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]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-03-16--one-mile-branch-cleanup/fbmany.jpg)
Azalea City Trail Cleanup 2025-03-16, Start at Wainwright Drive, One Mile Branch
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]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-01-25--wainwright-drive-one-mile-branch-azalea-city-trail-cleanup-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
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
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
Continue readingUpdate 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]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-12-29--wainwright-drive-one-mile-branch-azalea-city-trail-cleanup/fbmany.jpg)
Clean up One Mile Branch at Azalea City Trail 2024-12-29, Wainwright Drive, Valdosta GA
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.
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]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-12-03--vld-orr-sewage-spill-reports/many.jpg)
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.”
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
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]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-11-26--wq/many.jpg)
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
Update 2024-12-13: Valdosta sewage spill reports to GA-EPD from November 7 through December 3, 2024 2024-12-03.
Update 2024-11-14: DOH-Madison Issues Health Advisory Near Withlacoochee River 2024-11-13
Received yesterday at 5:02 PM, November 11, 2024.
Thanks, Valdosta, for the update, and for mentioning the waterbodies affected for the WWTP and Wainwright Drive.
Regarding repairs, WWALS and many others have been asking for the Wainwright Drive manhole to be fixed for many years.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE
DATE: Monday, November 11, 2024
CONTACT: Sharah Denton, Community Relations & Marketing Manager
Telephone: (229) 259-3548City of Valdosta Update: Sanitary Overflow at Withlacoochee WWTP and Wainwright Drive Contained Following Historic Rainfall
UPDATE: 11/11/2024: At this time both the Withlacoochee WWTP and Wainwright Sanitary Overflows have stopped. Withlacoochee WWTP has an estimated overflow of 7.2 million Gallons from its secondary EQ Basin which enters a tributary before entering the Withlacoochee River. Wainwright Drive’s estimated overflow is 250,000 gallons. This overflow entered one mile branch, Sugar Creek and will enter the Withlacoochee River. Notifications have been sent to all required parties. Utilities Central Lines, Plant and Central Maintenance Crews have been dispatched to these locations for damage assessments, repairs and clean up. Environmental Services have actively placed Spill notification signs at access points and have begun required monitoring, sampling and testing of all required locations.
On November 7, 2024, the City of Valdosta and surrounding South Georgia region experienced a significant rain event, Continue reading
Update 2024-11-09: Cleaner downstream Withlacoochee River 2024-11-09.
Two WWALS testers got very bad results for Friday on Sugar Creek in Valdosta and for Holly point on the Withlacoochee River down near the Suwannee.
Best to avoid the Withlacoochee River for a few more days at least, because of E. coli. Also, the Withlacoochee and the Alapaha are in Action Stage, so too high anyway.
Better luck with the Suwannee or Santa Fe Rivers, or the Ichetucknee if any park entrances are open there.
Remember, many parks and put-ins remain closed after Hurricane Helene. So check before you go.
![[Filthy Sugar Creek and Withlacoochee River 2024-11-08 Ongoing spills in Valdosta after flash flood]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-11-08--wq/many.jpg)
Filthy Sugar Creek and Withlacoochee River 2024-11-08 Ongoing spills in Valdosta after flash flood
The good news: very little more rain has fallen since the Wednesday flash flood.
The bad news: still no report of the remaining sewage spills stopping, and still no sewage spill warning signs in Valdosta. Continue reading
Update 2024-11-08: Filthy Withlacoochee and Little Rivers 2024-11-07.
Scotti Jay wrote today, “Day 2 of the sewage fountain on Wainright Dr. One Mile Branch that flows to Sugar Creek>Withlacoochee River>Suwannee River>Gulf of Mexico. Approaching 72 hours since the heavy rains and no warning signs installed by the city. No public notice. Nothing…”
![[Manholes spewing sewage into One Mile Branch, Wainwright Drive Valdosta, GA, second day, 2024-11-08]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-11-08--one-mile-branch-valdosta-spill/many.jpg)
Manholes spewing sewage into One Mile Branch, Wainwright Drive Valdosta, GA, second day, 2024-11-08
He’s referring to the foot of rain that fell on Valdosta Wednesday and Thursday, 6-7 November 2024, causing flooding and bridge and school closures.
Valdosta City Schools posted on Thursday morning a list of streets closed, as did the City of Valdosta, Lowndes County Schools, and the Georgia Department of Transportation.
WWALS posted yesterday about yet another ongoing sewage spill at Knob Hill Road: pictures and video.
Only today do we finally get a report by the City about seven sewage spills, two still ongoing, including at Wainwright Drive. Why couldn’t the City let everyone know about sewage spills as soon as they knew? Warning people not to drive into flood waters is important, but why is telling people about contaminated waterways not as urgent?
As Scotti asks, why no sewer spill warning signs?
Why has that manhole at Wainwright Drive not been fixed yet? We were complaining about it back in 2021 and before. The same location (and many of the others of this time) spilled Hurricane Debby.
The builder put in another, higher, manhole. But they did not remove the old one. And in these videos you can see both manholes still spewing sewage.
These are not criticisms of Valdosta Utilities or its Director. They are questions for the City Manager, Mayor, and Council, about their priorities.
Here’s a playlist of the videos Sara Squires Jones took today:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-Qz6Ljyu3iNBI2tsx_3kqHD3&si=x91G0JX49wonCNeb Continue reading
![[Clean up One Mile Branch on the Azalea City Trail, Wainwright Drive, Valdosta GA, Rescheduled to 2025-01-25]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-01-25--wainwright-drive-one-mile-branch-azalea-city-trail-cleanup/fbmany.jpg)
![[Filthy Sugar Creek 2024-12-12, dirty Franks Creek 2024-12-11, bad upstream Withlacoochee River, clean downstream 2024-12-11]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-12-12--wq/many.jpg)
![[Valdosta sewage spills contained 2024-11-11, after flash flood 2024-11-06, 7.2 millions gallons from WWTP, 272,500-276,500 from 6 others]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-11-11--valdosta-sewage-spills-contained/fbmany.jpg)