The mainstream channels of the St. Johns River, Ocklawaha River, and Silver River are owned by the State of Florida through right of sovereignty since statehood. Much of the associated environs of these three rivers' corridors also legally belong to Florida. Over the years, Florida's Governor and Cabinet, sitting as the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, have greatly influenced the designation and actions of the official governmental agencies that manage and protect this state's natural resources such as the greater St. Johns River basin.
Maybe I understand this better than some because I actually served in state government as an administrator in the Tallahassee Capital Complex where I saw members of the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund on at least an occasional basis.
At the very beginning of April 2016, the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) released on their website for dissemination to the public a literary document entitled, "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" authored by John Hendrickson, Environmental Scientist VI, SJRWMD. John Hendrickson explained in understandable English the official reasons -- mostly projected nutrient load into the lower St. Johns River -- as to why the Ocklawaha River hadn't already been restored to free-flowing again (by the breaching of Rodman Dam), even after Governor Lawton Chiles and the Cabinet in 1997 (sitting as the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund) mandated that this would happen.
"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" was and still is the most-favorable-to-restoration official governmental literature that I have ever read and studied, and I have looked at many, many scientific reports regarding this issue since 2004.
Very soon after Hendrickson's paper was made available online in April 2016 I alerted the leaders of the Ocklawaha River restoration community about its existence, fully expecting that some entity would take the lead at utilizing it for benefit and working with SJRWMD to make the science that shows that breaching Rodman Dam wouldn't be detrimental to the environmental health of the lower St. Johns River. I would have wholeheartedly supported whoever "took the ball and ran with it", "it" being "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" -- but nobody of the "community" did and they didn't even seem to want to acknowledge the work of John Hendrickson at all. I was totally baffled as to why until finally only one reason made any "cents" to me.
So on June 24, 2016 "Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca -- frustrated at the inaction of any pro-restoration entity to use this new "ammunition" -- created the sign-for-free-$$$ "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" online petition at CHANGE.ORG. The basis for this petition is the findings of "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" authored by John Hendrickson, Environmental Scientist VI, SJRWMD.
And be it known that Paul Nosca accepts, collects, manages, or seeks absolutely NO FUNDS or FUNDING for my services on behalf of the Ocklawaha River.
"FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" online petition created June 24, 2016 by Paul Nosca and THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF A RESTORED OCKLAWAHA RIVER!
For Your Information (just some of it) THE NOTABLE PERSONALITIES...
SIGNER NUMBER - SIGNER NAME - DATE SIGNED
1 - Paul Nosca (Conservationist, Outdoorsman, US Veteran) - 2016-06-24
3 - Capt. Erika Ritter (Experienced Outdoors Tour Guide) - 2016-06-24
5 - Tracy Marinello (FDE) - 2016-06-24
31 - Whitey Markle (the late) - 2016-06-25
39 - David Zeigler (Conservationist, Outdoorsman, US Veteran) - 2016-06-25
43 - Steven Noll (Author) - 2016-06-25
44 - Roy "Robin" Lewis (the late) - 2016-06-25
54 - Linda Duever (Environmentalist) - 2016-06-25
79 - Archie Carr III (Son of Marjorie Harris Carr, TURTLE RESEARCHER) - 2016-06-26
84 - Lars Andersen (Experienced Outdoors Tour Guide) - 2016-06-26
119 - Mary Alford, PE (Environmentalist, D politician) - 2016-06-27
120 - Sam Carr (Conservationist, Outdoorsman) - 2016-06-27
151 - Steve Robitaille (FDE) - 2016-06-27
161 - Joe Little (FDE) - 2016-06-27
162 - Ryan Smart (Environmentalist, Friends of Florida) - 2016-06-27
168 - Katie Tripp (MANATEE RESEARCHER) - 2016-06-27
282 - Jim Gross (FDE) - 2016-06-27
614 - James P. Clugston (FL and US STRIPED BASS RESEARCHER) - 2016-06-28
705 - Karen Ahlers (Environmentalist, FDE, PCEC) - 2016-06-28
999 - Fay Baird (Environmentalist, FDE, SJRWMD) - 2016-06-29
1061 - Sandra Kokernoot (Environmentalist, PCEC) - 2016-06-29
1079 - Matt Keene (Adventurer, Environmentalist, Graphics-Video Maker) - 2016-06-30
1126 - Capt. Karen Chadwick (Experienced Outdoors Tour Guide) - 2016-07-01
1128 - Hugh McGillivray (Conservationist, US Veteran) - 2016-07-01
1160 - Chris Spontak (Environmentalist) - 2016-07-01
1183 - Richard A Perry "Rick" (Attorney, D politician) - 2016-07-01
1228 - Jim Stevenson (FDEP, SPRINGS RESEARCHER) - 2016-07-03
1247 - Margaret Tolbert (Artist, Environmentalist, SPRINGS RESEARCHER) - 2016-07-04
1316 - John Moran (Environmentalist, Outdoors Photographer) - 2016-07-10
1365 - Lisa Rinaman (St. Johns Riverkeeper) - 2016-07-11
1367 - Robert Knight "Dr Bob" (SPRINGS RESEARCHER) - 2016-07-11
1395 - Bill Ray (Silver Springs) - 2016-07-13
1661 - James Barkuloo (FL and US STRIPED BASS RESEARCHER) - 2016-08-02
2000 - Harley Means (FDEP, SPRINGS RESEARCHER) - 2017-02-04
2054 - Brigitte Smith (Medical Professional, R politician) - 2017-04-30
2107 - Jane West (Attorney, Environmentalist) - 2017-07-06
2460 - John Blom (Conservationist, Outdoorsman, US Veteran) - 2018-12-17
2500 - Jennifer Carr "Jenny" (FDE, Granddaughter of Marjorie Harris Carr) - 2019-04-30
2678 - Margaret Spontak (Environmentalist) - 2019-09-27
THERE ARE STILL SOME OCKLAWAHA RIVER "CELEBRITIES" THAT HAVE NEVER SIGNED. I can search the petition for anybody's name that you would care to know about. Or you could do it yourself as I freely post the petition's register of names and dates signed from time to time.
Sincerely,
Paul Nosca
Creator and original Administrator of the "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" online petition.
A plaque with a golden GREAT SEAL OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA on it was awarded to me upon the occasion of my retirement in recognition of my "OUTSTANDING AND DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA" by a member of the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund and it was signed by him. My VOLUNTEER work for freeing the Ocklawaha River by the breaching of Rodman Dam is just a continuation of my sincere efforts towards the ecological conservation and rehabilitation of the natural resources of the Great State of Florida.
I am Paul Nosca and I approve of this message.