Tag Archives: Wainwright Drive

WTXL on Wainwright Drive One Mile Branch sewage spill 2025-08-05

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I’ve added some information to Malia’s report, so you’ll know what she was looking at.

Malia Thomas, WTXL, 2025-08-05, Valdosta sewage spill renews concern after second overflow hits creek in under a month: Another sewage spill near Sugar Creek sparks urgency as Valdosta faces decades-old infrastructure strain

VALDOSTA, GA. (WTXL) — Another sewer spill in Valdosta—this time small, but still stirring concern.

[Wainwright Drive sewage spill on WTXL TV 2025-08-05, into One Mile Branch, at site of many previous spills]
Wainwright Drive sewage spill on WTXL TV 2025-08-05, into One Mile Branch, at site of many previous spills

  • Monday’s spill released up to 1,000 gallons into Sugar Creek [actually, into One Mile Branch, which flows to Sugar Creek, then the Withlacoochee River to the Suwannee -jsq], which connects to the Suwannee River system.
  • Since April 2024, over 409,000 gallons of raw sewage have spilled from the same Wainwright Dr. location.
  • Watch the video to hear from neighbors and the city’s plan of action.
Continue reading →

Pictures: Another Clean up One Mile Branch at Azalea City Trail, Valdosta, GA 2025-04-26

We got quite a bit of trash off of Wainwright Drive, One Mile Branch, and the Azalea City Trail, including near the old trash dump across Hurricane-Helene-damaged fence.

[Clean up One Mile Branch, at Azalea City Trail, Wainwright Drive, Valdosta, GA, April 26, 2025]
Clean up One Mile Branch, at Azalea City Trail, Wainwright Drive, Valdosta, GA, April 26, 2025

The land beyond One Mile Branch left bank, Azalea City Trail, and the fence is owned by University System of GA Board of Regents.

There were children playing in One Mile Branch, including right below the manholes that have repeatedly leaked massive amounts of raw sewage.

One Mile Branch runs into Sugar Creek into the Withlacoochee River.

Thanks to Sara Squires Jones and Scotti Jay for organizing this cleanup.

For more Continue reading →

Another Clean up One Mile Branch at Azalea City Trail, Valdosta, GA 2025-04-26

Update 2025-04-30: Pictures: Another Clean up One Mile Branch at Azalea City Trail, Valdosta, GA 2025-04-26.

Rescheduled due to thunderstorms to April 26.

Come clean up trash along Azalea City Trail in Valdosta. Start near the notorious Wainwright Drive manhole on Sugar Creek, and go upstream and downstream.

When: 10 AM, Sunday, April 26, 2025

Put In: Wainwright Drive between Baytree Drive and Brookhaven Drive, and maybe also downstream, in Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia.

GPS: 30.84287, -83.30113

[Azalea City Trail, Cleanup 2025-04-26, Start at Wainwright Drive, One Mile Branch]
Azalea City Trail, Cleanup 2025-04-26, Start at Wainwright Drive, One Mile Branch

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Another Clean up One Mile Branch at Azalea City Trail, Valdosta, GA 2025-03-16

Update 2025-04-15 Rescheduled due to impending thunderstorms. Another Clean up One Mile Branch at Azalea City Trail, Valdosta, GA 2025-04-26.

Come clean up trash along Azalea City Trail in Valdosta. Start near the notorious Wainwright Drive manhole on Sugar Creek, and go upstream and downstream.

When: 10 AM, Sunday, March 16, 2025

Put In: Wainwright Drive between Baytree Drive and Brookhaven Drive, and maybe also downstream, in Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia.

GPS: 30.84287, -83.30113

[Azalea City Trail Cleanup 2025-03-16, Start at Wainwright Drive, One Mile Branch]
Azalea City Trail Cleanup 2025-03-16, Start at Wainwright Drive, One Mile Branch

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Pictures: Clean up One Mile Branch at Azalea City Trail, Wainwright Drive, Valdosta GA 2025-01-25

Update 2025-03-08: Another Clean up One Mile Branch at Azalea City Trail, Valdosta, GA 2025-03-16.

Thanks to the four Alpha Phi Alpha of VSU.

[Cleanup, One Mile Branch, Azalea City Trail 2025-01-25, Wainwright Drive, Alpha Phi Alpha, VSU]
Cleanup, One Mile Branch, Azalea City Trail 2025-01-25, Wainwright Drive, Alpha Phi Alpha, VSU

Thanks to Scotti Jay Jones and Sara Squires Jones for organizing this cleanup near the notorious Wainwright Drive manhole on One Mile Branch, along the Azalea City Trail in Valdosta, Georgia.

Donovan Henderson of Alpha Phi Alpha found the Zacadoo’s cup. Continue reading →

Rescheduled: Clean up One Mile Branch at Azalea City Trail, Wainwright Drive, Valdosta GA 2025-01-25

Update 2025-01-26: Pictures: Clean up One Mile Branch at Azalea City Trail, Wainwright Drive, Valdosta, GA 2025-01-25.

Rescheduled to January because of impending thunderstorms on the previous date.

Join us to clean up trash near the notorious Wainwright Drive manhole on Sugar Creek, along the Azalea City Trail in Valdosta, Georgia.

When: 10 AM-1 PM, Saturday, January 25, 2025

Put In: Wainwright Drive between Baytree Drive and Brookhaven Drive in Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia.

GPS: 30.84287, -83.30113

[Clean up One Mile Branch on the Azalea City Trail, Wainwright Drive, Valdosta GA, Rescheduled to 2025-01-25]
Clean up One Mile Branch on the Azalea City Trail, Wainwright Drive, Valdosta GA, Rescheduled to 2025-01-25

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Clean up One Mile Branch at Azalea City Trail, Wainwright Drive, Valdosta GA 2024-12-29

Update 2024-12-27: Due to impending rain at the original date, Rescheduled: Clean up One Mile Branch at Azalea City Trail, Wainwright Drive, Valdosta GA 2025-01-25.

Join us to clean up trash near the notorious Wainwright Drive manhole on Sugar Creek, along the Azalea City Trail in Valdosta, Georgia.

When: 10 AM-1 PM, Sunday, December 29, 2024

Put In: Wainwright Drive between Baytree Drive and Brookhaven Drive in Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia.

GPS: 30.84287, -83.30113

[Clean up One Mile Branch at Azalea City Trail 2024-12-29, Wainwright Drive, Valdosta GA]
Clean up One Mile Branch at Azalea City Trail 2024-12-29, Wainwright Drive, Valdosta GA

Continue reading →

Filthy Sugar Creek, dirty Franks Creek, bad upstream Withlacoochee River, clean downstream 2024-12-12

Update 2024-12-21: Clean Alapaha River, OK Withlacoochee River, Filthy Sugar Creek 2024-12-19.

Update 2024-12-21: Malia Thomas of WTXL TV at closed Gornto Road bridge over Sugar Creek 2024-12-20.

Update 2024-12-18: Where are the sewage spill signs, Valdosta? 2024-12-17.

WWALS testing showed Sugar Creek got even more contaminated after the rains Wednesday. Valdosta Utilities testiong showed Hightower Creek and One Mile Branch were bad again, and the Withlacoochee River too high in E. coli at GA 133.

WWALS tests showed Franks Creek bad, upstream from the Little River.

WWALS water quality results downstream at Holly Point for Wednesday showed the Withlacoochee River clean there. But upstream contamination from the recent rain had not had time to get there.

No new sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia. But this E. coli contamination has to be coming from somewhere.

No flooding is shown on any river gauge in the Suwannee River Basin.

So if you like cold, this weekend seems good to paddle, motor, swim, or fish, as long as you avoid the vicinity of Sugar Creek and the Withlacoochee River near GA 133, and possibly the Little River downstream of Franks Creek.

Or join us Sunday evening for the Banks Lake Full Cold Moon Paddle, 2024-12-15 and, also at Banks Lake, raffle drawing for the Skimmer 128 Hurricane kayak.

[Filthy Sugar Creek 2024-12-12, dirty Franks Creek 2024-12-11, bad upstream Withlacoochee River, clean downstream 2024-12-11]
Filthy Sugar Creek 2024-12-12, dirty Franks Creek 2024-12-11, bad upstream Withlacoochee River, clean downstream 2024-12-11

Sugar Creek

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Valdosta sewage spill reports to GA-EPD from November 7 through December 3, 2024

Update 2024-12-13: Filthy Sugar Creek, dirty Franks Creek, bad upstream Withlacoochee River, clean downstream 2024-12-12.

I got part of what I asked for in an open records request to the City of Valdosta: “All sewage spill reports sent to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA-EPD) on or after November 6, 2024, through December 2, 2024”. Those provide some extra detail, and some hints of fixes being planed for these problems.

[Valdosta sewage spill reports to GA-EPD, from November 7 through December 3, 2024]
Valdosta sewage spill reports to GA-EPD, from November 7 through December 3, 2024

I did not get the rest of it: “together with all associated correspondence between the City of Valdosta, GA-EPD, and other parties including state agencies in Georgia and Florida and relevant landowners.”

The December Meadowbrook Drive spill into Two Mile Branch

Let’s look at the most recent spill in the GA-EPD Sewage Spills Report, and compare that to what Valdosta Utilities sent to GA-EPD. Continue reading →

Bad Sugar Creek, clean Withlacoochee River 2024-11-26

Update 2024-12-02: Nasty Sugar Creek, Withlacoochee River; questionable Sheboggy, Alapaha River 2024-11-30.

I’d avoid Sugar Creek, but the Withlacoochee River otherwise is probably OK, as well as other rivers in the Suwannee River Basin.

So happy fishing, paddling, boating, and, if you like cold, swimming this weekend.

Remember, many parks and put-ins remain closed after Hurricane Helene. So check before you go.

[Bad Sugar Creek; Clean Withlacoochee River 2024-11-26 No new known sewage spills; No rain]
Bad Sugar Creek; Clean Withlacoochee River 2024-11-26 No new known sewage spills; No rain

No new sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida. And there has been very little rain this week to wash any new contamination into waterways.

But something must have been causing the extremely high E. coli results by Valdosta Utilities Gornto Road on Sugar Creek. The result for Tuesday of 3,755 cfu/100 mL is more than three times the 1,000 alert limit.

Valdosta’s 605 upstream for Tuesday at St. Augustine Road on Hightower Creek was way down from previous results, although still higher than the 410 one-time test limit. So maybe Valdosta Utilities found and fixed the leak. We don’t know, because they have not returned our calls about that, and the City of Valdosta has not made any announcement.

WWALS tester Suzy Hall tested Sugar Creek downstream of Gornto Road last Saturday. Continue reading →