Tag Archives: Suwannee River

Florida River Task Force meeting with Valdosta City Council 2025-07-30

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Back in 2020, this Task Force of the dozen downstream Florida counties was instrumental in getting a Consent Order on Valdosta by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA-EPD).

The Task Force was dormant for a while, but recent Valdosta sewage spills have caused it to be reactivated. Some of its members already met privately with several Valdosta City officials a month or more ago. Now a long-awaited public meeting has been announced.

Also, we finally have a list of the members of the Task Force.

Y’all come.

[Florida River Task Force and Valdosta City Council, Valdosta City Hall Annex, Wednesday, July 30, 2025]
Florida River Task Force and Valdosta City Council, Valdosta City Hall Annex, Wednesday, July 30, 2025

The email notice received this morning says: Continue reading →

Valdosta Sugar Creek sewage spill update 2025-07-17

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Update 2025-07-18: Florida River Task Force meeting with Valdosta City Council 2025-07-30

Test results continue to show high Fecal coliform and E. coli in Sugar Creek after the weekend’s sewage spill, even though the bypass pump has been running normally since Sunday. It can take many days for sewage to wash downstream, especially without much rain.

The spill was too small to have much effect on the Withlacoochee River downstream, and probably none on the Suwannee River.

[Update: Valdosta Sugar Creek Sewage Spill Testing 2025-07-16, Still high, even upstream at Baytree Road]
Update: Valdosta Sugar Creek Sewage Spill Testing 2025-07-16, Still high, even upstream at Baytree Road

This is the bypass pump yesterday. Continue reading →

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

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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]
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.”

See also Continue reading →

Video: Wildflowers of the Suwannee River Basin in Florida, a WWALS Webinar by Emily Bell 2025-06-26

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Here is video of Emily Bell from the Communications Coordinator of the Florida Wildflower Foundation talking about Wildflowers of the Suwannee River Basin in Florida in a WWALS Webinar, June 26, 2025.

[Wildflowers of the Suwannee River Basin in Florida, a WWALS Webinar by Emily Bell, Thursday, June 26, 2025]
Wildflowers of the Suwannee River Basin in Florida, a WWALS Webinar by Emily Bell, Thursday, June 26, 2025

The video:
https://youtu.be/TjSdNFDh_bM

Emily’s slides are on the WWALS website, and images of each slide are appended to this post.

WWALS Board Member Janet Martin gave a brief introduction, and there were questions and answers afterward.

Emily was born and raised in the wilds of Florida. From spring Continue reading →

Turner Bridge, Suwannee River –Ken Sulak 2025-07-01

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Update 2025-07-11: Pictures: Turner Bridge to Cone Bridge Paddle, Suwannee River 2025-07-05.

Ken Sulak sent this in preparation for Turner Bridge to Cone Bridge Paddle, Suwannee River, 2025-07-05.
https://wwals.net/?p=67557

[Turner Bridge, Suwannee River --Ken Sulak 2025-07-01, History and what bridge artifacts reveal or conceal]
Turner Bridge, Suwannee River –Ken Sulak 2025-07-01, History and what bridge artifacts reveal or conceal

Over to Ken:

Looking back at the history of Turner Bridge, and what bridge artifacts reveal or conceal. Continue reading →

Video: How Humans Affect the Aquifer, a WWALS Webinar by Dennis Price, 2025-06-19

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Dennis Price, P.G., of Hamilton County, Florida, asked, “Are we just a water tower for Jacksonville?”

He showed us “the history of surface and ground water in the flatwoods in south Georgia and north Florida in the Suwannee River Basin. Historic water levels and how we have changed these levels. Changes beginning with forestry then farming, and population growth. Ideas for correcting the problems.”

[How Humans Affect the Aquifer, WWALS Webinar by Dennis Price, Are we just a water tower for Jacksonville? 2025-06-19]
How Humans Affect the Aquifer, WWALS Webinar by Dennis Price, Are we just a water tower for Jacksonville? 2025-06-19

This applies to the Floridan Aquifer proper and the other aquifers above it, all below the Suwannee, Alapaha, and Withlacoochee Rivers, the Okefenokee Swamp, and their tributaries.

Here is the WWALS video of this WWALS Webinar:
https://youtu.be/o4s1jPN0EVI

Some still images are appended.

Thanks to WWALS Board Member Janet Martin for organizing this webinar and for introducing Dennis.

Thanks to everyone who attended.

See the announcement of this webinar for Dennis’ resume and other background.
https://wwals.net/?p=67740

See also: Continue reading →

Agendas: WWALS Annual Member Meeting and Quarterly Board Meeting 2025-07-13

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Here are the agendas and zoom parameters for the two meetings Sunday evening, July 13, 2025.

Zoom Registration Required:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/OBgEA_jQTpKP3NKu8o8TPw

WWALS Annual Member Meeting

When: 6 PM, Sunday, July 13, 2025

What: Presentation of Annual Report, and WWALS members elect some board members.

WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting

When: 6:30 PM, Sunday, July 13, 2025

What: WWALS Board members elect officers for one year terms, and do the usual board business.

Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/711860431701498/

[Annual Member Meeting & Quarterly Board Meeting, Election of some Board Members, Election of Officers 2025-07-13]
Annual Member Meeting & Quarterly Board Meeting, Election of some Board Members, Election of Officers 2025-07-13

AMM

PDF of agenda for the Annual Member Meeting. Continue reading →

Florida Triennial Review –FDEP 2025-06-27

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Every three years Florida reviews its standards for surface water quality.

The comment period this time is open from June 27 to July 18, 2025.
https://flrules.org/Gateway/View_notice.asp?id=29715385

[Florida Triennial Review --FDEP 2025-06-27 to 2025-07-18, Threatened and Endangered Species in Suwannee, Withlacoochee, Santa Fe, New Rivers]
Florida Triennial Review –FDEP 2025-06-27 to 2025-07-18, Threatened and Endangered Species in Suwannee, Withlacoochee, Santa Fe, New Rivers

This Triennal Review is being conducted by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), as required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

There was a public workshop back on September 10, 2024; best to review its agenda, presentation, and Public Comment Compilation. That presentation notes there is at least one proposed rule change for springs, in RULE 62-303.354, F.A.C., NITRATE-NITRITE IN FRESHWATER SPRING VENT.

The only upcoming public meeting about this Triennial Review in FDEP’s Water Quality Standards Meeting Calendar is ERC Adoption Public Hearing for the Triennial Review of Florida’s Water Quality Standards, 9 AM, September 25, 2025, at FDEP’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas Building, Conference Room 137, 3900 Commonwealth Blvd. Tallahassee, FL 32399.

So get your comments in during the comment period.

Most of it is about the rest of Florida outside the Suwannee River Basin and Estuary, but a few rules and documents under review are specifically about those. Continue reading →

Plastic bag bans keep trash out of rivers and the sea –a study in Science 2025-06-19

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Plastic bag bans work, finds a study published in Science this month. And not by a little bit: “a 25 to 47% decrease in plastic bags as a share of total items collected relative to areas without policies” and a “30 to 37% reduction in the presence of entangled animals in areas with plastic bag policies”. The study says even partial bans help, and the effect increases with more bans.

[Plastic bag bans keep trash out of rivers and the sea --a study in Science, June 19, 2025]
Plastic bag bans keep trash out of rivers and the sea –a study in Science, June 19, 2025

Cleanups alone do not solve the trash problem: trash just keeps coming back. Trash traps help keep it out of creeks and rivers, but have to be continually cleaned out. Banning use of the trash goes a long way towards fixing the problem, as this recent study shows.

Local governments in Georgia and even in Florida can ban or regulate such packaging. Continue reading →

Georgia needs better economic solutions for forestry and rural south Georgia 2025-06-26

I’m going to agree with something a supporter of the now bought-out mine said: we need better economic solutions for south Georgia forest owners. And beyond that, for south Georgia. So counties and cities won’t be tempted by jobs promised by mines, landfills, private prisons, and pellet plants.

[Georgia needs better economics, for forestry & rural south Georgia, Drew Jones, Charlton Co. Commission, Okefenokee Swamp & blackwater rivers]
Georgia needs better economics, for forestry & rural south Georgia, Drew Jones, Charlton Co. Commission, Okefenokee Swamp & blackwater rivers

Drew Jones wrote in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution today, June 26, 2025, Okefenokee deal exposed how Georgia’s forest policy is flawed and needs reform, Continue reading →