Tag Archives: Valdosta

Clean Rivers 2022-06-02

Update 2022-06-11: Five Rivers Clean 2022-06-09.

Seventh week: all rivers clean! Happy swimming, fishing, and boating in the Little, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers.

For example, tomorrow morning, Florida Campsites to Allen Ramp, Withlacoochee River 2022-06-04.

Of course, there can be undetected local water quality problems (see below). But all the WWALS sites tested Thursday got clean results. While there is a prediction of rain today and tomorrow, if it’s like what we’ve been seeing, it will be light and won’t wash much contamination into the river. No sewage spills have been reported in Georgia or Florida in the past week. So have a good weekend.

The most recent results we have from Valdosta are for Wednesday upstream and Wednesday of last week downstream. Those were all clean, too.

But earlier contamination was detected in Valdosta results. Continue reading →

Chainsaw cleanup again, Withlacoochee River 2022-06-05

Update 2022-06-06: Pictures: Another big logjam in Chainsaw Cleanup Withlacoochee 2022-06-05.

Let’s go back and get some more of the deadfalls blocking the Withlacoochee River between Langdale Park Boat Ramp and Troupville Boat Ramp. There are plenty more deadfalls downstream below the the railroad bridge below Sugar Creek, even after we cut through the first big logjam last time.

This is a cleanup, so there’s plenty for everyone to do. You do not have to use a chainsaw, and we recommend you do not unless you have experience with them. Everyone near a chainsaw please wear safety eyeglasses. And earplugs.

We’re all ears for when the trash boom Valdosta has ordered for Sugar Creek will arrive and get installed. Meanwhile, we’re going ahead with the deadfall clearing while volunteers are enthusiastic, so once the trash is more contained there can be more paddling on the Withlacoochee River.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 9:30 AM, end 12 PM, Sunday, June 5, 2022

Put In: Salty Snapper parking lot, 1405 Gornto Road, Valdosta, GA 31602.

GPS: 30.8625, -83.31875

Bring: Chainsaw or sawzall if you are experienced with using them, plus protective eyewear and earwear. Everyone the usual personal flotation device, boat, paddles, food, drinking water, warm clothes, and first aid kit. Also trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup. Mosquitoes can be bad at dusk so come prepared.

Free: This outing is free because it is a cleanup.

We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations

Event: facebook, meetup

[Need a new chain and bar for that chainsaw]
Need a new chain and bar for that chainsaw

Continue reading →

Chainsaw cleanup pictures, Withlacoochee River 2022-05-29

Update 2022-06-01: Chainsaw cleanup again, Withlacoochee River 2022-06-05.

Some chainsawed, others cleaned up, on the chainsaw cleanup at the Withlacoochee River.

We met at the Salty Snapper parking lot, but we did not actually go to Sugar Creek. We headed straight for the biggest Withlacoochee River impediment, the infamous NSRR Deadfall, a stack of deadfalls (downed trees) across the river downstream of the Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge.

That took the allotted time of nine to noon. We’ll probably do it again next Sunday; stay tuned.

[Logjam, Sawing, Cleanup, Banners]
Logjam, Sawing, Cleanup, Banners

Thanks to Phil Hubbard for sawing and Jan Krysa for helping in the boat and in the water. Thanks to Elizabeth Brunner and family for cleaning up.

Also, we did not see much trash actually in the big deadfall, presumably because Continue reading →

Chainsaw cleanup, Withlacoochee River @ Sugar Creek 2022-05-29

Let’s clear some more of the deadfalls blocking the Withlacoochee River between Langdale Park Boat Ramp and Troupville Boat Ramp. We will probably float around right near Sugar Creek, although if we get everything there, we might paddle down towards the Little River.

This is a cleanup, so there’s plenty for everyone to do. You do not have to use a chainsaw, and we recommend you do not unless you have experience with them. Everyone near a chainsaw please wear safety eyeglasses.

Yes, Valdosta has ordered a trash boom for Sugar Creek, but we do not yet know when it will arrive and get installed. We want to go ahead with the deadfall clearing while volunteers are enthusiastic, so once the trash is more contained there can be more paddling on the Withlacoochee River.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 9:30 AM, end 12 PM, Sunday, May 29, 2022

Put In: Salty Snapper parking lot, 1405 Gornto Road, Valdosta, GA 31602.

GPS: 30.8625, -83.31875

Bring: Chainsaw or sawzall if you are experienced with using them. Everyone bring the usual personal flotation device, boat, paddles, snacks, drinking water, and first aid kit. Also trash pickers and trash bags. If you do not have a boat, there will probably be plenty to pick up along the shore, and we may have extra spots in boats.

Free: This outing is free because it is a cleanup.

We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations

Event: facebook

[Movie: Phil Hubbard sawing a log in a kayak, 09:36:09, 30.8632605, -83.3193490 (71M)]
Phil Hubbard sawing a log in a kayak, 2022-05-07 30.8632605, -83.3193490

Continue reading →

QUARTERMAN in VDT: Sewage situation better, trash needs work 2022-05-21

John S. Quarterman, Valdosta Daily Times, May 21, 2022, QUARTERMAN: Sewage situation better, trash needs work,

Thanks to Valdosta for no sewage disasters since December 2019. Some manholes still need fixing, such as at Wainwright Drive on One Mile Branch.

But Valdosta’s mayor, council and staff seem to be staying ahead of the sewage situation, for example by buying 37 emergency generators, one for each lift station.

[John S. Quarterman]
John S. Quarterman

Now Valdosta needs to get a grip on its trash problem.

Continue reading →

Trash at No Water No Beer 2022-05-07

Update 2022-05-20: Videos: Valdosta Mayor announces first trash trap @ VCC 2022-05-19.

WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman spoke about WWALS at the Valdosta Public Works No Water No Beer festival at Georgia Beer Co.

[Booth, speech, kayak]
Booth, speech, kayak

Here’s the video of Valdosta Public Works Director introducing and WWALS E.D. Gretchen Quarterman speaking. Continue reading →

Videos: WWALS Adopt-A-Stream Award from GA-DNR 2022-04-27

Update 2022-04-29: GA-DNR Adopt-A-Stream cleanup award to WWALS, Suwannee Riverkeeper on Scott James Radio 2022-04-29.

WWALS won the Adopt-A-Stream Award for cleanups, presented in the Rivers Alive Awards in Atlanta by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

[Movie: Stopping trash upstream --Suwannnee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman, for WWALS]
Movie: Stopping trash upstream –Suwannnee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman, for WWALS

Here are WWALS videos of the award being delivered, and of Suwannee Riverkeeper talking about work WWALS is doing upstream to stop the trash before it gets to the rivers, working with the City of Valdosta about trash traps and parking lot ordinance enforcement. Continue reading →

Residents can help keep rivers clean –Katherine Ball in Valdosta Daily Times 2022-04-15

Katherine Ball, Valdosta Daily Times, April 15, 2022, BALL: Residents can help keep rivers clean

I get excited, every year, as Earth Day approaches. Not only is it a great day to spend time preserving and enjoying our planet, it is also my birthday.

[Katherine Ball]
Katherine Ball

As I spend this Birth and Earth Day, in Valdosta, I am reminded of the many childhood memories I made playing in Three Mile Branch creek, off Country Club Road. Looking back, my experiences in those waters, directly shaped who I became as an adult and an artist.

Being the only girl in the Magnolia Plantation cul-de-sac, I often found myself, Continue reading →

Pictures: Two Mile Branch cleanup 2022-04-16

Eighteen people accepted Katherine Ball’s invitation to clean up Two Mile Branch behind Stone Castle.

Trash found in this Georgia Rivers Alive WWALS Earth Day cleanup included a Valdosta rezoning sign from 2007, a street-side trash bin, and many tires, as well as the usual bottles and cans.

Floridians, this is trash that would otherwise go down Two Mile Branch and Sugar Creek to the Withlacoochee River into Florida.

Some VSU students videoed the proceedings for a documentary. Nic Hathaway says he’s organizing Lowndes High students to help with trash.

[Creek, trash, banners]
Creek, trash, banners

Michael’s backhoe was necessary to pull some of that stuff out. The trash bin took a halfdozen to heave-ho.

Here’s a WWALS video playlist: Continue reading →

Two Mile Branch Rivers Alive Trash Clean Up, Valdosta 2022-04-16

Join us for a cleanup on Two Mile Branch in Valdosta, Georgia. This is part of the WWALS Earth Day 2022 events. It’s also a Georgia Rivers Alive cleanup. Floridians, this is getting trash that would otherwise go down Two Mile Branch and Sugar Creek to the Withlacoochee River into Florida.

You can also help by reporting any trash or litter problem you see in Valdosta with Valdosta’s Click ‘n’ Fix smartphone app.

For trash or other problems elsewhere, here’s how to report: https://wwals.net/report/.

For more about the Valdosta trash situation, see: https://wwals.net/issues/trash/

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 9 AM, end 12 PM, Saturday, April 16, 2022

Put In: 1011 Stone Castle, Valdosta, GA 31602. That’s off of Mack Drive, between Oak Street and Berkley Drive, north of Gornto Road, south of Canna Drive and Jerry Jones.

GPS: 30.86152, -83.297329

Bring: Cleanup materials will be provided, but if you’ve got a trash picker, bring it along. Also mud boots, sturdy pants, and gloves.

Free: This outing is free to everyone!

We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/#join

Event: facebook, meetup

[Two Mile Branch, Upstream from Berkley Drive, downstream from Oak Street]
Two Mile Branch, Upstream from Berkley Drive, downstream from Oak Street

Continue reading →