The Ocklawaha River's White SUGAR SAND (Silica SiO2) Might Set It Free! ---------------------------------------------------- BUT FIRST OF ALL. Is it the Ocklawaha or Oklawaha River? The "United States Board on Geographic Names" in 1992 changed the official spelling back to "Ocklawaha", which was the original traditional way that this river's name was spelled from 1824 until 1892. The Federal government had officially decided in 1892 that the spelling should be "Oklawaha" and it was so for a century. Ocklawaha (Native American for "crooked" or "great" water) is the correct way to spell its name -- since 1992. http://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=136:3:0::NO:3:P3_FID,P3_TITLE:307088,Ocklawaha%20River ---------------------------------------------------- Now let us continue with "The Ocklawaha River's White SUGAR SAND (Silica SiO2) Might Set It Free!" The bottom of the Ocklawaha River is comprised mostly of beautiful white "sugar" sand -- known more scientifically as SILICA (SiO2) -- with occasional scattered areas of hard mussel shell bar or limestone outcrop covering its scoured by-the-swift-current stream bed. "The Oklawaha River, the largest tributary of the St. Johns, enters the St. Johns River at the town of Welaka, several miles upstream from the entrance of the Rodman canal. The Oklawaha River is about 125 miles in length (202 km) and drains approximately 2,300 square miles. Gradient of the Oklawaha River is much steeper than the St. Johns River proper, and currents are much swifter. The gradient of the Oklawaha, from its headwaters to confluence with the St. Johns River, is about 60 feet (18.3 m)." "Although the Oklawaha River is a 'sand-bottomed' type stream, as defined by Beck (1965), it has several unique characteristics. Its swift current and steep gradient of 60 feet from headwaters to its mouth more typically exemplifies a Piedmont-type stream. The water quality of the Oklawaha River is dynamic, depending on the dominance of either pure Silver Springs water, degraded discharge from the upper Oklawaha chain of lakes though Moss Bluff Dam, or tannic-stained runoff from the floodplain." The ABOVE two excerpted paragraphs are copied from: Bass, D. G. and V. Guillory. 1976. Fisheries study (Volume 1, 2, 3). Cross Florida barge canal restudy report. Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Tallahassee, Florida. Prepared for the Department of the Army, Jacksonville District Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville, Florida. "Ocklawahaman" may be a lot of things (e.g., canoeist, explorer, hunter, old soldier [Regular Army], photographer, retired Data Processing Administrator, river-bass angler, swamp-stomper, writer, etc.) but I am not an Environmental Scientist VI. I never even came close to reaching that pay grade in any of the positions that I ever held in the U.S. or State of Florida governments. But John Hendrickson of the SJRWMD is! John is an Environmental Scientist VI with over 30 years of experience scientifically studying and managing the resources of the St. Johns River with Florida’s best interests as his goal. And I am willing to believe that John knows more about the ecology and environment of the St. Johns River basin than I do. So here is one of the latest interesting RIVER things that I have been made informed of by Mr. John Hendrickson. It seems that beautiful Ocklawaha River sugar sand -- SILICA or SiO2 -- dissolves somewhat in flowing stream water! It is then known as DISSOLVED SILICA or SiO2-D! And guess what? The MORE dissolved silica (SiO2-D) that flows from the Ocklawaha River into the St. Johns River, the LESS are the chances of having a disastrous cyanobacteria algal bloom in the St. Johns estuary downstream (north) of Palatka! Rodman Reservoir, the artificial lake backwater of Rodman Dam, depletes the St. Johns River of necessary dissolved silica because the still-water Rodman is a significant "sink" for the SiO2-D that occurs in and travels downstream in the swift-flowing middle Ocklawaha River at Eureka where the influence of the dam begins to slow down the velocity of the river current at the head of the impoundment. The following three copied paragraphs are excerpted from: Hendrickson, John. 2016. Effects on Lower St. Johns River Nutrient Supply and TMDL Target Compliance from the Restoration of a Free-Flowing Ocklawaha River. Technical Publication SJ2016-1. 107 pages. St. Johns River Water Management District, Palatka, Florida. ACRONYM NOTE: "LSJR" = lower St. Johns River, "LOR" = lower Ocklawaha River, "FFR" = free-flowing [Ocklawaha] river. "One striking feature of the annual pattern is the consistency with which diminishing concentrations of NOx, and also dissolved silica (SiO2), are associated with the increase in the relative abundance of N-fixing cyanobacteria. Silica is also a fundamental regulator of phytoplankton community structure in the Lake George and the LSJR, as it is an essential growth element for diatom algae, the natural dominant group for a lacustrine blackwater river such as the St. Johns. For these same four NOx-spike years (as well as other years not shown), N-fixing cyanobacteria appear in the phytoplankton community shortly after NOx and dissolved SiO2 are very low and essentially depleted (Figure 27). Phytoplankton biomass continues to increase after the depletion of these nutrients, with N-fixing cyanobacteria the beneficiary of the niche created by the depletion of inorganic N and silica." "While data presented here clearly show the capability of Rodman Reservoir to retain nitrogen, during times of the year it appears also to be a significant sink for dissolved silica. Comparison of above and below-reservoir monthly mean SiO2-D concentration indicates that from December through June, while the reservoir is full, SiO2-D concentrations at the head of the reservoir are significantly greater than those at the mouth (Figure 29). In drawdown years, SiO2-D at the mouth greatly exceeds the reservoir condition, and even appears greater than the inflowing concentrations, indicating the possible mobilization of reservoir or floodplain stored SiO2. " "These observed data suggest that additions of NOx of the magnitude expected from the restoration of the LOR will not increase LSJR freshwater reach phytoplankton standing stock. Reduction of nitrogen alone has been shown to be ineffectual to control eutrophication in freshwater lakes (Schindler et al., 2008; Havens et al., 2002), and it has been hypothesized that the retention of silica in reservoirs has contributed to the dominance of cyanobacteria in downstream waters (Koszelnik and Tomaszek, 2008; Ittekkot et al., 2000). The addition of NOx and dissolved SiO2 may instead have the effect of delaying the community succession from the late winter community of eukaryotic algae, primarily composed of diatoms, to N-fixing cyanobacteria, and patterns in the phytoplankton community composition in the LSJR and Lake George tend to support this. For phytoplankton community composition data collected at the long-term freshwater monitoring sites in Lake George and the freshwater LSJR, the mean January–March (coincident with drawdown-year low pool phase) NOx concentration is inversely correlated with spring bloom cyanobacteria biomass (Figure 30). These relationships suggest that the increased supply of NOx, and possibly also SiO2, associated with a FFR scenario would not result in increased downstream phytoplankton biomass, and may actually improve the quality of the LSJR pelagic food chain, by counteracting the adaptive advantage of N-fixing cyanobacteria and encouraging the growth of beneficial eukaryotic algae in the phytoplankton." -------------------------------------------- "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 2,049 supporters as of 1600 hrs EST 2/23/17. 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 $$$ https://www.change.org/p/st-johns-river-water-management-district-free-the-ocklawaha-river-by-the-breaching-of-rodman-dam and desire a free-and-swift-flowing-again "Source to the Sea" 56-mainstream-mile "Real-Florida-By-God" Silver Springs-Silver River-Ocklawaha River system! Currently (as of 1600 hrs EST 2/23/17) there are 2,049 public signatures supporting the breaching of Rodman Dam. What does this number represent? "Ocklawahaman" reckons it means that 2,049 INDIVIDUALS so far have been willing to BOLDLY and PUBLICLY add their name (sort-of like "John Hancock" did in 1776) FOR-FREE $$$ -- 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 1600 hrs EST on 2/23/17 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 1600 hrs EST 2/23/17) has 2,049 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