Tag Archives: Withlacoochee River

Sabal Trail still leaking drilling mud into the Withlacoochee River at US 84 in GA 2016-11-12

Update 2016-11-22:

Update 2016-11-14: GWC Dirty Dozen Press Conference at US 84 Bridge with tour of Sabal Trail HDD 2016-11-16

Steve Patterson, Jacksonville.com, 14 November 2016, Gas pipeline project headed to Suwannee River leaks into Georgia waterway; sparks environmental worries

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Turbidity curtains with human for scale (Chris Mericle) Hahira, GA, November 13th 2016 — Apparently Sabal Trail continues to leak drilling mud into the Withlacoochee River, three weeks after it admitted to GA-EPD that its pilot hole under the river had leaked up into the riverbed.

WWALS members Deanna and Chris Mericle went to the US 84 bridge between Quitman and Valdosta, Georgia, and walked up the river to the site, about 2000 feet upstream. You can clearly see the water inside Sabal Trail’s turbidity curtains is not the same color as the river water.

“I am so angry because this is what we said would happen and we were assured the rivers wouldn’t be affected because they were drilling under them. The head woman at FDEP said exactly that! We told them it was likely because of our karst geology and we got patronized and patted on the head. You can guarantee they will downplay it and just drill another hole. I am pissed,” said WWALS member Deanna Mericle, who drafted the WWALS petition for last year’s four-month legal case and three-day hearing in WWALS v Sabal Trail & FDEP. Continue reading →

Suwannee River HDD, Sabal Trail, SRSP, Withlacoochee River, Pilgrim’s Pride

Suwannee River HDD Sabal Trail, 30.4137540, -83.1615120 Sabal Trall will soon start drilling under the Suwannee River, and under Suwannee River State Park and the Falmouth Cathedral Cavern System next to Pilgrim’s Pride on US 90. According to Trail’s November 4th 2016 biweekly report, clearing and pad completion should be done by about now, so they’re about to start horizontal directional drilling (HDD), like they’re already doing under the Santa Fe River in Florida and the Withlacoochee River in Georgia. At both of those rivers they’ve been seen in apparent violations. What will they do under the Suwannee River?

Pilgrims Pride, Sabal Trail, US 90, SRSP, Withlacoochee, Suwannee Rivers, 30.3872170, -83.1392640

Pilgrims Pride, Sabal Trail, US 90, SRSP, Withlacoochee, Suwannee Rivers,

These pictures show how close Sabal Trail and the HDD sites are to the river, the park, the springs, and US 90. Continue reading →

Withlacoochee River with water @ GA 122, 2016-09-07

It does rain some times. Back in September at Hagan Bridge on GA 122 over the Withlacoochee River in Lowndes County, Georgia on the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail. The USGS gage at Skipper Bridge read 8 feet (128.5 NAVD).

-jsq

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

Upstream 31.0135720, -83.3016070

Upstream

Downstream 31.0132885, -83.3015747

Continue reading →

Non-answers in Sabal Trail Biweekly Status Report 2016-11-04

If drilling mud may be released, how can this also be? “No wastewater has been or will be dumped into the Withlacoochee River.” Sabal Trail seems to have contradicted itself. Sabal Trail responses to WWALS questions And didn’t answer the permit questions from WWALS. Nonetheless all their responses are marked “Resolution Date: 10/30/2016”. Nope, not resolved, Sabal Trail. See new questions.

Sabal Trail also said (see the PDF) it was completing drilling under the Flint River, was drilling under the Ochlockonee and Withlacoochee Rivers in Georgia, had just started under the Santa Fe River, was doing clearing and pad preparation for the Chattahoochee and Suwannee Rivers, and hadn’t yet started anything at the Withlacoochee (south) River in Florida. Plus quite a few complaints and questions, including some from FERC, and some archaeological discoveries which Sabal Trail and FERC hid under “Privileged and Confidential information”.

The Sabal Trail responses labeled Continue reading →

Mozell Spells, Horn Bridge, GA-FL line, Withlacoochee River 2016-10-22

Movie: Horn Bridge, Mozell Spells, Withlacoochee River, GA-FL line (227K) Pictures and a movie clip from the air (thanks, Southwings!) of Mozell Spells, aka Madison Highway Boat Ramp, State Line Ramp (GA DNR) or GA 31 Ramp (SRWMD) or CR 145 Bridge Launch (FDEP).

This is one of two dozen public landings on the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT). It’s at the Georgia-Florida state line, and in the big picture (scroll down) you can see Continue reading →

From the air: US 84 HDD Withlacoochee River Sabal Trail 2016-10-22

Update 2016-10-24: Questions filed with FERC in Docket CP15-17 as Accession Number 20161024-5049 and emailed to USACE and GA-EPD (PDF).

Extreme closeup yellow in Withlacoochee River, 30.7952780, -83.4524840 What is that yellow thing in the river, Sabal Trail? Is that a sinkhole you’ve marked at the Lowndes County HDD site? And does blue pipe mean thinner for rural areas like your executive from Houston told us in WWALS v Sabal Trail & FDEP?

FERC gave you permission to Continue reading →

Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant old and new 2016-10-22

Old and New WWTP and landfill, 30.8212690, -83.3581890 Uphill and farther from the river: the new Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment plant (top left of center) seen next to the old one, the Pecan Row Landfill, and the Withlacoochee River. Come ask your questions for the entire Suwannee River basin about wastewater and flood prevention this Thursday, October 27th 2016, at the Valdosta City Hall Annex. The $60 million in fixes so far and those still in progress are a big improvement for everybody downstream to the Gulf on the Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and Suwannee Rivers, and upstream on the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail. Continue reading →

Withlacoochee River at Camp Tygart 2016-10-15

KIMG7418 Downstream framed by trees Bring a rope for your boat on the Withlacoochee Trickle in Berrien County, GA at Camp Tygart.

-jsq

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

KIMG7417 Downstream

Continue reading →

Rush Hour Rally at FPL HQ to Stop Sabal Trail Pipeline 2016-10-14

Taking it to the source: the headquarters of FPL, whose ratepayers are on the hook for $3 billion for the Transco → Sabal Trail → FSC fracked methane pipeline boondoggle through Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, Sierra Club and Indian Riverkeeper are holding a Rush Hour Rally this Friday, October 14th 2016 in Juno Beach, Florida; see press release for details. If you can’t get there, there are other events all over Florida and beyond. Remember, FPL admits no need for new electricity until 2024, so there’s no more excuse for Sabal Trail.

At FPL HQ, Juno Beach, FL

The facebook page Protect Florida Against Sabal Trail attempts to keep track of upcoming rallies against Sabal Trail or its ugly stepsisters, which are popping up practically daily. Here are some events scheduled starting this weekend: Continue reading →

Valdosta wastewater and flood prevention public meeting by WWALS 2016-10-27

New WWTP, 30.8327808, -83.3283234 Update 2016-10-23: Seen from the air.

Update 2016-10-19: PDF flyer.

Come hear about the $60 million in wastewater fixes Valdosta just finished, what remains to be done, and what they’re doing about flood prevention for the entire Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida. You can ask questions in this first of a new WWALS Quarterly Speaker Series, and the people organizing this work will be there to answer:

  • Henry Hicks, Utilities Director, about wastewater
  • Emily Davenport, Assistant Director of Engineering, about flooding, and
  • Tim Carroll, Valdosta City Council, about solar power for utilities.

When: 6PM Thursday October 27th

Where: Valdosta City Hall Annex
Multipurpose Room
300 N Lee St.
Valdosta, GA 31601 Continue reading →