Update 2021-08-13: Red US 41, clean downstream 2021-08-12.

All clear for tomorrow’s paddle from Nankin to State Line Boat Ramp, with continuation to Sullivan Launch, on the Withlacoochee River. As always, conditions could change, but all the WWALS water quality tests for Thursday are good at 11 sites on three rivers, including at Nankin and State Line Boat Ramps.

Chart, Little, Alapaha, Withlacoochee Rivers, Swim Guide

Madison Health did get a too-high E. coli result for Tuesday at State Line. Although that was higher than the 410 cfu/100 mL one-time test limit, it was still below the 1,000 alert limit. The WWALS test at the same location and upstream for Thursday, and the WWALS test downstream at Cleary Bluff for Wednesday, all were much cleaner.

Valdosta’s Friday and Monday test results were also clean upstream and downstream all the way to the GA-FL line.

So I would guess that one Madison Health result was due to the rains in Brooks County Monday; more than half an inch on the US 84 Withlacoochee gauge. Probably they washed something down Okapilco Creek. There are no reports of sewage spills in the past week.

We did have a similar rain in the same place yesterday, but if that washed anything into the river, it should be gone downstream by tomorrow. So just don’t drink the river water and you should be OK.

Clean up and down 2021-08-05
For context and the entire WWALS composite spreadsheet of Georgia and Florida water quality results, rainfall, and spills, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/

Swim Guide is almost all green except for some yellow, because we do not have more recent data those “beaches”. For example, Madison Health seems to have stopped testing Sullivan Launch and FL 6 a month or two ago. It is very likely those sites also have good water quality, but we don’t have data to say for sure.

Good up and downstream: Swim Guide 2021-08-05

Thanks to the WWALS testers:

• Valerie Folsom: Willacoochee Landing @ GA 135, Alapaha River
• Elizabeth Brunner: Folsom Bridge @ Little River, Hagan Bridge @ Withlacoochee River, Lakeland Boat Ramp @ Alapaha River, all on GA 122
• Bobby McKenzie: US 41 and GA 133 @ Withlacoochee River, and Troupville Boat Ramp @ Little River
• Michael and Jacob Bachrach: Knights Ferry, Nankin, and State Line Boat Ramps
• Gus Cleary: Cleary Bluff, downstream from Allen Ramp on the Withlacoochee River

Plus thanks to WWALS Testing Committee Chair Suzy Hall and tester Luke Jones for reviewing other people’s results.

And Valdosta PIO Ashlyn Becton for getting those Friday and Monday results on the Valdosta website.

There are more pictures on the WWALS website:
https://wwals.net/pictures/2021-08-05–wq

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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

-jsq

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