Why Ocklawaha River Restoration is Necessary

Reprinted Courtesy of Alachua Audubon

Editors note: Last month, we had the honor of hearing Dr. Joe Siry speak on the importance of freeing the Ocklawaha River. This article touches on just a few of the many reasons that this restoration is important.

As the largest tributary of the St. Johns River, the Ocklawaha’s biological diversity is of significant genetic and ecological value to vegetation, fisheries and wildlife. The Ocklawaha is among Florida’s geologically oldest river valleys.

The Army Corps of Engineers, between 1964 and 1968 condemned a corridor of land and constructed a dam and lock flooding 16 miles of River and creating an impoundment inundating 9000 acres of adjacent forested floodplain. The dam and related water impoundment, locks and other
structures have served no legally authorized purpose since 1971, when President Nixon halted the project, and particularly since the Corps abandoned the project in 1976 and Congress took away authority for maintaining a barge canal in 1990.

Among the economically important migratory fish now blocked from the river are shad, striped bass and eel. Huge schools of fish used to move up the Ocklawaha to Silver Springs, thrilling the glass-bottom boat sightseers. It is
thought that current water quality problems at the springs are exacerbated by the loss of schools of algae-eating fish.

The floodplain and adjacent woodlands are a rare land-use classification of sub-tropical hardwood forest possessing a structural complexity and species richness ideal for black bear and other endangered and listed species.

The water behind the dam serves as a nutrient enriched impoundment, seasonally choked by exotic weeds, lined with stumps of the remnant bottomland hardwood forest, and will continue to be a site of massive fish kills unless intensively managed. In recent history, at least three major fish kills have occurred. In 1985, 8.5 million dead fish; in 1987, 2.5 million; and in 2000, almost 2 million dead fish.

We now spend $300,000 to $500,000 every year in state tax dollars maintaining a dam that serves no purpose. A DEP study concluded that an additional $2 to $2.5 million of repairs would be needed on the dam and lock structures by the year 2000. These repairs have not taken place yet. Restoration of this river will cost $13.9 million over three years, meaning the project will pay for itself in less than 30 years. The next generation will have a free-flowing River free of charge.

Under pressure from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Florida just installed $1.2 million of manatee protection devices at the dam and lock after at least 10 manatees were killed by these structures. More importantly, opening the river will increase habitat for this endangered species. Manatees historically have calved at Silver Springs and used the other springs for warm water refuge.

The Ocklawaha River is preferable to Rodman Reservoir as a source of future drinking water. A 1995, St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) drinking water study concluded there will be more available water “Without negative environmental impacts if the Ocklawaha River is restored.” SJRWMD stated water removal from the reservoir will stimulate hydrilla growth contributing to low oxygen in the water and large fish kills.

Restoring the Ocklawaha River and its associated 20 natural springs, now submerged by the reservoir, will bring economic development through increased ecotourism and a greater diversity of recreational opportunities. Bass fishing will continue on the restored river and on area lakes. Rodman lies in an area of Florida with abundant open water fishing, almost 180,000 acres of fresh water fishing are accessible within only 30 miles of the reservoir.

A comparison of sport fish abundance in studies from the 1970s to 1993 showed a decrease from 67% to 16% of sport fish in the reservoir. Largemouth bass, specifically, dropped from 15% to 2% of the fish caught in Rodman Reservoir. The study concluded that 1981 was the reservoir’s peak year for largemouth bass.

Seven Florida Governors, including incumbent Governor Jeb Bush, support restoration of the Ocklawaha by breaching the dam. The engineered restoration plan will cost $13.9 million, whereas we currently spend over a quarter a million every year to maintain the pool.

Support for restoration rests on several complete federal environmental impact statements, a two-year state evaluation of alternatives, and over 50 civic, sports and conservation organizations. Among the organizations supporting restoration are Audubon of Florida, Florida Wildlife Federation,
Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc., Florida Public Interest Research Group, and the Florida Council of Churches.

Restoration is the right thing to do! This will provide the greatest economic and ecological benefits for people and wildlife.