Tag Archives: WWALS Watershed Coalition

Rachel Grubb Headlines Suwannee Riverkeeper Contest 2025

Hahira, Georgia May 22, 2025 — Rachel Grubb of Lake City, Florida, will sing her haunting encore from last year, as well as the song she won with, as Headliner for the 2025 Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.

[Rachel Grubb Headlines Suwannee Riverkeeper Contest 2025, Ghost of the Suwannee, Encore by 2024 First Prize winner Rachel Grubb]

Come hear the finalists this year, Saturday, September 6, 2025, at the Turner Center for the Arts, in Valdosta, Georgia. “Musicians, send in your own song!” said Gala Committee Chair and WWALS Board President Sara Squires Jones.
https://forms.gle/LfXFBVESipd231Dr7

The Contest is part of WWALS River Revue, which features food, drink, a silent auction, and speakers from Georgia and Florida. Rachel Grubb’s encore, “Ghost of the Suwannee,” will call you home.
https://youtu.be/IVKrUqiwXBk?si=EtZ3K8SsqbOyrhHP Continue reading →

Community water well water quality test results

How do you get water quality test results for a subdivision water well?

Somebody asked that question, and I couldn’t answer it. So I called some people until I found the answer.

[Search gadrinkingwater.net and example water quality test results]
Search gadrinkingwater.net and example water quality test results

Go to gadrinkingwater.net Continue reading →

Two Valdosta sewer projects from new municipal bonds, plus one from user fees @ VCC 2025-04-10

This should help Valdosta get ahead of sewer spills, maybe even fix sewer lines before they break. And maybe use competitive bids instead of sole-source emergency contracts.

Back at the April 10, 2025, Valdosta City Council meeting, two agenda items were for Professional Design Services Proposals financed from the recently-approved $67 million in municipal bonds. Both are related to the sewer line near Knights Creek that notoriously has spilled sewage multiple times.

Knights Creek runs into Mud Swamp Creek just below the Mud Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant (MCWTP) and on to the Alapahoochee, Alapaha, and Suwannee Rivers.

[Two Valdosta sewer projects from new municipal bonds, plus one from user fees @ VCC 2025-04-10]
Two Valdosta sewer projects from new municipal bonds, plus one from user fees @ VCC 2025-04-10

That’s $485,010 for Continue reading →

Calloway Boat Ramp, Gilchrist County, FL, Suwannee River 2025-05-10

Ken Sulak points out a public boat ramp that was not on the WWALS map of the Suwannee River Water Trail (SRWT): Calloway Boat Ramp, a sand-covered concrete ramp owned by Gilchrist County, Florida. Plus a ferry and a cemetery.

Calloway Boat Ramp is downstream from Branford and 2.87 river miles from Sims Landing Ramp. It’s 0.73 miles upstream from Hurst Landing Ramp.

[Map: Calloway Boat Ramp]
Map: Calloway Boat Ramp in the WWALS map of the Suwannee River Water Trail (SRWT).

It’s at the west end of NW 57th Court, Bell, FL 32619. From Branford, go west on US 27, cross the Suwannee River, turn left on CR 349, left on CR 340, cross the Suwannee River again, left on NW 55th Ave., left on NW 55th St., right on NW 57th Ct., left to stay on NW 57th Ct. to the ramp. Gilchrist County.

Ken, who is an avid historian of bridges and ferries, says Continue reading →

Okapilco Creek 2025-03-22

Downstream from Spook Bridge on the Withlacoochee River, Phil Hubbard and I took a side trip up Okapilco Creek.

[Okapilco Creek 2025-03-22, Withlacoochee River, Piscola Creek, Patrick Creek]
Okapilco Creek 2025-03-22, Withlacoochee River, Piscola Creek, Patrick Creek

We passed Piscola Creek and Patrick Creek.

We went up Okapilco Creek about a mile. Then we encountered a deadfall across the creek. We could have sawed it in a few minutes. But our main mission was checking passage on the Withlacoochee River, so we turned back.

There was very little trash in Okapilco Creek. We collected some of it.

Phil Royce had declined to follow us up the creek, so we caught up with him down near Knights Ferry Boat Ramp. Stay tuned for that.

Thanks to Wild Green Future for the generous grant that paid for Continue reading →

Dirty Sugar Creek, Clean Withlacoochee River 2025-05-14, Clean Alapaha River 2025-05-15

Update 2025-05-23: Filthy Langdale Park Withlacoochee River 2025-05-22.

Sugar Creek was too high at Baytree Road and at the WaterGoat in WWALS E. coli tests. However, Valdosta Utilities and WWALS got clean results for the Withlacoochee River downstream. And WWALS got excellent results for the Alapaha River.

No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida.

No rain is predicted until Wednesday.

So avoid Sugar Creek, and happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend!

[Dirty Sugar Creek, Clean Withlacoochee River 2025-05-14, Clean Alapaha River 2025-05-15, Happy Paddling this weekend]
Dirty Sugar Creek, Clean Withlacoochee River 2025-05-14, Clean Alapaha River 2025-05-15, Happy Paddling this weekend

Sugar Creek

WWALS tester John S. Quarterman sampled four Sugar Creek location Wednesday and got 900 at Baytree Road, 200 at the railroad, 233 at Gornto Road, and 500 at the WaterGoat. Those first and last results are above the 410 cfu/100 mL one-time test limit for E. coli.

Something is still not right in Sugar Creek.

See also Continue reading →

More about Spill from Chemours Trail Ridge South TiO2 mine SE of Starke, FL 2024-01-31

The map in this Chemours followup report about its January 31, 2024, 194,195-gallon wastewater spill seems to indicate the water went south into Double Run Creek, which goes to the Santa Fe River.

[More about Spill 2024-01-31, Chemours Trail Ridge South, TiO2 mine SE of Starke, FL, Santa Fe River Basin]
More about Spill 2024-01-31, Chemours Trail Ridge South, TiO2 mine SE of Starke, FL, Santa Fe River Basin

The latlong in the map legend, 29.8901015, -82.0506411, is on one branch of Double Run Creek. Continue reading →

Sugar Creek Sewage Bypass, Valdosta Utilities 2025-05-14

Update 2025-05-16: Dirty Sugar Creek, Clean Withlacoochee River 2025-05-14, Clean Alapaha River 2025-05-15.

Yesterday I looked at the sewage bypass on Sugar Creek. Valdosta Utilities Director Jason Barnes had told me they had recently extended it.

[Sugar Creek Sewage Bypass 2025-05-14, Valdosta Utilities, Bottom end extended]
Sugar Creek Sewage Bypass 2025-05-14, Valdosta Utilities, Bottom end extended

Turns out they moved the bottom (north or downstream) end about 350 feet farther north, towards Gornto Road.

The upper (south or upstream) end apparently has not moved recently, but it is farther south than back in January when the bypass was first installed. Originally it was downstream from where Sugar Creek crosses under the railroad. Now it is upstream (south) of there. Continue reading →

Pictures: Full Flower Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-05-12

Janet Martin led the evening paddle Monday, and wrote:

A big thank you to everyone who joined us for last night’s Full Moon Paddle at Bank’s Lake! We had 9 participants in 6 boats, including two wonderful ladies who drove all the way from Tallahassee to join us!

A special shout-out to Kim Tanner for bringing the banner and capturing the moment with a great group picture!

[Full Flower Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR 2025-05-12, Lakeland, GA, Alapaha River Water Trail]
Full Flower Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR 2025-05-12, Lakeland, GA, Alapaha River Water Trail

The weather was absolutely perfect, and the sunset was nothing short of breathtaking. Huge thanks to Janet for leading and Pam for being our fantastic sweep for the night, ensuring everyone stayed safe and together.

And we are excited to welcome Nina as our newest member! Let’s give her a warm WWALS welcome!

Did you know? Continue reading →

Chemours wants Army Corps permit to mine TiO2 on SRWMD land, Bradford County, FL, Santa Fe River Basin 2025-05-13

Update 2025-05-28: Additional Project Drawings for Chemours application to mine on SRWMD land –USACE 2025-01-02.

Update 2025-05-16: More about Spill from Chemours Trail Ridge South TiO2 mine SE of Starke, FL 2024-01-31.

Chemours wants to mine on SRWMD land in Bradford County, FL, upstream from the Santa Fe River, on Double Run Creek which already had a tailings wastewater spill last fall.

You’ve got 30 days to comment:

The Jacksonville District will receive written comments on the proposed work, as outlined above, until June 12, 2025. Comments should be submitted electronically via the Regulatory Request System (RRS) at https://rrs.usace.army.mil/rrs or to John Fellows at john.p.fellows@usace.army.mil. Alternatively, you may submit comments in writing to the Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, Attention: John Fellows, 10117 Princess Palm Avenue, Suite 120, Tampa, FL 33610. Please refer to the permit application number in your comments.

That’s permit application number SAJ-2019-00480 (JPF).

[Chemours Army Corps application to mine TiO2 on SRWMD land, Bradford County, FL, Santa Fe River Basin 2025-05-13]
Chemours Army Corps application to mine TiO2 on SRWMD land, Bradford County, FL, Santa Fe River Basin 2025-05-13

Many of us complained back in 2019 about SRWMD allowing Chemours access through SRWMD property, but in 2021 SRWMD claimed it had no choice.

[SRWMD parcels, Bradford County Property Appraiser 2019-10-17]
SRWMD parcels, Bradford County Property Appraiser 2019-10-17

Now it’s not just access, it’s actual mining. So what does conservation mean to the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD)? Or to its parent the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)?

Here’s the problem: Continue reading →