Ogeechee Riverkeeper

Join ORK and the Savannah-Ogeechee Canal on November 2 for yoga by the river. ORK’s Mel Sparrow will lead an outdoor yoga practice in a beautiful part of the lower Ogeechee River. Participants will have a chance to connect with nature while connecting to their own breath through yoga movement.

🧘🏻‍♀️ : Details and registration: https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/events/yoga-river/

Speaking up doesn't have to be scary!

We have a tool kit for citizens on our website with ideas and guides. Get friends and neighbors to speak up too. Write letters to the editor. Submit comments. We do as much as we can, but an elected official is always going to listen to voters more than an outside organization.

☑️ https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/tool-kit-for-citizens/

ORK offices will be closed for Labor Day. Our pollution hotline is available 24/7 at ogeecheeriverkeeper.org

Did you know? Since 2022, our project has kept nearly 3.5 tons of trash from getting to the ocean.

More about how we can all Protect the Vernon: https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/vernon/

Throwback to 1867 and Milton Elijah Warthen and his family at jail, , Washington County. It is the oldest wooden jail in the state and supposedly Aaron Burr was imprisioned here for one night on his way to trial in Richmond, Va. This site was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.

📸 : Digital Library of Georgia & Washington County Historical Society (Georgia)
🔗 : https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_vang_was308
🔗 : https://wacohistorical.org/warthenoldjail/

USACE will conduct a reevaluation of the water implications of its Megasite permit, but what does this mean? This is a small victory in a massive battle for water resources, but a number of positive outcomes happen with this reevaluation.

Read our FAQ: https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/megasite/

As always, we have gathered all the permits, documents, and data for public viewing there as well.

ORK and Ft. Stewart Fish and Wildlife Branch have organized a half-day paddle on the Canoochee for October 12. Please note this is intermediate level paddle is not advisable for novice paddlers. The paddle is free to attend but participants *must* provide their own gear and vessels. Attendees should also bring their own lunch and water. Advance registration is REQUIRED.

🛶 Details and registration: [ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/events]

Spanish moss isn't really a moss at all; it's an epiphyte or air plant. Botanically, it is closely related to the pineapple and absorbs nutrients and water through the air and rainfall. The silver-gray plant grows in long, hair-like clumps, hanging from trees in subtropical climates.

🌱 https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/flora-tillandsia-usneoides/

We need your help on Saturday, September 21! We have TWO cleanups for you to help with. Take your pick of:

📍 Ogeechee Shoals, near Hamburg State Park, Mitchell, GA
-or-
📍 Litter Boom in Little Lotts Creek, Statesboro, GA

Details and registration: https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/events/

🛩 Thank you, SouthWings! ✈️

Late yesterday afternoon, ORK got word that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers agreed to reevaluate the Megasite permits. They confirmed that a “reevaluation of its permit decision regarding its effects determination for water supplies is warranted,” and are asking the JDA to submit more research and scientific documentation regarding water usage. Depending on the findings, JDA may also be required to compensate for any resulting impacts. ORK will also continue to carefully monitor the Corps' reevaluation process.

The USACE reevaluation letter to the JDA, the USACE letter to ORK, and our press release are all available to read here: https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/megasite/

We know there will be lots of questions. We promise to answer them; please be patient as we sort through all the information to get the answers to you.

Thanks to everyone who came out for the Adopt-A-Stream training this weekend! Your volunteerism helps us collect valuable data in the watershed.

📸: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBDXfu

Adopt-A-Stream Training August 17, 2024 - Mary Kahrs Warnell Forest Education Center, South, 5960 GA-17, Guyton, GA 31312

Throwback to Emanuel County, ca. 1905-1910. Students and others gather outside the Coleman School at the time it was closed. The one-room school was located on Neals Bridge Road. The structure still stands at the Emanuel County Historic Preservation Society.

📸 : Digital Library of Georgia & Emanuel County Historic Preservation Society
🔗 : https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/vang/do:emn148

ORK was recently accused of "crying foul from the sidelines."

📣 Read our response: https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/megasite/

We can assure you we are nowhere near the sidelines. We are literally in waders and kayaks gathering data. We are at public meetings and submitting official comments. We have also gathered all the documents, comments, applications, maps, data, and more there -- all publicly available.

Ogeechee Riverkeeper urges the City of Statesboro Government to thoroughly and cautiously consider the long-term ramifications of annexing 714 acres and permitting the construction of the Blue Fern Village development. We ask that the City Council delay its vote on the matter to more wholly consider the site selection and development plans, especially in light of recent flooding and stormwater events.

As proposed, the Blue Fern Village site will be along Little Lotts Creek and within its floodplain. Almost all of the proposed 'Phase 4' and portions of Phases 3 and 6 are within the 100-year floodplain. Even more of the property is within the 500-year floodplain.

The floodplain is the natural path that stormwater wants to flow. As storms become more frequent, these extreme rain events will happen more often. Building any new structures, let alone homes, in the floodplain puts them at risk for serious storm and flood damage.

Ogeechee Riverkeeper urges extreme caution before the City annexes this property or approves construction within the floodplain. We also urge City staff to visit the site and assess the storm and flood-related damage on the proposed properties to better understand the risks facing this development if built.

ORK's complete comments are here:https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/24.07.10-Blue-Fern-Village-PUD-DRI.pdf

Public comments on EPD's draft permits on the Megasite wells are due TODAY. Take some time to send in your concerns and questions. We have a couple of options to help you:

📝 We worked with One Hundred Miles to create an email template that you can edit and personalize.
🖋️ We created a guide to help you write a letter or your own from scratch.

🔗 Links to both options are available at [ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/how-to-write-a-comment-letter] 🔗

Whichever you choose, be sure to be polite, professional, and to the point.

📸 It's ! Which is a perfect reminder that you should be taking pictures around the watershed in preparation for our annual photo contest. 🏆 Need some inspiration? Take a look at last year's winners:

https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/winners-of-annual-photo-contest-2023/

🐝🌍 Happy World Honey Bee Day! 🌼🍯

Today, we celebrate our incredible pollinator friends who are vital to our ecosystems and food supply. Did you know that honey bees help pollinate a third of the world’s crops and countless wild plants? 🌸🥕🍎

However, not everyone is a fan of pollen! Check out this insightful post from Ogeechee Riverkeeper about the challenges pollinators face and why it's crucial to support them: [Pollinators vs. Pollen Haters](https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/pollinators-vs-pollen-haters/). 🌿✨

Let’s honor these buzzing beauties by supporting local beekeepers, planting bee-friendly flowers, and spreading awareness about the importance of protecting our pollinator populations. 🐝🌷

Together, we can ensure a thriving future for bees and the planet! 🌍💛

Throwback to 1986 and a visit to Walter Zoller in Springfield, Ga. Zoller was interviewed by GSU about his woodworking and basketweaving. He was also a WWII veteran, farmer, mail carrier, and local historian. His family farm is on the National Register of Historic Places.

🔗 : https://ow.ly/iScM50SKp0u
📸 : Digital Library of Georgia

ORK has collected all the documents, data, permits, news, and research in one place -- publicly available for all: https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/megasite/

Ahead of Tuesday's public meeting on the four proposed wells, read this explainer from The Current GA.

Officials race to meet Hyundai's water needs - The Current Local governments make water agreements to meet Hyundai's schedule, while farmers still have questions about their wells.

🌸 Despite its ecological importance, Rhexia aristosa faces threats from habitat loss, habitat degradation, and invasive species. Wetland drainage, urban development, and agricultural expansion pose significant challenges to the survival of this species. It is extremely sensitive to changes in wetland boundaries and reduction in natural spring levels. According to Georgia DNR, “Documented from 30 sites, only 11 populations of Rhexia aristosa have been seen recently in , most on a single conservation area.” 🌸

More about this imperiled species: https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/flora-rhexia-aristosa/
📸 : Emily Bell, Florida Wildflower Foundation

Monday morning update for Richmond Hill. Please stay safe.

𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲
𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟭𝟮, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝟵:𝟰𝟱 𝗔𝗠

𝗛𝘄𝘆 𝟭𝟳: ALL lanes of Highway 17 are closed from The Crossroads (Ford Ave/Hwy 144) to Canebreak Rd. Please follow Georgia DOT - Southeast for updates and guidance on alternate routes.

𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Atlantic Waste Services, Inc. is operating on a modified schedule. We will post the modified schedule once it has become available. If you are on a flooded street, please do not place cans out for collection.

𝗗𝗿𝘆 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗵: Dry trash/yard waste collection is currently suspended.

𝗠𝗼𝘀𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹: We are currently creating a plan to control the mosquito population. We also are awaiting a new shipment of mosquito dunks. We will post an update when they are available at City Hall.

𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀: City administrative offices are open to serve you. Please exercise caution when traveling and only if it is safe to do so.

𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: The council meeting has been moved to 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗮𝘁 𝟲 𝗽𝗺. The workshop scheduled for this date has been cancelled.

𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁: The August 13, 2024 court session of the Richmond Hill Municipal Court has been postponed to 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗮𝘁 𝟮:𝟬𝟬 𝗽𝗺. If you have any questions, please contact the court at 912-756-3712.

Update for Monday morning. Please stay safe.

Aug. 12, 7:30 a.m. update: At 5 a.m. today, the City of Savannah completed the installation of a temporary roadway connecting Bradley Boulevard to Waycross Road. This temporary road should only be utilized by residents going to and from their homes and emergency personnel. The Savannah Police Department is managing traffic control. Chatham County partnered with the City of Savannah to deliver an additional 100 tons of gravel to make the temporary road possible. The City continues to also focus efforts on other impacted areas, specifically the Teal Lake community. If residents need assistance or have service requests, they should continue to call 311.

The City has asked us to share the attached information about flooding near Bradley Point. Please follow the instructions from officials.

- Emergency resources are positioned at Fire Station 12 outside of Bradley Point South Neighborhood to assist residents as needed.
- Anyone needing assistance can call 912-925-4866
- The Savannah Police and Fire Departments will be setting up an emergency outpost within Bradley Point and the American Red Cross is sending resources to the community.
- Chatham County has announced the availability of a shelter at Coastal Georgia Comprehensive Academy, 2001 Cynthia Street, for anyone impacted by the flooding
- Do not attempt to drive down closed roadways, as roadway conditions are dangerous and vehicles will become stranded in the water.
- Sinkholes maybe present under flooded streets. Refrain from traveling on flooded streets. Beware of the likelihood for sinkholes to develop.
- Properly document your home with photos and keep record of damages related to the flood event.

Ogeechee Riverkeeper plans to submit comments to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) regarding draft groundwater withdrawal permits for Bryan and Bulloch Counties, intended to supply the Hyundai Megasite and other users. ORK is concerned that the EPD’s review of these permits is inadequate, particularly regarding the impact on the Floridan Aquifer, the effectiveness of conservation measures, and the management of the Well Mitigation Fund.

Read about our key concerns: https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/release-ork-comments-epd-wells/

Follow our guide to write your own comment letter: https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/how-to-write-a-comment-letter/