Tag Archives: Alapaha River

Diesel spill, Racetrac, US 84, I-75 Exit 16, Valdosta 2026-08-22

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A truck this afternoon leaked quite a bit of diesel into a storm drain at the Racetrac on US 84, West Hill Avenue, just west of I-75 Exit 16, Valdosta Georgia.

That’s near the Briarwood Road exit from the Racetrac service station. That area drains into Mud Swamp Creek, to the Alapahoochee, Alapaha, and Suwannee Rivers.

According to Racetrac staff inside, who were reviewing CCTV video, the spill started about 2:30 PM and the Valdosta Fire Department was there by about 3:30 PM.

I was alerted to this event by texted pictures from a WWALS member at 4 PM. And I got there about 5:15 PM. VFD personnel did not have an estimate of gallons spilled.

Valdosta City Engineer Ben O’Dowd responded at 6:39 PM, “EPD was notified immediately following the incident by VFD as well as the gas station and are coordinating cleanup directly with the responsible party.”

[Diesel spill, Racetrac, Valdosta, GA, US 84, I-75 Exit 16, 2026-08-22, Drains to Mud Swamp Creek, Alapahoochee, Alapaha, Suwannee Rivers]
Diesel spill, Racetrac, Valdosta, GA, US 84, I-75 Exit 16, 2026-08-22, Drains to Mud Swamp Creek, Alapahoochee, Alapaha, Suwannee Rivers

Here are some video snippets.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/27808538962171760/

https://www.instagram.com/p/DcXIVPFoe1q/

https://youtu.be/8RdEQEXXhYY

There are more images below.

 -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/

Continue reading →

Songs for Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest on Scott James radio 2026-08-13

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Last call, songwriters, tomorrow, Wednesday, August 19, 2026:

https://forms.gle/fihLNVC2xbD1SXBB6

Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman discussed the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest last Thursday at the Mayor’s day job, the radio show he owns and hosts on talk921.fm.

Songs can be about any waterbody in the 10,000-square mile Suwannee River Basin or Estuary in Georgia or Florida, including the Withlacoochee, Little, Alapaha, Alapahoochee, or Suwannee Rivers, or the Okefenokee Swamp, or any other river, creek, swamp, or sink. Plus underground waters such as the Floridan Aquifer.

Songwriters can be from anywhere; they come from as far as Tennessee and south Florida.

[Songs for Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest by August 19, on Scott James radio, Finalists play September 12, 2026]
Songs for Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest by August 19, on Scott James radio, Finalists play September 12, 2026

Here are WWALS videos from that radio show:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/2118859655696045

https://www.instagram.com/p/DcL-5a7I2nc/

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSTFinxTNQsw&si=u4CDRXlSjW5tCIl6

Once we get those last few songs from the procrastinating songwriters, the organizing committee will select Finalists.

The Finalists will play at WWALS River Revue, 5-9 PM, Saturday, September 12, 2026, at the Lowndes County 4-H Club in Lake Park, Georgia, on Long Pond.

https://wwals.net/pictures/songwriting2026

When you buy a ticket, you get to hear them along with the three judges, who will select the winners.

And you get a sit-down dinner with cash bar, Headliner Joe First, who is last year’s winner, and two speakers:

  • Amy Sharma of Science for Georgia, talking about hyper-scale AI datacenters.
  • Rick Davis, Chair of the dozen-county Florida Task Force, talking about Water First North Florida (WFNF), the currently-hibernating scheme to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into wetlands in the Suwannee Basin.

Plus a silent auction! Continue reading →

Florida Governor Candidates: Clean Water Questionnaire –WWALS 2026-08-17

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Here’s what six people running for Florida Governor have to say about clean water. The other candidates did not respond.

We got a variety of answers about WFNF, desalination, potable reuse, WMDs, datacenters, and RTCW. For what these candidates wrote about those and other issues, see below.

[Florida Governor Candidates, Clean Water Questionnaire, WFNF, Datacenters, WMDs, etc. --WWALS 2026-08-17]
Florida Governor Candidates, Clean Water Questionnaire, WFNF, Datacenters, WMDs, etc. –WWALS 2026-08-17

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is conducting a Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire: #WWALSCleanWaterQuestionnaire

We already reported responses from statehouse District 9 and District 10, and also U.S. Congress Florida District 2.

For much more about Water First North Florida (WFNF), see:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

If you are a candidate for state or national office in Florida this year, in the Suwannee River Basin, we sent you a questionnaire. If you didn’t get it, please let us know.

https://wwals.net/donations/contact/

Primary Election Day is tomorrow, Tuesday, August 18. Continue reading →

Florida U.S. House District 3: Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire –WWALS 2026-08-17

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Update 2026-08-17: Florida Governor Candidates: Clean Water Questionnaire –WWALS 2026-08-17.

Here’s what some of those running for U.S. Congress from Florida District 3 have to say about clean water: Troy Albers and Seth Harp.

Kat Cammack (the incumbent), Georgia Hubac, Mike Klein, and Tom Wells did not respond.

FL-03 covers Hamilton, Columbia, Baker, Union, Bradford, Alachua, Gilchrist, Suwannee, (most of ) Lafayette, Dixie, Levy, Counties, and part of Marion County. That’s almost all of the Suwannee River Basin in Florida, except not Madison County.

[Florida U.S. House District 3, Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire --WWALS 2026-08-17]
Florida U.S. House District 3, Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire –WWALS 2026-08-17

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is conducting a Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire: #WWALSCleanWaterQuestionnaire

We already reported responses from statehouse District 9 and District 10.

In FL-03 also WFNF is not popular, WMDs in their current form are problematical, hyper-scale AI datacenters are looked upon ascance, and these candidates support RTCW. For these candidates’ answers to those and other questions, see below.

For much more about Water First North Florida (WFNF), see:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

If you are a candidate for state or national office in Florida this year, in the Suwannee River Basin, we sent you a questionnaire. If you didn’t get it, please let us know.

https://wwals.net/donations/contact/

Primary Election Day is tomorrow, Tuesday, August 18.

Our source for who is running is Continue reading →

Ashburn sewage spill 2026-08-02, Clean Alapaha River 2026-08-08 but dirty Town of Alapaha, Clean Withlacoochee River 2026-08-12

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Update 2026-08-21 Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers 2026-08-19.

The Alapaha River tested clean last Friday, but the Town of Alapaha Wastewater Treatment Outflow was filthy.

The Withlacoochee River tested clean for Monday and for Wednesday downstream.

The only sewage spill reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia, was a 25,000 gallon spill into Hat Creek on August 2, that Ashburn, Georgia didn’t report to GA-EPD until Monday, August 10. That’s upstream of the Alapaha River.

According to the results we have, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating, if you can avoid the rains.

This image is an illustration. Scroll down for the details.

[Ashburn sewage spill 2026-08-02, Clean Alapaha River 2026-08-08, but dirty Town of Alapaha, Clean Withlacoochee River 2026-08-12]
Ashburn sewage spill 2026-08-02, Clean Alapaha River 2026-08-08, but dirty Town of Alapaha, Clean Withlacoochee River 2026-08-12

Follow this link for the WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →

Florida State House District 10: Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire –WWALS 2026-08-04

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Update 2026-08-17: Florida U.S. House District 3: Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire –WWALS 2026-08-17.

Update 2026-08-05: Now with a response from Marshall Rawson, added to the responses from June by Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson and Chase Brannan, and James Hunter Batley’s response that he dropped out of the race.

Here’s what those running for Florida State Representative District 10 have to say about clean water: Chase Brannan and Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson. Marshall Rawson did not respond, and James Hunter Batley dropped out of the race.

District 10 covers Columbia, Baker, Union, and Bradford Counties, and part of Alachua County.

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is conducting a Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire: #WWALSCleanWaterQuestionnaire

We already reported responses from District 9 candidates yesterday.

In District 10 also WFNF is not popular, WMDs in their current form are problematical, hyper-scale AI datacenters are looked upon ascance, and RTCW needs more education. For these candidates’ answers to those and other questions, see below.

For much more about Water First North Florida (WFNF), see:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

If you are a candidate for state or national office in Florida this year, in the Suwannee River Basin, we sent you a questionnaire. If you didn’t get it, please let us know.

https://wwals.net/donations/contact/

[Florida State House District 10, Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire, by WWALS]
Florida State House District 10, Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire, by WWALS

Early voting for the primary starts this Saturday August 8, and Election Day is Tuesday, August 18, so we will be reporting answers for more districts whether all the candidates respond or not.

Our source for who is running is the Florida Department of State Candidate Tracking System.

https://dos.elections.myflorida.com/candidates/Index.asp

As an IRS 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit, WWALS cannot support or oppose any specific candidate for office. But we can ask all candidates in a race what they think, and publish the results. Continue reading →

Florida State House District 9: Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire –WWALS 2026-08-03

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Update 2026-08-04: Florida State House District 10: Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire –WWALS 2026-08-04.

Here’s what candidates have to say about clean water, those running for Florida State Representative District 9: Allison Tant, Jibri Knight, and Tracy Robinson.

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is conducting a Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire: #WWALSCleanWaterQuestionnaire

So far we have responses from all the candidates for this district, so that’s what we are reporting today.

If you are a candidate for state or national office in Florida this year, in the Suwannee River Basin, we sent you a questionnaire. If you didn’t get it, please let us know.

https://wwals.net/donations/contact/

[Florida State House District 9, Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire, by WWALS 2026-08-03]
Florida State House District 9, Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire, by WWALS 2026-08-03

Thus far, Water First North Florida (WFNF) does not seem popular among candidates.

https://wwals.net/issues/wnf

Nor does the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) in its current form.

Hyper-scale datacenters the candidates think at least need many constraints.

https://wwals.net/issues/datacenters

Right to Clean Water (RTCW) apparently needs more education of candidates.

https://wwals.net/issues/right-to-clean-water/

These candidates do favor having the State of Florida water quality testing all rivers.

https://wwals.net/issues/testing

Early voting for the primary starts this Saturday August 8, and Election Day is Tuesday, August 18, so we will be reporting answers for more districts whether all the candidates respond or not.

Our source for who is running is the Florida Department of State Candidate Tracking System.

https://dos.elections.myflorida.com/candidates/Index.asp

State Representative District 9

Includes Madison County and parts of Jefferson and Leon Counties.

Continue reading →

WWALS @ A Day in the Woods, Gaskins Forest Education Center, Alapaha River, 2023-04-22

Come to the Gaskins Forest Education Center near Alapaha, Georgia, for an education opportunity about the piney woods and WWALS and the Alapaha River Water Trail.

When: Setup 12 PM, Festival starts 1 PM, ends 5 PM, Saturday, April 22, 2023

Put In: Gaskins Forest Education Center, 3359 Moore Sawmill Rd., Alapaha, Georgia 31622, FMI

GPS: 31.345454, -83.178356

[WWALS Booth, Gaskins Forest Education Center 2022-04-23]
WWALS Booth, Gaskins Forest Education Center 2022-04-23

Continue reading →

Lanier EMA marker 21, Alapaha River –Shirley Kokidko 2026-07-06

Update 2026-07-15: Darsey Mill Branch Deadfall, Alapaha River 2026-07-15.

Shirley Kokidko says her picture is of, “Shawn replanting EMA 21 marker. Many of them are down or missing.”

[Shawn O'Connor replanting Lanier EMA marker 21, Alapaha River down from Berrien Beach, --Shirley Kokidko 2026-07-06]
Shawn O’Connor replanting Lanier EMA marker 21, Alapaha River down from Berrien Beach, –Shirley Kokidko 2026-07-06

That’s Shawn O’Connor on the Alapaha River, July 8, 2026.

https://wwals.net/?p=70657

The sign is supposed to say 21 and the telephone number for Lanier County EMA, but half of it is broken off.

Here’s a video Shirley took:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1287225203487543

https://www.instagram.com/p/Da0n2ECoyII/

https://youtu.be/E6N4g-Wfeso Continue reading →

Water Quality Testing Training 2026-07-10

Update 2026-07-17: Withlacoochee River 2026-07-13 and Sugar Creek and Santa Fe River 2026-07-15.

Here’s Heather Brasell’s account of this training:

Gretchen Quarterman trains everyone who tests water quality for the WWALS Watershed Coalition. She just retrained me — an annual requirement to ensure data quality. I test water quality at two sites — the outflow from the Alapaha Wastewater Treatment and at Sheboggy bridge where Highway 82 crosses the Alapaha River. I test for pH dissolved oxygen, conductivity and E.coli (biological). WWALS make the biological data available to the public so they know that their rivers are fishable and swimmable. I’ve been testing for several years and have never had water quality problems.

[Water Quality Testing Training, AAS Chemical and Biological Monitoring, Trainer: Gretchen Quarterman, Trainee: Heather Brasell 2026-07-10]
Water Quality Testing Training, AAS Chemical and Biological Monitoring, Trainer: Gretchen Quarterman, Trainee: Heather Brasell 2026-07-10

Photo 2: To test for E.coli (bacterial health concern), we add 1 ml of water onto a petrifilm and incubate it for 24 hours. The blue fuzzy colonies indicate E.coli bacteria (marked on the edge). The red colonies indicate other kinds of coliform bacteria, including ones that are not a health concern. To maintain data quality, we share photos like this with the group so someone else can confirm our counts.

Heather’s most report was July 1, 2026.

For much more about the WWALS volunteer water quality testing program, see:

https://wwals.net/issues/testing/

WWALS uses Georgia Adopt-A-Stream (AAS) methods, but we have testers in north Florida, as well. Maybe you’d like to be one! Continue reading →