Withlacoochee River Paddle, Staten Road to Langdale Park

• What we'll do
A leisurely five mile paddle in about two and a half hours through a surprisingly wild section of the Withlacoochee River, much of it actually inside Valdosta, the biggest city in the Suwannee River Basin, on the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT).
We start in Lowndes County, cross over the county’s expanded sewer and water lines at Bay Branch (those lines head for Stafford-Wright Road). Then the City of Valdosta is on our left briefly before back to county both sides, and Sermons Branch (is that its real name?). Into a Floridan Aquifer recharge zone, passing on our right the Shadrick Sink, notorious for making Valdosta double the depth of its water wells to get under river water in groundwater. Then Cherry Creek comes in from the left, with a sinkhole right at the confluence, followed by a Withlacoochee River slough. Then we see Valdosta on the left again, Stillhouse Branch comes out of Valdosta Country Club (maybe with less trash than we found in October 2015). We cross under US 41 North, out of the city but into Langdale Park of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority, where we get out. You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

• What to bring
The usual personal flotation device, boat paddles, food, drinking water, warm clothes, and first aid kit. Also trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup.

• Important to know
http://wwals.net/2018/01/01/staten-road-to-langdale-park-withlacoochee-river-2018-03-03/
Shuttle distance: 6.1 miles
Shuttle duration: 45 minutes
Paddle distance: 5.1 mi
Paddle duration: 4.5 hours
Gauge: Skipper Bridge, 023177483
Highest safe 10.7 feet, 131 NAVD. Lowest boatable 2.3 feet, 122.6 NAVD.