All green to go, Withlacoochee River 2020-07-18

Update 2020-07-23: Excellent water quality, Withlacoochee River, but raining now 2020-07-22.

We don’t always get zero E. coli on the Withlacoochee River, but when we do, we like it!

That’s zero cfu/100 mL at State Line Boat Ramp Saturday, by WWALS tester Suzy Hall, and zero at FL 6 just above Madison Blue Spring Tuesday by Madison Health. With below 410 (that’s good) everywhere upstream in Valdosta Monday, Wednesday, and Friday results.

Plus, we have good results on the Alapaha River, thanks to WWALS testers Tasha Ekman LaFace and Suzy Hall.

[Green on Swim Guide, Withlacoochee River]
Green on Swim Guide, Withlacoochee River

Yes, even Knights Ferry and Nankin Boat Ramps showed good results all week. We didn’t know that until today, but now we do, thanks to Valdosta PIO Ashlyn Johnson getting those numbers posted about 1PM today.

[Clean all the way down]
Clean all the way down
For the complete WWALS composite spreadsheet of Georgia and Florida results and other context, see wwals.net/issues/testing/.

All the above datapoints are on the WWALS Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT) and the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT). They are all visible on the map below.

[Relevant Landings in the Suwannee River Basin]
Relevant Landings in the Suwannee River Basin
WWALS map of public landings in the Suwannee River Basin.

You can help, by donating to the WWALS volunteer water quality monitoring program.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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

6 thoughts on “All green to go, Withlacoochee River 2020-07-18”

  1. Diddi Phenis

    Keep Out Warning, sewerage spill signs just put up on Mango Rd, Lee, FL, heading to Withlacoochee River. Have searched health dept and online and can find no information regarding the warning, a spill or other contamination. Madison County Sheriff’s Dept said thinks health dept put out warning….I can find nothing!
    You have any info?

    1. jsq Post author

      First I’ve heard of that.
      There are no sewage spill reports in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida since the early December 2019 Valdosta spill.
      Of course, if a report went in late Friday, it might not show up on either state’s website until Monday.
      It’s also unusual for such a sign to go up inland on a road like that.
      Can you send a picture of the sign? -jsq

  2. Diddi Phenis

    Sorry ,but we are back home in Wakulla County. The signs indicate they were put up by the Madison Cty Health Dept…Bright yellow, rather large signs with KEEP OUT warning…and icons for no swim,boat,drink,etc and they say sewerage spill…am wondering if it is a sign they are using to also indicate high ecoli reading ? It is most worrisome, especially if is an error. We have property on the Withlacoochee on Withla Bluffs road. I will see if someone we know is still there and can take/send a photo of the sign.

  3. Diddi Phenis

    Spoke with Madison County Health Dept. The water is fine. The signs were supposed to have been removed awhile ago! They were very nice and apologized. In the future, if you see the Keep Out signs posted by Madison County Health Dept, unless you know there is a water quality issue—-call them and confirm the signs should be there. Perhaps if we bug them enough, they will do better about it. We appreciate their efforts to warn us, but we packed up and left early! Thanks to all for all the work that is done regarding or continuing problems with our beautiful river and trying to keep her clean.

    1. jsq Post author

      Thanks. I called them and left a message, but haven’t heard back yet.
      Meanwhile, something (don’t know what) did upstream of GA 133 in Georgia.
      See WWALS blog post about to appear -jsq

Comments are closed.