Tag Archives: Suwannee River

Sabal Trail blowdown with no notice 2018-04-03

Update 2018-04-05: Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson noted yesterday: “Correction it was a FGT blowdown. Easy to be confused as Sabal Trail is in the same corridor and working on their pipeline too. And remember that SONAT gas pipeline is also in this same corridor. That’ll really be something else if and when all 3 gas transmission pipelines are being worked on simultaneously. I think it is also very disconcerting that pipeline companies do not have to inform the NRC (National Response Center) or PHMSA (Pipeline Hazard and Materials Safety Agency) when they do work on these explosive infrastructure corridors.”

See Where pipelnes already cross rivers into Suwannee County, Florida.

Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson reported on facebook yesterday:

Sabal Trail has been doing a blowdown operation on the pipeline corridor and the Santa Fe River. That was what sounded like a jet airplane in the river community on Monday April 2, 2018.

Valve, Sabal Trail
Photo: Jim Tatum.

That sounds much like the FGT pipeline noise last month in Suwannee County near the Suwannee River.

Also similar: Sabal Trail’s FERC-required Informational Postings contain no Critical nor non-Critical notices about whatever it is they are doing now.

Where are the state and federal agencies that permitted Sabal Trail? Why have they not required notices to neighbors, local Fire Rescue, and the public?

This month, Graphs

Meawhile, Sabal Trail gas is up and down yet again. How can this pipeline be needed when it’s shut down half the time? Is its main function really to scare the neighbors?

This month, Graphs

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Overnight Camping: Suwannee Springs to Suwannee River State Park 2018-06-02

Update 2018-04-17: Online pre-registration for event fee (free to WWALS members) and shuttle fee. Space is limited. Register soon.

Beautiful two-day paddle trip with overnight camping at Holton Creek.

When: 9 AM, Saturday, June 2, 2018

Put In: Suwannee Springs, 3243 91st Dr, Live Oak, FL 32060

GPS: 30.39417, -82.93383

Take Out: Suwannee River State Park, 3631 201st Path, Live Oak, FL 32060

Bring: camping gear in addition to 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 a day ($20) to non-members, plus campsite fees and park entry fees.

All attendees must pre-pay a $10 shuttle fee. You can register here:

Overnight Outing

We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!

Event: facebook, meetup

Green Suwannee Springs outflow,
Photo: Continue reading

Suwannee Riverkeeper about water quality monitoring on Earth Day at Friends of the Lower Suwannee Refuges

I went to their board meeting and they invited me back to present slides on Earth Day:

When: 9AM to noon, Earth Day, Friday, April 20, 2018

Where: Lower Suwannee Wildlife Refuge
16450 Northwest 31st Place, Chiefland 32626

Event: facebook, meetup

Who: Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges

Friends logo

PR from the Friends says: Continue reading

Valdosta Committee meeting, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2018-03-28

Wednesday noon in Valdosta, the last Committee meeting before submissions open for the First Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.

When: 12-1 PM Wednesday 28 March 2018

Where: Cheddars Scratch Kitchen, 270 Norman Dr, Valdosta, GA 31601
aka Cheddar’s Casual Cafe,
Off I-75 Exit 16, US 84, West Hill Avenue.

What: Judge candidates, and event logistics including food and beverages.
Like every week, you can also participate by telephone; inquire within for how.

Event: facebook, meetup

Google Street View, Map
Map: Google Street View

The Contest

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Nutrien (PCS Phosphate mine) 5-year permit renewal 2018-03-16

See also: Nutrien (PCS) mining phosphate and water in Hamilton County and soon in Columbia County? 2018-07-11.

Hamilton County citizen and WWALS member Chris Mericle sent this Friday, with permission to post.


Hey John,

I just wanted to relate to you the status of the 5 year mining permit renewal for Nutrien (formerly PCS).

I was in a long teleconference yesterday afternoon where we were trying to negotiate for several modifications to the mining permit.

Figure 4. Location of existing and proposed Phosphogypsum Stack Systems (PGSS), Map
Figure 4. Location of existing and proposed Phosphogypsum Stack Systems (PGSS), in FINAL REPORT: Review of PCS Phosphate — White Springs; Activities and Operations Related to Five-Year Renewal of Special Permit 03-1. Review Period: January 2013 through December 2017 Prepared tor: Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners. February 23, 2018. Prepared by: Lampl-Herbert

In attendance: Continue reading

Live Oak Committee meeting for Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2018-03-21

Wednesday in Live Oak, the organizing Committee meets for the First Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest. You can even write about the Ockolocoochee River!

When: 3PM Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Where: Brown Lantern Restaurant, 417 E Howard St, Live Oak, FL 32064

What: WWALS Songwriting Committee
planning the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.
Like last week in Valdosta, you can also participate by telephone; inquire within for how.

Event: facebook, meetup

Brown Lantern, Live Oak, FL

The Contest

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Ockolocoochee, Little River 1889-01-29

Update 2023-12-28: Revised version..

Who knows the Ockolocoochee River? No, not the Ochlockonee River; that’s a bit to the west. You do know the Ockolocoochee River as the Little River, of the Withlacoochee, of the Suwannee. Here is news from 1889 that also includes the boat that didn’t survive from Troupville to Ellaville, which was apparently not a paddlewheel steamer.


Irwin County, 1885a, GeorgiaInfo, Rand McNally Map of Georgia, 1885

Atlanta Constitution, January 29, 1889, Pg 12., quoted in Ray City History Blog, 18 October 2010, More About Troupville, GA and the Withlacoochee River,

THE WITHLACOOCHEE RIVER.

VALDOSTA, Ga., January 19. -[Special.]- Away up near the northern limit of the great wiregrass section there is a big cypress swamp. They call them bays there. From this bay emerges Continue reading

Help stop two bad Florida water bills: HB 1149 and SB 1308

Remember the Florida bill with the bad amendment, withdrawn because you called? Well, the bill itself, HB 1149, is bad enough, and near to a vote.

Please sign Margaret Tolbert’s petition against that and another bad bill, HB 1308.

Saturday crowd at Madison Blue Spring,
Photo: John S. Quarterman for WWALS, from the Suwannee River, of Saturday crowd at Madison Blue Spring, 2017-06-24.

According to a March 1, 2018, Tampa Bay Times article:

“Cynthia Barnett, the author of three books on water and an environmental fellow in residence at the University of Florida’s Bob Graham Center for Public Service, said the bills are based on a faulty assumption concerning how much water Florida needs for its future growth.

The bills say that Florida will need Continue reading

Pipeline opposition rebuts wild-eyed Congressional distractions 2018-03-08

The headline would read better in this order: “Congressional Committee trolls energy policy.”

Suwannee Riverkeeper John Quarterman… said the science committee’s chairman, U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, was making “wild-eyed attempts to divert from the misdeeds of his patron, the fossil fuel industry.”

Steve Patterson, Jacksonville.com, 8 March 2018, Congress: Russians trolled Florida pipeline debate,

Efforts by Russian internet trolls to destabilize the U.S. energy industry reached all the way to Florida and the controversy over construction of the Sabal Trail gas pipeline, according to a Congressional report.

For my previous takedown of that report, see Fossil fuels are a far bigger threat than the Russians.

And if the Russians were behind me spotting from the air this frac-out of Sabal Trail drilling mud up into the Withlacoochee River in Georgia, they’re way behind in their payments.

Turbidity curtains and black pipe from the north bank
View from the south bank of Sabal Trail turbidity curtains and pipe from the north bank of the Withlacoochee River, about 2000 feet upstream from the US 84 bridge.
Photo: John S. Quarterman, October 22nd 2016.

Maybe I should send that Committee a bill Continue reading

White Springs to Woods Ferry, Suwannee River 2018-05-12

Join us for a leisurely scenic paddle on the dark oak-stained waters of the historic Suwannee Riverpast the White Sulfur Springs Bath House, Stephen Foster Cultural Center, and under Interstate 75, on to Woods Ferry Launch.

When: 9 AM, Saturday, May 12, 2018

Put In: White Springs Wayside Park

GPS: 30.32576, -82.73872

Take Out: Woods Ferry Tract Launch

Bring: 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.

Cost: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) to non-members. We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!

Event: facebook, meetup

US 41 Suwannee River Bridge
Photo: Beth Gammie on Southwings flight for WWALS 2016-11-23 of US 41 Bridge, Suwannee River, White Springs, Florida.

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