, which is currently scheduled for Saturday, March 7, 2026, if the river level rises enough to avoid rescheduling.

When: Gather 11 AM, launch 12 PM, end 5 PM, Saturday, February 14, 2026

Put In: Gather at the bottom of the Salty Snapper parking lot, 1405 Gornto Rd, Valdosta, GA 31602-2232.
We’ll put in on Sugar Creek if there’s enough water,
otherwise on the Withlacoochee River under the railroad trestle.

GPS: 30.861251, -83.318900

[Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek to Troupville, 9 AM, Saturday, February 14, 2026]
Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek to Troupville, 9 AM, Saturday, February 14, 2026

Continue reading →

Clean Alapaha, Withlacoochee, and Santa Fe Rivers 2026-02-04

Update 2026-02-13: Clean Withlacoochee, Ichetucknee, and Santa Fe Rivers; Dirty New River upstream 2026-02-12.

WWALS got good river results on the Alapaha and Santa Fe Rivers for Wednesday.

Valdosta Utilities also got good E. coli results for the Withlacoochee for Monday.

We have no new creek test results.

No new sewage spills have been reported this week in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia.

But there were two in Florida. The Florida Pollution Notices map is broken again, but WWALS is signed up for alerts so we got them by email. High Springs spilled Monday near the Santa Fe River, and Live Oak spilled Tuesday near the Suwannee River. Both were small spills and not very near any major waterway.

The weather prediction for Saturday and Sunday is warmer and sunny. So if you can find a river with enough water, happy paddling, boating, swimming, and fishing this weekend.

Or come with WWALS tomorrow (Saturday), to find the site of the old Drew Mansion, on Ellaville Hike, Withlacoochee River 2026-02-07.

https://wwals.net/?p=69082

This image is an illustration. Scroll down for the details.

[Clean Alapaha and Santa Fe, Rivers 2026-02-04, Clean Withlacoochee River 2026-02-02]
Clean Alapaha and Santa Fe, Rivers 2026-02-04, Clean Withlacoochee River 2026-02-02

Alapaha River

WWALS tester Heather Brasell got a pretty good 333 cfu/100 mL for the Town of Alapaha wastewater plant outflow creek, and 166 for the Alapaha River just upstream from Sheboggy Boat Ramp on US 82, both for Wednesday, February 4, 2026.

Santa Fe River

WWALS testers Bob Mills and Kurt Hurzeler for Wednesday at Mills Dock, a bit upstream from Poe Springs Ramp, bot a quite clean 66 cfu/100 mL, with 12.8 C air temperature and 16.3 C water temperature.

Withlacoochee River

Valdosta Utilities for Monday (we don’t know why not for Wednesday) got pretty good 320 at GA 133 and pretty clean 100 at US 84, both below the 410 one-time test limit.

Follow this link for the WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →

Jacksonville Wastewater into Suwannee Basin, WWALS Webinar 2026-02-12

Update 2026-02-13: Video: Jacksonville Wastewater into Suwannee Basin, WWALS Webinar 2026-02-12.

2026-02-06: JEA approved $400 million for WFNF treated wastewater into Suwannee Basin 2025-11-19.

Come hear some questions about SRWMD and SJRWMD’s billion dollar plan to pipe treated wastewater into the Suwannee River Basin.

The Suwannee River Basin in Florida is downstream from Valdosta’s wastewater spills. Should it also be downstream from Jacksonville?

That’s the plan by the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) and the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) to pipe output from the JEA Buckman wastewater treatment plant into wetlands in the Suwannee River Basin, to recharge springs and rivers.

But what about the PFAS forever chemicals, drugs, and artificial sweeteners wastewater plants do not remove?

Since Jacksonville withdraws more groundwater than anything else in the affected area, why not have JAX limit its own withdrawals? Maybe by seawater desalination, like California, Texas, and south Florida already do?

Come hear these and many more questions, such as eminent domain for that 60-plus-mile pipe, who would pay, and effects on tourism.

Register for the zoom:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/XKKtXMvEQCaTCN4_rHSuyQ

At noon, Thursday, February 12, 2026, WWALS Board member Sara Squires Jones will introduce Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman.

He will speak for about 45 minutes.

Questions and answers will be at the end.

[Jacksonville Treated Wastewater into Suwannee Basin, WWALS Webinar 2026-02-12, Questions by Suwannee Riverkeeper]
Jacksonville Treated Wastewater into Suwannee Basin, WWALS Webinar 2026-02-12, Questions by Suwannee Riverkeeper

Continue reading →

Full Worm Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2026-03-03

Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle on our watery living room, Banks Lake, just west of Lakeland, Georgia. We may see bats on this mini-Okefenokee.

When: Gather 5:45 PM, launch 6:15 PM, moonrise 6:59 PM, sunset 6:33 PM, end 7:45 PM, Tuesday, March 3, 2026

Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).

GPS: 31.034824, -83.096725

[Full Worm Moon Paddle, Banks Lake, Lakeland, GA, Sunset, Moonrise, and maybe bats 2026-03-03]
Full Worm Moon Paddle, Banks Lake, Lakeland, GA, Sunset, Moonrise, and maybe bats 2026-03-03

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Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper, Withlacoochee River 2026-03-07

Update 2026-02-23: Rescheduled due to low water, Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper 2026-04-18.

Suwannee Riverkeeper invites you to paddle on the idyllic Withlacoochee River with the Mayor of Valdosta and the Lowndes County Commission Chairman.

Mayor Scott James Matheson and Chairman Bill Slaughter always seem to enjoy this outing, and you will, too.

Under towering oaks, cypress, and longleaf pines, we will pass the most populous city and county in the Suwannee River Basin and the site of the future Troupville Nature Park and River Camp, on the WWALS Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT).

Thanks to Phil Hubbard for once again leading this paddle.

Thanks to Joe Brownlee for a generous grant from Georgia Power, this outing is free for everyone.

The city and county will probably also post their own announcements.

When: Gather 8 AM, launch 9 AM, end 4 PM, Saturday, March 7, 2026

Put In: Langdale Park Boat Ramp or Troupville Boat Ramp
Which put in will depend on water levels and any remaining obstructions in the river.
WWALS will announce that decision in advance.

[Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper, Withlacoochee River, Saturday, March 7, 2026]
Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper, Withlacoochee River, Saturday, March 7, 2026

Continue reading →