Tag Archives: Suzy Hall

Bad Creeks and Withlacoochee River 2023-01-06

Update 2023-01-13: Clean Rivers 2023-01-12.

WWALS found very bad results in Friday samples of upstream creeks and river sites.

Worse than the Thursday river test results.

Except Troupville Boat Ramp on the Little River is back well within limits.

If I were you, I would still avoid the Withlacoochee River for a few days, at least as far down as the Little River Confluence.

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide

Beaverdam Creek showed too high E. coli at Main Street (US 129), but green again at Park Street. What’s between Ramblinwood Road and Main Street to produce that contamination?

Beatty Branch showed mysteriously too high at Continue reading →

Two new VLPRA trash cans for Naylor Beach on the Alapaha River 2022-12-29

Kimberly Tanner wrote three days ago, “Looks like there are two new cans; one close to parking and one on the beach. Great news!”

[Trash cans at entrance to and on Naylor Beach --Kimberly Tanner 2022-12-29]
Trash cans at entrance to and on Naylor Beach –Kimberly Tanner 2022-12-29

This is speedy action by Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA). And of course these two new cans at Naylor Beach are in addition to the one at the nearby Naylor Boat Ramp. Continue reading →

Clean Rivers 2022-12-29

Update 2023-01-06: Bad Upstream: Little and Withlacoochee Rivers 2023-01-05.

WWALS tests for Thursday upstream and downstream, and Valdosta upstream tests for Wednesday agree: clean Little, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers.

There was some rain last night, but probably not enough to wash much contamination into the rivers.

So happy swimming, fishing, and boating for New Years!

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide, 2022-12-29]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide, 2022-12-29

Two pollution spills have been reported this week.

On Sunday, December 18, 2022 (reported more than a week later on December 27), Ashburn, Georgia, spilled 3,000 gallons of sewage from their MLK Lift Station into Ashburn Branch, which flows into the Little River. But that’s too little and too far upstream to affect the river. Ashburn’s excuse: power failure. Maybe they should invest in a backup generator.

On Monday, December 26, 2022, the Chemours Trail Ridge South Mine southeast of Starke, Florida, spilled some unknown amount of not exactly sure what, at the top edge of the Santa Fe River Basin. Their excuse? Cold weather.

More on those spills later in separate posts. Continue reading →

Trash can missing at Naylor Beach, Alapaha River 2022-12-24

Update 2023-01-01 Two new VLPRA trash cans for Naylor Beach on the Alapaha River 2022-12-29.

Suzy Hall checked on the trash can at Naylor Beach on the Alapaha River at US 84 yesterday. It’s not there.

[2018, 2020, and 2022: Naylor Beach]
2018, 2020, and 2022: Naylor Beach

It was put there by Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) in 2018, after WWALS asked for it.

The last record we have of that Naylor Beach trash can was in January 2020.

We’re asking VLPRA again: could we have a trash can at Naylor Beach? Continue reading →

Mostly clean rivers 2022-12-22

Update 2022-12-31: Clean rivers 2022-12-29.

All the recent WWALS test results are quite clean, for the Little, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers. There was some rain Tuesday, but not enough on the drought-dry ground to wash much E. coli into the rivers, not even from Cat Creek, Sugar Creek, or Okapilco Creek.

The most recent results we have from Valdosta are for Wednesday a week ago, but they are bad for US 41 and GA 133. There’s not enough water to be boating there anyway, and it’s too cold for fishing or swimming.

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide map]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide map

So if you do want to brave the freezing weather and paddle, I recommend below the Little River Confluence on the Withlacoochee River, or the Alapaha, Alapahoochee, Suwannee, Santa Fe, or Ichetucknee Rivers. Continue reading →

Pictures: Another Knights Ferry to Nankin Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2022-12-17

Update 2023-03-31: Yet Another Cleanup Knights Ferry to Nankin, Withlacoochee River 2023-04-08.

Update 2023-01-30: Videos: Valdosta trash on the Withlacoochee River 2022-12-17.

Eight WWALS volunteers braved a cold winter’s day on another WWALS Withlacoochee River Cleanup from Knights Ferry to Nankin Boat Ramps, because we couldn’t get it all two weeks before.

After a big on-land cleanup and a floating trash jam, we also saw the wood piers of old Knights Ferry Bridge, Floating Marsh Pennywort, invasive Flowering Cleome houtteana, many private landings, Redland Creek, many rocks, many interesting trees, and Nankin Shoals.

Thanks to Russell Allen McBride for organizing, and volunteers Suzy Hall, Will Hart, Amy Myers, Gretchen Quarterman Scott, and Calvin.

[Composite, Another KF to Nankin Cleanup, 2022-12-17]
Composite, Another KF to Nankin Cleanup, 2022-12-17

Where did this styrofoam, plastic bottles, and cans come from? Almost certainly the City of Valdosta. See Valdosta Mayor Scott James on trash at Hightower Creek 2022-12-15.

There’s at least that much more trash on the river that we’ll have to come back to get. At least Valdosta has started to stop trash from getting into the river. They have much more to do:
https://wwals.net/issues/trash

Here’s a summary in a WWALS video playlist by Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman:

Continue reading →

Pretty clean rivers 2022-12-16

Update 2022-12-23: Mostly clean rivers 2022-12-22.

Update 2022-12-19: And also good water quality at Knights Ferry Boat Ramp for Saturday, December 17, 2022, test thanks to WWALS Water Quality Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall.

[2022-12-17--knights-ferry.html Knights Ferry Boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River, 2022-12-17]
2022-12-17–knights-ferry.html Knights Ferry Boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River, 2022-12-17

The Thursday rain appears to have had little effect on water quality or levels in the Little, Withlacoochee, or Alapaha Rivers.

So downstream of the Little River Confluence, as near as we can tell, happy boating, fishing, and, if you really like cold, swimming.

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map

Valdosta found very high E. coli for Monday a week ago at both US 41 and GA 133 on the Withlacoochee River. This was with no rain.

Experience indicates that whatever that was, it was probably gone by Friday. Continue reading →

Another Cleanup Knights Ferry to Nankin, Withlacoochee River, 2022-12-17

Update 2022-12-21: Pictures: Another Knights Ferry to Nankin Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2022-12-17.

Come help clean up more trash jams we found last time. It’s going to be cold, so dress warmly in layers and bring a change in a dry bag.

We found a new creek that we’re calling River Bend Plantation Creek because that’s the property it mostly runs through.

Speaking of which, the main big new trash pile is on the edge of River Bend Plantation. Could someone who knows them please ask them to contact WWALS about land access or closer river access?

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 3 PM, Saturday, December 17, 2022

Put In: Knights Ferry Boat Ramp, 6499 Knights Ferry Rd, Valdosta, GA 31601.

GPS: 30.71205, -83.45554

[Trash on land and river]
Trash on land and river 2022-12-03; Photos: John S. Quarterman

Continue reading →

Clean Rivers 2022-12-01

Little rain, no new sewage spills reported, and good test results: happy swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend!

Maybe you’d like to join us on the WWALS Trashjam cleanup, Knights Ferry to Nankin, Withlacoochee River 2022-12-03.

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide map]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide map 2022-12-01

We all took last week off for the Thanksgiving holiday, since there was no rain that week. Except thanks to Suzy Hall for testing Knights Ferry and Nankin last Saturday. She got very low E. coli.

Valdosta got high results at US 41 three times and most recently at GA 133 on Monday, which is the most recent date for which Valdosta has published results. While that contamination has probably washed downstream and gotten diluted by now, we have no more recent results for that location. There’s not enough water to boat there, anyway. Continue reading →

Trashjam cleanup, Knights Ferry to Nankin, Withlacoochee River 2022-12-03

Update 2022-12-05: Pictures: Knights Ferry to Nankin Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2022-12-03.

Clean up trash jams on the balmy blackwater Withlacoochee River. Looks like the weather will be almost 80 degrees. We will definitely get in a swim or two.

When: Gather 9 AM, Paddle 10 AM, End 3 PM, Saturday, December 3, 2022

Put In: Knights Ferry Boat Ramp, 6499 Knights Ferry Rd, Valdosta, GA 31601.

GPS: 30.71205, -83.45554

[Trash composite 2022-11-26]
Trash composite 2022-11-26

Continue reading →