Update 2025-07-14: Location of Sugar Creek Major Spill 2025-07-14.
Sewage is back in Sugar Creek, with children playing in it.
WWALS tester Suzy Hall reported this morning, “Yesterday I visited the goat. As I approached, I heard kids splashing, jumping and having a ball. There was, to me, a slight smell…and the water color was off. I hoped I was wrong, but I wasn’t. It’s nasty. It’s too early to pull the plates, but it’s going to be TNTC at the goat.” Continue reading
Update 2025-07-13: New sewage spill in Sugar Creek 2025-07-12.
We have good E. coli results on the Withlacoochee River for this week.
![[Clean Withlacoochee River, 2025-07-09, Happy paddling, boating, swimming, and fishing]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-07-09--wq/many.jpg)
Clean Withlacoochee River, 2025-07-09, Happy paddling, boating, swimming, and fishing
We don’t know about Sugar Creek; nobody tested that this week. Strange as it seems, chances are that creek is also clean.
No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida. or Georgia.
Rain or thunderstorms are likely for the next ten days.
As near as we can tell, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend, if you can beat the rain!
Maybe join WWALS today for
Chainsaw upstream from Troupville, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-12.
https://wwals.net/?p=67870
Shirley Kokidko sent these pictures of the 11.2-mile paddle on the upper Suwannee River from Turner Bridge to Cone Bridge. Thanks to her for leading. She remarked, “I didn’t take many pictures, just loved soaking up a beautiful day on the river with Joyce Ball and Steve Shaw.”
![[Turner Bridge to Cone Bridge, Suwannee River 2025-07-05, Thanks to Shirley Kokidko]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-07-05--turner-to-cone-bridge-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
Turner Bridge to Cone Bridge, Suwannee River 2025-07-05, Thanks to Shirley Kokidko
Also, “It was perfect weather, we bobbled around in our PFD’s in the river just to make sure they are still buoyant enough to keep us afloat, talked about self rescue, assisted rescue and other fun things. Two kayak campers passed us going upstream for a couple of nights. Otherwise we were the only ones out until we got to the ramp at Cone Bridge. Lots of big bass boats with BIG motors, in and out of the water, nobody was there to fish, just river fun. Maybe it was a club, everybody very friendly. I love this Turner to Cone section. Easy shuttle and beautiful paddle. We should do it again sometime.”
See also Continue reading
Here is video of Emily Bell from the Communications Coordinator of the Florida Wildflower Foundation talking about Wildflowers of the Suwannee River Basin in Florida in a WWALS Webinar, June 26, 2025.
The video:
https://youtu.be/TjSdNFDh_bM
Emily’s slides are on the WWALS website, and images of each slide are appended to this post.
WWALS Board Member Janet Martin gave a brief introduction, and there were questions and answers afterward.
Emily was born and raised in the wilds of Florida. From spring Continue reading
Complaints of “overwhelming sulfide smells” come from across the north of Lowndes County about water in homes supplied by Lowndes County, Georgia. See below for how to report this problem to Lowndes County Utilities and to WWALS, and how to get your water tested.
If you want to speak to Lowndes County Commissioners or staff,
they’re having a Regular Session this evening at 5:30 PM,
at 327 N. Ashley Street, 2nd Floor.
http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/?p=25100
You can speak in Citizens Wishing to Be Heard, or talk to them before or after the meeting.
For example, Continue reading
Join us Friday and Saturday at the Hahira Honeybee Festival,
in downtown Hahira, Georgia,
between the Withlacoochee and Little Rivers,
with 30,000 of our closest friends.
https://www.hahirahoneybeefest.com
WWALS members, maybe you’d like to ride in the Parade Saturday. Or come help at the booth either day.
When: 9 AM-6 PM, Friday, October 3, 2025
9 AM-6 PM, Saturday, October 3, 2025
Put In: downtown Hahira, Georgia, I-75 Exit 29.
Continue readingJoin us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, our watery living room. If we’re lucky, there will be bats.
When: Gather 6:45 PM, launch 7:15 PM, moonrise 7:53 PM, sunset 7:48 PM, end 8:45 PM, Sunday, September 7, 2025
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Full Harvest Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, Near Lakeland, GA, Sunday, September 7, 2025]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-09-07--full-harvest-moon-banks-lake/fbmany.jpg)
Full Harvest Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, Near Lakeland, GA, Sunday, September 7, 2025
We have good E. coli results on the Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers and Franks Creek for this week.
We don’t know about Sugar Creek; nobody tested that this week.
No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida. or Georgia.
Rain or thunderstorms are likely for the next ten days.
Since these recent tests were after previous rains, apparently we’re past first flush. That means whatever was in the woods has washed out now, so more rain may not cause much contamination.
So as near as we can tell, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating this weekend, if you can beat the rain!
![[Clean Alapaha River 2025-06-29, Withlacoochee River and Franks Creek 2025-07-02]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-07-02--wq/many.jpg)
Clean Alapaha River 2025-06-29, Withlacoochee River and Franks Creek 2025-07-02
Maybe join WWALS tomorrow for
Turner Bridge to Cone Bridge Paddle, Suwannee River 2025-07-05.
https://wwals.net/?p=67557
Update 2025-07-11: Pictures: Turner Bridge to Cone Bridge Paddle, Suwannee River 2025-07-05.
Ken Sulak sent this in preparation for
Turner Bridge to Cone Bridge Paddle, Suwannee River, 2025-07-05.
https://wwals.net/?p=67557
Over to Ken:
Looking back at the history of Turner Bridge, and what bridge artifacts reveal or conceal. Continue reading
Update 2025-07-25: SRWMD & SJRWMD aquifer recharge project update @ SRWMD 2025-07-08.
Dennis Price, P.G., of Hamilton County, Florida, asked, “Are we just a water tower for Jacksonville?”
He showed us “the history of surface and ground water in the flatwoods in south Georgia and north Florida in the Suwannee River Basin. Historic water levels and how we have changed these levels. Changes beginning with forestry then farming, and population growth. Ideas for correcting the problems.”
This applies to the Floridan Aquifer proper and the other aquifers above it, all below the Suwannee, Alapaha, and Withlacoochee Rivers, the Okefenokee Swamp, and their tributaries.
Here is the WWALS video of this WWALS Webinar:
https://youtu.be/o4s1jPN0EVI
Some still images are appended.
Thanks to WWALS Board Member Janet Martin for organizing this webinar and for introducing Dennis.
Thanks to everyone who attended.
See
the announcement of this webinar
for Dennis’ resume and other background.
https://wwals.net/?p=67740
See also: Continue reading
![[New sewage spill in Sugar Creek, E. coli Too Numerous to Count 2025-07-12, Spill site at railroad bridge, Valdosta Utilities is on it]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-07-12--wq/many.jpg)
![[Wildflowers of the Suwannee River Basin in Florida, a WWALS Webinar by Emily Bell, Thursday, June 26, 2025]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-06-26--webinar-emily-bell-wildflowers-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
![[Water smell and color 2025-07-07, Lowndes County north water system, Please report any problems, Get your water tested]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-07-07--lowndes-county-north-water-quality/fbmany.jpg)
![[WWALS Booth at Hahira Honeybee Festival, Downtown Hahira, Georgia, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 3-4, 2025]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-10-03--hahira-honeybee/fbmany.jpg)
![[Turner Bridge, Suwannee River --Ken Sulak 2025-07-01, History and what bridge artifacts reveal or conceal]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-07-01--turner-bridge-ken-sulak/fbmany.jpg)
![[How Humans Affect the Aquifer, WWALS Webinar by Dennis Price, Are we just a water tower for Jacksonville? 2025-06-19]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-06-19--aquifer-dennis-price-webinar-pictures/fbmany.jpg)