It's Your Chance to Help Right a Wrong
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The above photo was taken during the last drawdown. It is one of 20 natural springs smothered because of the ill-conceived reservoir.
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The Issue:
The Rodman Dam was constructed in 1968 as part of the Cross Florida Barge Canal project before the project was halted by the federal government. The damming of the Ocklawaha River flooded more than 7,500 acres of forested wetlands, 16 miles of river, and at least 20 springs.
This year the aging Rodman Dam (later renamed Kirkpatrick Dam) reaches the end of its 50-year life expectancy. Spending millions to repair and upkeep a dam that should never have been built and serves no beneficial ecological purpose does not make financial sense. Furthermore, restoring the natural flow of the Ocklawaha River by opening the dam would provide access to critically-needed warm-water habitat for manatees. In addition, a free-flowing river system would provide increased habitat for many other species of wildlife and a variety of additional recreational opportunities for people.
What You Can Do:
Lend your voice and help us right this wrong. Let's raise our collective voices so that the Ocklawaha River may once again flow free, and manatees and other wildlife can regain unfettered access to the river and the 20 springs that have been smothered by this admitted failure. Please sign the petition below, showing that you support a free-flowing Ocklawaha River.
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| Millie (above right), one of the Save the Manatee Club adoptees, is known to use the Silver and Ocklawaha River system, but she must brave the historically-dangerous lock structure designed to allow vessel traffic into and out of the reservoir. |
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