UPDATED JANUARY 10, 2021

The St. Johns River is Florida's only "American Heritage River" and why is that a major problem for the restoration of a free-flowing-again Ocklawaha River? Although I spend very little time on the St. Johns River itself, "Ocklawahaman" in 2016 -- after reading "Technical Publication SJ2016-1" authored by John Hendrickson of the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) -- had to finally accept this COLD, HARD, and SIMPLE FACT: Why hasn't Rodman Dam (aka Kirkpatrick Dam) already been breached to restore the free-flowing Ocklawaha River?

Because, YES, the St. Johns River is more important ECONOMICALLY and ENVIRONMENTALLY to Florida and the United States of America than its largest tributary stream, the Ocklawaha River -- or the Rodman Reservoir! The ST. JOHNS RIVER since its designation by President Bill Clinton (D) on July 30, 1998 is the only "American Heritage River" in Florida and that's probably the major reason why the SJRWMD has not yet approved the Environmental Resource Permit (for Ocklawaha River restoration) applied for by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in 1997. The St. Johns River is granted extra protection and scrutiny as a result of its "American Heritage River" status. "American Heritage Rivers are designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to receive special attention (coordinating efforts of multiple governmental entities) to further three objectives: NATURAL RESOURCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, economic revitalization, and historic and cultural preservation." http://www.wikiwand.com/en/American_Heritage_Rivers 

Note that in the excerpted paragraph above, "Ocklawahaman" capitalized the words, "NATURAL RESOURCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION" because they seem to relate very closely to the "1999 consent decree between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Earthjustice to establish Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for impaired Florida waters" (that Hendrickson wrote of in 2016). A restored to free-flowing again Ocklawaha River has been presumed potentially GUILTY of further polluting the St. Johns River (with excess NUTRIENTS) until it can be proven potentially INNOCENT (of further polluting the St. Johns River with excess NURIENTS) by the environmental scientists at the SJRWMD. And that is why John Hendrickson's scientific work for the SJRWMD is so vitally important to Ocklawaha River restoration and why the rest of the "goings-on" probably "ain't worth a spit in the river!"

The following three quoted paragraphs are important excerpts from "Technical Publication SJ2016-1: Effects on Lower St. Johns River Nutrient Supply and TMDL Target Compliance from the Restoration of a Free-Flowing Ocklawaha River" by John Hendrickson, now the Supervising Environmental Scientist of SJRWMD.

These next three (3) exactly copied paragraphs (that follow this paragraph) explain why Rodman Dam has not already been breached to restore to free-flowing again the 56-mile Ocklawaha River-Silver River system from Silver Springs to the St. Johns River estuary:

"In 1991, federal de-authorization of the Cross Florida Barge Canal Project resulted in the transfer of canal lands to the state of Florida. An ad hoc Canal Lands Advisory Committee (CLAC) was formed to provide recommendations to the Governor and Cabinet on the disposition of the barge canal lands and structures. After deliberating on the recommendations of the CLAC, the 1993 Legislature passed Chapter 92-213, Laws of Florida, which directed the Department of Natural Resources (now the Florida Department of Environmental Protection [FDEP]) to '...study the efficacy, both environmental and economic, of complete restoration of the Ocklawaha River, partial restoration of the river, total retention of Rodman Reservoir, and partial retention of the reservoir...' Funds were provided for the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) to undertake the study of these four alternatives. As part of the comprehensive assessment performed by SJRWMD, Volume 11 of the Environmental Studies Concerning Four Alternatives for Rodman Reservoir and the Lower Ocklawaha River, Surface Water Quality and Alternatives Analysis for Rodman Reservoir (ECT, 1994) predicted a post-restoration increase in nitrogen (in the form of nitrate+nitrite-N) and phosphorus (as orthophosphate) loads of 878 and 30 metric tons/yr to the LSJR.

"Despite the predicted increase in downstream nutrient load, the positive aspects related to the restoration of floodplain functions, increased unique habitat and migratory fish passage appeared to provide overall net environmental gain. At the directive of then-Gov. Lawton Chiles and the Florida Cabinet, FDEP in 1997 submitted a permit application to SJRWMD for the removal of Rodman Reservoir to restore a free-flowing lower Ocklawaha River.

"But in 1999, once the permit application package was complete, the case for the restoration was deemed insufficient to meet the environmental resource permit (ERP) and consumptive use permit (CUP) public interest tests, and SJRWMD staff informed FDEP that they could not recommend approval to their Governing Board. The most prominent concern contributing to the recommendation of denial centered on the potential adverse impacts of increased nutrient load to the lower St. Johns River. Adding to this concern was the fact that the lower St. Johns at the time was one of the most prominent water bodies included on the 1999 consent decree between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Earthjustice to establish Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for impaired Florida waters. FDEP requested that SJRWMD not take agency action and to hold the permit in abeyance indefinitely, a status which has continued until this day."

Please let us give all of the sincere folks at SJRWMD who do support the breaching of Rodman Dam to restore a free-and-swift-flowing-again Silver Springs-Silver River-Ocklawaha River system -- AND THERE ARE MANY -- some HELP and SUPPORT from the environmental groups.

"Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca

ACCURATE DOCUMENTED DATA, ECOLOGY, FACTS, FIREARMS, FISHING, HISTORY, HUMOR, HYDROLOGY, NEWS, OPINION, PADDLING, PHOTOS, SPRINGS, VIEWS, & WILDLIFE of the Ocklawaha River, Florida & SO MUCH MORE -- "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" -- IT'S EASY TO JOIN & POST & IT'S FOR FREE $$$. And "Ocklawahaman" NEVER SOLICITS FOR YOUR MONEY! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1937718656450177/