Tag Archives: WLRWT

Clean Thursday from Franklinville to US 41: Withlacoochee River, but raining now 2023-02-09

Update 2023-02-18: Clean rivers 2023-02-16.

Update 2023-02-13: Cherry Creek water quality sampling after Valdosta sewage spill 2023-02-12.

Thanks to new WWALS tester Cindy Vegas for four more Withlacoochee River site results for Thursday, all clean.

But it rained hard yesterday and continues today, so contamination has probably washed into the rivers: all of the Little, Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and Suwannee. Maybe not the Santa Fe, but we’ll see.

I wouldn’t swim, fish, or boat in these rivers this weekend.

[Chart with Rain, Withlacoochee River, Swim Guide Map 2023-02-09]
Chart with Rain, Withlacoochee River, Swim Guide Map 2023-02-09

Look at the rain for yesterday, Friday: 1.67 inches at the Skipper Bridge Gauge, in the same stretch of river she sampled Thursday. Cat Creek comes in between Franklinville and Skipper Bridge, so it is very likely that contamination washed into the river yesterday. Continue reading →

Packet: Six Additional Documents by Morven Solar @ Brooks County Commission 2023-02-06

Here are the six additional document Pine Gate Renewables sent to the Brooks County Commission on the day of the Public Hearing for Morven Solar.

[Six additional documents, Morven Solar 2023-02-06]
Six additional documents, Morven Solar 2023-02-06

Interestingly, none of these documents say Pine Gate would not use herbicides on the project. The Maintenance and Operations document does say Continue reading →

Getting an upgrade: Valdosta’s Lee Street Detention Pond Trash Trap 2023-02-09

Bobby McKenzie reports, “So the trash trap at Lee Street pond is getting an upgrade…”

No doubt everyone agrees with Bobby when he says, “Hope it works!”

[Looking upstream, Lee St. trash trap construction, --Bobby McKenzie 2023-01-09]
Looking upstream, Lee St. trash trap construction, –Bobby McKenzie 2023-01-09

He elaborates: Continue reading →

New week river water quality update 2023-02-06

Update 2023-02-10: Clean rivers before rain 2023-02-09.

Here’s an update between our weekly WWALS water quality reports.

Three more downstream WWALS Withlacoochee River test sites matched the upstream ones for Thursday, February 2nd, as predicted.

However, not as predicted, Valdosta got too-high upstream results for Friday, February 3rd, at GA 133 and US 84 (but not at US 41). So apparently the drizzle of rain that Thursday did wash something into the river. However, Valdosta’s results for Monday at the same sites are all good, so whatever it was, it was short-lived.

And Rochelle, Georgia, got around to reporting another small far-upstream sewage spill in the Alapaha River basin.

[Chart, Withlacoochee River, Swim Guide, 2023-02-02]
Chart, Withlacoochee River, Swim Guide, 2023-02-02

The additional downstream sites I sampled last Thursday were the Continue reading →

Videos: Morven Solar denied @ Brooks County Commission 2023-02-06

After two hours of speakers in the Public Hearing, the Brooks County Commission this Monday denied the Special Exception for Morven Solar, 3:1:1.

[Speakers, Decision: Morven Solar @ Brooks County Commission 2023-02-06]
Speakers, Decision: Morven Solar @ Brooks County Commission 2023-02-06

Commissioner Myra Exum, after saying that whatever the Commissioners did they would be wrong, Continue reading →

Herbivores, sediment basins, silt fences for Morven Solar –WWALS to Brooks County Commission 2023-02-06

Update 2023-02-08: Morven Solar denied @ Brooks County Commission 2023-02-06.

Before this evening’s Brooks County Commission decision on a Special Exception for Morven Solar, WWALS wrote asking for three conditions.

[Letter and Map --WWALS to Brooks County Commission about Morven Solar 2023-02-06]
Letter and Map –WWALS to Brooks County Commission about Morven Solar 2023-02-06

The meeting is 5PM tonight, Monday, February 6, 2023, at Brooks County Courthouse, East Screven Street, Quitman, GA, 31643.

See also Videos: Morven Solar at Brooks County Planning Commission 2023-01-19.

Here is the WWALS letter, sent to the Brooks County Commission as PDF. Continue reading →

Videos: Morven Solar at Brooks County Planning Commission 2023-01-19

Update 2023-02-08: Morven Solar denied @ Brooks County Commission 2023-02-06.

Update 2023-02-06: Herbivores, sediment basins, silt fences for Morven Solar –WWALS to Brooks County Commission 2023-02-06.

These WWALS videos show the Public Hearing that was the only agenda item at the Brooks County Planning Commission, January 19, 2023.

[Movie: Rules for Speaking --Pat Sharpe, Chair (30M)]
Movie: Rules for Speaking –Pat Sharpe, Chair (30M)

The Planning Commission recommended approval with conditions.

The actual decision on the Special Exception will be made tonight at 5PM by the Brooks County Commission at Brooks County Courthouse, East Screven Street, Quitman, GA, 31643.

There is no agenda for tonight’s meeting on the county’s website, WWALS has still not received agenda nor board packet in response to our open records request of January 30, 2023.

Here’s a LAKE video playlist:


Videos: Morven Solar at Brooks County Planning Commission 2023-01-19
Videos by John S. Quarterman for WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS).

Below are links to each WWALS video of each speaker. Except for some camera glitches, these videos show the entire meeting.

See also the agenda, the board packet, the pictures of the sites of Morven Solar, and Report: Conditions wanted on Morven Solar by Brooks County Planning Commission 2023-01-20.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

Continue reading →

High and fast: Allen Ramp to SRSP, Withlacoochee River, 2023-02-04

Expedition leader Will Hart says about tomorrow’s paddle from Allen Ramp to Suwannee River State Park on the Withlacoochee River,

“Water levels are higher now than expected when the outing was planned. All of the springs and shoals will be under water at this level, however we are still on to paddle. The river will also be a bit murky with some floating debris due to runoff from the woods. At these levels it is considered “not for beginners” due to the current and fast flow.

“It will also be a little strenuous paddling up the last 1/4 mile at the Suwannee River confluence at this level.”

If you don’t want to try that last quarter mile upstream part, there is an earlier takeout available.

[Withlacoochee River with Melvin Shoals downstream. Photo: John S. Quarterman 2023-02-03]
Withlacoochee River with Melvin Shoals downstream. Photo: John S. Quarterman 2023-02-03

Follow this link for the rest of the outing details:
https://wwals.net/?p=60888

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

An hour later: Allen Ramp to SRSP, Withlacoochee River 2023-02-02 2023-02-04

Update 2023-02-03: High and fast: Allen Ramp to SRSP, Withlacoochee River 2023-02-04.

Due to predicted cold weather Saturday, please gather an hour later, at 9 AM.

[Melvin Shoals, Allen Ramp, Ellaville Landing --Will Hart 2023-02-02]
Melvin Shoals, Allen Ramp, Ellaville Landing –Will Hart 2023-02-02

Water levels are high, so Melvin Shoals is underwater. But if you don’t want to run the shoals, expedition leader Will Hart is offering an early takeout just upstream at Ellaville Landing, on Twin Rivers State Forest land.

Double Door Spring is an awesome thing to see for those who haven’t seen this part of the wild and beautiful Withlacoochee River. We will pass numerous rocky shoals requiring some skills so this outing may not be appropriate for beginners and young children. There are many other clear springs to explore.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10:30 AM, end 4 PM, Saturday, February 4, 2023

Put In: Allen Ramp, 2726 SW 64th Way Jasper, FL 32052, in Hamilton County, Florida.

GPS: 30.449167, -83.221328 Continue reading →

Valdosta needs more trash traps, but can’t expect volunteers to clean them 2023-01-26

Just to see if Russell Allen McBride had changed his mind since December, I asked him again as he waded in to clean out the Sugar Creek WaterGoat: if Valdosta finally buys more trash traps like they’ve been promising for many months, will he clean them out?

Answer: not unless the city makes that his full time job.

[Russell waist-deep in the trash]
Russell waist-deep in the trash

He also mentioned that the recent big rain washed some trash over the current WaterGoat, so Valdosta needs a better model for this location, which is on Sugar Creek just upstream from the Withlacoochee River.

See the video on facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Wwalswatershed/videos/941601463886544

Or on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/y5Zi8es3nLI


Video by John S. Quarterman for WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc., 2023-01-26

For much more about the trash situation, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/trash Continue reading →