Update 2021-02-13: Very bad, GA-FL line and downstream, Withlacoochee River 2021-02-11.

Madison and Hamilton Health on February 10th lifted their bacterial advisory of January 18th for the Withlacoochee River, due to good Florida water quality results for Tuesday. But there were big rains Tuesday, so conditions may have already changed, and not for the better.

Chart, Lifted, Swim Guide

This was after Madison Health got clean results Tuesday (yellow highlights), matching clean results last Thursday, at the GA-FL line, Sullivan Launch, and FL 6.

Better Tuesday
For context and the entire WWALS composite spreadsheet of Georgia and Florida water quality results, rainfall, and spills, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/

Valdosta also got clean results upstream Monday (green highlights) upstream at US 41, GA 133, and US 84, after a bad result for US 84 Friday.

However, beware there were heavy rains Tuesday, the same day as the most recent good Madison Health results, with more than an inch recorded in Dixie, GA, and at US 84, on both sides of Brooks County, with almost an inch upstream on Okapilco Creek in Moultrie. That is prime condition for more manure to wash down Okapilco Creek into the Withlacoochee River. We will know more after we get our WWALS test results from today incubated.

Meanwhile, here is the notice about lifting the bacterial advisory. Just don’t be surprised if a new one gets issued after Madison Health also samples today and gets results back tomorrow (Friday).

Lifting Withlacoochee River Advisory 2021-02-10
PDF

For now I’ve set green in Swim Guide for all the above-mentioned locations. Knights Ferry and Nankin Boat Ramps are still green from last Thursday’s WWALS data.

Map: Swim Guide Green

Just don’t be surprised if Friday you hear test results from today turn out not quite so good.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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