The map in this Chemours followup report about its January 31, 2024, 194,195-gallon wastewater spill seems to indicate the water went south into Double Run Creek, which goes to the Santa Fe River.
The latlong in the map legend, 29.8901015, -82.0506411, is on one branch of Double Run Creek. Continue reading
A decade ago, a year after WWALS formed, charter board member Bret Wagenhorst led us from Stephen C. Foster State Park near Fargo, Georgia, up the Suwannee River and its Middle Fork in the Okefenokee Swamp.
We saw birds, fish, gators, and Possumhaw aka Swamp Holly, Ilex decidua.
![[Okefenokee Swamp Outing, Stephen C. Foster SP, Suwannee River, Fargo, GA 2014-11-22]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2014-11-22--wwals-okefenokee/fbmany.jpg)
Okefenokee Swamp Outing, Stephen C. Foster SP, Suwannee River, Fargo, GA 2014-11-22
That phone with its bad lens eventually took a swim in a river and I got a better one. Continue reading
Update 2025-09-17: Shirley got a reservation for Friday and Saturday, November 14-15, 2025.
Paddle 9 miles upstream on the Suwannee River in the Okefenokee Swamp for primitive camping on Floyd’s Island. Paddle back the next day.
You must RSVP on meetup to get a spot (clicking Going on the facebook event does not count as an RSVP).
This is the farthest you can get from any road in Georgia, with very dark sky.
You can camp inside the century-old Hebard Cabin, or in your tent or hammock outside.
Yes, you will see gators, and probably other wildlife.
When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end All Day, Friday, November 14, 2025
Launch 9 AM, End 1 PM, Saturday, November 15, 2025
Put In: Stephen C. Foster State Park Ramp, 17515 GA-177, Fargo, GA 31631. From Fargo, travel south on US 441 to CR 177; turn left and travel to Stephen C. Foster State Park, in Charlton County.
![[Floyd's Island Campout, Okefenokee Swamp, Suwannee River, Friday & Saturday, 14-15 Nov. 2025]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-11-01--floyds-island-okefenokee/fbmany.jpg)
Floyd’s Island Campout, Okefenokee Swamp, Suwannee River, Friday & Saturday, 14-15 Nov. 2025
It was a fun and educational day at the Second Annual Okefenokee Folk Festival.
Thanks to Chris “Turtleman” Adams for inviting us.
![[Okefenokee Folk Festival, Okefenokee Heritage Center, Waycross, GA, May 5, 2025]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-05-03--okefenokee-folk-festival-waycross-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
Okefenokee Folk Festival, Okefenokee Heritage Center, Waycross, GA, May 5, 2025
It was also Sue Clark Day, referring to the late Sue Clark, who “spearheaded the creation of Southern Forest World and the Okefenokee Heritage Center.”
Thanks to Shirley Kokidko and Gretchen Quarterman for helping at the WWALS booth.
And it was the monthly Waygreen Local Fare Market, run by Gretchen’s friend Connie McDaniel Oliver.
Thanks to Jolie Hoyle, Environmental Education Coordinator, Okefenokee Swamp Park, for lettting me pet the alligator, illustrating what not to do when paddling.
For more Continue reading
Update 2025-07-11: Pictures: Turner Bridge to Cone Bridge Paddle, Suwannee River 2025-07-05.
Join us for an 11.2-mile paddle on the upper Suwannee River.
This is beautiful part of the river has one section of small shoals to paddle through. There can also be some tree debris in the river to work our way around.
Everyone must wear a PFD while on the river. Both ramps are on long dirt roads that are usually well maintained. Please come on time, the shuttle leaves promptly at 9:30.
When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10:15 AM, end 3:30 PM, Saturday, July 5, 2025
Put In: Turner Bridge Ramp, From White Springs, travel north on SE CR 135; cross over SE CR 6 onto NE 180 Boulevard (Woodpecker Route); travel north to NE 38 Trail; turn right and follow road to ramp, in Hamilton County.
![[Turner Bridge to Cone Bridge Paddle, Suwannee River, July 5, 2025]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-07-05--turner-to-cone-bridge/fbmany.jpg)
Turner Bridge to Cone Bridge Paddle, Suwannee River, July 5, 2025
Update 2025-05-05: Pictures: 2nd Annual Okefenokee Folk Festival, Okefenokee Heritage Center, Waycross, GA 2025-05-03.
Join us at the WWALS booth in Waycross, Georgia, at the Second Annual Okefenokee Folk Festival.
Thanks to Chris “Turtleman” Adams for inviting us to the Okefenokee Heritage Festival for this event.
We’ll be talking about the Okefenokee Swamp and the Suwannee River Water Trail (SRWT) among other things.
When: 10 AM-3 PM, Saturday, May 3, 2025
Put In: Okefenokee Heritage Center, 1460 N Augusta Ave, Waycross, GA 31503
Continue readingUpdate 2025-04-26: Edwards Spring, Suwannee River 2025-04-22.
A reporter from WUFT and I took a stroll from the site of the Town of Ellaville in Madison County, Florida, onto the Historic Hillman Bridge, to Suwannee County. Also the US 90 Bridge, the CSX Railroad Bridge, and the Withlacoochee River Confluence.
For who the bridge is named after,
the millionaire Turpentine King,
Captain Winder Josephus Hillman (1857-1931),
see previous post.
https://wwals.net/?p=67489
![[Andrew Sheridan, WUFT News, 2025:04:22 09:57:39, 30.3866911, -83.1752520]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-04-22--ellaville-hillman-bridge/20250422_095739.jpg)
Andrew Sheridan, WUFT News, 2025:04:22 09:57:39, 30.3866911, -83.1752520
The sign says, according to The historical marker database, starting on the other side:
Drew Mansion Site
Located approximately one-half mile to the northwest is the site of the Drew Mansion, home of George F. Drew, governor of Florida during the difficult period of readjustment following Civil War Reconstruction, 1877-1881. Built in the late 1860’s, the two-story mansion with its beautiful color-matched oak parquet floors was surrounded by formal gardens and was one of the first homes in the area to have modern utilities. This once elegant landmark of Florida’s past was destroyed by fire in 1970.
And on the pictured side:
The Town of Ellaville
Closely related to the career of Governor George F. Drew was the sawmill and manufacturing complex of Ellaville, established by Drew in the mid-1860’s. The present Route 90 led through this town of several hundred people. The ruins of the sawmill are on the west bank of the Withlacoochee River near its confluence with the Suwannee. Ellaville flourished as long as the yellow pine lasted. It declined after 1900 and ceased to exist when the Post Office closed in 1942.
Continue reading
Update 2025-04-25: Site of Town of Ellaville and Hillman Bridge, Suwannee River 2025-04-22.
Built in 1925, abandoned in 1983 when an overweight truck damaged it, the historic Hillman Bridge still stands over the Suwannee River.
![[Historic Hillman Bridge, Suwannee River, Ellaville, Florida, Withlacoochee River Confluence]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2018-12-01--hillman-bridge/fbmany.jpg)
Historic Hillman Bridge, Suwannee River, Ellaville, Florida, Withlacoochee River Confluence
It has a storied past, starting with the millionaire Turpentine King, Captain Winder Josephus Hillman (1857-1931), who got his start in Live Oak and High Springs and “opened another camp in Inverness before expanding his operations throughout Central and South Florida before becoming a director of the Consolidated Naval Stores Company of Jacksonville, the largest naval stores trader in the United States.” See below for the source and more quotes.
Hillman Bridge is downstream of the CSX Railroad Bridge and the Withlacoochee River Confluence. Continue reading
Update 2025-04-14: Videos.
The weather was perfect, the river and springs were crystal clear, the company was congenial, and there were many turtles and birds (and tubers), on the Ichetucknee River in spring.
Thanks to Janet Martin for organizing this outing, and for some of the pictures here.
On Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Wwalswatershed/videos/1026695632691778/
On YouTube:
https://youtu.be/awFdQjOQGzo
These pictures go from Ichetucknee Springs State Park North Entrance, past many springs and tubers, past South Launch, to the south end of the park.
To be continued with the rest of the Ichetucknee River with many boats, and the Santa Fe River to US 129, with many power boats going fast.
For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see the WWALS outings web page, https://wwals.net/outings/. WWALS members also get an upcoming list in the Tannin Times newsletter.
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations
On the SRWMD Board Agenda for April 8, 2025, related to the Lands Committee proposal to convey three spring parks to Suwannee County, SRWMD hasn’t even finished its planned work on Telford Spring, and Falmouth Springs is still closed due to hurricane damage. See page 48 in the Land Management Update Report.
Telford Spring: In July, the District opened Telford Spring to the public. EUTAW, Inc has completed a conceptual plan to improve parking and public access. The initial phase to develop the parking lot is planned.
Storm Facility Repairs: Hurricane Debby and Hurricane Helene have damaged public use areas to varying degrees. Eight sites are currently undergoing plans for assessment and construction costs to repair. The sites under assessment are Suwannee Springs, Falmouth Springs, Owen Springs, Steinhatchee Falls, Blue Sink, Atsena Otie Key, and Lukens. FEMA conducted site inspections for 3 of the damaged facilities. Falmouth Springs remains closed due to damage to the boardwalk.
![[Collage, SRWMD Board Package 2025-04-08]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-04-08--srwmd-board/many.jpg)
Collage, SRWMD Board Package 2025-04-08
Perhaps the most interesting items in the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) Governing Board agenda for April 8, 2025, are these two items under “5. Consideration of the following Items Collectively by Consent:” Continue reading
![[More about Spill 2024-01-31, Chemours Trail Ridge South, TiO2 mine SE of Starke, FL, Santa Fe River Basin]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-01-31--about-spill-trail-ridge-south-chemours/fbmany.jpg)
![[WWALS Booth at 2nd Annual Okefenokee Folk Festival, Okefenokee Heritage Center, Waycross, GA 2025-05-03]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-05-03--okefenokee-folk-festival-waycross/fbmany.jpg)
![[Ichetucknee River, Springs, Turtles, Birds, Tubers 2025-04-05, North Launch past South Launch, to US 27 Bridge]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-04-05--ichetucknee-santa-fe-pictures/fbmany.jpg)