Kate Gallagher 2016-06-24 "I paddle the Ocklawaha often. I take tourists on the Ocklawaha. It is such a wonderful place to share with visitors. The Rodman pond is a disgusting hostage to this beautiful and wild river. Let her go free!" Mary Katrina Warsick 2016-06-25 "My grandparents, Jennie and Hayden Laxton, pioneered acreage near Gores Landing, including 6+acres deeded to my brother ,Michael Warsick, and myself. My grandparents, among other landowners, were "robbed" when the canal authority took property for a failed venture that benefited few at great cost ecologically to the Ocklawaha...." Laurie Coppedge 2016-06-26 "I believe it's the right thing to do: to allow this river to follow its natural course and its wildness to thrive once again. I paddled it again during the drawdown and it was shocking what was done to this river in the name of progress." Lars Andersen 2016-06-26 "This dam serves no purpose other than maintaining a reservoir that's sole purpose is for fishing--mediocre fishing, at that--all at a hefty expense to Florida's taxpayers. But worse than the economic damage done by this dam and reservoir is the environmental harm. Manatees, shad and other species need to migrate up Ocklawaha River to maintain the ecosystems that once made Ocklawaha and Silver River world famous destinations for eco-tourism. Ocklawaha is a beautiful and truly unique river and the continued impoundment of 16 miles of it's length is nothing short of a crime against the people of Florida. It's time to remove this dam!" Jan Allyn 2016-06-27 "It is high time that this dam be removed. Maintaining it solely for the purpose of sustaining the recreational bass fishery is an insufficient reason. It is essential that we do all we can to restore essential natural processes to our ecosystems in order to preserve, conserve, and restore this state to the beauty that existed prior to its overpopulation and exploitation." Steve Robitaille 2016-06-27 "I sign this in the memory of the late Lester Teuton, who carried with him the memory of a free-flowing Ocklawaha and who passed at 90 still dreaming his beautiful dream." Judy Whittaker 2016-06-27 "It is past time to remove the Rodman Dam and restore the Ocklawaha River to the free flowing river it once was. As the recent draw down proved, there are many springs that are silted over due to the dam that will contribute to the restoration of the river once the dam is gone. Also, sorry 'sports fisherman' a free flowing natural waterway trumps your need to alter the environment." Jim Gross 2016-06-27 "Restoring a free-flowing Ocklawaha River is a win-win proposition for all Floridians. Restoration will benefit both the environment and the economy. Many of the communities in the vicinity of the river are urgently in need of economic revitalization. Communities near the river will benefit significantly as new opportunities for recreation and ecotourism emerge. The impounded pool of water behind the Kirkpatrick dam serves no public interest for flood control or commercial navigation. The water supply potential of the impoundment is insignificant. Sport fishing opportunities have steadily declined in the dammed river. The costs for operation and maintenance of an antiquated and ill-concieved civil works project can be eliminated, providing significant cost savings to Florida taxpayers. Let’s do what’s right for Florida." THERE ARE MANY MORE GREAT COMMENTS! I WILL TRY TO POST THEM FROM TIME TO TIME IN THESE "Petition Updates" which should be read for more information! We are approaching 1800 "votes" (signatures) for a free-flowing "Source to the Sea" Ocklawaha River - Silver River - Silver Springs 56-mainstream-mile system by breaching Rodman (Kirkpatrick) Dam. Again, YOU may also want to email your comments (after your "vote" FOR-FREE is counted on this petition) to SJRWMD & FDEP 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 & FDEP -- logging in your name AND COMMENT as a Florida public record. My Mom"s ONE email to all 3 SJRWMD & FDEP addresses can serve as an example for you -- IMPORTANT, PLEASE INSERT YOUR NAME AND COMMENT though! ------------------------- To: clerk@sjrwmd.com applicationsupport@sjrwmd.com public.services@dep.state.fl.us Hello SJRWMD and FDEP: 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 some use of your time and possibly some extra emails in your in-box. I hope that you believe as I do that this effort is for a worthy cause -- A free-flowing "Source to the Sea" (from its Silver Springs supreme headwaters to its St. Johns River estuary) 56-mainstream-mile "Real-Florida-By-God" Ocklawaha River - Silver 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. Thank you very much. Most sincerely, "Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca https://vimeo.com/179479588 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIUn5Hg5ePE