The recent Georgia spills are now in the WWALS composite spreadsheet of Georgia and Florida water quality data.
Other than the very large December 2019 Valdosta spill, none of the spills (except one) obviously correlate with high E. coli as tested.
Which one? The April 24, 2020, Quitman spill, which may have been seen four days later at Running Springs on the Suwannee River.
![[Withlacoochee, Quitman spill, Running Springs, Suwannee]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-04-24--quitman-spill-wq/many.jpg)
Withlacoochee, Quitman spill, Running Springs, Suwannee
Steve Nichols and Suwannee Riverkeeper will ask again: does anybody want to drink dirty water? That’s 8:30 AM tomorrow, October 6, 2020, on 105.9 FM WVGA. In addition to water quality testing, we’ll also discuss the big cleanup coming up this Saturday on three rivers and many creeks, and the Third Annual WWALS Boomerang paddle race from Georgia into Florida and back. Plus some other outings.
![[Water Quality Testing]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-08-18--suwrk-steve-nichols-radio/5testing.jpg)
Water Quality Testing 2020-08-18
The top rated morning talk show in south Georgia, Steve Nichols offers both sides of every story from Berrien County to the Beltway, and everywhere in between.
You can listen at 105.9 FM, on the WVGA Live apps, through ValdostaToday.com (link on front page), on Alexa devices, or you can stream in-studio video at the official Morning Drive Facebook page.
When: 8:30 AM, Tuesday, October 6, 2020
Where: 105.9 FM WVGA (see above for how to listen)
Event: facebook
Thanks to Steve Nichols for helping promote the Third Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, which went very well.
On Saturday, October 10, 2020, in conjunction with Lowndes County,
WWALS will be doing a three-location cleanup at Troupville Boat Ramp on the Little River, on Sugar Creek down to the Withlacoochee River, and at Naylor Boat Ramp on the Alapaha River, plus Valdosta is organizing several creek cleanups.
https://wwals.net/?p=53557
![[Flyer: Cleanup on three rivers, many creeks]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-10-10--tri-river-cleanup/trioflyer.jpg)
Flyer: Cleanup on three rivers, many creeks
On Saturday, October 24, 2020, there’s the Third Annual WWALS Boomerang paddle race from Georgia into Florida and back.
Tickets to the WWALS Boomerang are
$20 online through Ocotber 15,
then $30 at the event.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wwals-boomerang-paddle-race-2020-tickets-118844038719?aff=efbeventtix
For much more, follow this link: wwals.net/pictures/2020-10-24–boomerang/ Continue reading
Rochelle, Ashburn, Tifton, Adel, Moody AFB, Valdosta, and Quitman all spilled sewage into the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia from December 2019 through September 2020. But only one of those spills since December is likely to explain any contamination we’ve been seeing on the Withlacoochee River.
![[Little, New, Withlacoochee, Summary, Alapaha River]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-09-30--sewage-spills-suwannee-river-basin/many.jpg)
Little, New, Withlacoochee, Summary, Alapaha River
Yes, there were also some spills in Florida in the Suwannee River Basin, but those are actually harder to interpret, and they were mostly small, so they will have to wait.
At least Florida lets people sign up for pollution notices by county as they happen. Georgia has no such signup. So I’ve modified the scripts WWALS uses to display changes in the Georgia Sewage Spills Report to also send me an email alert.
Here are the Georgia spills, where, what streams they went into, and how far upstream that was: Continue reading
Update 2023-05-29: Moody AFB EIS for Comprehensive Airspace Initiative 2023-05-16.
Monday we got a paper letter about a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for a DEIS for a Moody Air Force Base Comprehensive Airspace Initiative. There was a Public Scoping Period that ended in January; I don’t recall WWALS being invited to that.
![[Georgia and Florida airspace and floors]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-10-29--moody-afb-deis/many.jpg)
Georgia and Florida airspace and floors
However, public comments will be accepted through November 24, 2020; see below for how. Plus there is a Virtual Public Hearing on October 29.
The gist of the DEIS seems to be “optimizing the airspace would result in the redistribution of aircraft operations from existing low-altitude Special Use Airspace to new low-altitude MOAs.” In addition to adding some areas, Moody AFB also wants a 1,000-foot floor and 4,000-foot ceiling.
They already have a floor of 100 feet southeast of Moody to the state line and 500 feet northeast, including over Banks Lake. For years they have flown over my house barely 100 feet up.
I’m not complaining. As everyone knows, Moody AFB is by far the largest employer in the Suwannee River Basin. Yet there are some things we would like to know. Continue reading
Update 2020-09-26: GA 133 and Knights Ferry in 2.5 weeks of Valdosta and Florida water quality data 2020-09-24.
The most diverse set of testing data ever! It’s not bad upstream on the Withlacoochee River, but worse the farther down the Suwannee River, and, surprisingly, also the Santa Fe River.
Valdosta has reported for upstream on the Withlacoochee River for last Wednesday (good) and Friday (bad at GA 133, good at US 84).
Suzy Hall reported for WWALS at Clyatt Mill Creek (not bad, and thanks Langdale Company), and on the Suwannee River at Gibson Park (good for E. coli but very puzzling) and Anderson Spring Launch (good).
Loretta Tennant reported for WWALS on the Santa Fe River at Lemmons Ramp (alert!) and on the Suwannee River at Ivey Metropolitan Park in Branford (bad) and at Yellow Jacket Ramp between Manatee Springs and Fowlers Bluff (horrible). That’s enough to make us wonder if some of what’s getting into the Lower Suwannee River might be coming from the Santa Fe River.
We have no new data from FDEP or other Florida government agencies. Floridians, maybe you’d like to ask your elected and appointed officials for more water quality testing, especially downstream where we’re finding these bad results.
Meanwhile, all the WWALS “beaches” on Swim Guide remain green. That’s because we don’t have as beaches GA 133 on the Withlacoochee River nor as yet anything on the Suwannee River.
![[Withlacoochee and Suwannee Rivers]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-09-14--wq/withlacoochee-suwannee.jpg)
Withlacoochee and Suwannee Rivers
in the
WWALS map of all public boat access in the Suwannee River Basin.
Valdosta reported late this afternoon on its usual Continue reading
Update 2020-11-22: Pictures
Overnight Camping at the Okefenokee Swamp: herons, fish, otters, and yes, gators! Maybe you’ll see the black bear that hangs around Stephen C. Foster State Park.
When:
Gather 10 AM and launch 10:30 AM on Saturday, November 7, 2020
Camp overnight, in the Swamp if possible, otherwise at the State Park
or Griffis Fish Camp.
end 5 PM Sunday, November 8, 2020
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 proceed to Stephen C. Foster State Park, which is after you pass Griffis Fish Camp.
Take Out: Stephen C. Foster State Park Ramp
Bring: camping gear, and the usual personal flotation device, boat, paddles, food, drinking water, warm clothes, and first aid kit. Also trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup.
Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) for non-members. You can pay the $10 at the outing, or online: wwals.net/donations/#outings
We recommend you support the work of WWALS by
becoming a WWALS member today!
wwals.net/donations/#join
Boats: are for rent at the State Park.
Paddling: We’d like to paddle as far in as Floyd’s Island, but depending on conditions we may go to Billys Island or Minnies Lake. Camping on a platform is somewhat difficult in the virus pandemic situation, so this is currently planned as a day trip with camping at Griffis Fish Camp or at the State Park.
Camping:
Griffis Fish Camp is at 10257 Ga Highway 177, Fargo, GA 31631-4547; 912-637-5289.
For reservations at Stephen C. Foster State Park, please use this form:
https://www.reserveamerica.com/explore/stephen-c-foster-state-park/GA/530194/overview
Health: We are watching the virus pandemic situation, which may affect campsite availability as well as other things. We will update as needed.
![[Many]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-11-07--floyds-island-camping-okefenokee/many.jpg)
Map, heron, signs, gator, boats
The map is from the
WWALS Suwannee River Wilderness Trail map.
That WWALS map includes the
Okefenokee Wilderness Area Canoe Trails (OWACT).
Photos: Continue reading
Thanks to Adel City Clerk Rhonda Rowe, here are the annexation and rezoning ordinances read on September 8. The second reading is this Monday, September 21, 2020, at 5:30 PM, at Adel City Hall. Presumably the Adel City Council will vote after the Public Hearing.
![[Ordinances and Application maps]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-09-08--adel-city-council/ordapp.jpg)
Ordinances and Application maps
The ordinances refer to exhibits which are in the application she also sent, from the Adel Adel Industrial Development Authority (AIDA), for this annexation and rezoning. We had actually already seen those in the staff report to the Planning Commission.
See the previous post for context. And see you there Monday evening. Continue reading
Update 2020-09-22: Bad far upstream and far downstream: Withlacoochee, Clyatt Mill Creek, Suwannee, Santa Fe 2020-09-21
On the Withlacoochee River, for yesterday (Thursday, September 17, 2020), WWALS testers Michael and Jacob Bachrach got excellent results at Knights Ferry, Nankin, and State Line Boat Ramps, and Madison Health got good results at the GA-FL line and at the usual two places in Florida (CR 150 and FL 6).
Valdosta has reported good results upstream for Monday and Wednesday for US 41 and US 84. Not so good on Fecal coliform at GA 133 Wednesday, but still acceptable on E. coli.
So all the WWALS Withlacoochee River “beaches” remain green on Swim Guide. Happy boating, swimming, and fishing this weekend, so far as we know! Do be aware there was significant rain upstream, which could wash things into the rivers.
Not so good news at the bottom of the Suwannee River. The town of Suwannee, Florida, had a sewage spill. But there’s good news even for that: it was tiny (25-50 gallons) and did not last long.
Thanks to FDEP for the email alert for the Pollution Notice below, received at 10:10 AM this morning.
Hurricane Sally did not cause any other Continue reading
Update 2020-09-18: OK Withlacoochee River Quality, sewage spill Suwannee, FL, Suwannee River 2020-09-17
Sunday, Suzy Hall tested for WWALS at Sullivan Launch @ CR 15 on the Withlacoochee River, and got good results.
This despite a report of cows in a creek near the river just upstream in Hamilton County, Florida: that’s right, Florida, not Georgia.
Loretta Tennant’s WWALS results for the lower Suwannee were not so pretty.
And while Valdosta’s results for late last week corroborate those of WWALS and Madison Health, for Wedensday, September 2, Valdosta got bad results at State Line Boat Ramp.
![[Withlacoochee and Suwannee Rivers]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-09-14--wq/many.jpg)
Withlacoochee and Suwannee Rivers
Monday, September 14, 2020, Loretta Tennant tested again for WWALS at Continue reading
Update 2020-09-13: Alapaha River good water quality at Berrien Beach and Lakeland Boat Ramp, also Withlacoochee 2020-09-12
So far as we know, water quality is good for boating, swimming, and fishing in the Withlacoochee River this weekend. There’s also been very little rain, so nothing should have washed into the creeks and rivers. So everything is still green on Swim Guide.
We did get some puzzling results way down the Suwannee River, though.
![[Valdosta to Fowlers Bluff and the Gulf]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-09-10--wq/many.jpg)
Valdosta to Fowlers Bluff and the Gulf
Maps by WWALS. Petrifilms by Loretta Tennant. Photos by John S. Quarterman 2019-02-24.
The most recent data we have from Valdosta is for Continue reading
![[Rivers and Results]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-09-20--wq/many.jpg)
![[Chart and Map]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-09-17--wq/many.jpg)