Tag Archives: Troupville Boat Ramp

Pictures: Chainsaw upstream from Troupville, Withlacoochee River, 2025-07-12

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Well, we sawed a path through the first deadfall, a tenth of a mile up the Withlacoochee River.

[Chainsaw upstream from Troupville Boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River, Saturday, July 12, 2025]
Chainsaw upstream from Troupville Boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River, Saturday, July 12, 2025

Then the 9.9 hp Mercury outboard, which we thought was fixed, was back to its old tricks: stops while idling, won’t keep going in gear, if you do cajole it to run fast, as soon as it idles, it stops again.

We used both the trolling motors with the LiFePO4 batteries to get back up the Little River to Troupville Boat Ramp.

After further tinkering with the 9.9 hp outboard, we resolved to put the 25 hp Mercury outboard on the WWALS jon boat. We did that, and we put a prop guard on it. No pictures of all that; sorry.

The 9.9 hp outboard is at Winsel’s Boats to see if he can fix it.

Thanks to Wild Green Future for the generous grant that bought both outboard motors, the 86lb-thrust trolling motor, and the two batteries, as well as the Husqvarna Rancher 460 24-inch chainsaw, as well as some other equipment.

Part of the deal was we would put a sticker on the boat: Four Good Caws. It’s a pun. Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee River 2025-07-09

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Update 2025-07-13: New sewage spill in Sugar Creek 2025-07-12.

We have good E. coli results on the Withlacoochee River for this week.

[Clean Withlacoochee River, 2025-07-09, Happy paddling, boating, swimming, and fishing]
Clean Withlacoochee River, 2025-07-09, Happy paddling, boating, swimming, and fishing

We don’t know about Sugar Creek; nobody tested that this week. Strange as it seems, chances are that creek is also clean.

No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida. or Georgia.

Rain or thunderstorms are likely for the next ten days.

As near as we can tell, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend, if you can beat the rain!

Maybe join WWALS today for Chainsaw upstream from Troupville, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-12.
https://wwals.net/?p=67870

Withlacoochee River

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Chainsaw upstream from Troupville, Withlacoochee River, 2025-07-12

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Update 2025-07-16: Pictures: Chainsaw upstream from Troupville, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-12.

Join us to get the deadfalls revealed by lower water levels. Yes, we’re still cleaning up after Hurricane Helene.

You do not have to saw. You can pick up trash, take pictures, or just paddle.

You can also walk along the right (west) bank of the Withlacoochee River much of the way.

If the water level is too low for boating, we will all be walking.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 3:30 PM, Saturday, July 12, 2025

Put In: Troupville Boat Ramp, 19664 Valdosta Hwy, Valdosta, GA 31602. I-75 exit 18, west on GA 133 (St. Augustine Road) away from the Valdosta Mall, at the traffic light for Val Tech Road, turn left down to the boat ramp, in Lowndes County.

GPS: 30.851842, -83.346536

[Chainsaw upstream from Troupville, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-12, Get deadfalls revealed by lower water levels]
Chainsaw upstream from Troupville, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-12, Get deadfalls revealed by lower water levels

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Okapilco Creek 2025-03-22

Downstream from Spook Bridge on the Withlacoochee River, Phil Hubbard and I took a side trip up Okapilco Creek.

[Okapilco Creek 2025-03-22, Withlacoochee River, Piscola Creek, Patrick Creek]
Okapilco Creek 2025-03-22, Withlacoochee River, Piscola Creek, Patrick Creek

We passed Piscola Creek and Patrick Creek.

We went up Okapilco Creek about a mile. Then we encountered a deadfall across the creek. We could have sawed it in a few minutes. But our main mission was checking passage on the Withlacoochee River, so we turned back.

There was very little trash in Okapilco Creek. We collected some of it.

Phil Royce had declined to follow us up the creek, so we caught up with him down near Knights Ferry Boat Ramp. Stay tuned for that.

Thanks to Wild Green Future for the generous grant that paid for Continue reading →

Reroute: Chairman and Mayor’s Paddle: Sugar Creek to Troupville, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-19

Same date, slight reroute: Sugar Creek to Troupville.

Please be at the bottom of the Bertas Kitchen parking lot by 8AM so we can try to be on the water by 9AM.

Join us for a leisurely paddle with Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter on the Withlacoochee River.

[Chairman and Mayor's Paddle, Sugar Creek to Troupville, Withlacoochee River, 8 AM, April 19, 2025]
Chairman and Mayor’s Paddle, Sugar Creek to Troupville, Withlacoochee River, 8 AM, April 19, 2025

Thanks to a generous grant from Georgia Power, this outing is free for everyone.
Thanks to Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) for shuttle vans.
Thanks to Valdosta Boys & Girls Club for bringing youth and boats to paddle.

Thanks to Steve Miller for bringing a golf cart to help put in and take out.
Thanks to Gee Edwards for leading this expedition, Phil Royce for being sweep, and to Phil Hubbard and Phil Royce for chainsawing the route.

When: Gather 8 AM, shuttle ASAP, launch 9 AM, end 2 PM, Saturday, April 19, 2025

Put In: Salty Corner Landing, at the bottom of the parking lot for Bertas Pizza Kitchen, 1405 Gornto Rd, Valdosta, GA 31602.

GPS: 30.8625, -83.31875 Continue reading →

Pictures: Last Mile, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-13

Update 2025-04-20: Pictures: Chainsaw from Troupville up the Withlacoochee River towards Sugar Creek 2025-04-18.

At Langdale Park Boat Ramp Sunday Phil Hubbard got the big chainsaw working again. That’s the Husqvarna 24-inch chainsaw that we dunked in the Withlacoochee River Wednesday.

Then we drove by Sugar Creek for a look-see. There’s a big logjam, which we dealt with later. And geese swimming in the creek by the WaterGoat.

We decided to put in at Troupville Boat Ramp and go down around the Little River to its Confluence and upstream on the Withlacoochee River. All the way to Langdale Park Boat Ramp and back down.

[Withlacoochee River Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-04-13, Troupville Boat Ramp up to Langdale Park]
Withlacoochee River Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-04-13, Troupville Boat Ramp up to Langdale Park

We found plenty of new deadfalls, and some old ones in the way at this kind of water level. The Valdosta Gauge at US 41 read 122.79 feet NAVD88 at 9:15 AM and 122.87 feet at 5 PM, rising as we did this chainsaw cleanup.

Videos: Continue reading →

Clean Sugar Creek and Little River 2025-04-09; Dirty downstream Withlacoochee River 2025-04-10

Update 2025-04-18: Clean Rivers and most creeks; dirty Sugar Creek 2025-04-16.

Drum roll, please!

The long-awaited, yet unexpected: clean Sugar Creek!

Even after the rain Monday.

Also the Little River was clean upstream and down, and the Withlacoochee River was clean near Valdosta.

But downstream the Withlacoochee River was dirty. Makes me wonder what happened in Quitman?

No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.

No rain is predicted for the next ten days.

The rivers are still down to boatable levels (except for the Santa Fe at the Ichetucknee River Confluence).

So happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend!

[Clean Sugar Creek and Little River 2025-04-09, Clean upstream but Dirty downstream Withlacoochee River 2025-04-10]
Clean Sugar Creek and Little River 2025-04-09, Clean upstream but Dirty downstream Withlacoochee River 2025-04-10

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Last Mile, Withlacoochee River, Langdale Park Boat Ramp 2025-04-13

Update 2025-04-15: Pictures: Last Mile, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-13.

Get the last mile of deadfalls below Sugar Creek and anything else we see.

You can join us in a kayak or canoe; it’s all downstream.

You do not have to use a saw of any kind.

You can photograph, pick up trash, or just paddle.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 9:30 AM, end 4 PM, Sunday, April 13, 2025

Put In: Langdale Park Boat Ramp, 3781 N. Valdosta Rd., Valdosta, GA 31602, downstream from the North Valdosta Road (US 41) Bridge, in Lowndes County.

GPS: 30.88747, -83.32395

[Last Mile Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-13, From Langdale Park, by Sugar Creek, to Troupville Boat Ramp]
Last Mile Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-13, From Langdale Park, by Sugar Creek, to Troupville Boat Ramp

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Signage, Withlacoochee River, Troupville to midpoint 2025-04-09

Update 2025-04-10: Pictures: Withlacoochee Upstream from Troupville 2025-04-09.

We will motor down to the midpoint of the Mayor and Chairmans Paddle, checking the route and hanging signs.

We will take the usual chainsaws, although we don’t expect to find anything to saw.

If you have a boat and motor, please join us.

If you have a canoe or kayak, we can tow you.

When: Gather 4:30 PM, launch 5 PM, Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Put In: Troupville Boat Ramp, 19664 Valdosta Hwy, Valdosta, GA 31602. I-75 exit 18, west on GA 133 (St. Augustine Road) away from the Valdosta Mall, at the traffic light for Val Tech Road, turn left down to the boat ramp, in Lowndes County.

GPS: 30.851842, -83.346536

[Placing Signage, Withlacoochee River, Troupville to midpoint, April 9, 2025]
Placing Signage, Withlacoochee River, Troupville to midpoint, April 9, 2025

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Installed: Troupville Boat Ramp water trail signs 2025-04-01

New water trail signs replace the old, shot-up ones at Troupville Boat Ramp on the Little River just downstream from GA 133.

[Installed: water trail signs at Troupville Boat Ramp, Little River @ GA 133, Thanks, VLPRA & GA-DNR 2025-04-01]
Installed: water trail signs at Troupville Boat Ramp, Little River @ GA 133, Thanks, VLPRA & GA-DNR 2025-04-01

Thanks to Herman Gordon of Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) for coming down to help install the new signs for the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT).

Herman is preparing for the April 19th Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle. I think he was relieved that WWALS, Valdosta, and Lowndes County rescheduled it because of high water on the previous date.
https://wwals.net/?p=67242

Thanks to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA-DNR) that paid for (most of) the cost of these and other signs.

GA-DNR’s own signs about “Clean Your Gear” and “Don’t Release It Here!” have also been shot up. Gordon and I are contacting them about that.

And I’ve already left a message for Lowndes County Public Works about the large potholes on the entrance road. Continue reading →