Videos: Valdosta trash on the Withlacoochee River 2022-12-17

Update 2023-01-26: Valdosta needs more trash traps, but can’t expect volunteers to clean them 2023-01-26.

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman interviewed Russell Allen McBride on a cold winter’s day on another WWALS Withlacoochee River Cleanup from Knights Ferry to Nankin Boat Ramps.

[Floating trash jam and banners 2022-12-17]
Floating trash jam and banners 2022-12-17

Many of us eight volunteers recognized the trash as having the same brand names as what we frequently find in Sugar Creek, Hightower Creek, One Mile Branch, Two Mile Branch, and Three Mile Branch in Valdosta. Beer cans, plastic bottles, and, worst of all, styrofoam, which breaks into small pieces that wildlife eat and cannot digest.

Here’s a LAKE video playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-QyT4OcVEYJOcmvAjrhjJAOK


Videos: Valdosta trash on the Withlacoochee River 2022-12-17
Videos by John S. Quarterman for WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS).

Or watch it on facebook.
https://business.facebook.com/latest/posts/playlist_details?videolist_id=3015209812122017&asset_id=220785158048222

Much of this trash had obviously been there for years. Apparently the one WaterGoat trash trap on Sugar Creek is helping. But that one gets overwhelmed in big rains, with trash washing over it. The City of Valdosta has been promising more trash traps on more creeks for many months now, but we don’t see any action.

Also, city personnel were invited to come to these river cleanups. None did.

Valdosta has a bunch of Best Management Practices (BMPs) aimed at “reducing the amount of debris reaching the waters of the State.” These are in its CITY OF VALDOSTA STORM WATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (SWMP), MINIMUM CONTROL MEASURE (MCM) – F: POLLUTION PREVENTION / GOOD HOUSEKEEPING FOR MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS.

Seems to me the Withlacoochee River is a water of the state of Georgia, and Valdosta’s BMPs are not adequate.

For much more on this trash problem, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/trash

Below are links to each individual WWALS video.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

One thought on “Videos: Valdosta trash on the Withlacoochee River 2022-12-17”

  1. Pingback: Valdosta needs more trash traps, but can’t expect volunteers to clean them 2023-01-26 | WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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