Chainsaw cleanup pictures, Withlacoochee River 2022-05-29

Update 2022-06-01: Chainsaw cleanup again, Withlacoochee River 2022-06-05.

Some chainsawed, others cleaned up, on the chainsaw cleanup at the Withlacoochee River.

We met at the Salty Snapper parking lot, but we did not actually go to Sugar Creek. We headed straight for the biggest Withlacoochee River impediment, the infamous NSRR Deadfall, a stack of deadfalls (downed trees) across the river downstream of the Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge.

That took the allotted time of nine to noon. We’ll probably do it again next Sunday; stay tuned.

[Logjam, Sawing, Cleanup, Banners]
Logjam, Sawing, Cleanup, Banners

Thanks to Phil Hubbard for sawing and Jan Krysa for helping in the boat and in the water. Thanks to Elizabeth Brunner and family for cleaning up.

Also, we did not see much trash actually in the big deadfall, presumably because there was enough clearance at ends of logs for trash to wash through. Most of what was picked up came from under and near the railroad trestle. And no doubt there are still trashjams upstream on Sugar Creek.

The Problem

We’re looking forward to that first trash boom Valdosta ordered getting installed on Sugar Creek, and then more on Two Mile Branch and Three Mile Branch. Then maybe people won’t have to paddle past trash jams. Then there is more Valdosta can do about trash sources, especially at upstream fast food outlets and parking lots. For more about the trash problem, see https://wwals.net/issues/trash/

[Logjam]
Logjam

Moving a log

This day’s problem was the logjams: trying to clear some of those to make paddle boat passage possible.

[Phil Hubbard and a log]
Phil Hubbard and a log

Underwater sawing

[Phil saws a log; Jan fends off the boat]
Phil saws a log; Jan fends off the boat

In the air sawing

[Movie: Phil saws some higher limbs (83M)]
Movie: Phil saws some higher limbs (83M)

Meanwhile, upstream

[Elizabeth Brunner and family picking up trash at the RR trestle]
Elizabeth Brunner and family picking up trash at the RR trestle

Bigger log

[Movie: Phill saws a log so it won't fall on us (83M)]
Movie: Phill saws a log so it won’t fall on us (83M)

Underwater sawing

[Movie: jsq and underwater Sawzall (81M)]
Movie: jsq and underwater Sawzall (81M)

Move that log

[Movie: Try pushing it (50M)]
Movie: Try pushing it (50M)

Another cut

[Movie: Very loud (47M)]
Movie: Very loud (47M)

Meanwhile the other way

[Phil has cleared the other path]
Phil has cleared the other path

Our work is done for today

[Head upstream]
Head upstream

Banners

[Yay chainsaw cleanup]
Yay chainsaw cleanup

Trash collected

[Movie: Trash collection leaders (3.1M)]
Movie: Trash collection leaders (3.1M)

Trash delivered

[At Troupville Boat Ramp, Little River]
At Troupville Boat Ramp, Little River

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!