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.
The latlong in the map legend, 29.8901015, -82.0506411, is on one branch of Double Run Creek. Continue reading
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]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-05-14--sugar-creek-bypass/fbmany.jpg)
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
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]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-05-12--full-flower-moon-paddle-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
Full Flower Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR 2025-05-12, Lakeland, GA, Alapaha River Water TrailThe 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
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).
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]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-05-13--usace-chemours-cr230-wetlands/srwmd-bradford-co.jpg)
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
WWALS Board Member Gee Edwards will preside over this rescheduled WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting. The public is invited to this regular business meeting.
That’s for the entire 10,000 square mile Suwannee River Basin, in Georgia and Florida, including the Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Alapahoochee, Little Alapaha, Little times two, New times two, Black, Dead, Sampson, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers, and all their creeks, springs, sinks, ponds, and swamps, such as Grand Bay, Banks Lake and the Okefenokee Swamp.
![[WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting, Agenda, 2025-05-18]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-05-18--wwals-board-agenda/fbmany.jpg)
WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting, Agenda, 2025-05-18
When: 6 PM, Sunday, May 18, 2025
Where: Online via zoom, registration required:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/y9PpPZZ4SD6Bt2xJhkH3LA
A decade ago, a year after WWALS formed, charter board member Bret Wagenhorst led us from Stephen C. Foster State Park near Fargo, Georgia, up the Suwannee River and its Middle Fork in the Okefenokee Swamp.
We saw birds, fish, gators, and Possumhaw aka Swamp Holly, Ilex decidua.
![[Okefenokee Swamp Outing, Stephen C. Foster SP, Suwannee River, Fargo, GA 2014-11-22]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2014-11-22--wwals-okefenokee/fbmany.jpg)
Okefenokee Swamp Outing, Stephen C. Foster SP, Suwannee River, Fargo, GA 2014-11-22
That phone with its bad lens eventually took a swim in a river and I got a better one. Continue reading
It was perfect weather to see the sun set and the moon rise.
One person flew a thousand miles to paddle on Banks Lake at the Full Worm Moon.
Thanks to Kimberly Godden Tanner for organizing this one.
![[Full Worm Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA, 2025-03-14]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-03-14--banks-lake-full-worm-moon-paddle-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
Full Worm Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA, 2025-03-14
Join us tomorrow for
Full Flower Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-05-12.
https://wwals.net/?p=67005
For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see Continue reading
Update 2025-08-11: Cancelled due to rain and thunder. Pictures: Meet and Greet at Banks Lake 2025-08-09.
Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Sturgeon Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, our watery living room near Lakeland, Georgia.
When: Gather 7:30 PM, launch 8 PM, moonrise 8:52 PM, sunset 8:20 PM, end 9:30 PM, Saturday, August 9, 2025
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Full Sturgeon Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA, Saturday, August 9, 2025]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-08-09--full-sturgeon-moon-banks-lake/fbmany.jpg)
Full Sturgeon Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA, Saturday, August 9, 2025
Update 2025-07-18: Video: Full Buck Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-07-10.
Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Buck Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, our watery living room near Lakeland, Georgia.
When: Gather 7:45 PM, launch 8:15 PM, moonrise 8:59 PM, sunset 8:39 PM, end 9:45 PM, Thursday, July 10, 2025
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Full Buck Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA, Thursday, July 10, 2025]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-07-10--full-buck-moon-banks-lake/fbmany.jpg)
Full Buck Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA, Thursday, July 10, 2025
Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Strawberry Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, our watery living room near Lakeland, Georgia.
When: Gather 7:30 PM, launch 8 PM, moonrise 9:25 PM, sunset 8:36 PM, end 10 PM, Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Full Strawberry Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Alapaha River Water Trail, Wednesday, June 11, 2025]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-06-11--full-strawberry-moon-banks-lake/fbmany.jpg)
Full Strawberry Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Alapaha River Water Trail, Wednesday, June 11, 2025
![[More about Spill 2024-01-31, Chemours Trail Ridge South, TiO2 mine SE of Starke, FL, Santa Fe River Basin]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-01-31--about-spill-trail-ridge-south-chemours/fbmany.jpg)
![[Chemours Army Corps application to mine TiO2 on SRWMD land, Bradford County, FL, Santa Fe River Basin 2025-05-13]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-05-13--usace-chemours-cr230-wetlands/fbmany.jpg)