Update 2020-01-01: Much cleaner at Knights Ferry and State Line in Georgia; Valdosta Sewage is in Florida 2019-12-30

Apparently the biggest slug of Valdosta sewage passed the state line on December 26, 2019.

Testing locations

Thanks to Chris Mericle for forwarding the December 25 and 26 data from the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD), which I think is getting from from the Florida Department of Health (FDOH). I’ve combined those data in a table with the numbers from December 24, and ordered them from north (upstream) to south (downstream).

Here are the preliminary Valdosta Spill results for the FCOLI-MF and ECOLI-18QT samples we received on 12/26/18:

Here are the preliminary Valdosta Spill results for the FCOLI-MF and ECOLI-18QT samples we received on 12/27/18:

	2019-12-24		2019-12-26		2019-12-27
Field ID	FCOLI-MF (CFU/100 mL)	ECOLI-18QT (MPN/100 mL)	FCOLI-MF (CFU/100 mL)	ECOLI-18QT (MPN/100 mL)	FCOLI-MF (CFU/100 mL)	ECOLI-18QT (MPN/100 mL)
With_06 Withlacoochee River @ GA 31	336	517	3000	3667.0 A	280	262.0
With_01 Withlacoochee River @ CR 150			91 B	197.0	169 B	295.0
With_03 Withlacoochee River @ FL 6	41.0	113	98	98.0	66	63.0
With_04 Suwannee River @ US 90			135 B	95.0	56	108.0

[2019-12-26:] The 10 mL and 50 mL FCOLI plates for the sample from Withlacoochee River @ CR 150 and the 50 mL FCOLI plate for the sample from Suwanee River @ US 90 had confluent negative growth. This amount of negative growth on a plate can outcompete the target bacteria so they were not used in the calculations to determine the final counts for these samples.

[2019-12-27:] The 10 mL FCOLI plate for the sample from Withlacoochee River @ CR 150 had confluent negative growth. This amount of negative growth on a plate can outcompete the target bacteria so it was not used in the calculations to determine the final count for this sample.

So it looks like the big lump Suzy Hall detected at 4,966 cfu/100 mL E. coli at Knights Ferry on Saturday, December 21st, the same day Sara Jay got 533 cfu/100 mL at the Little River Confluence that same Satruday. Suzy got even higher numbers, 6,767 cfu/100 mL, at Knights Ferry on Tuesday, December 24th, which is the same day FDOH saw counts start to rise at the state line.

Given the much lower counts I saw for December 27th, with Knights Ferry down to 300 cfu/100 mL, it looks like the main mass has passed the state line.

Valdosta to Madison Blue Springs, in WWALS map of all public landings in the Suwannee River Basin, these all on the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail.

WWALS will continue to test. If FDOH keeps testing daily, we won’t need to in Florida, but we will in Georgia.

Warning Signs

Meanwhile, Hamilton County, Florida, put up warning signs two weeks ago, like this one at Florida Campsites on the Withlacoochee River, and even upstream on the Suwannee from the Withlacoochee Confluence, at Suwannee River Campsites.

Florida Health Advisory on kiosk

Valdosta still has not put any signs downstream of Sugar Creek on the Withlacoochee River. There’s still this one river caution sign at Troupville Boat Ramp, upstream on the Little River from its Confluence with the Withlacoochee River. just west of Valdosta.

Photo: Scotti Jay, of Valdosta Caution sign at Troupville Boat Ramp, 2019-12-21.
Someone has decorated that signpost with flowers,
like the crosses you see at highway wreck sites.

Well Testing

If you live near the Withlacoochee River in the affected area, in Lowndes or Brooks Counties, Georgia, or Hamilton or Madison Counties, Florida, follow this link.

Donate to WWALS Water Quality Testing Program

You can help WWALS test water quality by donating to our WWALS water quality testing program.

Suzy Hall with a Petrifilm.
Each bacterial test costs $6 for Petrifilms alone.
WWALS is spending about $40 a day on Petrifilms after this Valdosta spill.

More about Valdosta’s record-largest December 2019 raw sewage spill

It’s on the WWALS website:
wwals.net/issues/vww/valdosta-spills/

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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

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