How you can hear new songs about our rivers while munching on a buffet
with a cash bar at the
First Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest,
1-5PM this Saturday, June 23, 2018,
at the Salty Snapper, 1405 Gornto Rd, Valdosta, GA 31602.
“Finalists will play, and will be judged. The prizes will be awarded, and of course the acknowledgment of the sponsors.”
Plus a buffet of snacks prepared by the Salty Snapper,
including some vegetarian,
all for $10 in advance online,
and there will be a silent auction and kayak raffle tickets.
Gretchen Quarterman was on the radio with Steve Nichols, WVGA 105.9FM
(I was scheduled, but the flu said otherwise; I’m better now).
Gretchen said you don’t need to write a song, just come listen
to the finals this Saturday afternoon, with
judges
Cindy Bear from Jacksonville,
Dan Crews from Live Oak, and
J.J. Rolle from Valdosta
Plus the Outings Committee has organized a paddle 9AM Saturday morning
from Langdale Park to Sugar Creek Landing,
just across the railroad tracks from the Salty Snapper,
so you can paddle to the songwriting contest.
Steve Nichols remarked:
“As a kid, I used to go down that stretch of the river with my friends.
When I say as a kid, I was in high school in the early eighties.
It would be fun for me to do that trip as a nostalgic trip,
and going back and look at that beautiful stretch of river right there.”
Gretchen said the water is high so probably there will be no dragging,
and the river is different every time.
She showed the metal Sheboggy Boat Ramp signs Phil made to sell
so people maybe won’t keep stealing them off the GDOT signposts
for their man cave or woman cave.
Videos: Gretchen Quarterman about Songwriting Contest on Steve Nichols radio 105.9FM WVGA 2018-06-18
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS).
I’ll be on the radio Friday morning; stay tuned for a post about that.
A leisurely two-mile morning paddle from the recently reopened Langdale Park on the largest river through the biggest city in the Suwannee River Basin,
arriving at the recently rediscovered Sugar Creek Landing, well in time for the
Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest in the afternoon.
Bring: the usual personal flotation device, boat paddles, food, drinking water, clothes, and first aid kit.
Also trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup.
If you don’t have a boat, let us know; we may able to loan you one.
Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) for non-members.
We recommend you support the work of WWALS by
becoming a WWALS member today!
Tomorrow morning, 8:30AM, Tuesday, June 19, 2018,
I’ll be on the radio with Steve Nichols, 105.9FM,
talking about the
Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest
coming up 1-5PM, this Saturday, June 23, 2018 at the Salty Snapper, 1405 Gornto Rd, Valdosta, GA 31602.
When Gretchen was on his show last month,
he said he wanted to hear more, so tomorrow morning it is.
Tifton spilled twice into the New River watershed,
36,000 gallons and 5,400 gallons,
both into the New River watershed upstream of the Withlacoochee and the Suwannee Rivers,
apparently both spills during or after Tropical Storm Alberto,
and there was no public notice until two weeks later.
Stuart Taylor, Tifton Gazette, June 11, 2018,
36,000 gallon raw sewage spill enters drainage system,
cited as source Thomas Coker, “plant manager with ESG Operations,”
who is also listed by the City of Tifton as Wastewater Superintendent.
I called him to clarify some details.
Here is information about the two spills, both related to Tropical Storm Alberto:
36,000 gallons, Wednesday, May 30 through Thursday, June 7, 2018,
from 315 E. 20th Street, into Tifton’s stormwater system, after 2 inches of rain.
Coming up tomorrow, Thursday, May 31st:
it’s the
Wild & Scenic Film Festival at Mathis Auditorium in Valdosta.
WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman noted
you can still buy tickets online or at the door.
The rainiest season in south Georgia and north Florida is the summer,
yet that’s when rivers are usually the lowest.
Here are seven years of data from the USGS Withlacoochee River Gauge at US 41 (North Valdosta Road) in Valdosta, Georgia.
Rain is pretty steady through the year (except when there’s no rain),
yet the river level varies wildly, highest in the winter, usually.
Unless there are hurricanes in the fall, as happened in
2017
and
2016.
The
Wild & Scenic Film Festival
WWALS is holding 7PM Thursday, May 31, 2018 at Mathis Auditorium in Valdosta, GA
is about:
Celebrating fifty years of Wild and Scenic River designations by
Congress, this film festival showcases frontline issues and activism
with stunning cinematography. Now, more than ever, it is imperative
that individuals propel the groundswell of the environmental
movement. Collectively, we CAN make a difference!
There
aren’t any Wild & Scenic rivers in the Suwannee River Basin,
although maybe after seeing this film festival, people will be motivated to fix that.
