Tag Archives: Suwannee River Water Trail

Bacon James, Gainesville, FL, with a Bluegrass song, Ellaville. 2025-09-06

Thanks to Bacon James, for writing a song and playing it, at the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2025.

And thanks for digging into Suwannee and Withlacoochee River history about Ellavile, the town where George F. Drew had his sawmill, with a boom across the mouth of the Withlacoochee River, to catch logs floated down the river.
https://wwals.net/pictures/songwriting2025

“I’m Bacon James—singer-songwriter and frequent supporter of environmental causes and organizations. I love being in nature, playing and writing music, and generally trying to be too clever for my own good.”

Bacon James, Gainesville, FL, Bluegrass song, Ellaville, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, September 6, 2025

“I wrote Ellaville after visiting the site during one of my recent trips to the Suwannee and subsequently digging into the history of the town and what occurred there. I loved the idea of a bustling little mill town on the river and was so fascinated by the story of how the town boomed and then fell. I thought of all the hardships of the folks I’ve met, and how I have so many close friends now that are currently unemployed and struggling. Dreams found, lives built and then dashed. Nature constantly exploited by those in power, ostensibly retaliating against those by which it had been wronged. Are we learning? Are we growing? Were there lessons the river was trying to impart about humanity, and have we heard them? That’s what this song explores.”

Here’s he is singing his song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37APDWhJBLQ Continue reading →

Nutrien water withdrawals approved –SRWMD 2025-09-09

After SRWMD Chair Virginia Johns took the oath of office due to being reappointed, the Board at its September 9, 2025, meeting approved the agenda unchanged and then approved the Consent Agenda with the Nutrien White Springs phosphate mine water use permit still in there, for withdrawal of up to 64.1621 million gallons per day (MGD) of groundwater.

Plus, “The executive director may authorize the use of groundwater for back-up mining/dewatering use in excess of 11.0000 mgd in emergency circumstances.”

For comparison, the City of Gainesville is permitted 30.0 mgd by SJRWMD.

This strip mine water use permit was approved despite the fish kill WWALS notified SRWMD of and despite frequent violations of the Clean Water Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

Nutrien water withdrawals approved, Consent Agenda unchanged, Letters from WWALS and OSFR ignored –SRWMD 2025-09-09

I wonder if the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) Board or Staff looked at EPA ECHO, which shows Clean Water Act (CWA) Violations Identified in 5 of 12 quarters and 1 Significant Noncompliance, as well as Significant Noncompliance in all 12 quarters of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). It’s true that these EPA ECHO quarters do not seem to include 2025, but such previous results are troubling. This is for PCS PHOSPHATE WHITE SPRINGS, 15843 SE 78TH PL, WHITE SPRINGS, FL 32096, which is the permit holder for NPDES permit FL0000655, which is cited in the SRWMD Board packet on page BCS 66: Continue reading →

Please take the Nutrien Water Use Permit off Consent Agenda and hold a Public Hearing –WWALS to SRWMD 2025-09-08

The SRWMD Board agenda for tomorrow, Tuesday, September 9, 2025, is here:
https://www.mysuwanneeriver.com/Archive.aspx?ADID=1706

I sent this letter Monday evening.

Please remove Nutrien WUP from Consent Agenda and hold a Public Hearing –WWALS to SRWMD 2025-09-08

September 8, 2025
To: Virginia H. Johns
Board Chair
virginia.johns@srwmd.org
Suwannee River Water Management District
Cc: Hugh Thomas
Executive DIrector
Hugh.Thomas@srwmd.org

Dear SRWMD,
Staff seem unaware of a recent fish kill on Swift Creek, one of the “offsite discharge locations” cited in the Memorandum on the proposed five-year extension of the Nutrien Water Use Permit 2-047-219878. A fish kill is not a natural system “healthy and functioning well.”

That alone should be enough reason to remove that item from the Consent Agenda and to schedule a public hearing on that WUP.

Specifically, on your agenda for Tuesday morning, in this item, Continue reading →

Chemours to blame for flooding rural Santa Fe River Basin? –Grist 2025-09-04

Update 2025-09-05: Clean Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers 2025-09-04.

What is overflowing in that floodwater from those five Chemours mines on Trail Ridge at the top of the Santa Fe River Basin?

“If I lived near Chemours, I’d be paranoid too,” said John Quarterman, who serves as the Suwannee Riverkeeper, a staff position for an organization of the same name that advocates for conservation of the numerous watersheds within the Suwannee River Basin. “Some of the stuff they’re paranoid about is probably actually happening, but it’s hard to document which of it is and which of it isn’t.”

Until the Florida Department of Environmental Protection takes frequent measurements up and down the state’s rivers, Quarterman said, it will be difficult to pin down the impact of Chemours’ activities. And without such studies, he said, it’s difficult to identify bad actors — let alone hold them accountable.

WWALS has a volunteer water quality monitoring program, and two recently-trained testers may start testing in the Santa Fe River Basin soon.
https://wwals.net/issues/testing

Is Chemours to blame for flooding rural Santa Fe River Basin? –Grist 2025-09-04

Sachi Kitajima Mulkey, Ayurella Horn-Muller, Grist, September 4, 2025, Waterlogged and contaminated: In rural Florida, locals suspect a mining company is to blame for their flooding troubles: Residents are trying to connect the dots between hurricanes, high radium levels, and a mineral mining giant next door.

The storm had passed, but the water kept rising. In September 2017, Hurricane Irma slammed into Florida, causing tides to surge and dumping about a foot of water across much of the state. A few days later, Jane Blais stood on a bridge with her neighbors near her High Springs ranch, watching the Santa Fe River below swell higher and higher.

“We had zero notice,” Blais said, Continue reading →

Live Oak Sinkhole 2025-08-25

A sinkhole opened in U.S. 90 in the middle of Live Oak, Florida, yesterday. FDOT says it’s fixed since yesterday evening.

But chronic overpumping of groundwater produces such cavities, and increasintly big rains wash them open.

Live Oak Sinkhole, U.S. 90, 2025-08-25, Between Dowling Ave. and Union Ave.

Live Oak Police Department yesterday reported with a video of the sinkhole opening: Continue reading →

Explore the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Veronica Kelly-Summers, a WWALS Webinar by Zoom, 2025-09-11

Discover all that Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge has to offer in our upcoming presentation focused on things to see and do around the 407,000-acre national wildlife refuge. From camping under the stars to paddling scenic water trails, the refuge is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Learn about wildlife watching ethics, areas for hiking and biking, guided boat tours, overnight excursions, hunting and fishing opportunities, and so much more. Whether you’re seeking outdoor adventure or a peaceful connection with nature, this presentation will showcase how Okefenokee has something for everyone.

When: 12 PM, Thursday, September 11, 2025

Put In: Register to join with Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tUE8DKI4QJqDpfgYiuiFmw
WWALS Board Member Janet Martin will give a brief introduction.
Questions and answers will be at the end.

Explore the Okefenokee NWR, Veronica Kelley-Summers, a WWALS Webinar by Zoom, Thursday, September 11, noon-1 PM

Veronica Kelly-Summers is a dedicated Visitor Services Manager with over 15 years of experience in protecting natural resources and connecting people with nature. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in forestry from Southern Illinois University with a focus on forest recreation and wildlife habitat management. Her career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has taken her to eight national wildlife refuges from the woods and swamps of southern Illinois to the Loess Bluffs of Iowa and Missouri, the Florida Everglades, and she’s now stationed at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. She works closely with staff and partners to provide leadership and strategic direction for the Visitor Services program including managing visitor facilities and recreational opportunities for camping, boating, interpretation, environmental education, special events, outreach, hunting, fishing, managing volunteers, and much more. When not at work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Jacob, and their pets, a yellow lab named Charlie and a spicy tuxedo cat name Tino.

Continue reading →

SRWMD & SJRWMD aquifer recharge project update @ SRWMD 2025-07-08

Update 2025-08-31: SRWMD purchased Rayonier tract with mineral rights leased to Chemours for TiO2 mining –SRWMD to Carol Mosley 2025-07-11.

A billion dollars to run Jacksonville and JEA treated wastewater through wetlands in the Suwannee River Basin and into the Floridan Aquifer: this proposal was presented to the SRWMD Board this month.

Nevermind that sewage effluent carries PFAS forever chemicals into wetlands. After contaminating all the wetland wildlife, PFAS would continue into the Florida Aquifer, from which we all drink.

SRWMD & SJRWMD aquifer recharge project update @ SRWMD 2025-07-08, What about PFAS? and limits on water withdrawals?

A SRWMD Board member pointed out that desalination of seawater would cost less. Another pointed out that Jacksonville would just suck the water back out of the aquifer. More on board comments below.

Instead, how about Jacksonville and JEA treat their effluent to drinking water standards and reuse it for themselves? The money they save from pumping it to any of those recharge areas would be enormous. That would use less groundwater, so there would be less need for recharge.

The excuse for this project is increasing population needing more water. Continue reading →

PFAS in sewage effluent used to restore wetlands 2025-07-18

Update 2025-07-25: SRWMD & SJRWMD aquifer recharge project update @ SRWMD 2025-07-08.

It’s well-established that ordinary wastewater treatment does not remove PFAS forever chemicals. Yet two Florida Water Management Districts want to use treated wastewater from Jacksonville into wetlands to “restore” levels and flows in the Santa Fe River and many springs in the Suwannee Basin.

PFAS in sewage effluent used to restore wetlands, Maybe into Nutrien Phosphate Mine wetlands on Swift Creek

See the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) YouTube video of its July 8, 2025, Governing Board meeting:
https://www.youtube.com/live/9pousRkUayc?si=R8KNhx524INgVNW-&t=4120

It’s hard to tell from that project’s map, but it sure looks like one of the target wetlands is at the top of Swift Creek in the Nutrien Phosphate Mine in Hamlton County. Continue reading →

Pictures: Turner Bridge to Cone Bridge Paddle, Suwannee River, 2025-07-05

Shirley Kokidko sent these pictures of the 11.2-mile paddle on the upper Suwannee River from Turner Bridge to Cone Bridge. Thanks to her for leading. She remarked, “I didn’t take many pictures, just loved soaking up a beautiful day on the river with Joyce Ball and Steve Shaw.”

Turner Bridge to Cone Bridge, Suwannee River 2025-07-05, Thanks to Shirley Kokidko

Also, “It was perfect weather, we bobbled around in our PFD’s in the river just to make sure they are still buoyant enough to keep us afloat, talked about self rescue, assisted rescue and other fun things. Two kayak campers passed us going upstream for a couple of nights. Otherwise we were the only ones out until we got to the ramp at Cone Bridge. Lots of big bass boats with BIG motors, in and out of the water, nobody was there to fish, just river fun. Maybe it was a club, everybody very friendly. I love this Turner to Cone section. Easy shuttle and beautiful paddle. We should do it again sometime.”

Additional documents for Chemours permit application to mine SRWMD land 2025-06-16

Update 2025-08-31: SRWMD purchased Rayonier tract with mineral rights leased to Chemours for TiO2 mining –SRWMD to Carol Mosley 2025-07-11.

Update 2025-07-20: Nitrate monitoring and mining on SRWMD land –Suwannee Riverkeeper to SRWMD Board 2025-07-08.

Today, I got about 1.4 gigabytes of files in response to the FOIA I sent to the Army Corps on May 28. Unfortunately, this additional information arrived after the June 12 deadline for comments on the Chemours application to mine for titanium dioxide on SRWMD land. WWALS already sent a letter on that day.

If the Public Hearing happens that we and others called for, we can bring up any questions that come out of this additional information.

Additional documents for Chemours permit application to mine SRWMD land. Obtained via FOIA

It’s all on the WWALS website.

You can pick up the 661 megabyte zip file.

Or you can look in the extracted subdirectories and files, starting with:

This is what I requested: Continue reading →

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

A healthy watershed with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable water.