Twenty Reasons Why Saving Rodman Reservoir is the Silver, Ocklawaha and St. Johns Rivers' Loss! SILVER RIVER & MIDDLE OCKLAWAHA RIVER (Silver Springs downstream 23 miles to Eureka) Loss of FISH & WILDLIFE since 1968 completion of Rodman (Kirkpatrick) Dam: (1) Loss of the historic St. Johns River to Silver Springs unimpeded riverine connection for various migratory aquatic, estuarial & marine species. Florida's peninsula was blessed by the Creator with thousands of lakes but very few swift-flowing streams of any considerable length. The "pre-Rodman Dam" 56-mile long "Silver-Ocklawaha River" was unique in this state by virtue of having one of the world's greatest-flow 1st magnitude artesian spring groups (73-degree F Silver Springs) as its supreme headwaters with unimpeded access for fish & other aquatic life -- located more than 50 miles above tidewater influence. (2) Loss of endemic STRIPED BASS (Morone saxatilis) normal migration, back & forth, from the St. Johns River which has destroyed the ability of these STRIPERS to successfully reproduce naturally -- this was their only suitable spawning habitat (requires about 50 stream miles of swift current) in the entire St. Johns River Basin. Hatchery-raised striped bass are stocked into the St. Johns Basin -- but not upstream of Rodman Dam & Buckman Lock. Very seldom, if at all, are stripers present anymore in the Ocklawaha River of Marion County upriver from Rodman Dam or Buckman Lock. Striped bass are an important riverine freshwater recreational fish owing not only to their excellent sporting & table qualities but also to the fact that stripers are voracious consumers of gizzard & threadfin shad -- these shad are major contributors to the nutrient overload problem of the Ocklawaha River Basin along with many other Florida waters. Striped bass have always had an extremely limited range in Florida due to their very strict survival requirements. Adult stripers need cool 70 to 80-degree F thermal refuge areas such as artesian springs or canopied streams to survive the heat of summertime -- & they also require long continuous stretches of swift-flowing rivers to achieve a successful natural hatch during the springtime of the year. These two requirements are seldom met in any "Sunshine State" waters. In fact, a 1961 study by fisheries biologists found a self-sustaining population of striped bass in only two Florida river systems: the Apalachicola & the St. Johns. Striper replacement stocks in the St. Johns River Basin have been hatchery-bred since the advent of Rodman Dam -- the lower Ocklawaha River amounts to only about 12 stream miles in length. (3) Loss of CHANNEL CATFISH (Ictalurus punctatus) & WHITE CATFISH (Ameiurus catus) normal migration, back & forth, from the St. Johns River -- catfish & mullet formerly were the dominant fish species in Silver Springs. Catfish are important freshwater commercial & recreational fish species. (4) Loss of STRIPED MULLET a.k.a. BLACK MULLET (Mugil cephalus) normal migration, back & forth, from the St. Johns River -- catfish & mullet formerly were the dominant fish species in Silver Springs. Mullet help clean water environments by removing detritus & microalgae. Striped mullet are an important marine catadromous commercial & recreational fish species. (5) Loss of AMERICAN EEL (Anguilla rostrata) normal migration, back & forth, from the St. Johns River. American eel are an important marine catadromous commercial fish species. (6) Loss of BIG CLAW RIVER SHRIMP a.k.a. GIANT RIVER PRAWN (Macrobrachium carcinus) normal migration, back & forth, from the St. Johns River. These extremely large crustaceans require access to brackish water for successful reproduction & were historically extant in Silver Springs but no longer appear to be present there. (7) Loss of Florida MANATEE (Trichechus manatus latirostris) normal migration, back & forth, from the St. Johns River. These "gentle giants" navigate rivers for feeding or for utilizing the warmth of artesian springs during cold-weather. The Florida manatee is protected by the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Loss of OTHER RECREATION since 1968 completion of Rodman (Kirkpatrick) Dam: (8) Loss of traditional St. Johns River to Silver Springs unimpeded riverine navigation for recreational boating. RODMAN RESERVOIR (Eureka downstream 21 miles to Rodman Dam) Loss of FISH & WILDLIFE since 1968 completion of Rodman (Kirkpatrick) Dam: (9) Loss of 21 river miles of cool & free-flowing riverine ecosystem that formerly was a travel route for various migratory aquatic, estuarial & marine species between the St. Johns River tidal estuary & Silver Springs. (10) Loss of necessary dissolved oxygen levels in the water results in fish kills from time to time. Among the causes is the man-made Rodman Reservoir's "thermal pollution" -- elevated summertime water temperatures that are the result of damming a naturally cool, spring-fed, swift-flowing stream into a sluggish, sun-baked "backwater." Rodman Reservoir's morning summertime water temperature averages 83 to 84 degrees F (28.5 to 29 C) & probably even higher in its still-water shallows. Before Rodman Dam was built in 1968, summertime water temperatures averaged about 79 degrees F (26 C) in this section of the natural river -- which is downstream of & fed by the Middle Ocklawaha River's usual summertime water temperature of 75 to 77 degrees F (24 to 25 C). Warmer water holds less of the dissolved oxygen that is required by largemouth bass & other fish for survival. To the fish, warmer water is a double "whammy" -- it speeds up their metabolism which causes them to need more dissolved oxygen -- just when there is less! Living SUBMERSED aquatic plants -- using the process known as photosynthesis -- introduce dissolved oxygen into the water almost entirely during periods of sunshine & very little, if any, during night or heavily overcast conditions. Several mostly cloudy days in a row (e. g., hurricanes or tropical depressions / storms) during hot weather periods of the year "mixed-in" with the already warmer & less oxygenated lacustrine water is the "recipe" that can trigger fish kills in Rodman Reservoir. (11) Loss of the ability of Florida LARGEMOUTH BASS (Micropterus salmoides floridanus) in Rodman Reservoir to feed on the St. Johns River's expanded menu of estuarial prey species such as shrimp & small crabs or brackish-water/marine fish. Possibly because of this more varied forage supply, bigger largemouth bass (up to 18-lb 13-oz) have been caught from the St. Johns River since the 1968 creation of Rodman. The heaviest largemouth ever taken in Rodman was reportedly 17-lb 2-oz & ranks near the bottom of the list of the top-25 heaviest largemouth bass ever caught in Florida. Rodman Dam -- which has strangled the free-flowing Ocklawaha River for over 47 years & has ended the natural spawning success of our native St. Johns Basin striped bass -- has yet to produce a world record or Florida state record largemouth bass. (12) Loss of a continuous wildlife corridor connection for black bear or other non-aquatic mammals from the Ocala National Forest north to the Osceola National Forest & Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. The 100-foot wide Ocklawaha River is much easier for them to swim across than just about any of Rodman Reservoir. Loss of FLOODPLAIN FOREST since 1968 completion of Rodman (Kirkpatrick) Dam: (13) Loss of 7500 acres, already destroyed, of floodplain mixed-hardwood/cypress swamp forest -- valuable for utilizing nutrients from the river to grow long-living trees & as wildlife habitat/recreational hunting lands. (14) Loss of perhaps up to an additional 3000 acres, slowly drowning to death, of floodplain mixed-hardwood/cypress swamp forest -- valuable for utilizing nutrients from the river to grow long-living trees & as wildlife habitat/recreational hunting lands. Loss of MONEY $$$ since 1968 completion of Rodman (Kirkpatrick) Dam: (15) Loss of money for annual dam, lock & spillway maintenance costs of a man-manipulated reservoir system whereas a free-flowing river maintains itself naturally. (16) Loss of money for annual management costs to control run-away exotic aquatic plant growth. Hydrilla, water hyacinth, & water lettuce are thriving where native mixed-hardwood/cypress swamp forest should be growing. The non-native floating & submersed vegetation intakes nutrients from the water for maybe a year or so until its death when it sinks to the still-water lake bottom contributing to an ever deepening layer of enriched muck (or ooze). Loss of OTHER RECREATION since 1968 completion of Rodman (Kirkpatrick) Dam: (17) Loss of use of about 20 drowned artesian springs (some with "spring runs") for divers & swimmers. (18) Loss of use of summertime recreation areas (river channel & sandbars) for divers & swimmers. LOWER OCKLAWAHA RIVER & ST. JOHNS RIVER (Rodman Dam downstream 12 miles to St. Johns River) Loss of WATER since 1968 completion of Rodman (Kirkpatrick) Dam: (19) Loss of a huge amount of the Ocklawaha River Basin's water discharge into the St. Johns River because of evapo-transpiration in Rodman Reservoir. Data from the USGS suggests that evaporation alone from a 10,000 acre lake in central Florida amounts to a water loss of over 50 cubic feet per second (CFS) annually. During some drought "water years" less CFS of water is discharged below Rodman Dam into the lower Ocklawaha River than is recorded as CFS of water entering the reservoir from the middle Ocklawaha River at the Eureka USGS gage station 21 miles upriver of Rodman Dam! ADDITIONAL CFS OF WATER, NOT LESS (than Eureka's), should be expected to exit out of the Rodman tailrace into the lower Ocklawaha River -- as a result of all these tributary inflows that enter Rodman Reservoir DOWNSTREAM of the Eureka gage: Mill Creek, Orange Creek, Bruntbridge Brook, Deep Creek, Sweetwater Creek & Camp Branch in addition to some 20 drowned artesian springs. Loss of WATER QUALITY since 1968 completion of Rodman (Kirkpatrick) Dam: (20) Loss of water quality in the lower Ocklawaha River because of the man-made Rodman Reservoir's "thermal pollution" -- elevated summertime water temperatures flowing out of the lake through the dam downstream & on to the St. Johns River. Morning summertime water temperature below the dam averages 82 to 83 degrees F (28 to 28.5 C). Before Rodman Dam was built in 1968, it averaged 79 degrees F (26 C) at that site on the river--where the water temperature used to be influenced by the cool 73-degree F inflow of nearby "Blue Spring" & other now-drowned artesian springs along with the natural tree-shaded Ocklawaha River upstream. Warmer water holds less of the dissolved oxygen that is required by most desirable fish for survival & it speeds up their metabolism which causes them to need more dissolved oxygen. https://sites.google.com/site/ocklawahaman/twenty-reasons-why-saving-rodman-reservoir-is-the --------------------------------------------------------------- Florida residents and/or property owners: Please consider signing for-free the "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" online petition at https://www.change.org/p/st-johns-river-water-management-district-free-the-ocklawaha-river-by-the-breaching-of-rodman-dam Marion County Florida's Ocklawaha River - Silver River - Silver Springs drainage historically contained trophy NATIVE largemouth bass well beyond 10 pounds PLUS naturally-reproducing NATIVE Atlantic-race STRIPED BASS weighing up to 30 pounds or so. Why not have BOTH largemouth and striped bass again? "Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca. --------------------------------------------------------------- "Let us leave no bit of useful information uncollected, unstudied, or unused in our shared work for the restoration to free-flowing again of Florida's 56-mile Silver and Ocklawaha River system" - "Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca. The SJRWMD "Technical Publication SJ2016-1" by John Hendrickson contains the data -- about DISSOLVED SILICA, NITROGEN, and PHOSPHORUS (and their combined effects on possible [downstream] St. Johns River harmful algal blooms) -- best supporting that the restoration of the Ocklawaha River will be beneficial for the entire St. Johns River basin. http://www.sjrwmd.com/technicalreports/pdfs/TP/SJ2016-1.pdf FOLKS, we are continuing to add more FOR-FREE $$$ signatures supporting the "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" (https://www.change.org/p/st-johns-river-water-management-district-free-the-ocklawaha-river-by-the-breaching-of-rodman-dam) online petition. This is possibly the most important petition in the history of the Ocklawaha River issue since those that were sent to President Lyndon Johnson and later President Richard Nixon asking that the Cross Florida Barge Canal (CFBC) be stopped. Remember that it was the Republican President Nixon (1/19/1971) that halted the CFBC. "Lest we forget" all that has been accomplished for Ocklawaha River restoration and the breaching of Rodman Dam by the various non-governmental watchdog "bureaucracies" since 1971. Has it amounted to "a spit in the river?" "Ocklawahaman" is willing to believe that you might have a sincere opinion about that question. "Ocklawahaman" is of the honest opinion that you should consider the following while you still can: PLEASE SIGN -- FOR-FREE $$$ -- THIS PETITION! It currently has 2,032 supporters as of 1300 hrs EST 2/18/17. At some point beyond the 2,000 signature baseline "Ocklawahaman" shall contact SJRWMD to arrange for a hearing(s) with certain staff and/or management where "Ocklawahaman" and Captain Erika Ritter will do their best to represent the will of this petition's signatories -- who "do hereby respectfully petition the SJRWMD and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FL DEP) to earnestly begin, move forward with, and finally carry out the process of restoring to free-and-swift-flowing-again the Ocklawaha River -- 'Source to the Sea' -- from its Silver Springs supreme headwaters to its St. Johns River estuary. This restoration process would require the breaching of the earthen Kirkpatrick (Rodman) Dam at the location where the historic Ocklawaha River channel flowed through it prior to September 30, 1968." It may be the MOST IMPORTANT THING that YOU can do (or have ever done) to assist SJRWMD and FL DEP to determine that the best interests of the greater St. Johns River basin are enhanced by the restoration of a free-and-swift flowing-again "Source to the Sea" 56-mainstream-mile "Real-Florida-By-God" Silver Springs-Silver River-Ocklawaha River system. Where else can you get "this much bang for the $$$ buck?" "Ocklawahaman" NEEDS YOUR FOR-FREE $$$ HELP! This "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" online petition is being actively promoted by "Ocklawahaman" via private email and on "Change.org", "Facebook", "Linkedin", "Naymz", "Poll-Maker.com", "Sites.Google.com", "Twitter", "Youtube", and "Vimeo" social media. "Ocklawahaman" thanks all of those social media sites for their help with this honorable endeavor to restore a free-flowing-again "Source to the Sea" Silver Springs-Silver River-Ocklawaha River system. Show your support for the free migration -- St. Johns River to Silver Springs -- of the Florida manatee, channel catfish, and Atlantic-race STRIPED BASS. Note that the native Atlantic-race STRIPED BASS lost its only suitable spawning habitat of the entire St. Johns River basin (and the most southern in the U.S.) when Rodman (Kirkpatrick) Dam was closed across the Ocklawaha River on September 30, 1968. Riverine LARGEMOUTH BASS have been native to the Ocklawaha River for thousands of years -- they don't need Rodman Dam or Rodman Reservoir for their survival! Thank you to all that have already signed this petition FOR-FREE $$$ https://www.change.org/p/st-johns-river-water-management-district-free-the-ocklawaha-river-by-the-breaching-of-rodman-dam and desire a free-and-swift-flowing-again "Source to the Sea" 56-mainstream-mile "Real-Florida-By-God" Silver Springs-Silver River-Ocklawaha River system! Currently (as of 1300 hrs EST 2/18/17) there are 2,032 public signatures supporting the breaching of Rodman Dam. What does this number represent? "Ocklawahaman" reckons it means that 2,032 INDIVIDUALS so far have been willing to BOLDLY and PUBLICLY add their name (sort-of like "John Hancock" did in 1776) FOR-FREE $$$ -- following their own sincere whims, wishes, wants, or purposes (whatever) -- to this outdoorsman-single-citizen-created "Declaration of Independence from Rodman Dam" proclamation that is officially known to SJRWMD and FL DEP as the "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" online petition. -------------------------------------------- Read this 7/11/16 email from SJRWMD's contact person to "Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca: "Paul, So long as everyone is aware that we are housing the petitions, and so long as everyone knows we will not be sending receipts to petitioners, I think we are fine. You will always have an open dialogue available with me, and I may even recommend you come to our board meeting tomorrow to tell our board that you have over 1,000 signatures; which is an impressive feat!" -------------------------------------------- When "Ocklawahaman" meets in the future with staff and/or management of the SJRWMD in Palatka wouldn't it be impressive to have many more than 2,000 such "votes" of individual citizens supporting restoration that "Ocklawahaman" represents? Encourage others and spouses and/or significant others to support this grassroots petition! ONE problem that "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" has now is that an individual person signs it BUT THEIR SPOUSE OR SIGNIFICANT OTHER DOES NOT! So instead of TWO signatures the petition only gets ONE! Remember that in the "Rough and Tumble" of politics, TWO (or THREE) "votes" beats ONE! Both "Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca and Captain Erika Ritter have signed FOR-FREE $$$ this petition. Are WE (including YOU) serious about getting Ocklawaha restoration started in earnest? Or are WE (including YOU) just talking TRASH? IMPORTANT NOTE: "Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca is a private retired citizen (a member of NO environmental organization) and does not seek $$$ and does not accept any $$$ contributions for the administration and promotion of his individually-created petition! The State of Florida and the United States governments that own almost all of the Ocklawaha River's water and its submerged and corridor lands collect taxes from MOST all of us. Lets FOR-FREE $$$ encourage Florida and the U.S.A. to wisely follow the principals of ecology and FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM! Sign the petition FOR-FREE $$$! And keep in mind that the last available online data -- that "Ocklawahaman" has been able to uncover -- about the Save Rodman Reservoir, Inc. not-for-profit group shows that they have about 1,700 contributing $$$ members! Are we serious about getting Ocklawaha restoration started in earnest? Or are we just talking TRASH? Please be aware that many active public employees of the Federal and/or State of Florida governments who agree with this "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" petition will be very reluctant to sign it publicly because of social media policies that may apply to them -- they have their careers, retirements, and families to consider! "Ocklawahaman" understands their situation because "Ocklawahaman" himself was a dedicated, loyal, and patriotic U.S. and Florida governmental employee before retirement. For these government employees that aren't allowed to sign the petition publicly, "Ocklawahaman" has created a SECRET VOTE "Do You Favor the Breaching of Rodman Dam to Restore a Free-Flowing Ocklawaha River?" online poll at http://www.poll-maker.com/poll790342x4Bd4496B-32. As of 1300 hrs EST on 2/18/17 the results of this SECRET VOTE online poll are 203 "Yes" for breaching Rodman Dam and only 19 "No" (against breaching Rodman Dam). "Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca, who strives for accuracy and honesty, worships zealously a more natural Ocklawaha River valley that includes the restoration of the 56 mainstream river miles from Silver Springs to the St. Johns as a free-and-swift-flowing stream again. A private, retired citizen and U.S. Army veteran, he is a member of NO environmental organization but volunteers his Ocklawaha River experience, observations, research, and sources to individuals or groups that share his zeal for this old "crooked river." "Ocklawahaman" has canoed, explored, fished, hiked, and lawfully hunted the Florida outdoors since 1962 (and still does). UNLIKE ALMOST EVERYBODY ELSE INVOLVED WITH THIS ISSUE, more of his life's outdoor time has actually been spent in the Ocklawaha River basin (canoeing its waters and swamp-stomping or hammock-humping its jungle-like swamps and hammocks) than anywhere else. And "Ocklawahaman" has actively advocated for Ocklawaha River restoration since 2006. ALL PROBABLY SHOULD KNOW THE FOLLOWING FACT: "Ocklawahaman" already has bass-fishing, canoeing, hunting, and exploration access to the best, coolest-watered, and most natural remaining part of the Ocklawaha River and its splendidly-forested wilderness corridor (i.e., the middle Ocklawaha River from the Silver River inflow/SR-40 Bridge to the Eureka/CR-316 Bridge). Along with Captain Erika Ritter, "Ocklawahaman" owns property at Eureka that borders the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway and the Ocklawaha. "Ocklawahaman" can request the FWC to stock more striped bass and channel catfish into those 18 river miles. And "Ocklawahaman" can go back to being happily retired! But for now until somewhat more than 2,000 supporting signatures have been obtained, "Ocklawahaman" is going to try to do a selfless thing as JOB #ONE -- promote and administrate this "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" online petition so that WE, while daring greatly for a worthy cause, can finally make a difference! This "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" online petition is being actively promoted by "Ocklawahaman" via private email and on "Change.org", "Facebook", "Linkedin", "Naymz", "Poll-Maker.com", "Sites.Google.com", "Twitter", "Youtube", and "Vimeo" social media. "Ocklawahaman" thanks all of those social media sites for their help with this honorable endeavor to restore a free-flowing-again "Source to the Sea" Silver Springs-Silver River- Ocklawaha River system. During the first half of 2017, "Ocklawahaman" will be hoping to negotiate his best possible hearing(s) with staff and/or management of the SJRWMD -- the more public signatures that he represents, the louder shall be the "voice" of "Ocklawahaman" for breaching Rodman Dam! Captain Erika Ritter was once told by a high-ranking official of the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway, "The squeaky wheel gets the grease!" Help "Ocklawahaman" if possible FOR-FREE -- sign the petition (if you haven't already) which currently (as of 1300 hrs EST 2/18/17) has 2,032 signatures. Thank you very much to all of you for your time reading this webpage and for any positive consideration that you might have towards signing the "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" petition and/or encouraging others to do so! And know that I am in favor of a free-and-swift-flowing-again "Source to the Sea" 56-mainstream-mile "Real-Florida-By-God" Silver Springs-Silver River-Ocklawaha River system! How about YOU? Most sincerely, "Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca. THE SONG "Ocklawaha, Set Her Free" videos at: https://vimeo.com/179479588 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIUn5Hg5ePE "There are lake fishermen, and there are river fishermen, and seldom do the twain agree!" - The original author’s name is unknown to me. -------------------------------------------- PETITION SIGNERS, again, YOU may also want to email SJRWMD & FL DEP directly! The "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" online petition at https://www.change.org/p/st-johns-river-water-management-district-free-the-ocklawaha-river-by-the-breaching-of-rodman-dam now has more than 2,000 SIGNATURES of individual folks that are in favor of a free-and-swift-flowing-again "Source to the Sea" Silver Springs-Silver River-Ocklawaha River 56-mainstream-mile system by breaching Rodman (Kirkpatrick) Dam. Again, YOU may also want to email your comments -- after your FOR-FREE $$$ SIGNATURE has been added to this petition -- to SJRWMD & FL DEP directly! mailto:clerk@sjrwmd.com mailto:applicationsupport@sjrwmd.com mailto:public.services@dep.state.fl.us You then should eventually (if not right away) get a reply email to your own email address from SJRWMD & FL DEP -- logging in your name AND COMMENT as a FLORIDA PUBLIC RECORD. My Mom's ONE email to all 3 SJRWMD & FL DEP addresses can serve as an example for you -- IMPORTANT, PLEASE INSERT YOUR OWN NAME AND YOUR OWN COMMENT though! -------------------------------------------- To: clerk@sjrwmd.com applicationsupport@sjrwmd.com public.services@dep.state.fl.us Hello SJRWMD and FL DEP: Regarding the "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" petition at: https://www.change.org/p/st-johns-river-water-management-district-free-the-ocklawaha-river-by-the-breaching-of-rodman-dam I have signed the petition. I stand with my late friend Gwen Parramore Ritter (Capt. Erika's Mom) and my son Paul. FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER! Jennie Nosca, Saint Petersburg, FL -------------------------------------------- I realize that signing this petition FOR-FREE $$$ is causing you some use of your time and possibly some extra unwanted emails in your in-box. And I also realize that I may be testing the patience -- with my seemingly endless "guest" postings advertising this petition -- of many good folks that administrate a "Facebook" page for a well-intentioned group. I hope that you believe as I do that this effort is for a worthy cause -- A free-and-swift-flowing-again "Source to the Sea" (from its Silver Springs supreme headwaters to its St. Johns River estuary) 56-mainstream-mile "Real-Florida-By-God" Silver Springs-Silver River-Ocklawaha River system. For the free migration of Florida-native (for thousands of years): manatees, striped bass, American eels, American shad, channel catfish, riverine LARGEMOUTH BASS, black bears, Florida panther, etc. Most sincerely, "Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca