Tag Archives: St. Augustine Road

OK Santa Fe and Alapaha Rivers, Questionable Withlacoochee River, Dirty Sugar Creek, Clean Little River 2026-03-19

1 Reply

Update 2026-03-27: Clean New, Withlacoochee, and Santa Fe Rivers 2026-03-26.

Sugar Creek is dirty again, but not as filthy as last week, according to a WWALS Tuesday sample. So was Hightower Creek at St. Augustine Road, also for Tuesday.

For the Withlacoochee River, Valdosta Utilities for Monday got very filthy with E. coli at GA 133, but clean at US 84.

WWALS got clean downstream at Holly Point for Tuesday, and clean upstream at Hagan Bridge for Thursday, also on the Withlacoochee River. And clean for Thursday on the Little River at Troupville Boat Ramp, just above the Withlacoochee.

The Santa Fe River tested clean for Thursday, and the Alapaha River tested OK for Saturday.

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

So chances are the contamination from the big rain of Monday has been diluted. Happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend.

Come join us tomorrow, Saturday, for a Chainsaw cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Upstream from Troupville 2026-03-21. You do not have to use a saw. You can pull trimmed branches aside, pick up trash, photograph, or just paddle along.

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

[OK Alapaha, Santa Fe Rivers, Questionable Withlacoochee, Dirty Sugar Creek, Clean Little River 2026-03-19]
OK Alapaha, Santa Fe Rivers, Questionable Withlacoochee, Dirty Sugar Creek, Clean Little River 2026-03-19

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 →

Trash trap, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-02

1 Reply

Three different trash trap companies have quoted for a Withlacoochee River location just upstream from Langdale Park Boat Ramp, and downstream from US 41, North Valdosta Road.

Two have looked at another Withlacoochee River location just downstream from GA 133, in Troupville Park, where VLPRA briefly owns both sides of the river.

[Trash trap sites, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-02, Langdale Park below US 41, Troupville Park below GA 133]
Trash trap sites, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-02, Langdale Park below US 41, Troupville Park below GA 133

The Langdale Park location is about 28 feet across the river, and would require a 50-foot trap.

That location is very convenient, because the access road goes right there.

I sent quotes for this location by two trash trap companies to the City of Valdosta in 2023. A catch is that these locations are not in the City of Valdosta. Continue reading →

Valdosta puts Osprey trash trap in Sugar Creek 2026-03-05

Leave a reply

Update 2026-03-13: Trash trap, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-02.

Four other places trash traps would be very useful, two in the Withlacoochee River, above VLPRA parks:

  • Upstream from Langdale Park, at the US 41 (North Valdosta Road) bridge, in the Withlacoochee River
  • Upstream from Troupville Nature Park and the future Troupville River Camp, at the GA 133 (St. Augustine Road) bridge, in the Withlacoochee River
  • in Three Mile Branch on Country Club Drive
  • in One Mile Branch below VSU, above Sustella Avenue

[Valdosta puts Osprey trash trap in Sugar Creek, Upstream from the Withlacoochee River 2026-03-05]
Valdosta puts Osprey trash trap in Sugar Creek, Upstream from the Withlacoochee River 2026-03-05

The city PR doesn’t say, but this new trash trap appears to be above the Gornto Road bridge in Sugar Creek.

City of Valdosta PR, March 5, 2026, City of Valdosta Receives $98,250 Grant to Expand Waterway Debris Interceptor Program Continue reading →

Filthy Withlacoochee River and Sugar Creek 2026-02-17

Update 2026-02-21: Clean Santa Fe, Alapaha Rivers, cleaner Withlacoochee, New Rivers 2026-02-19.

WWALS got filthy river results on the Withlacoochee River at US 41 and Langdale Park Boat Ramp for Monday, but Valdosta Utilities got even worse at GA 133 and US 84 for Tuesday.

In between, WWALS got pretty bad on Hightower Creek, but the worst on Sugar Creek, both for Tuesday.

Yet downstream in Florida, WWALS got clean on the Withlacoochee River for Tuesday.

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

So this filthiness is probably first flush after the Sunday rains. That’s a utilities term: after a long drought, a big rain washes the woods, which animals have been using as a latrine.

If so, the waterways will clean up in a few days as the water runs. But I’d avoid all these for a few days.

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

[Filthy Withlacoochee River and Sugar Creek 2026-02-17, After big rains, But clean far downstream]
Filthy Withlacoochee River and Sugar Creek 2026-02-17, After big rains, But clean far downstream

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 →

Valdosta Force Main alongside Hightower Creek 2026-01-09

It’s not obvious that Valdosta’s Force Main from its Remer Pump Station on Sugar Creek runs alongside Hightower Creek up across St. Augustine Road, Norman Drive, and I-75, then along various county roads, to the Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), whose treated wastewater outfall is to the nearby Withlacoochee River.

Here are some pictures in the other direction, west to east, across the land just west of I-75 (thanks to the landowners), across I-75, to Norman Drive.

[Valdosta Force Main alongside Hightower Creek, Across I-75 and Norman Drive 2026-01-09]
Valdosta Force Main alongside Hightower Creek, Across I-75 and Norman Drive 2026-01-09

See also Filthy Hightower Creek 2026-01-08 but clean upstream ILM Pond 2026-01-09.

https://wwals.net/?p=69215

You can find this force main on the VALORGIS map. You have to turn on the layer ValdostaEasements. Then it appears in black.

Also turn on Streams to make the creeks show up, although VALORGIS only shows Hightower Creek as far as St. Augustine Road.

And turn off Zoning to reduce distractions. Continue reading →

Filthy Hightower Creek 2026-01-08 but clean upstream ILM Pond 2026-01-09

Update 2026-01-23: Valdosta Force Main alongside Hightower Creek 2026-01-09.

Update 2026-01-16: Clean Ichetucknee, Santa Fe, Withlacoochee Rivers 2026-01-14.

Thanks to the landowners, on Friday John S. Quarterman tested ILM Pond at the top of Hightower Creek, west of I-75, and found its level well below its outflow pipes. Also, it tested pretty clean, despite the geese that land there. So that can’t be the source of contamination into Hightower Creek.

On Thursday, Suzy Hall tested Hightower Creek at St. Augustine Road and found it still dirty. Downstream, she also tested Sugar Creek at the WaterGoat and found it OK, not far upstream from the Withlacoochee River.

There’s no water in Hightower Creek all the way from ILM Pond under I-75. Until just below the Sam’s Club detention pond. So that seems like a good place to test next.

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

[Dirty Hightower Creek 2026-01-08, Clean ILM Pond 2026-01-09, Sugar Creek OK, Where is the source?]
Dirty Hightower Creek 2026-01-08, Clean ILM Pond 2026-01-09, Sugar Creek OK, Where is the source?

This is an update to the WWALS Friday Weekly Water Quality Report in which we found the Withlacoochee River clean, and the Santa Fe River.

The inch of rain Saturday last week had little effect, and the drizzle this Saturday probably even less.

No new sewage spills have been reported since then in Georgia or Florida.

The weather is supposed to be fine but cold today, so if you can find a river with enough water, and happy paddling, motoring, swimming, and fishing.

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 →

Hightower Creek dirty upstream at Norman Drive 2026-01-01

Update 2026-01-09: Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers 2026-01-07.

It sure looks like there is some sort of leak upstream of Norman Drive on Hightower Creek.

WWALS tester Suzy Hall got 833 cfu/100 mL for Thursday, only slightly lower than her 866 half a mile downstream at St. Augustine Road. Both results are above the one-time test limit of 410. Both WWALS and Valdosta Utilities have been getting too-high results at St. Augustine Road for many weeks.

And Valdosta Utilities got 880 at GA 133 for Wednesday on the Withlacoochee River.

That could be the contamination Suzy saw Tuesday washing downstream. If so, where is the water coming from to wash it down? There was no rain until today.

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

[Hightower Creek dirty upstream at Norman Drive 2026-01-01, And Withlacoochee River at GA 133 2025-12-31]
Hightower Creek dirty upstream at Norman Drive 2026-01-01, And Withlacoochee River at GA 133 2025-12-31

Suzy’s Norman Drive number is way worse than when I sampled the same location a year ago, December 12 02, 2024. That was part of a ten-site effort with Suzy Hall all the way down Hightower Creek and Sugar Creek to just above the Withlacoochee River. That project localized a likely sewer leak within 2,000 feet.

And a month later, the City of Valdosta found that major sewage spill in Sugar Creek that had been spilling for months.

Will Valdosta Utilities find this sewer system leak?

Fortunately, Valdosta Utilities got an OK 200 downstream at US 84 on the Withlacoochee River for Wednesday.

Today’s rain is supposed to be gone by tomorrow.

So if you can find a river with enough water, and you don’t mind cold and rain, happy paddling, motoring, swimming, and fishing this weekend.

Maybe you’d like to join us, weather permitting for Full Wolf Moon Paddle, Banks Lake, Gather 5 PM, launch 5:30 PM, moonrise 6:07 PM, sunset 5:55 PM, end 7 PM, Saturday, January 3, 2026.

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 →

Hightower Creek still dirty; Alapaha River clean 2025-12-30

Update 2026-01-03: Hightower Creek dirty upstream at Norman Drive 2026-01-01.

Update 2026-01-02: And clean Santa Fe River. At Mills Dock for Wednesday, Bob Mills and Kurt Hurzeler got 0 E. coli at 7 C air temp. and 17.9 C water temp.

Yet again, Hightower Creek tested dirty with E. coli at St. Augustine Road for Tuesday in Valdosta.

It still appears there is some other source of sewage upstream of St. Augustine Road into Hightower Creek.

Sugar Creek at the WaterGoat tested much cleaner, but the next rain will wash down whatever that is upstream.

The most recent results we have for the Withlacoochee River are for last week, but they were clean.

The Alapaha River tested clean upstream for Wednesday.

No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week for the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida. The Florida Pollution Notices Map is broken again: “Unable to create map: Cannot read properties of null (reading ‘insertBefore’)”.

Rain is predicted for Saturday.

So if you can find a river with enough water, and you don’t mind cold and rain, happy paddling, motoring, swimming, and fishing this weekend.

Maybe you’d like to join us, weather permitting for Full Wolf Moon Paddle, Banks Lake, Gather 5 PM, launch 5:30 PM, moonrise 6:07 PM, sunset 5:55 PM, end 7 PM, Saturday, January 3, 2026.

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

[Hightower Creek still dirty 2025-12-30, Alapaha River clean 2025-12-31, Withlacoochee River Clean last week]
Hightower Creek still dirty 2025-12-30, Alapaha River clean 2025-12-31, Withlacoochee River Clean last week

Valdosta Creeks

Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee River and most creeks; Dirty Hightower Creek 2025-12-17

Update 2026-01-01: Hightower Creek still dirty; Alapaha River clean 2025-12-31.

The Withlacoochee River tested clean upstream and down this week, and Sugar Creek and One Mile Branch in Valdosta tested pretty clean.

But Hightower Creek remained dirty in Valdosta Utilities’ result.

It still appears there is some other source of sewage upstream of St. Augustine Road into Hightower Creek.

Downstream on the Withlacoochee River near the Suwannee, WWALS tester Russ Tatum got a near-perfect 33 cfu/100 mL E. coli. All these results are for Wednesday.

No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week for the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida. FDEP’s Pollution Notice reporting is still half broken: see below.

After a little drizzle yesterday, no rain is predicted for the next ten days.

So if you can find a river with enough water, and you don’t mind cold and rain, happy paddling, motoring, swimming, and fishing this weekend.

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

[Clean Withlacoochee River and most creeks; Dirty Hightower Creek, 2025-12-17]
Clean Withlacoochee River and most creeks; Dirty Hightower Creek, 2025-12-17

Valdosta Utilities sampled its creeks again this week after its August 23, 2025 20,000 gallon sewage spill into One Mile Branch at Wainwright Drive. Valdosta has since replaced both manholes at Wainwright Drive with taller ones, so maybe that is finally starting to have an effect of reduced sewage in the creeks.
https://www.valdostacity.com/utilities/river-stream-water-quality-data/august-2025-sanitary-sewer-spills

Thanks again for those tests, and thanks for posting results earlier this week.

Also, Valdosta could take back up testing the Withlacoochee River down to the state line, plus Okapilco Creek, as they stopped doing after the four years required in the 2020 GA-EPD Consent Order. This would be to the advantage of the City of Valdosta, because such results help find sewage spills, and they also demonstrate when the creeks and rivers are clean, and when there are problems that are not Valdosta’s fault.

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 →

Clean Rivers and Creeks, except Hightower Creek 2025-12-11

Update 2025-12-19: Clean Withlacoochee River and most creeks; Dirty Hightower Creek 2025-12-17.

The Withlacoochee River tested pretty clean this week, as did the Santa Fe River, and the Ichetucknee River for Friday last week.

Even Valdosta’s problem Sugar Creek and One Mile Branch tested OK.

But Hightower Creek was bad in Valdosta Utilities’ result, although the WWALS result the same day at the same site was OK.

It appears there is still some other source of sewage upstream of St. Augustine Road into Hightower Creek.

No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week for the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida, although FDEP’s Pollution Notice reporting is half broken: see below.

No rain is predicted for the next ten days.

So if you can find a river with enough water, and you don’t mind cold and rain, happy paddling, motoring, swimming, and fishing this weekend.

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

[Clean Withlacoochee, Santa Fe Rivers, Mostly Good 2025-12-11, OK One Mile Branch and Sugar Creek, But not Hightower Creek]
Clean Withlacoochee, Santa Fe Rivers, Mostly Good 2025-12-11, OK One Mile Branch and Sugar Creek, But not Hightower Creek

Sugar Creek and its feeder creeks

For Thursday at St. Augustine Road on Hightower Creek, Valdosta Utilities got Continue reading →