OPINION: The time is now for Ocklawaha River restoration
Silver Springs may become one of the largest inland manatee viewing sites if the Ocklawaha River is restored. [Photo by Alan Youngblood, courtesy Great Florida Riverway Trust, Inc.]
On June 16, the Florida legislature passed its 2025-2026 budget, including funding to initiate Florida’s next great water project—restoration of the Ocklawaha River. This long-awaited, bold step by House and Senate leadership, particularly Sen. Jason Brodeur (R), would provide $6.25 million to kick off a year-long restoration planning process and set a 10-year deadline for the state to fully implement the plan. The final decision resides with Governor Ron DeSantis.
Many state legislators, local leaders and business owners, and fishermen support restoration, including Ocala Mayor Ben Marciano, founder and principal of Hotel and Development Management Group (HDG) Navroz Saju, former Silver Springs Marketing Director Jo Layman and sportsman and Emmy-award winning cinematographer Mark Emery. They recognize that the impact of this project extends far beyond Putnam County.
Restoration of the Ocklawaha helps restore a 217-mile system that includes the Ocklawaha, Silver and the lower St. Johns rivers and 50 springs—the 30 springs of world-famous Silver Springs and 20 more that have been submerged by the waters of the Rodman Reservoir. This Great Florida Riverway is our Everglades. With the governor’s approval, a free-flowing Ocklawaha would unlock substantial benefits for communities, fish and wildlife for a 12-county region of Central and Northeast Florida.
Striped bass are projected to return to Silver Springs after Ocklawaha River restoration. [Photo By Mark Emery, courtesy Great Florida Riverway Trust, Inc.]
Marion County has a major stake in this project. Our beloved Silver Springs, the largest spring in the state, was damaged by the blockage of native fish passage and natural river flow in 1968 when the Rodman/Kirkpatrick Dam was built by the Army Corps of Engineers. Exotic tilapia is now the dominant fish in Silver Springs, outcompeting native fish for resources and causing significant damage to once lush eelgrass beds. Gone is the historic abundance of native fish and wildlife, such as mullet that helped clean the eel grass, giant catfish that were a showstopper for glass-bottomed boat visitors, and many of the species that Ross Allen described in the book “The External Spring.”
There is a lot of misleading information from opponents of restoration. Restoration would generate net benefits for Marion and Putnam County, as well as other communities along the riverway. The Ocklawaha River Restoration: Science and Economics Report, which was developed by a group of subject matter experts and released in January 2025, provides a detailed analysis of existing information that can help ensure future decisions are well informed and in the best interest of the community.
A natural section of the Ocklawaha River. [Photo courtesy Great Florida Riverway Trust, Inc.]
Beyond Silver Springs, fishing in the more than 70-mile-long section of the Ocklawaha River in Marion County has diminished, the Rodman Reservoir’s use has declined and the reservoir is no longer listed on Bassmaster’s top bass fishing spots. Most people do not know that Marion County contains about the same amount of acreage on the reservoir as Putnam County. Most of the lands surrounding the reservoir are state or national conservation lands.
Marion County has strong ties to the Ocklawaha and that provides local leaders an opportunity to engage rather than leave planning a restored river to others. Fortunately, the state legislature’s funding measure provides a clear pathway for local leaders to do just that. Proviso language for the funding directs the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to develop a plan and restore the natural flow of the river by removing an earthen section of the Kirkpatrick Dam. The one-year process would enable our community to plan for boating access and outdoor recreation amenities that would bring even greater benefits to Marion and Putnam counties.
Three key ingredients for success
The Great Florida Riverway Trust, Inc., has long advocated for a three-part approach to Ocklawaha River restoration that improves both river and spring ecosystems, while investing in outdoor recreation and incentivizing related economic activity.
Restoration of the Ocklawaha River, as outlined in the state’s 2017 Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway Plan, is key to recovering the benefits the free-flowing Ocklawaha River once provided our region. Restoration planning, including community input on potential enhancement and expansion of river- and springs-based recreation opportunities, would build on our area’s legacy as a destination for tourism and outdoor experiences. This could include improving boating access and facilities on existing state lands, including county-run facilities, from Buckman Lock to Silver Springs.
The trust also strongly supports a future economic development package for Putnam County to help it fully realize the benefits a restored river will provide. We recognize that this comprehensive approach to restoration would not happen overnight, but with support and engagement of local leaders, we can make significant progress in the coming year.
Call to action
Now is the time to move forward with restoration, something that is inevitable due to the age of the dam and safety concerns, and while thoughtful, visionary leaders are at the helm. Call or email Gov. DeSantis and ask him to approve Ocklawaha River restoration
Recreation map. [Image courtesy Pew Charitable Trust, Inc.]
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