Tag Archives: VLPRA

Pictures: Langdale Park Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2026-07-11

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We got about half a Withlacoochee River mile downstream from Langdale Park Boat Ramp. We cleared passage through six deadfalls or other obstructions.

Plus a Little Blue Heron, Egretta caerulea, and we didn’t get pictures but saw a Great Blue Heron, some hawks, a few buzzards, and other birds we couldn’t identify.

We clear passage for kayaks, canoes, and jon boats, leaving plenty of habitat for wildlife.

https://wwals.net/?p=69810

Thanks to Phil Hubbard for leading this expedition, and Andrew Reinlieb for helping.

[Pictures: Langdale Park, Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, 2026-06-11]
Pictures: Langdale Park, Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, 2026-06-11

There will be Public Hearing about a proposed communications tower in Langdale Park, at 5:30 PM, Tuesday, July 14, 2026, after which the Lowndes County Commission will decide.

http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/?p=25896

The Valdosta @ US 41 read 4.12 feet (114.42 feet NAVD88), which is lower than our lowest boatable recommendation of 5.7 feet, 116′ NAVD. We picked a day with the lowest recent water level so we could get deadfalls that other wise would be underwater. Continue reading →

Verizon tower in Langdale Park? @ GLPC 2026-06-29

2 Replies

Verizon Wireless wants to put a 159-foot-tall communications tower in Langdale Park, a stone’s throw from the main trail kiosk, too close to White Trail A, and with no demonstration that no existing tower would do, not even an inventory of existing towers.

The Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) will hear this case at 5:30 PM, Monday, June 29, 2026, and the Lowndes County Commission will decide at 5:30 PM, Tuesday, July 14, 2026.

County staff wrote that the application satisfies the requirements of the county’s Unified Land Development Code (ULDC). Actually, it fails to do so in at least four ways.

[Verizon tower in Langdale Park? Next to White Trail? @ GLPC 2026-06-29]
Verizon tower in Langdale Park? Next to White Trail? @ GLPC 2026-06-29

The GLPC agenda sheet for “8. TWR-2026-02 Bermuda Run, 3781 North Valdosta Road, Map and Parcel 0076C-025” says in part: Continue reading →

Pictures: Langdale Park Chainsaw Cleanup, Upstream, Withlacoochee River 2026-03-29

This is part 2 of the Langdale Park Chainsaw Cleanup of Sunday, March 29, 2026.

Part 1 was downstream.

Here we go upstream, with Brianna Schawalder of Trails4Valdosta in her canoe, helping pull limbs aside and photographing, and Russell Hassenstab of Kona Ice paddling the Suwannee Riverkeeper Old Town Canoe, while Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman chainsaws.

[Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Upstream from Langdale Park BR, Towards US 41 Bridge, Sunday, March 29, 2026]
Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River, Upstream from Langdale Park BR, Towards US 41 Bridge, Sunday, March 29, 2026

Here are some video snippets.

https://youtu.be/JstBEtdI8qU

Thanks to Continue reading →

Pictures: Downstream chainsawing, Langdale Park Boat Ramp 2026-03-29

Update 2026-04-26: Pictures: Langdale Park Chainsaw Cleanup, Upstream, Withlacoochee River 2026-03-29.

Brianna Schawalder of Trails4Valdosta and Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman did some sawing from the Suwannee Riverkeeper Old Town Canoe, but most of the work downstream from Langdale Park Boat Ramp on the Withlacoochee River was done by Austin Roark and his equipment and crew from Roark’s Land Clearing and Restoration.

[Pictures: Downstream chainsawing, Langdale Park Boat Ramp 2026-03-29, Roark Land Clearing and Restoration, Trail4Valdosta, WWALS]
Pictures: Downstream chainsawing, Langdale Park Boat Ramp 2026-03-29, Roark Land Clearing and Restoration, Trail4Valdosta, WWALS

They removed the snaggly tree just downstream from the boat ramp that was making fishing and paddling difficult. And a tree a bit farther down that stuck so far across it was eroding the right bank.

Cindy Vedas come to staff a WWALS table at the boat ramp.

Phil Hubbard couldn’t come because he had the flu.

Here are a few video snippets:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/931293323150513/

https://www.instagram.com/p/DXjp9PFCLct/

https://youtu.be/51At2Dn83WI

After we went upstream and back (stay tuned for that report), whole families were fishing where those trees had been.

So that looks like success.

Thanks to all, and to Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) for their cooperation.

Continue reading →

Clean Alapaha River 2026-04-09 and Sugar Creek 2026-04-10

Update 2026-04-18: Mixed Withlacoochee River 2026-04-13, Clean Santa Fe River 2026-04-14.

More waterbodies heard from since the Friday weekly water quality report:

Sugar Creek tested clean for the first time anybody can remember, and the Alapaha River also clean.

Still no rain, and still no new sewage spills have been reported this week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia.

As always, we can only advise with the results we have. Happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend.

This image is an illustration. Scroll down for the details.

[Clean Alapaha River 2026-04-09 and Sugar Creek 2024-04-10; No rain; no spills: Happy Paddling]
Clean Alapaha River 2026-04-09 and Sugar Creek 2024-04-10; No rain; no spills: Happy Paddling

Follow this link for the WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →

Trash trap, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-02

Three different trash trap companies have quoted for a Withlacoochee River location just upstream from Langdale Park Boat Ramp, and downstream from US 41, North Valdosta Road.

Two have looked at another Withlacoochee River location just downstream from GA 133, in Troupville Park, where VLPRA briefly owns both sides of the river.

[Trash trap sites, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-02, Langdale Park below US 41, Troupville Park below GA 133]
Trash trap sites, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-02, Langdale Park below US 41, Troupville Park below GA 133

The Langdale Park location is about 28 feet across the river, and would require a 50-foot trap.

That location is very convenient, because the access road goes right there.

I sent quotes for this location by two trash trap companies to the City of Valdosta in 2023. A catch is that these locations are not in the City of Valdosta. Continue reading →

Pictures: Mayor and Chairmans Paddle 2026-03-07

All 29 paddlers had fun, on the Mayor and Chairmans Paddle, Saturday, March 7, 2026.

We went from Troupville Boat Ramp, down the Little River to its Confluence, near where some day will be Troupville River Camp.

Then we went down the Withlacoochee River over some small shoals, to the cleaned-up outflow of Valdosta’s Withlacoochee Wastewater Plant.

And out at Paul Deloach’s Private Boat Ramp; thanks to him for access.

[Pictures 2026-03-07, Mayor and Chairmans Paddle, Little River and Withlacoochee River]
Pictures 2026-03-07, Mayor and Chairmans Paddle, Little River and Withlacoochee River

Here are some videos:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-QzGPpfQY6qOBC-qQF-M9gex&si=6QY4Fu4LslnLV_6e

Thanks to Continue reading →

Radio: Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper on talk921.com 2026-03-05

Join us on the radio, talk921.com, at 8 AM tomorrow morning, Thursday, March 5, 2026, to hear about the Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper this Saturday.

https://wwals.net/?p=69525

[Radio: talk921.com, 8 AM, Thursday, March 5, 2026, Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper]
Radio: talk921.com, 8 AM, Thursday, March 5, 2026, Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper

Here’s a facebook event to remind you:

https://www.facebook.com/events/2273100159762397/

Thanks to Joe Brownlee and Georgia Power for the generous grant that makes this paddle free for everyone. Thanks to Paul Deloach and The Langdale Company for river access. Thanks to Paul Batts and Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority for shuttle vans. Thanks to Steve Miller for his 4-wheeler for the takeout. And thanks to Phil Hubbard for leading this paddle.

Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman may also talk about other current topics such as: Continue reading →

Radio: Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper on talk921.com 2026-03-05

Join us on the radio, talk921.com, at 8 AM tomorrow morning, Thursday, March 5, 2026, to hear about the Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper this Saturday.

https://wwals.net/?p=69525

[Radio: talk921.com, 8 AM, Thursday, March 5, 2026, Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper]
Radio: talk921.com, 8 AM, Thursday, March 5, 2026, Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper

Here’s a facebook event to remind you:

https://www.facebook.com/events/2273100159762397/

Thanks to Joe Brownlee and Georgia Power for the generous grant that makes this paddle free for everyone. Thanks to Paul Deloach and The Langdale Company for river access. Thanks to Paul Batts and Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority for shuttle vans. Thanks to Steve Miller for his 4-wheeler for the takeout. And thanks to Phil Hubbard for leading this paddle.

Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman may also talk about other current topics such as: Continue reading →

Interview: Trails4Valdosta 2026-02-16

Update 2026-03-20: Langdale Park Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2026-03-29 with Brianna Schawalder of Trails4Valdosta.

She wants to make 2026 the Year of Outdoor Recreation in Lowndes County. Sound like a fine idea!

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman interviewed Brianna Schawalder about Trails4Valdosta, where her group is clearing hurricane debris from trails in Langdale Park. That’s Trails4Valdosta on Instagram, or trails4valdosta@gmail.com.

[Interview: trails4valdosta, Brianna Schawalder, Langdale Park, 2026-02-16]
Interview: trails4valdosta, Brianna Schawalder, Langdale Park, 2026-02-16

That’s on the Withlacoochee River, off of Hyta Mederer Drive, from North Valdosta Road (US 41), I-75 Exit 22, just west of Valdosta, Georgia. Most of the trails are in Lowndes County, but not in Valdosta. The park extends south slightly past Three Mile Branch, which drains much of North Valdosta Road, as well as Five Points, where the roundabouts are going in.

Here is the interview video:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1270068585041228/

https://www.instagram.com/p/DVYv6PfiNnt/

https://youtu.be/-rqGj-VcylU

This is the map I referred to, with trails walked by Sev Williams: Continue reading →