Tag Archives: Weather

Clean Withlacoochee River 2023-03-22

Update 2023-03-31: Clean Rivers 2023-03-30.

According to the most recent water quality data we have, happy swimming, fishing, and boating in the Withlacoochee River this weekend.

Rain is predicted for Saturday afternoon, and Sunday and Monday, so Saturday morning would be optimal for river pursuits.

Or come to the joint WWALS and City of Valdosta cleanup of Two Mile Branch at Berkeley Drive tomorrow morning, Saturday, March 25, 2023.

[Chart and Swim Guide 2023-03-22]
Chart and Swim Guide 2023-03-22

The most recent data is from Valdosta for Wednesday at US 41, GA 133, and US 84. This is because, for the first time ever, all the WWALS testers took a long weekend off at the same time.

Since there has been no rain since last Saturday, and no new sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia. So as weeks to take off, this is one of the best, because nothing is likely to have washed into the rivers. Continue reading →

Clean Rivers 2023-03-16

Update 2023-03-24: Clean Withlacoochee River 2023-03-22.

The Withlacoochee and Little Rivers tested clean from Thursday samples.

Beware rain is expected tomorrow evening.

So if you want to boat, fish, or swim this weekend, Saturday morning would be best.

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide 2023-03-16]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide 2023-03-16

Tifton spilled 30,000 gallons of sewage Saturday, March 11, 2023, into a creek that runs into the New River, then the Withlacoochee. That was probably diluted before it got far downstream. Or was it? Valdosta got very high E. coli that Monday, March 13th. There was much rain in between, so something else may have also been washed into the river. See other post. Continue reading →

Again rescheduled: Suwannee River Chainsaw Cleanup 2023-06-10

Update 2023-06-15: Pictures: Suwannee River Chainsaw Cleanup, Three Steps Landing to Fargo, GA 2023-06-10.

The deadfalls are still four feet underwater, with more rain coming, so we’re rescheduling again, this time to Saturday, June 10th, in hopes that summer evapotranspiration will keep the Suwannee River lower.

You do not have to use a saw to join us on the last five Suwannee River miles down to Fargo as we clear three or four more deadfalls.

[Duck and float under to the left, 14:59:12, 30.7158583, -82.5130261]
Duck and float under to the left, 14:59:12, 30.7158583, -82.5130261

Thanks to Adam Schock of the Conservation Fund for permission to use Three Steps Landing. That will make this one a lot easier than last time.

When: Gather 10 AM, launch 11 AM, end 4 PM, Satuday, June 10, 2023

Put In: Three Steps Landing. Meet at Fargo Ramp and we’ll sort out the shuttle.

Take Out: Fargo Ramp, Half a mile southeast of Fargo on US 441, the boat ramp is on the northeast side of US 441 and on the west (right bank) of the Suwannee River, in Clinch County, Georgia. Continue reading →

Clean Rivers 2023-03-09

Update 2023-03-17: Clean Rivers 2023-03-16.

Update 2023-03-17: Tifton Evergreen Drive Sewage Spill 2023-03-11.

It rained this evening, but probably not enough to wash much contamination into the rivers, which were very clean before, according to WWALS water quality tests. So I would paddle, fish, or swim this weekend.

Actually, I’ll be at the Azalea Festival in Valdosta Saturday and Sunday.

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide Map

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week. However, Tifton got around to reporting today a spill from a month ago. Continue reading →

Clean Rivers 2023-03-02

Update 2023-03-10: Clean Rivers 2023-03-09.

Happy boating, swimming, and fishing this weekend!

That’s what all the recent water quality testing data says. There’s been no rain lately, other than a few scattered showers today, so nothing should have washed into the rivers.

Come on down to Troupville Boat Ramp tomorrow for the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle!

No new sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida since the last of Valdosta’s five February spills totalling almost a million gallons.

[Chart, River, Swim Guide Map 2023-03-02]
Chart, River, Swim Guide Map 2023-03-02

Thanks to Continue reading →

Pictures: Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle 2022-02-19

Here are a few pictures from last year’s Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle, eleven miles on the Withlacoochee River.

This year’s paddle will be Saturday, March 3, 2023, on the same route, starting at Troupville Boat Ramp just west of Valdosta on the Little River, ending at Spook Bridge.

[Scenes from Mayor and Chairman's Paddle 2022-02-19]
Scenes from Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle 2022-02-19

Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson was there, in the red shoes, dead center of this picture. We hear this year Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter will be, as well. You can paddle up to them and ask questions. Continue reading →

Clean rivers 2023-02-16

Update 2023-02-25: Clean Withlacoochee River 2023-02-23.

According to WWALS results for Thursday, happy boating, swimming, and fishing in our rivers this weekend!

Provided you like high water and are prepared to deal with overhanging limbs and getting lost in the floodplain.

I might avoid the Alapaha River at Sasser Landing, due to Valdosta’s Wednesday February 15th probably major spill into Knights Creek.

Valdosta’s other two sewage spills this month, Wednesday, February 8th into Hightower Creek above Sugar Creek and Saturday, February 11th into Cherry Creek probably were too small to have any significant effect on the Withlacoochee River. The WWALS Sunday tests on Cherry Creek and the river appear to have verified that lack of effect for that one, and regular test results after the Hightower Creek one ditto.

No other recent sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida: just Valdosta. Continue reading →

River Low, Action, and Flood Stages 2023-02-16

“What does “action stage” mean?” asked Christy Yates on facebook about Paddling in the treetops 2023-02-13 and for real two years ago 2021-02-27 2023-02-13.

This is relevant to the upcoming Fourth Annual Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle, Withlacoochee River 2023-03-04.

I answered: Basically, watch out, the river is high. More formally: “Action Stage – the stage which, when reached by a rising stream, represents the level where the NWS or a partner/user needs to take some type of mitigation action in preparation for possible significant hydrologic activity. The type of action taken varies for each gage location. Gage data should be closely monitored by any affected people if the stage is above action stage.

[Stages, US 84 Gauge, Treetop paddling]
Stages, US 84 Gauge, Treetop paddling

See below for National Weather Service (NWS) terminology, which also defines several stages of flooding: minor, moderate, and major. That definitions web page is from Alaska, and it includes something called “bankfull stage” that I’ve never seen used around here. The rest of it is the same as in the Suwannee River Basin.

Right now paddling the Withlacooche River would be up in the branches like this picture, but higher. Don’t worry: the water level will probably go back down before March 4th. Continue reading →

Rescheduled: Suwannee River Chainsaw Cleanup 2023-03-19

Update 2023-03-14: Again rescheduled: Suwannee River Chainsaw Cleanup 2023-06-10.

We’re rescheduling to Sunday March 19th, with a fallback of Sunday March 26th, because the deadfalls are underwater, with the Suwannee River four feet higher than when we last chainsawed on that stretch.

You do not have to use a saw to join us as we clear three or four more deadfalls on the last five Suwannee River miles down to Fargo.

[Handsaws also useful; Photo: Shirley Kokidko 2022-12-29]
Handsaws also useful; Photo: Shirley Kokidko 2022-12-29

Thanks to Adam Schock of the Conservation Fund for permission to use Three Steps Landing. That will make this one a lot easier than last time.

When: Gather 10 AM, launch 11 AM, end 4 PM, Sunday, March 19, 2023

Put In: Three Steps Landing. Meet at Fargo Ramp and we’ll sort out the shuttle.

Take Out: Fargo Ramp, Half a mile southeast of Fargo on US 441, the boat ramp is on the northeast side of US 441 and on the west (right bank) of the Suwannee River, in Clinch County, Georgia. Continue reading →

Paddling in the treetops 2023-02-13 and for real two years ago 2021-02-27 2023-02-13

Update 2023-02-16: River Low, Action, and Flood Stages 2023-02-16.

“Right now we’d be paddling in the treetops,” joked Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter, Monday at the Lowndes County Commission Work Session, about the upcoming Fourth Annual Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle, Withlacoochee River 2023-03-04.

Well, five of us actually did that two years ago, February 27, 2021. As I wrote back then, “ it was smooth sailing for experienced paddlers. The overhanging branches would have been a problem for novices, and there were very few places to get out if you did capsize.”

[Chairman says paddling in the treetops, and for real two years ago]
Chairman says paddling in the treetops, and for real two years ago

“It would be a very short trip, I promise you,” Lowndes County EMA Director Ashley Tye replied to the Chairman.

Two years ago it took about four hours to paddle those 11 miles from Troupville Boat Ramp to Spook Bridge, from 9 AM to a little after 1 PM, without rushing. That’s fast, 2.75 miles an hour, compared to our default estimate of 5.5 hours at two miles an hour.

Back then the Hahira Gauge, on the Little River at GA 122, read about 13.73 feet. Continue reading →