Update 2023-08-02: Very bad water quality at US 41 and GA 133 Monday 2023-07-31.

The Withlacoochee River tested good for Friday in WWALS sampling, but Crawford Branch and Sugar Creek were each above the one-time test limit for E. coli.

The Sugar Creek result is presumably due to ongoing effects from Valdosta’s July 17th 6,000 gallon sewage spill into Hightower Creek “behind the Target,” reported as at 1700 block River Street. This follows the disturbing Sugar Creek results Valdosta Utilities told us about Friday a week ago, after which we converted a cleanup paddle into an on-land cleanup.

We do not have any downstream results because the WWALS volunteer water quality testing program is short-handed this week. Maybe you’d like to become a WWALS tester; please fill out this form:
https://forms.gle/DzWvJuXqTQi12N6v7

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

Rain fell hard today, but only briefly, so most of the rivers are probably OK for fishing, swimming and boating this weekend, although we have no downstream test results to tell.

I’d avoid the Withlacoochee River downstream from Sugar Creek as far as the Little River Confluence.

Chart, River and Creeks, Swim Guide Map 2023-07-28

The most recent results we have from Valdosta are for Wednesday upstream and Wednesday two weeks ago downstream. For Monday Valdosta got way-too-high results for US 41 on the Withlacoochee River, probably due to rain last Saturday, but Valdosta’s Wednesday results were back within acceptable range. GA 133 and US 84 were OK for Monday and Wednesday in Valdosta’s results.

WWALS testers Cindy and David Vedas got a zero result for Friday at US 41, and good results at Franklinville and Staten Road. However, they found Crawford Branch above the one-time test limit.

WWALS tester Suzy Hall found Sugar Creek above the one-time test limit for Friday.

Thanks once again to Valdosta Utilities Director Jason Barnes for placing a Valdosta sewage spill warning sign in the Salty Snapper parking lot for Sugar Creek.

Suwannee Riverkeeper Banner and Valdosta Sewage Spill sign at Sugar Creek

It seems likely that warning is still needed.

Chart: Clean Withlacoochee River, dirty creeks 2023-07-28
For context and the entire WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing

Thanks to Cindy and David Vedas for their four sites, Franklinville Road on the Withlacoochee River, Crawford Branch at Skipper Bridge Road, and Staten Road and US 41 on the Withlacoochee River.

Thanks to Jacob and Michael Bachrach for their years of testing at Troupville Boat Ramp on the Little River, and Clyattville-Nankin and State Line Boats Ramps on the Withlacoochee River. They have moved on.

Thanks to Gretchen Quarterman for training the testers and delivering supplies.

Thanks to WWALS Testing Committee Chair for herding the testing cats, and this week for testing Sugar Creek.

I’ve marked green for the WWALS “beaches” for which we have recent data, on

Map: Clean Withlacoochee River 2023-07-28

Here’s a live Swim Guide Map.

Thanks to Joe Brownlee and Georgia Power for a generous grant for water quality testing equipment and materials.

You or your organization could also donate to the WWALS volunteer water quality testing program.

There are more images below.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

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Franklinville, Withlacoochee River @ Frankinville Road 2023-07-28

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Crawford Branch, Withlacoochee River @ Skipper Bridge Road 2023-07-28

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Staten Road, Withlacoochee River @ Staten Road 2023-07-28

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US 41 Landing, Withlacoochee River @ North Valdosta Road 2023-07-28

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Sugar Creek, Withlacoochee River @ Gornto Road 2023-07-28

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Suwannee Riverkeeper Banner and Valdosta Sewage Spill sign at Sugar Creek

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

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