Tag Archives: springs

Cleanup and outing, Nankin, Mcintyre and Arnold Springs, Mozell Spells, Withlacoochee River 2017-10-14

Tires and trash cleaned up at Nankin Boat Ramp, swimming and diver tales at McIntyre Spring, a creek, karst, shoals, and rapids, into Florida and back to Georgia all downstream, Valdosta Railway Trestle, Madison County Four Freedoms Trail, and exotic invasive Japanese Climbing Fern, all on a fall day on the Withlacoochee River with WWALS Watershed Coalition, Suwannee Riverkeeper. Thanks to all who came to paddle from as far as two hours from Gainesville, Florida and four hours from Pine Mountain, Georgia.

A free diver, 12:47:33,, McIntyre Spring

The Quitman (US 84) Gauge was at about 2.6′ (86′ NAVD88).

Here are some pictures.

This post is just the first part; more pictures will follow are posted with diving and landowners at Arnold Springs, Old Clyattville Road Bridge Horn Bridge, and Mozell Spells (State Line Ramp). and a Google Map, and a few videos are still to come.

These are some of our many favorite spots on the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail.

Watch wwals.net for more outings are they are announced, or see the WWALS calendar or the WWALS outings and events web page. We have outings at least once a month.

Banner and fourteen picker-uppers, 09:55:21,, Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Cleanup 30.6749200, -83.3939200

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A Resolution Against Phosphate Mines in Florida –Florida Waterkeepers 2017-12-18

Update 2018-12-30: The new organization WATERKEEPERS Florida, as one of its first acts, on December 19, 2018, signed the Resolution Against Phosphate Mines in Florida, thus committing all thirteen of its member organizations.

Update 2018-11-13: Miami Waterkeeper has signed, bringing it to a round dozen Florida Waterkeepers.

Signers, Resolution

Update 2018-08-18: Calusa Waterkeeper has also signed, bringing it to 11 of the 14 Waterkeepers in Florida. (See also PDF.)

Update 2018-08-01: Five additional signers: Suncoast Waterkeeper, Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, Indian Riverkeeper, St. Marys Riverkeeper, and Collier County Waterkeeper. Seven of us delivered this resolution in person to FDEP Secretary Noah Valenstein.

Delivered via email as PDF to the Union BOCC before their phosphate mine workshop of Monday, December 18, 2017.

A Resolution
Against Phosphate Mines in Florida

WHEREAS, Waterkeeper Alliance Members are obligated and dedicated to protect the water resources, citizens’ interests, and related benefits in their jurisdictions; and

WHEREAS, Resolution WHEREAS, phosphate mines have been shown to threaten and cause actual harm to these resources, interest, and related benefits; and

WHEREAS, there are several phosphate mine projects in various stages of permitting in local, state, and federal agencies including county and city governments, Water Management Districts (WMDs), Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE); and

WHEREAS, there seems to be no public list of current phosphate mines and related facitlities, which include at least

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Global Croplands, Suwannee River Basin

You can see on these maps that the Suwannee River Basin is massively agricultural, except where it’s forestry or swamp or other wetlands. Thus it’s no wonder that most of the nitrate runoff problem here is due to agriculture, as shown in the Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs).

Basin Wide, Maps

WWALS Science Committee Chair Tom Potter points to this Global Croplands map to illustrate the BMAP issues. The question remains of whether agricultural best management practices as advocated in the recent BMAP meetings will be sufficient to deal with the problem, considering they haven’t decreased it in the past decade.

Global Croplands About: Continue reading →

Two public meetings about the new Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park

Today (Tuesday) and Thursday, public workshops about Florida’s newest state park, Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park.

When: 5:30-8PM, Tuesday,
November 28, 2017

Where: 23760 NW 187th Avenue,
High Springs, FL 32643
Santa Fe Room,
Old School Community Center

When: 5:30-8PM, Thursday,
November 30, 2017

Where: 105 NE 11th Avenue,
Trenton, FL 32643
Gilchrist County
Public Library

Flyer, FDEP

A COPY OF THE AGENDA MAY BE OBTAINED BY Continue reading →

SRWMD BMAP meeting, Live Oak, FL 2017-11-14

Next Tuesday in Live Oak, the latest on BMAPs.

To: Suwannee River Basin BMAP Stakeholders
From: Terry Hansen, Basin Coordinator

Reminder: A meeting for the Lower and Middle Suwannee River, Withlacoochee River, and associated springs Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) is scheduled for November 14th, 2017. Note that everyone is welcome to attend. The primary purpose of this meeting is to discuss and receive comments on the draft BMAP document. The Department requests that you please submit any comments on the draft document by COB Thursday, November 30th, 2017.

Tuesday, November 14, 2017
6:00 PM,
Suwannee River Water Management District
9225 CR49
Live Oak, FL 32060

BMAP Area Map
Photo: John S. Quarterman, from BMAPs: Agriculture and water at the Suwannee River Basin crossroads 2017-04-13

A meeting agenda Continue reading →

WWALS at VSU Learning in Retirement 2017-08-31

Come ask Gretchen questions this Thursday morning, 10-11AM, at VSU’s Continuing Education building in midtown Valdosta.

When: 10AM to 11AM, Thursday, August 31, 2017

Where: VSU Continuing Education
903 N Patterson St, Valdosta, Georgia 31698

Event: facebook

Gretchen Quarterman, Executive Director, WWALS Watershed Coalition
Gretchen Quarterman speaking at a WWALS public meeting at VSU last spring

WWALS will be offering an interactive lecture at Valdosta State Learning in Retirement Fall Session. We will talk about the watershed of the Suwannee Basin, the Floridan Aquifer, current challenges, and how together we can make sure our water is swimmable, fishable, and drinkable.

Continue reading →

Springs Field School 2017-08-20-23

Seems like this course by the Florida Springs Institute should also be of interest to agricultural managers, especially now that the BMAPs indicate massive reduction in nitrate runoff into springs.

Sunday, August 20th – Wednesday, August 23rd
Ocala National Forest

This year’s Springs Field School is scheduled for four days of outdoor activities and springs education in The Ocala National Forest! Field trip locations include Silver Springs State Park, Salt Springs, Juniper Springs, and Silver Glen Springs. We will be camping and lodging at Lake in The Forest Black Bear Resort, central to the over 600 Ocala National Forests lakes, rivers, and springs! Each day of Field School will consist of about four hours of field trips and four hours of lectures with breaks during the day for meals.

Attendees

Who Should Participate in Springs Field School? Continue reading →

Hardee Spring and Plantation, Withlacoochee River, Hamilton County, FL

Yes, Hardee Spring is accessible by land, off of 34th Street NW, Jennings, Florida, aka Hardee Camp Road, but it’s on private land. It’s on one of four parcels totaling 305 acres, with 8,000 feet (1.6 miles) of river frontage and a lodge, which can be yours for a mere $8.5 million. Maybe Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) should buy it, since SRWMD already owns the next properties upstream and downstream on the Withlacoochee River. Or maybe it should be turned into a state park. Or maybe somebody wants to donate it to WWALS for an office location.

Map: River Error Farms Inc., Hardee Spring, Hamilton County, FL
Map from SRWMD PARCEL ASSESSMENT SUMMARY.

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Water higher than two years ago, Sullivan to Madison Blue, Withlacoochee River, 2017-06-24

Two years ago the water level was 41.27 feet and today it’s 42.56 at the USGS Madison (FL 6) gage, so the Withlacoochee River is fine for today’s WWALS outing from Sullivan Launch to Madison Blue Spring; follow the link for details. Also WWALS Outings Chair Phil Hubbard visited the put-in and the take-out yesterday, and reports the water is fine.

Here are some pictures from the same route two years ago, 24 October 2015.

Onwards

We won’t see as many rapids today since with the water more than a foot higher we’ll float over some of those shoals, but we’ll see some, and many springs. Bring swimming clothes and also trash bags, because every outing is also a cleanup.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

Agenda, Santa Fe River Springs Protection Forum 2017-04-13

The agenda says it’s for a Santa Fe River Springs Protection Forum, but the venue at Otter Springs is on the Suwannee River downstream of the Santa Fe River, and Potash Corp Field Trip Summary is about the phosphate mine in Hamilton County well upstream on the Suwannee River, using pictures from the WWALS Southwings flight of 22 October 2016. Many people and organizations are concerned about an attempt to start another phosphate mine in Union and Bradford Counties, which are upstream of the Santa Fe River.

Follow the link for the agenda PDF, and there’s an image below.

When: 9:30 am – 3:00 pm, Thursday, April 13, 2017

Where: Otter Springs Campground
6470 SW 80th Avenue, Trenton FL, 32693

What: Santa Fe River Springs Protection Forum

Bee Haven Bay, now PCS Phosphate mine, 30.5089370, -82.8682070

Bee Haven Bay, now PCS Phosphate mine,
Picture by WWALS member Jim Tatum of Our Santa Fe River on WWALS Southwings flight 2017-10-22 piloted by Roy Zimmer, with Continue reading →