Central Florida’s Ocklawaha River is one of the nation’s most endangered rivers, according to an environmental group’s 2020 list released Tuesday for the 10 rivers in the U.S. most in trouble or at pivotal junctures.
The 74-mile Ocklawaha begins in Lake County at Lake Griffin and flows north along the Ocala National Forest to the St. Johns River. It provided a steamboat route to one of Florida’s early tourism attractions, Silver Springs, then Florida’s largest spring system.
The American Rivers group included the Ocklawha as one of the 10 most endangered in the U.S. because of the Rodman Dam, built in 1968 and triggering one of Florida’s longest, ongoing environmental conflicts.
“The Ocklawaha River is a Florida treasure, but this obsolete dam is holding back the river’s full potential to revitalize local communities and a healthy environment,” said Erin McCombs, an American Rivers conservation director in the Southeast. “Gov. DeSantis has a historic opportunity to bring the river back to life.”
The dam, part of a failed attempt to build a canal across the state, spurred formation of the Florida Defenders of the Environment, which has fought for removal of the dam for the past 50 years.
The group was low key during the tenure of Gov. Rick Scott, who was viewed widely by environmentalists as one of the state’s least friendly governors to environmental protections.
DeSantis’ campaign for governor included pledges to mend Florida’s ailing waters, which brought a resurgence in Florida Defenders of the Environment efforts.
Near the pulp-mill city of Palataka, Rodman Dam and reservoir have been staunchly defended primarily by proponents of fishing and bass tournaments. The area struggles for jobs and economic growth.
But advocates for getting rid of the dam contend that fishing, wildlife, bird-watching and recreation, as well as the river’s overall health, would be vastly improved.
“Restoration will bring back our native fish like the striped bass, provide habitat for threatened manatees, save the cypress forest and restore a lost blue way for motorboats and paddlers,” said Erika Ritter, who leads boat tours on the Ocklawaha.
The America River’s annual Most Endangered Rivers report is a list of rivers at a crossroads, where key decisions in the coming months will determine the rivers’ fates. This is the Ocklawaha’s first appearance on one of the group’s top-10 lists.
Dam removal wold bring “an unprecedented environmental and economic lift to Northeast Florida during a critical point in our history,” said Lisa Rinaman with the Jacksonville-based St. Johns Riverkeeper environmental group.
The Ocklawaha River forms in Lake County with the outflow of Lake Griffin but the drainage area leading to Lake Griffin includes the badly impaired Lake Apopka in Lake and Orange counties.
Other Florida rivers named in past years are the St Marys, St. Johns, Apalachicola, Peace River, Caloosahatchee and Chattahoochee.
The other nine rivers is this year’s list are the upper Mississippi, lower Missouri, Big Sunflower, Puyallup, South Fork Salmon, Menominee, Rapid Creek, Okefenokee Swamp and Lower Youghiogheny.
kspear@orlandosentinel.com
