Tag Archives: Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail

WCTV: Valdosta City Council to consider supporting Troupville River Camp 2019-12-02

She got a quote from the Mayor:

“We have the park out there where there’s a landing and parking areas and things like that, so it could be a tourist attraction, and people stopping in here to buy supplies and getting ready for their river trips,” said Valdosta Mayor John Gayle. “It could be a plus for us.”

He’s not in the WCTV video, but you may recognize the logo on this cap:

[at the confluence of the two rivers]
at the confluence of the two rivers

The Troupville River Camp project goes beyond what’s out there now; see this TV report: Continue reading →

Solar farm by Spring Branch near Withlacoochee River and landfill 2019-12-03

Another in a line of solar projects near the Withlacoochee River is being heard right now by the Valdosta-Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals.

[Context]
Context Map
Source: WWALS Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail Map.

You can see the Beltline Energy Solar Project towards the bottom of this map, north of US 84 (labeled US 221), and just east of Spring Branch, which runs northwards by the Kinderlou Subdivision to the Withlacoochee River.

North of this proposed solar project are solar panels Continue reading →

Troupville River Camp on Valdosta City Council agenda 2019-12-05

On the Valdosta City Council agenda for 5:30 PM this Thursday is:

7.b. Consideration of a request from the WWALS Watershed Coalition for a Letter of Support for the Troupville River Camp.

[2019-10-31--center-of-wlrwt]
Troupville River Camp at the center of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT), leading from the Little and Withlacoochee Rivers upstream in Georgia, down the Withlacoochee River to Florida and the Suwannee River, with its own River Camps.

If I understand correctly, the Mayor plans to discuss this item with Council, and then write and send a letter of support. Anyone who wants to attend to support this action by Valdosta, please come. I may stand up afterwards in Citizens to Be Heard to thank them.

At 5:30 PM, Tuesday, December 10, 2019, at the Lowndes County Commission Regular Session, I will Continue reading →

Final Finishers, WWALS Boomerang 2019-10-26

Thanks to Bret Wagenhorst, here are pictures of the last four boats to finish in WWALS Boomerang 2019. Come on down to Boomerang2020, and before that we have a cleanup on the Withlacoochee, a Light Parade at Banks Lake, and of course the Eighth Annual BIG Little River Paddle Race, among many other outings and events.

Conn and Trudy Cole of Barwick, Brooks County, Georgia, were in the first and only Canoe.

[2:19:28 Conn and Trudy Cole]
2:19:28 Conn and Trudy Cole

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman of unincorporated Lowndes County, GA, says he wasn’t trying to win anything, which is good, because Continue reading →

Sponsors up and down I-75 on Water Trail Brochures

Update 2021-05-02: WWALS has printed 10,000 z-fold brochures for each of two water trails, through a generous grant from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA-DNR). Plus Georgia Beer Company is a new sponsor, adding to a long list of cities, counties, tourist councils, and development authorities that have assisted with money or letters or resolutions of support. The images here are updated to what we printed. Contact us to get printed copies of these brochures: they’re free to individuals or to groups that will distribute them to the public.

[ARWT front and back, WLRWT mapside]
ARWT front and back, WLRWT mapside

There’s still room for sponsor logos on these proofs of brochures ready to print 10,000 copies of each to distribute in Georgia and Florida on I-75 and elsewhere. This will be is the third edition of the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT) brochure, and the first-ever Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT) brochure.

You can join this opportunity for only $500 per sponsor to help defray the cash match for the grant, online, or contact us. Or maybe you’d like to contribute to our water trail signs.

WWALS is currently updating all our online water trail maps and web pages. You can help:
https://forms.gle/qXkPr7eCK51P4X4u7

There are also many other ways you can participate in the activities and advocacy of WWALS:
https://wwals.net/donations/

Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT)

See: https://wwals.net/maps/alapaha-water-trail/

The two previous ARWT brochure editions, 10,000 copies each, lasted about four years. This one has Continue reading →

Cindy Leighton with Paddle Georgia on the Withlacoochee River –Herald-Leader 2019-08-28

The story begins, “When Cindy Leighton set out on the 2019 Paddle Georgia trip on June 15, putting her kayak into the waters of the Little River, she was taking part in something Paddle Georgia hasn’t done before — heading to Florida.”

WWALS member Cindy Leighton sent us images of this story by Sherri Butler, Herald-Leader, Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Georgia, Section B Feature Front, August 28, 2019, Paddle Georgia crosses the line for a river journey spotlighting lue springs of Florida, which goes beyond Paddle Georgia into Water Trails and River Camps.

[Front page]
Front page

On the feature front page, Continue reading →

Video: River Gauges @ Lowndes County Commission 2019-10-21

Flood Inundation Maps (FIM) are related to Lowndes County taking over funding from Valdosta of the Skipper Bridge Withlacoochee River gauge, said EMA Director Ashley Tye.

[19.7feet]
19.7feet

Joint funding of $135,000 from Valdosta and Lowndes County started work on FIM for Skipper Bridge in 2016, with completion announced 22 May 2018.

The item about joint funding with USGS and SRWMD to fund the Skipper Bridge Withlacoochee River Gauge, in addition to the Folsom Bridge Little River Gauge, was the longest item at five minutes yesterday morning. Continue reading →

Four Freedoms Trail, Withlacoochee River, Madison County, Florida 2019-10-17

Here’s the Withlacoochee River from the only public access near State Line Shoals: the Madison County, Florida, Four Freedoms Trail. It’s on the former right of way of the Valdosta Railway, formerly Valdosta Southern Railway (VSO), formerly Georgia and Florida Railroad, built in the late 19th century as Florida Midland and Georgia Railroad. The same Valdosta Railway is still in use from Valdosta to Clyattville, Lowndes County, Georgia.

[RR Trestle, 2019:10:17 15:59:24, 30.6294432, -83.3186451]
RR Trestle, 2019:10:17 15:59:24, 30.6294432, -83.3186451

You can paddle down the river to the Four Freedoms Trail from Nankin Boat Ramp, about six miles, past McIntyre Spring.

Or upstream about four miles from State Line Ramp, although that could be challenging right now with the Withlacoochee River this low.

All these points are on the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT). Continue reading →

Trash in wetlands at Flying J, Exit 2, I-75 2019-08-23

Update 2019-12-19: Cleanup finishing at Flying J, Exit 2, I-75, Lowndes County, GA 2019-12-10.

I must compliment Lowndes County Code Enforcement, the Flying J, Dynamis, and Deep South Sanitation, about this cleanup at the Flying J, Exit 2, I-75, Lake Park, Georgia, about a mile from the GA-FL line.

[Trash in gap]
Trash in gap

On August 23, 2019, I sent this picture and the location to Lowndes County Code Enforcement:

[Still more trash]
Still more trash

Code Enforcement Director Mindy Bates responded within the hour: Continue reading →

Full house at Cook County Comp. Plan Workshop 2019-09-16

Cook County had the most people I’ve ever seen at one of these meetings in any county! SGRC’s Elizabeth Backe corroborated my remark, noting I had recently been to the Charlton County meeting.

[Cook County and its four cities]
Cook County and its four cities

The next meeting will be 3 PM, Monday, October 7, 2019, at the Cook County Commissioners Conference Room, 1200 S Hutchinson Ave., Adel, GA.

The purpose of the first meeting was: “we will review the community vision, goals, issues, and opportunities — for the county and all four cities (Adel, Lenox, Cecil, and Sparks).” All four cities were at the meeting, and each of them spoke at various times. Also unlike most other such meetings in other counties, nobody was sitting up front; everybody was in the audience.

Here is marked up document from the first Workshop: Word, PDF.

As usual, I suggested adding more about rivers and water trails. This additional Opportunity on page 2 I think was my suggestion: Continue reading →