House approves Ocklawaha River restoration plan

Aerial view of the Ocklawaha River during the current drawdown. [Photo by Michael Warren]

The House on Wednesday voted 107-3 in support of a proposal that directs the Department of Environmental Protection to develop a plan for restoring the Ocklawaha River, which is a tributary of the St. Johns River.

As part of the plan (HB 981), the department would be tasked with bringing conditions back to before the waterway was altered by construction of the aborted attempt to create the Cross Florida Barge Canal and its associated projects, including the Kirkpatrick Dam, which is also known as the Rodman Dam.

Last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a similar measure and in January he indicated his position hasn’t changed.

Work on the canal started in the 1960s to create a waterway from Northeast Florida to Yankeetown on the Gulf Coast. The federal government halted the barge canal project in 1971, with the dam and reservoir remaining. Many officials and businesspeople in areas such as Putnam County have fought tearing down the dam because they say the reservoir, known for its fishing, is an economic engine.

Under the House bill, the department would have to develop a plan by July 1, 2027, and have the restoration completed, subject to state and federal funding, by Dec. 31, 2032.

A similar measure in the Senate (SB 1066) awaits an appearance on that chamber’s floor.

Editor’s note: Margaret Spontak of Ocala is executive director of the Great Florida Riverway Trust. The “Gazette” recently published this recap of the current Ocklawaha River drawdown, which is slated to end March 31:  Ocklawaha River drawdown is a major attraction | Ocala Gazette