Tag Archives: Weather

Clean Alapaha River 2023-09-28

Update 2023-10-13: Filthy creeks and Withlacoochee River 2023-10-12.

Kim Tanner sampled for WWALS the last two weeks on the Alapaha River at Lakeland Boat Ramp at GA 122 (on the left) and at Naylor Park Beach at UA 84 (center). She got clean results both weeks.

[Two clean weeks on the Alapaha River]
Two clean weeks on the Alapaha River

For last Thursday she got zero E. coli at both locations: can’t get better than that. For this Thursday she got 230 cfu/100 mL at Lakeland and 33 at Naylor. 230 is above the 126 preferred monthly mean, but well below the 410 one-time sample limit.

She did note that there is still no trash can at Naylor Beach (see right picture). Presumably Hurricane Idalia did away with it.

As reported yesterday, there has been no rain since Tuesday, and no new sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida in the last two weeks.

So happy boating, swimming, and fishing this weekend on the Alapaha River.

If you want to get trained to be a WWALS water quality tester, please fill out the form:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084

For context and the entire WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing

Thanks to Continue reading →

Mostly Clean Rivers 2023-09-28

Update 2023-09-30: Clean Alapaha River 2023-09-28.

The only place on the Withlacoochee River that tested bad for Thursday was the most stagnant location: Langdale Park Boat Ramp.

There was significant E. coli in the other locations, as well as in the Alapaha Little River at Troupville Boat Ramp, but none of the others were above the 410 cfu/100 mL one-time test limit.

There was rain Tuesday, but effects of that seem to have been mostly gone by Thursday.

So I’d avoid Langdale Park, which you can’t drive into anyway.

Other than that, happy boating, swimming, and fishing this weekend.

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-09-28]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-09-28

If you want to get trained to be a WWALS water quality tester, please fill out the form:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084

The most recent Valdosta results we have are for Monday upstream (good) and the Friday four weeks ago, September 1st, downstream (not bad).

No new sewage spills were reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida in the past two weeks.

Thanks to Kimberly Tanner for testing the Alapaha River last week at Lakeland Boat Ramp and Naylor Park Beach: both showed zero E. coli. Can’t get better than that. Continue reading →

Langdale Park open for walk-ins, Withlacoochee River, Lowndes County, GA 2023-09-28

Update 2023-10-11: Entrance cleared to Langdale Park Boat Ramp 2023-10-10.

Update 2023-09-29: Mostly Clean Rivers 2023-09-28.

It seemed like a good idea at the time. Yesterday I thought it would be faster and easier to collect a water quality sample at Langdale Park, rather than drive through the high grass on the way below the U.S. 41 bridge, or to walk on busy US 41 to throw a bucket into the Withlacoochee River.

I briefly forgot Hurricane Idalia had been here. Not surprisingly, clearing deadfalls in a park has not been high priority.

[Deadfalls on Langdale Park entrance road and Withlacoochee River 2023-09-28]
Deadfalls on Langdale Park entrance road and Withlacoochee River 2023-09-28

I have reconstructed the right rear bumper of my Prius. But I recommend doing what the next pair of visitors did: stop before the first entrance road deadfall and walk in.

Langdale Park Boat Ramp is at 3781 N. Valdosta Rd., Valdosta, GA 31602, in Lowndes County.

And before you ask, the cleared area along the entrance road as you go in was never part of the park. It is privately owned and is being prepared for a subdivision. Continue reading →

No water quality test results this week; Adel sewage spill two weeks ago 2023-09-14

Update 2023-09-29: Mostly Clean Rivers 2023-09-28.

We have no WWALS test results for this week, because there has been no rain, we’re very short-handed, and other tasks took up the time.

If you want to get trained to be a WWALS water quality tester, please fill out the form:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084

The most recent Valdosta results we have are for last Friday upstream (very bad) and the Friday before that downstream (not bad).

Adel, Georgia, reported two small sewage spills that happened during Hurricane Idalia (see below). Any effect of those on the Withlacoochee River is long gone by now. Those were the only sewage spills reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida

So we have no data to back it up, but the rivers should be clean by now. I’d still avoid the Withlacoochee River upstream from the Little River Confluence, but other than that, the rivers are probably OK.

Happy boating, fishing, and swimming this weekend!

[Adel Spills in GA-EPD Sewer Spills Report, and on WLRWT Map]
Adel Spills in GA-EPD Sewer Spills Report, and on WLRWT Map

And by this Monday, get your tickets for the WWALS River Revue, to be held 6-10 PM, Friday, September 22, 2023, at the Turner Arts Center, Valdosta, Georgia:
https://www.betterunite.com/WWALS-wwalsriverrevue2023/ Continue reading →

Last call for tickets for WWALS River Revue, on Talk 92.1 FM 2023-09-18

2023-09-25: Winners: Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2023-09-22.

At 8AM, Monday morning, September 18, 2023, I’ll be on talk921.com to say that Monday is the last day to get tickets for the WWALS River Revue:
https://www.betterunite.com/WWALS-wwalsriverrevue2023/

[Michael Smith, Talk921.com, Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman, WWALS River Revue]
Michael Smith, Talk921.com, Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman, WWALS River Revue

The WWALS River Revue will be 6-10 PM, Friday, September 22, 2023, at the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts, 527 N Patterson Street, Valdosta, GA 31601.

There will be a catered meal, with cash bar, plus a silent auction, a 50-50 raffle, and a kayak raffle.

M.C. Chuck Roberts will present three speakers, as well as WWALS board members and others about what WWALS does.

Chuck will also present three judges who will listen to ten finalists in the Sixth Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, and pick winners.

On the radio Monday morning we’ll also talk about what WWALS does that the WWALS River Revue supports: water trails, cleanups including chainsaw cleanups, and water quality testing.

The main purpose of WWALS is advocacy, including trying to reduce trash, sewage, PFAS, and other contamination in the Suwannee River Basin, and opposing LNG, pipelines, mines, and other threats to our waterways.

Plus we try to change the legal and regulatory playing field, by supporting the Florida petition to get a Right to Clean and Water (RTCW) on the ballot for a state constitutional amendment, and preparing for RTCW in Georgia.

https://wwals.net/issues/right-to-clean-water/

Facebook event for the radio show: https://www.facebook.com/events/3454871811400514/

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

Clinch County Resolution against strip mine, for Okefenokee Swamp 2023-09-11

Yesterday, September 11, 2023, the Clinch County Commission unanimously passed a resolution supporting the Okefenokee Swamp and the Suwannee River against the proposed titanium mine, and set aside $50,000 as cash match for a Dark Sky Observatory next to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (ONWR).

[Resolution and Clinch County Commission 2023-09-11]
Resolution and Clinch County Commission 2023-09-11

You can help stop that mine. Ask your city council or county commission to pass a resolution. Here are other things you can do:
https://wwals.net/issues/titanium-mining/

The Clinch County resolution includes:
“7. Request the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to move the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge from a tentative list to become a full UNESCO World Heritage Site, and support a bill by a bipartisan coalition of members of Congress in support of that move.”

As Chairman Henry Moylan remarked, the UNESCO World Heritage List is a big deal, since it goes through the U.N. and includes sites like the Pyramids and the Grand Canyon. Getting ONWR on it should attract more visitors. That list also includes Yellowstone, Yosemite, Great Smoky Mountains, and Everglades National Parks, so it’s a bit puzzling why ONWR is not already on there.

Resolution Against Strip Mine in the Okefenokee Swamp
Resolution Against Strip Mine in the Okefenokee Swamp

Video: https://youtu.be/36S7GqrfdWE

The Dark Sky project involves Continue reading →

Radio: water quality, cows, trash, mining too near the Okefenokee Swamp @ WKUB FM 2023-09-07

Update 2023-09-13: About WWALS River Revue on The Spotlight Show, Talk92.1 FM 2023-09-14.

How WWALS water quality testing discovered cow manure was contaminating the Withlacoochee River and got it (mostly) fixed.

About that titanium dioxide strip mine proposed too near the Okefenokee Swamp, plus trash and water trails.

Thanks to Bryan Blount for inviting me on WKUB 105.1 FM, from Pierce County, Georgia.

This is Part 2. See also Part 1 about the WWALS River Revue sit-down fundraising dinner, with three speakers, silent auction, and the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, all 6-10 PM, Friday, September 22, 2023, at the Turner Center for the Arts in Valdosta, Georgia.

Tickets are available online only here:
https://www.betterunite.com/WWALS-wwalsriverrevue2023/

[Suwannee Riverkeeper against a strip mine too near the Okefenokee Swamp, on WKUB FM 2023-09-07]
Suwannee Riverkeeper against a strip mine too near the Okefenokee Swamp, on WKUB FM 2023-09-07

For more Continue reading →

Filthy upstream Withlacoochee, clean downstream and Little and Alapaha Rivers 2023-09-07

Update 2023-09-15: No water quality test results this week; Adel sewage spill two weeks ago 2023-09-14.

Update 2023-09-09: Upstream Alapaha River results.

In samples taken Thursday, WWALS testers found the Withlacoochee River filthy upstream of the Little River Confluence, at Franklinville, US 41, and GA 133.

FYI: Franklinville is upstream from Valdosta, so it’s not them this time.

So it’s a good thing we cancelled tomorrow’s Langdale Park to Sugar Creek Chainsaw Cleanup on the Withlacoochee River.

The Little River and the Alapaha River tested clean.

Update 2023-09-09: Except at the outflow creek from the Alapaha, GA, WWTP, where Heather Brasell got way-too-high 1,900 E. coli. However, she got zero for the Alapaha River just upstream from Sheboggy Boat Ramp at US 82; can’t get much better than that.

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-09-07]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map 2023-09-07

On the Little River, the Withlacoochee River downstream of the Little River Confluence, and the Alapaha River, happy swimming, fishing, and boating, as long as you don’t mind the rivers being high and fast.

We are still short-handed for WWALS volunteer water quality testers. Maybe you’d like to become one. Sign up here:
https://wwals.net/?p=47084

Three new sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia, all from Continue reading →

Valdosta Hurricane Related Road Closures 2023-09-06

Thank you, Valdosta City Engineer Ben O’Dowd!

So far as I’ve seen, this is the only map of road closures after Hurricane Idalia for any city or county in the Suwannee River Basin.

Hurricane Related Road Closures

This is a public map depicting the current active road closures within the City of Valdosta due to impacts from Hurricane Idalia

Hurricane Related Road Closures

  • Gornto Closure – 9/6/23
  • River Street Closure – 8/31/23
  • Westwood Drive Closure – 8/31/23
  • East Gordon Closure – 9/5/23
  • Oak Street Extension Closure – 8/31/23
  • Clay Road Closure – 9/5/23

Other Road Closures

  • Lake Park Road Closure – 7/15/23
  • Griffin Avenue Closure – 7/1/23

[Valdosta road closures 2023-09-06]
Valdosta road closures 2023-09-06

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

WWALS River Revue on WKUB 105.1 FM 2023-09-06

Update 2023-09-10: Radio: water quality, cows, trash, mining too near the Okefenokee Swamp @ WKUB FM 2023-09-07.

Thanks to Bryan Blount for inviting me on WKUB 105.1 FM, from Pierce County, Georgia, to talk about the WWALS River Revue, a sit-down-dinner fundraiser, with three speakers, silent auction, and the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, all 6-10 PM, Friday, September 22, 2023, at the Turner Center for the Arts in Valdosta, Georgia.

Tickets are available online only here:
https://www.betterunite.com/WWALS-wwalsriverrevue2023/

[WWALS River Revue and WKUB 105.1 FM]
WWALS River Revue and WKUB 105.1 FM

Bryan says he’s broadcasting on low power due to Hurricane Idalia, so maybe a few more people will hear the interview this way.

Here’s the 30-second Public Service Announcement he’s been playing by our headliner Katherine Ball:

Y’all come! Continue reading →