Tag Archives: Suzy Hall

Three Clean Rivers 2023-12-14

Update 2023-12-22: Bad water quality, Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers 2023-12-21.

Update 2023-12-15: Videos: Testing three sites in Florida and Georgia, Withlacoochee River 2023-12-14.

Update 2023-12-15: Yet another Valdosta E. Park Ave. sewage spill near Knights Creek 2023-12-11.

We got clean results for a dozen sites on three rivers in two states for Thursday: Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and Suwannee.

Valdosta saw far too much E. coli in the Withlacoochee River for Mondayafter 2-4 inches of rain, but cleaner for Wednesday.

The rest of this week had little or no rain. The next rain is predicted for tomorrow (Saturday).

So if you want to avoid E. coli, best to go early Saturday and be off the river before noon, yet still expect to get wet.

You’ll probably find cleaner water on the Suwannee or Santa Fe than the Withlacoochee River.

Of course, if the rain is small, as in less than half an inch, there may be few ill effects. But if we get another 1- or 2-inch rain, beware.

[Chart, Clean Rivers, Map 2023-12-14]
Chart, Clean Rivers, Map 2023-12-14

In the last week, no pollution spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida.

In Valdosta, Georgia, a major spill of 450,000 gallons happened at one of the usual locations, near 1800 E. Park Ave. and Knights Creek, which flows into Mud Creek, the Alapahoochee River, and the Alapaha River. The press release says Valdosta Utilities discovered the spill Monday, December 11. It doesn’t say the spill did not end until yesterday, December 14, the day before the press release of today. I will file an open records request with GA-EPD for the report Valdosta Utilities sent them, to get the rest of the details.

Kimberly Godden Tanner got good Thursday results for the Alapaha River at Lakeland Boat Ramp and Naylor Park Beach. She says, “Both locations looked great. They are doing a great job at trash collection these days.”

Cindy Vedas tested the Withlacoochee River at her usual sites of Franklinville, Crawford Branch at Skipper Bridge Road, Staten Road, and Langdale Park, and got good results at all of them.

John S. Quarterman tested the Withlacoochee River at Clyattville-Nankin Boat Ramp, State Line Boat Ramp, and Sullivan Launch, and got good results.

Russ Tatum tested the Withlacoochee River at Holly Point, between Allen Ramp and the Suwannee River, and got excellent results.

Reina Lingle got good results for the Suwannee River at Royal Springs and Ivey Memorial Park in Branford, Florida.

WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall reviewed all the results and some were recalibrated in the ensuing discussion.

WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman delivered testing supplies to several testers and trained several.

If you want to get trained to be a WWALS water quality tester, please fill out the form:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084

As previously noted, Valdosta’s last downstream tests were September 1, 2023. Continue reading →

Probably clean rivers 2023-12-06

Update 2023-12-15: Three Clean Rivers 2023-12-14.

We got clean results for the Santa Fe River for Wednesday. WWALS testers are mostly off this week for the holidays. We may post some more results later.

Valdosta saw far too much E. coli in the Withlacoochee River for Mondayafter 2-4 inches of rain, but much cleaner for Wednesday.

The rest of this week had little or no rain. The next rain is predicted for Sunday.

So you’ll probably be pretty safe from E. coli this weekend.

[Chart, Clean Santa Fe River, Map 2023-12-06]
Chart, Clean Santa Fe River, Map 2023-12-06

In the last week, no pollution spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida.

In Valdosta, Georgia, a chunk of asphalt in a sewer line in a flood plain spilled 6,300 gallons of raw sewage into some houses and One Mile Branch. That spill is unlikely to have affected Sugar Creek or the Withlacoochee River much, considering the river tested way too high upstream at US 41 Monday as well as downstream at GA 133 and US 84. See separate report. Curiously, that spill has not yet shown up in the GA-EPD Sewage Spills Report.

Joanne Tremblay tested the Santa Fe River Tuesday, and got good results at the US 27 bridge and at US 41.

Russ Tatum tested the Withlacoochee River Wednesday at Holly Point, between Allen Ramp and the Suwannee River, and got excellent results.

WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall reviewed all the results and some were recalibrated in the ensuing discussion.

WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman delivered testing supplies to several testers.

If you want to get trained to be a WWALS water quality tester, please fill out the form:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084

As previously noted, Valdosta’s last downstream tests were September 1, 2023. Continue reading →

Asphalt-caused sewage spill in flooding on One Mile Branch in Valdosta 2023-12-03

Update 2023-12-19: Valdosta reports to GA-EPD about two recent sewage spills 2023-12-02.

Update 2023-12-15: This spill finally showed up in the GA-EPD Sewage Spills Report of 2023-12-12; see Yet another Valdosta E. Park Ave. sewage spill near Knights Creek 2023-12-11.

Update 2023-12-04: Added Valdosta Press Release.

After the recent rains, at least two houses on Pin Oak Circle at Lakeland Ave in Valdosta flooded again, attributed to a sewer leak by residents.

[One Mile Branch crossing Pin Oak Circle in a floodplain and location maps]
One Mile Branch crossing Pin Oak Circle in a floodplain and location maps

Valdosta Acting Utilities Director Jason Barnes just now on the telephone said it was caused by a piece of asphalt stuck in the sewer line. It took Utilities about an hour and 15 minutes Saturday to get it out. He did not know how it got there; maybe from previous street resurfacing. They will be doing further work today. He alerted GA-EPD Saturday, and is working on a press release this morning. It will be a spill, but probably not a major spill.

WWALS member Suzy Hall found this spill in a WALB TV story (see below). I located it by looking up the names from the story in the Lowndes County Tax Assessors Map.

One Mile Branch runs through their back yards, and we’ve seen flooding problems there before. Continue reading →

Mostly clean rivers 2023-11-30

Update 2023-12-02: Sewage spills: Ashburn, GA, Live Oak, FL 2023-12-01.

We got clean results for the Alapaha and Santa Fe Rivers, and mostly for the Withlacoochee River, except for Langdale Park, where somebody dumped a dead deer.

There was some rain in the past few days, but not much. More rain is predicted for Sunday. However, most of the first flush is probably over from the previous rains. So if you like drizzly paddling or fishing or swimming in low water, you’ll probably be pretty safe from E. coli. this weekend, except downstream from Langdale Park.

In the last two weeks, two new sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin: Ashburn, Georgia, spilled 2,000 gallons on November 19, reported on November 28, into Ashburn Branch, which ends up in the Little River far upstream from Tifton, and Live Oak, Florida, spilled 10,000 gallons at its WWTP Headworks, “confined to wastewater plant site lawn and garden lime is being applied to the affected areas.” See separate report for those spills. Neither are likely to have affected the Little River or the Suwannee River.

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-11-30]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-11-30

Heather Brasell tested the Alapaha River Friday a week ago at the City of Alapaha WWTP outflow and just upstream from Sheboggy Boat Ramp and go acceptable results, below the 410 cfu/100 mL one-time test limit.

Joanne Tremblay tested the Santa Fe River Tuesday, and got good results at the US 27 bridge and at US 41.

Cindy Vedas tested the Withlacoochee River Thursday at Franklinville Landing, Crawford Branch, Staten Road, and Langdale Park. All got acceptable results, except Langdale Park, where somebody had discarded a deer carcass. Why do people like that call themselves hunters?

Russ Tatum tested the Withlacoochee River Wednesday at Holly Point, between Allen Ramp and the Suwannee River, and got excellent results.

WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall reviewed all the results and some were recalibrated in the ensuing discussion.

WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman delivered testing supplies to several testers.

If you want to get trained to be a WWALS water quality tester, please fill out the form:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084

The most recent Valdosta results we have are for Wednesday last week and this Monday, both bad for US 41 and GA 133, but OK for US 84.

So our prediction last week that the Withlacoochee would probably be OK proved incorrect for near US 41 or GA 133.

Due to the holidays, we have no WWALS results for Thursday last week. Apparently Valdosta took both Monday and Friday off last week, since they report no results for those days.

As previously noted, Valdosta’s last downstream tests were September 1, 2023. Continue reading →

Clean Rivers 2023-11-23

Update 2023-12-02: Mostly clean rivers 2023-11-30.

Most of our testers were away for the holiday, but those who tested got clean results for the Alapaha and Santa Fe Rivers. Plus the usual bad results for Sugar Creek last Sunday.

There was some rain in the past few days, but not much. Some rain is predicted for Sunday, but it it’s like the last predicted rain, it won’t amount to much, either.

In the last week, no new sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.

So happy swimming, boating, and fishing this weekend!

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-11-23]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-11-23

Kim Tanner tested the Alapaha River Monday at Lakeland Boat Ramp and Naylor Park Beach and got very clean results.

Joanne Tremblay tested the Santa Fe River Wednesday. For the US 27 bridge she wrote, “Looking good. The river was swirling gently with leaves. There is a midriver spring right above the ramp. There is also a riparian neighborhood that hugs the high banks along this stretch and a couple of shoals that aerate and solarize the waters.”

For US 41 she wrote, “This location is a few miles down from River Rise. Here the river is mostly surrounded by protected State Park with very few residences tucked in.”

WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall tested Sugar Creek last Sunday and got too-high results, “Still yucky.”

WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman delivered testing supplies to several testers.

If you want to get trained to be a WWALS water quality tester, please fill out the form:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084

The most recent Valdosta results we have are for Wednesday and Friday upstream, which were good. As usual, Valdosta’s last week upstream results corroborated what WWALS saw Thursday last week.

As previously noted, Valdosta’s last downstream tests were September 1, 2023. Continue reading →

Mostly clean Withlacoochee River 2023-11-16

Update 2023-11-25 Clean Rivers 2023-11-23.

There was some rain in the past few days, but apparently not enough to wash contamination into the Withlacoochee River. Even famously filthy Crawford Branch was clean. However, Langdale Park Boat Ramp tested dirty, but that is probably because the water is so low it is stagnant there.

No rain is predicted for this weekend.

In the last week, no new sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.

So happy swimming, boating, and fishing this weekend!

[Chart, River, Swim Guide Map 2023-11-16]
Chart, River, Swim Guide Map 2023-11-16

Most of the usual WWALS testers are off for the holiday.

Russ Tatum got clean results for Wednesday for the Withlacoochee River at Holly Point, between Allen Ramp and the Suwannee River.

Cindy Vedas very got good results for Thursday for the Withlacoochee River at Franklinville, Crawford Branch, and Staten Road, but too -high at Langdale Park.

WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall provided sage advice.

WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman delivered testing supplies to several testers.

If you want to get trained to be a WWALS water quality tester, please fill out the form:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084

The most recent Valdosta results we have are for Monday upstream, which were good. As usual, Valdosta’s last week upstream results corroborated what WWALS saw Thursday last week.

As previously noted, Valdosta’s last downstream tests were September 1, 2023. Continue reading →

Clean Rivers 2023-11-09

Update 2023-11-17: Mostly clean Withlacoochee River 2023-11-16.

The rivers were still clean, in yet another week with no rain: the Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and Suwannee Rivers. Even famously filthy Crawford Branch was clean. However, notoriously dirty Sugar Creek was dirty, but it did not seem to affect the Withlacoochee River much.

No rain is predicted for this weekend.

In the last week, no new sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.

So happy swimming, boating, and fishing this weekend!

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-11-09]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-11-09

Heather Brasell got good results for Continue reading →

Clean rivers, dirty Sugar Creek 2023-11-02

In yet another week with no rain, the rivers were clean: the Withlacoochee, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers. Not so clean was Sugar Creek that runs into the Withlacoochee River, but even that was below the 410 cfu/100 mL one-time test E. coli limit. That’s 14 WWALS test sites on three rivers and one creek in two states. Good baselines for later when there is contamination.

No rain is predicted for this weekend.

In the last week, no new sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.

So happy swimming, boating, and fishing this weekend!

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-11-02]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-11-02

Joanne Tremblay got clean results for the Santa Fe River at High Springs Ramp @ US 41 and at US 27.

Reina Lingle got clean results for the Suwannee River at Ivey Metropolitan Park in Branford and at Royal Springs.

Kimberly Tanner says about the Alapaha River at Lakeland Boat Ramp and Naylor Park Beach, “Great results at both locations this week. And both areas were as clean as a whistle, too.”

Cindy Vedas got good results for the Withlacoochee River at Franklinville, Crawford Branch (yes, really), Staten Road, and US 41 (North Valdosta Road), with trash at US 41.

WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall tested Sugar Creek, and got too-high results, but clean at Knights Ferry and Nankin Boat Ramps on the Withlacoochee River. She also double-checked everybody else’s results. And the other testers cross-checked each others’ results.

Russ Tatum got clean results for the Withlacoochee River at Holly Point, between Allen Ramp and the Suwannee River.

WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman delivered testing supplies to several testers. She is also our testing trainer.

If you want to get trained to be a WWALS water quality tester, please fill out the form:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084

The most recent Valdosta results we have are for Wednesday upstream, which were good. As usual, Valdosta’s last week upstream results corroborated what WWALS saw Thursday last week.

And, as previosly noted, Valdosta’s last downstream tests were September 1, 2023. Continue reading →

Clean Rivers and some dirty creeks 2023-10-26

Update 2023-11-03: Clean rivers, dirty Sugar Creek 2023-11-02.

This was another week with no rain, and the rivers were mostly clean: the Withlacoochee, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers. Not clean were Franks Creek that runs into the Little River and Sugar Creek that runs into the Withlacoochee River. Crawford Creek of the Withlacoochee was just below the E. coli one-time test limit. That’s 11 WWALS test sites on three rivers and three creeks in two states.

No rain is predicted for this weekend.

In the last week, no new sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.

So happy swimming, boating, and fishing this weekend!

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-10-26]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-10-26

Joanne Tremblay got clean results at High Springs Ramp @ US 41 and at US 27, both on the Santa Fe River.

Reina Lingle got very clean results at Ivey Metropolitan Park in Branford and at Royal Springs, both on the Suwannee River.

New WWALS tester Debbie Smith got too-high results for Franks Creek at GA 122 just west of Hahira. Which is interesting, because that is upstream of Hahira’s Land Application Site.

Cindy Vedas got good results at Franklinville, Crawford Branch (well, OK results there), Staten Road, and Langdale Park, on the Withlacoochee River. She photographed the trash still at Langdale Park Boat Ramp from at the WWALS Langdale Park Withlacoochee River Cleanup of last Saturday. I will nudge Lowndes County Public Works to pick it up.

WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall tested Sugar Creek, and got too-high results. She also double-checked everybody else’s results. And the other testers cross-checked each others’ results.

If you want to get trained to be a WWALS water quality tester, please fill out the form:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084

The most recent Valdosta results we have are for Monday upstream, which were good. As usual, Valdosta’s last week upstream results corroborated what WWALS saw Thursday last week.

And, as previosly noted, Valdosta’s last downstream tests were September 1, 2023. Continue reading →

Pictures: Langdale Park Withlacoochee River Cleanup 2023-10-20

WWALS cleaned up near Langdale Park Boat Ramp during the United Way Day of Caring. We ended up with trash bagged, plus 4 shower doors, a big screen tv, a kids toy float tug boat and lots of plastic and styrofoam, glass and aluminum.

Outings leader Russell Allen McBride previously scouted the Withlacoochee River upstream and down from Langdale Park Boat Ramp, and found too many deadfalls for boating, so we cleaned up on land. Thanks to Bobby McKenzie, Suzy Hall, and Gretchen Quarterman for cleaning up.

[Trash, t-shirts, slough, and signs at Langdale Park Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2023-10-20]
Trash, t-shirts, slough, and signs at Langdale Park Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2023-10-20

Thanks to Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson for cleaning up with us, and for bringing still more donuts. Also the United Way t-shirts, to add to our Rivers Alive t-shirts.

There are more pictures below.

See also the facebook photosets by:

Continue reading →