We all drink with straws from the groundwater here in the U.S. southeast coastal plain.
So surface water interchange with groundwater produces problems for city and county drinking water treatment, and for E. coli contamination of private water wells. Continue reading
Update 2025-03-27: Pictures: Expert paddle, Troupville to Paul DeLoach private boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-22.
Apparently some of the recent rains caused some damage at Valdosta’s Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Outfall.
![[Erosion at the WWTP Outfall, 2025:03:22 10:57:48, 30.8363739, -83.3591081]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-03-22--wwtp-outfall/erosion-crop.jpg)
Erosion at the WWTP Outfall, 2025:03:22 10:57:48,
30.8363739, -83.3591081
The sign is also missing.
Floridians: please note that this is the cleaned-up outflow after being treated by the plant. And this erosion probably does not affect that.
Continue readingUpdate 2025-03-29: Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers 2025-03-26.
It’s a good weekend for boating, if you are experienced and like water high and fast.
WWALS and Valdosta Utilities got good water quality results both upstream and downstream of Sugar Creek for Wednesday, and there has only been a sprinkle of rain since.
No new sewage spills were reported in Georgia or Florida.
No rain is predicted until Monday.
The Withlacoochee River at Pinetta is too high to paddle, as is the Suwannee at Fargo and the Ichetucknee and Santa Fe Rivers near where they join.
Avoid those spots, and happy high and fast water fishing, swimming, paddling, or boating this weekend.
If you are experienced, join us on Saturday, March 22, 2025, for the Expert paddle with jon boats: Troupville to Knights Ferry, Withlacoochee River.
The Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle has been rescheduled to April 19th.
For these and other WWALS outings and events, see: https://wwals.net/outings/
![[Clean Withlacoochee River and Ty Ty Creek 2025-03-19, No new sewage spills, No rain this weekend]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-03-19--wq/many.jpg)
Clean Withlacoochee River and Ty Ty Creek 2025-03-19, No new sewage spills, No rain this weekend
These pictures of Quitman’s large sewage settling pond appear to show evidence of recent sewage runoff from these ponds, as well as holes in the fence and a rather rotted pier. They were taken Tuesday, July 26, 2022. Water quality testing downstream the day before indicates something contaminated Okapilco Creek and the Withlacoochee River downstream after rains a day before that.
For months I have been asking for a tour of Quitman’s sewage facilities to see if conditions have improved.
![[Quitman sewage settling ponds: Spills? 2025-07-26, None reported, WQ monitoring says maybe]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-07-26--quitman-large-settling-pond/many.jpg)
Quitman sewage settling ponds: Spills? 2025-07-26, None reported, WQ monitoring says maybe
On the preceding Sunday, July 24, 2022, there had been more than an inch of rain on Quitman. I find no Quitman reports for July 2022 in the GA-EPD Sewage Spills Report.
Yet Valdosta’s water quality monitoring for that Monday got 1,000 cfu/100 mL E. coli for Okapilco Creek at US 84 (US 221), which is downstream of those Quitman settling ponds and upstream of the nearest dairy. Valdosta got worse on the Withlacoochee River downstream of Okapilco Creek at Knights Ferry Boat Ramp: 2,700. Continue reading
Rescheduled again due to high water, this time to April 19, 2025.
Join us for a leisurely paddle with Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter on the Withlacoochee River. You can choose 3 miles or 11 miles.
Thanks to a generous grant from Georgia Power, this outing is free for everyone.
Thanks to Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) for shuttle vans.
Thanks to Valdosta Boys & Girls Club for bringing youth and boats to paddle.
Thanks to Phil Hubbard for leading this expedition and Phil Royce for being sweep.
When: Gather 8 AM, shuttle by 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 4 PM, Saturday, April 19, 2025
Put In:
Troupville Boat Ramp,
19664 Valdosta Hwy, Valdosta, GA 31602. I-75 exit 18, west on GA 133 (St. Augustine Road) away from the Valdosta Mall, at the traffic light for Val Tech Road, turn left down to the boat ramp, in Lowndes County.
By the boat ramp, see the WWALS water trail signs about the WWALS
Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT).
These are aerial drone pictures and movies of the Quitman, Georgia, Land Application Site (LAS) or sprayfield.
It’s NPDES Permit No. GAJ020022.
We do not know exactly when the drone images were taken, but sometime between about June and November 2022.
I have repeatedly asked for a tour of Quitman’s wastewater facilities, over many months. So far, their contractor has only delayed doing that.
Here’s a playlist of two drone videos:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-QyC13CJd1la5Hov1W-JlMmC&si=pfGZGdcSEUHg2gj3
You’ll find the entrance with signs saying keep out at 12318 E US 84, Quitman, GA 31643. On US 84 east of Quitman, turn right just before Okapilco Creek, in Brooks County. See the pictures of that entrance I took July 5, 2024. Continue reading
Reminder: we’ve rescheduled and rerouted the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle to
next Saturday, March 22, 2025,
from Troupville Boat Ramp to Spook Bridge:
https://wwals.net/?p=67188
For why that was a wise decision, see these pictures of Langdale Park today. The entrance road is underwater starting about halfway to Langdale Park Boat Ramp.
Meanwhile, Troupville Boat Ramp is doing pretty well.
Also, the Withlacoochee River is dirty with E. coli this week;
see the weekly WWALS water quality report:
https://wwals.net/?p=67213
So come on down next Saturday, March 22, to Troupville Boat Ramp, between 8 and 9 AM, for the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle. Continue reading
Update 2025-03-21: 2025-03-21: Clean Withlacoochee River and Ty Ty Creek 2025-03-19.
Avoid the Withlacoochee River this weekend, and perhaps beyond.
Valdosta Utilities got too-high E. coli at GA 133 and US 84, and WWALS tester Russ Tatum also got too high at Holly Point, down near the Suwannee River, all for Wednesday.
![[Dirty Withlacoochee River 2025-03-12, More rain coming 2025-03-15, First Flush, Avoid the rivers]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-03-12--wq/many.jpg)
Dirty Withlacoochee River 2025-03-12, More rain coming 2025-03-15, First Flush, Avoid the rivers
No new sewage spills were reported in Georgia or Florida.
The big rain Sunday probably did first flush, which means it washed the woods the wildlife had been using as a latrine. And I’d bet it washed some remaining sewage residue out of Sugar Creek. The bypass is operational, but lots of sewage spilled in there before the bypass.
Whatever the cause, the Withlacoochee River is dirty. And more thunderstorms are coming this Sunday.
Also the Withlacoochee is way too high to paddle above the Little River Confluence, and also downstream at Pinetta. The Santa Fe River is too high in spots, as well.
If you want to go fishing, swimming, paddling, or boating, avoid the Withlacoochee River and much of the Santa Fe River. Try the Alapaha River or the Suwannee River.
Join us on Saturday, March 22, 2025, for the Chairman and Mayor’s Paddle: Troupville to Spook Bridge, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-22. Continue reading
Update 2025-03-19: Rescheduled: Chairman and Mayor’s Paddle: Troupville to Spook Bridge, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-19.
Rescheduled to March 22 due to high water.
Join us for a leisurely paddle on the Withlacoochee River: three miles to an early takeout, or another eight miles to Spook Bridge, with a mid-point lunch stop.
The first stretch is along the Little River frontage recently purchased by Lowndes County for Troupville River Camp and Nature Park. The right bank the whole way is Brooks County.
The second stretch goes by Valdosta’s cleaned up Outfall from its Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) on the left bank in Lowndes County.
Paddle with Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter.
Shuttle vans provided by Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA).
Early takeout provided by Paul DeLoach.
Spook Bridge takeout and midpoint provided by The Langdale Company.
Thanks to a generous grant from Georgia Power, this outing is free for everyone.
Thanks to Phil Hubbard for leading this expedition and Phil Royce for being sweep.
When: Gather 8 AM, launch 10 AM, end 4 PM, Saturday, March 22, 2025
Put In:
Troupville Boat Ramp,
19664 Valdosta Hwy, Valdosta, GA 31602. I-75 exit 18, west on GA 133 (St. Augustine Road) away from the Valdosta Mall, at the traffic light for Val Tech Road, turn left down to the boat ramp, in Lowndes County.
By the boat ramp, see the WWALS water trail signs about the WWALS
Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT).
Thanks to Gretchen Quarterman, Elizabeth Brunner, Lisa Adkins-Montisano, Cindy Vedas, Sara Squires Jones, and Scotti Jay Jones for making the WWALS Booth at Azalea Festival a success.
![[Azalea Festival, Thanks, Volunteers, One Mile Branch, Valdosta, GA 2025-03-08]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-03-08--azalea-festival-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
Azalea Festival, Thanks, Volunteers, One Mile Branch, Valdosta, GA 2025-03-08
Volunteers gave out many flyers, especially about the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle, coming up this Saturday, March 15.
https://wwals.net/?p=66833
All these pictures are from delivery Friday or at the Festival Saturday. Sunday got rained out. Thanks to Scotti and Sara for delivering the booth back to its abode. Continue reading
![[River water and groundwater interchange interacts with drinking water treatment in Georgia and Florida]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-03-26--groundwater-interchange/fbmany.jpg)
![[Chairman and Mayor's Paddle, Troupville to Spook Bridge, Little River, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-19]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-04-19--mayor-chairmans-paddle/fbmany.jpg)
![[Quitman Land Application Site, Sprayfield by Okapilco Creek, Drone aerials in 2022, 12318 E US 84, Quitman, GA 31643]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-11-16--quitman-las/fbmany.jpg)
![[Langdale Park underwater 2025-03-14, Troupville Boat Ramp OK, Mayor & Chairman's Paddle is 2025-03-22 from Troupville]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-03-14--langdale-park-troupville-boat-ramp/fbmany.jpg)
![[Chairman and Mayor's Paddle, Troupville to Spook Bridge, Little River, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-22]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-03-22--mayor-chairmans-paddle/fbmany.jpg)