Tag Archives: Valdosta State University

New fallers and a sign on the bridge: pictures of Kayaktivism 2015-10-03

Signs, no pipeline, new fallers, and a fine day on the Withlacoochee River No Pipeline! --Ashlie Prain 30.8930683, -83.3185959 from Langdale Park to the US 41 bridge: here are some pictures of Kayaktivism, October 3rd 2015.

Thanks to Ashlie Marie Prain and others for organizing this event by the Valdosta State University (VSU) Anthropology Club, the VSU Sociology Club, and Students Against Violating the Environment (S.A.V.E.), which was also cleanup for Keep Lowndes/Valdosta Beautiful (KLVB), and a WWALS Field Trip, plus Tom Hochschild was there for the Lowndes County Democratic Party (LCDP), which, like WWALS, is an intervenor on FERC Sabal Trail Docket No. CP15-17.

Don’t forget to e-comment to FERC today! Today’s the deadline for e-comments about the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS).

Special thanks to Continue reading →

Withlacoochee River upstream, Langdale Park to US 41, kayaktivism against Sabal Trail pipeline 2015-10-03

Come paddle the idyllic Withlacoochee River in its most urbanized area, Valdosta, The bridge in sight 30.8907604, -83.3211441 help clean up trash, and do kayaktivism against the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline, which would cross only a few miles downstream. This is a WWALS Field Trip from Langdale Park upstream to the North Valdosta Road Bridge, Saturday morning October 3rd 2015, in support of the VSU Anthropology Club, the VSU Sociology Club, and Students Against Violating the Environment (S.A.V.E.), who invite you to Kayaktivism Day 2015!

Help us protect the Withlacoochee River!

If I’m not mistaken, Continue reading →

Boat ramp at Langdale Park.

Who’s in charge of clearing deadfalls in the Withlacoochee River?

See Withlacoochee River upstream, Langdale Park to US 41, kayaktivism against Sabal Trail pipeline 2015-10-03

AJC video: Proposed Natural Gas Pipeline Through 9 Counties

Most people are opposed to the Sabal Trail pipeline, as the Colquitt County landowner says. Drilling in our fragile karst limestone “could potentially carry any contamination down into our groundwater source”, as VSU Geology Prof. Don Thieme says. Why should we risk that for profit for companies from somewhere else and no benefit for here?

Atlanta Journal Constitution, Proposed Natural Gas Pipeline Through 9 Counties, Continue reading →

WWALS at Earth Day by S.A.V.E. at Drexel Park near VSU today

Update 2014-04-25 11:AM: Unfortunately the whole event has been cancelled.

300x225 Earth Day 2015, in Earth Day by S.A.V.E., by John S. Quarterman, for WWALS.net, 25 April 2015 Come hear from Students Against Violating the Environment (S.A.V.E.) about fossil fuel divestment and other environmental issues, 1-4PM today in Drexel Park, NE corner of Patterson Street and Brookwood Avenue; Facebook event. Rain location: University Center, just south of Brookwood.

WWALS will have Alapaha River Water Trail brochures, flyers for the Third Annual BIG Little River Paddle Race 2015-05-16 and other WWALS events, plus news about opposition to the Sabal Trail pipeline.

WWALS and S.A.V.E. have long been allied in opposing the Sabal Trail pipeline, and in proposing fossil fuel divestment. WWALS sent a letter to the VSU Foundation 18 October 2013 quoting S.A.V.E.: Continue reading →

Water issues with VA-2014-07 at Baytree and Azalea Drive in Valdosta –WWALS to Valdosta City Council

Gretchen sent this letter to the Valdosta City Council last Thursday, and is going to read it to them tonight at their Regular Session (PDF. -jsq

Dear Valdosta City Council Members,

300x389 Letter, in Rezoning Water Issues in Valdosta, by WWALS, for WWALS.net, 8 September 2014 WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. would like to draw your attention to some issues related to rezoning VA-2014-07 Brooks Turner LLC at the corner of Baytree and Azalea Drive. As you are aware, flooding in Sugar Creek has been a problem for many years. The proposed development of lots between Baytree and Pinetree will result in the removal of approximately seventy (70) mature pine trees, increase paving percentage (the lots are mostly grass with clearly less than 50% covered by rooftops and hard paved surfaces), and most dramatically replace Continue reading →

WWALS at Earth Day by SAVE

WWALS will have a table at Earth Day today, 1PM in the Magnolia Room, University Center, VSU. That’s on the east side of Patterson Street, just south of Brookwood Drive from Drexel Park.

-jsq

Videos: Aquifers, sinkholes, and groundscans –Prof. Don Thieme

We had to move to a larger room, so many attended this groundwater talk at VSU (about 90). Plus a guest appearance by SAVE.

Crowded small room Larger Magnolia Room

Coastal Plain Surficial Deposits, Groundwater Resources, and Recent Subsidence in south Georgia by Prof. Donald M. Thieme @ VSU for WWALS 2013-10-09 Here are Dr. Donald M. Thieme‘s slides in PDF, with his longer title:

Coastal Plain Surficial Deposits, Groundwater Resources, and Recent Subsidence in south Georgia

While we are lucky to have abundant groundwater, both from the Upper Floridan Aquifer 100 feet below us trapped in Eocene limestones and from shallow groundwater with its karst features, nonetheless overpumping has caused falls in the level of the aquifer (about 0.6 feet a year at Valdosta), resulting in rapid loss of shallow groundwater, plus surface water that enters and often contaminates the aquifer through those karst features.

Summary: abundant groundwater from Upper Floridan aquifer and shallow groundwater Summary: Fall in level of upper Floridan aquifer is primary cause for....

Sometimes those karst features subside and manifest as sinkholes like the one that ate Snake Nation Road in Lowndes County and others that can develop slow (many years) or fast (weeks or minutes).

Subsidence Problems in south Georgia and north Florida Snake Nation Road sinkhole

There were also many questions, starting with what water do personal wells reach? Also including a brief history of Valdosta well drilling from artesian to hundreds of feet down, and a sinkhole in a garage in Lowndes County, should local governments require sinkhole insurance (including mention of Moody AFB subsidence and Florida citrus growers pumping so much water it causes sinkholes). I also introduced the WWALS board members present: Gretchen Quarterman (Treasurer and videoing), Bret Wagenhorst (Outings), Heather Brasell (Secretary), Dave Hetzel (President), April Huntley (Director), me (Vice President), and Chris Graham (Member); plus a brief summary of WWALS events and outings. Here’s a video playlist:

Continue reading →

Now at VSU: Aquifers, sinkholes, and ground scans –Don Thieme @ WWALS

Update 2019-04-02: Videos.

Moved to VSU, University Center, Dogwood Room! Prof. Don Thieme of VSU will speak about underground water issues at the October WWALS board meeting in Wednesday October 9th at 7:30 PM in Valdosta. Join the facebook event or come as you are.

Here’s the letter Prof. Thieme and two other VSU professors wrote to the Air Force about sinkholes and subsidence on the proposed Moody Family Housing in Lowndes County, which also turns out to be in an aquifer recharge zone.

Here’s VSU’s campus map and here’s a google map: Continue reading →

Aquifers, sinkholes, and ground scans –Don Thieme @ WWALS

Moved to VSU, University Center, Dogwood Room!
Prof. Don Thieme of VSU will speak about underground water issues at the October WWALS board meeting in Wednesday October 9th at 7:30 PM in Adel at the IHOP, 1200 W 4th Street. Valdosta.

Here’s the letter Prof. Thieme and two other VSU professors wrote to the Air Force about sinkholes and subsidence on the proposed Moody Family Housing in Lowndes County, which also turns out to be in an aquifer recharge zone.

It’s an open board meeting anyone can attend for the business part, as well. Here’s the agenda:

Agenda WWALS Board Meeting
7:30 pm October 9, 2013
IHOP, Adel GA
  1. Call to Order, Welcome and Introductions
  2. Speaker: Don Thieme, VSU geologist. Topic: Aquifers, sinkholes, and ground scans.
  3. Agenda Review: Additions and Changes
  4. Review and Approval of Minutes of September Board Meeting
  5. Future Meetings and Events
    1. Monthly outing (fourth Saturday): October 26, 2013 at Banks Lake near Lakeland.
    2. Monthly board meeting (second Wednesday): November 13 Continue reading →