Valdosta City Engineer Benjamin O’Dowd volunteered to three GA-DNR people that there was still trash in the woods after the recent vac-truck cleanout of Two Mile Branch at Berkley Drive. He is considering what to do about that.

Valdosta City Engineer, GA-DNR, Two Mile Branch, Berkley Drive 2023-02-23

In addition to maybe moving the current Sugar Creek Watergoat to Two Mile Branch, another possibility is a concrete-and-steel trash trap like the one Valdosta recently built at its Lee Street Detention Pond.

I know this because while I was on Berkley Drive at Two Mile Branch inspecting the situation, two trucks pulled up. The driver of the first waved and said, “Hi, John.” That was the Engineer. The second truck had three people from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Valdosta and GA-DNR trucks on Berkley Drive, 14:31:16, 30.8633106, -83.3018873

The Engineer led the others to the downstream side of Berkley Drive.

Valdosta City Engineer Ben O’Dowd leads three GA-DNR to Two Mile Branch at Berkley Drive, 14:30:56, 30.8633106, -83.3018873

The main discussion appeared to be about whether the city could alter the sandbar. Yes, they can.

Two Mile Branch downstream of Berkley Drive, 14:28:55, 30.8633384, -83.3017028

There was also concern about not putting anything in the creek that could block the creek and flood the upstream houses, since they are not at much elevation above the creek. I think the Engineer said about four feet.

Inspecting Two Mile Branch upstream and trash, 14:34:35, 30.8633220, -83.3019210

The Engineer referred to the LiDAR mapping that Valdosta and Lowndes County had had done, which is how we can know what those elevations are. The DNR people were unaware that that LiDAR mapping had been done, but they seemed pleased that it had.

Trash and Two Mile Branch upstream at Berkley Drive, 14:45:38, 30.8626130, -83.3021740

Lee Street Detention Pond Trash Trap

There was discussion of a rectangular object in the creek downstream of Berkley Drive. It became clear that the Engineer was considering something for Two Mile Branch like the recently-installed concrete and steel trash trap at the Lee Street Detention pond. I referred to that one as a marvel. He seemed pleased.

Trash Trap, Lee Street Detention Pond, One Mile Branch, 15:01:59, 30.8464034, -83.2781604

The DNR people had not seen the Lee Street trap, and they had to be off to Colquitt County.

Before they left, I asked them the DNR position on Glyphosate spraying in waterways. They said it was necessary for the city to have the proper permits, which are handled by the Department of Agriculture. I said I preferred there would be no spraying in waterways. According to what the city sent in response to my open records request about spraying, Valdosta does not now spray in waterways.

Since the Engineer had mentioned LiDAR, I asked him if it might be possible to do a creek version of the Flood Inundation Mapper (FIM) for the Withlacoochee River. He was unfamiliar with FIM. I will send him a link.

And I saw this today.

Little Blue Heron in Lee Street Detention Pond, 15:03:21, 30.8465925, -83.2780633

These locations are both upstream from Sugar Creek and the Withlacoochee River.

For much more about the trash situation, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/trash

 -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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