Tag Archives: Three Mile Branch

Dirty Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers 2024-01-11

Update 2024-01-19: Three Clean Rivers 2024-01-17.

We got bad results for Thursday for one Alapaha River site and horrible results for one Withlacoochee River site.

Russ Tatum’s Holly Point site went from zero E. coli for Wednesday to 5,000 for Thursday. We don’t know whether this is related to Valdosta’s Wednesday 100,000-gallon sewage spill into Three Mile Branch to the Withlacoochee River, but it could be. In the last week, no other pollution spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia, and none at all in Florida.

The most recent City of Valdosta Withlacoochee River results we have are for Monday, and they are all too high after last Saturday’s rain. There was more rain Tuesday, and a bit more yesterday (Friday).

If I were you, I would avoid the Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers this weekend. Maybe even the Ichetucknee and Santa Fe Rivers.

We shall see whether the Withlacoochee is clean enough and low enough Sunday week for the Langdale Park to Sugar Creek Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2024-01-21.

[Chart, Rivers, Map 2024-01-11]
Chart, Rivers, Map 2024-01-11

WWALS tester Kimberly Godden Tanner tested the Alapaha River at Lakeland Boat Ramp @ GA 122 and at Naylor Park Beach @ US 84. She wrote, “Both locations were clean [of trash]. The only additional item of note was a couple a dead fish on the ground at the boat ramp in Lakeland. I am not a fisher, so I am unaware of why this might be.” Continue reading →

Valdosta sewage spill, Three Mile Branch, Withlacoochee River 2024-01-10

Update 2024-01-24: More about the Valdosta Knob Hill or Williamsburg Drive sewage spill 2024-01-10.

Update 2024-01-18: According to Valdosta Acting Utilities Director Jason Barnes, the spill really was from a manhole at 213 Knob Hill Drive, but it was not due to a collapsed sewer line; actually there were rocks in the pipe.

Update 2024-01-13: Dirty Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers 2024-01-11.

Valdosta yesterday reported a massive sewage spill from a collapsed sewer line into Three Mile Branch, through Langdale Park, into the Withlacoochee River.

[Valdosta Sewage Spill, Williamsburg Drive to Three Mile Branch and Withlacoochee River, January 10-12, 2024]
Valdosta Sewage Spill, Williamsburg Drive to Three Mile Branch and Withlacoochee River, January 10-12, 2024

I compliment the City of Valdosta on getting a bypass pump there to deal with the situation.

And I compliment the City for a specific location, 213 Knob Hill Drive. However, that is where the report came from that caused Valdosta Utilities to investigate. By the description in the press release of “a manhole overflowing from the backside of Williamsburg Drive”, it would appear the manhole was actually at 2019 Williamsburg Drive.

“The Sanitary Sewer overflow stopped at 12:30 am on January 12, 2024, releasing approximately 100,000 gallons into a drainage ditch that discharges into the Withlacoochee River.”

Two ditches actually go into Three Mile Branch which goes to the Withlacoochee River, but I compliment the City on saying which river is affected.

However, in addition to being ten times the 10,000 gallons required for a major spill, that 100,000 gallons is an awful round number. And while the City provides a stop date and time for the spill, they don’t really say when it started, just when it was reported. So that manhole could have been spewing sewage for quite a while at 2019 Williamsburg Drive before somebody at 213 Knob Hill Drive noticed and reported it.

This appears to be the location of “a manhole overflowing from the backside of Williamsburg Drive”, at 2019 Williamsburg Drive. Continue reading →

Good trash can news from Valdosta City Marshalls

Update 2023-05-14: Pictures: turtle rescue 2023-04-24.

Valdosta Community Protections Manager Anetra Riley yesterday told WWALS that City Marshalls have sent notices to all parking lot owners in Valdosta that they must follow city ordinances and place trash cans in their parking lots. Not just under the roofs at the store entrances: strategically placed, as the ordinance says.

[Community Protections Manager Anetra Riley and trash cans in parking lot]
Community Protections Manager Anetra Riley and trash cans in parking lot

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman and Two Mile Branch neighbor Katherine Ball were pleased to hear this new ordinance enforcement initiative. This ordinance enforcement is one of many levels WWALS continues to advocate to fix the trash problem.

Anetra Riley also told us that something long promised by the Mayor on his radio show has finally happened: Continue reading →

Maps: Valdosta Stormwater Pond Facility Clusters 2023-03-01

These maps show the locations of Valdosta’s Stormwater Pond Facility Clusters previously posted. They provide clues to where trash may be accumulating.

Most of the major creeks in Valdosta are represented, plus some that I didn’t know had names, such as Bunche Street Canal and Knob Hill Canal, as well as some that apparently do not have names.

Most (Sugar Creek, Hightower Creek, Dow Street Canal, One Mile Branch, Two Mile Branch, Three Mile Branch, Knob Hill Canal, Cherry Creek, and Browns Canal) are in the Withlacoochee River Basin.

Others (Knights Creek, Dukes Bay Canal, Bunche Street Canal) are in the Alapaha River Basin.

Several of the maps straddles several watersheds.

[Example Cluster maps]
Example Cluster maps

Below there is a pair of maps for each of the clusters: a map received from Valdosta in response to an open records request, and a map excerpt from one of the WWALS water trail maps.

The rest of the text below is from the document previously posted. Continue reading →

A federal bottle deposit requirement could happen 2022-12-15

The plastic industry doubled down on the failed solution of recycling, on potential revisions to a federal bill to limit the harm of plastics, including through bottle deposits.

Still, bottle deposits do increase recycling, so that would be better than nothing, reducing the amount of plastic trash we find in waterways such as the Withlacoochee River and leading to it Valdosta’s Sugar Creek, One Mile Branch, Two Mile Branch, and Three Mile Branch.

[Toxic, Trash]
Toxic, Trash

WWALS has been supporting bottle deposits and more since 2020, along with many other organizations.

Cheryl Hogue, Chemical & Engineering News, December 14, 2022, Requiring deposits on bottles in US could garner plastics industry’s support: Legislation would have to be ‘drafted correctly,’ association leader says,

A major US plastics industry organization could support federal legislation to require consumers to pay deposits on beverage bottles, the head of the group told a congressional panel Dec. 15.

Continue reading →

Videos: Troupville Nature Park and River Camp, Trash, Cleanups –Helen Tapp & Suwannee Riverkeeper @ Scott James Radio 2022-12-15

Helen Tapp was still around after Lowndes County bought land from her for a nature preserve, so I asked Scott James to get her on his radio show, in which we talked nature preserve and trash.

[Movie: Thanks --Scott James, Helen Tapp]
Movie: Thanks –Scott James, Helen Tapp

We learned a few new things: the Valdosta YMCA is working on providing Withlacoochee River access just downstream from the railroad bridge and Sugar Creek, with no boardwalk required.

And the Mayor predicts that Valdosta United Way and the City Council will each provide $2,000 towards two additional WaterGoat trash traps.

Helen Tapp discussed that recent purchase to make a nature preserve at the Little River Confluence with the Withlacoochee River. She and Suwaneee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman and Valdosta Mayor Scott James talked about eight miles of river right next to Valdosta, with chainsaw cleanups to make it more accessible down to Troupville River Camp, where the Chairman and Mayor’s Paddle will depart March 4, 2023.

These WWALS videos include the rest of the interview, after a cable provider knocked Talk 92.1 FM off the air for the morning. Including Continue reading →

Suwannee Riverkeeper on Scott James Radio 92.1 FM 2022-12-15

Update 2022-12-23: Videos: Troupville Nature Park and River Camp, Trash, Cleanups –Helen Tapp & Suwannee Riverkeeper @ Scott James Radio 2022-12-15.

Suwannee Riverkeeper will talk trash, parks, creeks, and rivers on Scott James Talk 92.1 FM radio tomorrow morning, Thursday, 8:30 AM.

[Withlacoochee River cleanup, Radio, Troupville park land purchase, Langdale Park trail clearing]
Withlacoochee River cleanup, Radio, Troupville park land purchase, Langdale Park trail clearing

Topics discussed will probably include: Continue reading →

Dark Branch and Three Mile Branch with trails in Langdale Park by Phillip Williams 2022-12-12

Phillip Williams has found and marked more trails and waterways in his continued exploration of Langdale Park on the Withlacoochee River in Lowndes County just west of Valdosta, Georgia. As you can see, the trails are much more usable since Parks and Rec. has been cleaning them up lately. Yay, George Page, Jessica Catlett, and Jeff!

[Dark Branch, trashjam, canebreak, island, log bridge, waterfall]
Dark Branch, trashjam, canebreak, island, log bridge, waterfall

I’ve updated his material in the WWALS WLRWT map, so you can pan, zoom, and click.

He’s been communicating with the park owner, Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA). He’s updated many of the trail names. For example, the trail south from Langdale Park Boat Ramp by the Withlacoochee River is Trail B. Trail A runs all the way from the Pavillion just south of Hyta Mederer Drive down to Three Mile Branch. Supposedly it then turns right and goes west to the river, but apparently VLPRA hasn’t finished cleaning up that stretch. Continue reading →

In-progress Langdale Park trail map @ VLPRA 2022-12-01

Update 2022-12-13: Dark Branch and Three Mile Branch with trails in Langdale Park by Phillip Williams 2022-12-12.

VLPRA did find an old map of Langdale Park trails. While I was there yesterday, Jeff drew on it the location of bridges he is repairing right now. I did not take a photograph because it is obviously a work in progress.

[John S. Quarterman, Jessica Catlett, the Map, Jeff, George Page, VLPRA sign]
John S. Quarterman, Jessica Catlett, the Map, Jeff, George Page, VLPRA sign

They are also working on designs for new trail signs, as well as for a kiosk at the pavilion and some other informational signs at several other points. They like the WWALS z-fold water trail brochures, and they plan to do one somewhat similar. They are aware of the Georgia Recrational Trails Program (RTP), which grants federal funds for trails just like these, but they don’t want to wait on writing a grant proposal and seeing if they get it: they’re fixing up the Langdale Park trails right now.

Most of the trail names that Phillip Williams and Bobby McKenzie have deduced are correct, but Continue reading →

Individual Langdale Park Trails 2022-12-01

Update 2022-12-02: In-progress Langdale Park trail map @ VLPRA 2022-12-01.

Had some discussions with Bobby McKenzie and Phillip Williams about the names of the Trails at Langdale Park. Much of this is still tentative, but I’ve added names to the WWALS map derived from Phillip’s map.

[Example trails in Langdale Park --Phillip Williams]
Example trails in Langdale Park –Phillip Williams

Here are images of each trail, with links into the WWALS WLRWT map for that trail.

You can pan and zoom in the WWALS map of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail,

We are all ears for corrections, suggestions, additions, etc.

No doubt George Page and Jessica Catlett at Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) will organize integrating all this information into their own VLPRA map, which I hear does exist.

Meanwhile, for the WWALS map, remember: Continue reading →