Number: 1998-19
WHEREAS, the Ocklawaha River is one of the oldest, most biologically diverse and most beautiful rivers in Florida and is the largest tributary of the St. Johns River; and
WHEREAS, the Ocklawaha River floodplain forest is among the most structurally complex and species-rich of Florida’s swamps, providing habitat for numerous rare and endangered species; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began construction of the ill-fated Cross Florida Barge Canal in 1964, condemned a corridor of land across the Florida peninsula, and constructed Rodman Dam and Reservoir and Buckman Lock, which converted 16 miles of the Ocklawaha River into an impoundment inundating approximately 9,000 acres of floodplain swamp forest and 20 natural artesian springs that once fed the Ocklawaha River; and
WHEREAS, in 1976 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers abandoned, and in 1990 the United States Congress legislatively deauthorized, the Cross Florida Barge Canal, and, as a result, the Rodman Dam and Reservoir have no official purpose; and
WHEREAS, in 1992 the federal government officially granted all title, rights and interest in former Cross Florida Barge Canal lands to the State of Florida for creation of the Cross Florida Greenway and Recreation Area; and
WHEREAS, Rodman Reservoir has become a shallow, nutrient- enriched impoundment choked with invasive, exotic aquatic weeds, and has experienced massive fish kills due to low dissolved oxygen conditions, requiring expensive and extensive management for aquatic weed control; and
WHEREAS, Rodman Dam and Reservoir continue to be a significant source of mortality of the endangered Florida manatee killed by the Buckman Lock or Rodman floodgates and continue to block passage of manatees into the upper reaches of the Ocklawaha River, including world-famous Silver Springs; and
WHEREAS, Rodman Dam and Buckman Lock substantially block the passage of numerous species of anadromous and other migratory fish, including striped bass, mullet, American eel, shad, sturgeon, and channel catfish, from reaching the upper reaches of the Ocklawaha River, Silver Springs and other springs and tributaries, thereby effectively preventing these anadromous species from reaching important habitat and spawning areas; and
WHEREAS, over 1,100 acres of former forested floodplain wetlands constituting a portion of the Ocala National Forest, including Blue Springs, which, in addition to a large spring pool, had a five-mile spring run down to the Ocklawaha River, would be restored and revert back to the management of the United States Forest Service and be made available for public use and recreation; and
WHEREAS, Rodman Dam and Reservoir now significantly interrupt and block important fish and wildlife movement corridors along both the Ocklawaha River floodplain and between Ocala National Forest and other adjacent and surrounding undeveloped public lands; and
WHEREAS, the Governor and Cabinet of the State of Florida have unanimously voted to drain Rodman Reservoir and dismantle Rodman Dam, and restore the Ocklawaha River; and
WHEREAS, no private lands need be purchased for the restoration of the Ocklawaha, and the original channel of the Ocklawaha River lies virtually intact beneath Rodman Reservoir, making the restoration of the Ocklawaha River extremely cost-efficient and less expensive than continuing to maintain Rodman Reservoir in perpetuity; and
WHEREAS, floodplain or bottomland habitats have been drastically reduced throughout the United States and Southeastern United States with the loss of significant wildlife habitat and this project will restore over 9,000 acres of this habitat; and
WHEREAS, a restored Ocklawaha floodplain will provide public hunting opportunities for species such as deer, turkey and wood duck; and
WHEREAS, restoration of the Ocklawaha River would create a 60-mile river corridor completely in public ownership, which would afford the public increased opportunities for canoeing, camping, hunting, trapping, fishing, hiking, swimming, and other recreational activities; and
WHEREAS, at least four complete federal environmental impact statements and a two-year state evaluation of restoration alternatives have been completed and support the restoration alternative, and necessary state and federal environmental permit applications have been submitted to the appropriate regulatory agencies; and
WHEREAS, a restored Ocklawaha River will also continue to function as a productive recreational fishery, as it was historically prior to construction of the Rodman Reservoir; and
WHEREAS, restoration of the Ocklawaha River has been endorsed by virtually every environmental organization in the state of Florida, as well as virtually every state and federal regulatory and resource agency in the state of Florida;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation in Annual Meeting assembled March 19-22, 1998, in Alexandria, Virginia, urges the Florida Legislature to appropriate funding for the Ocklawaha River Restoration Project as specified in the restoration plan submitted in December 1997 for approval by state and federal regulatory agencies; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation urges the United States Congress to appropriate funding for a federal share of the cost of removing structures constructed as part of the federal Cross Florida Barge Canal project, specifically, the breaching of Rodman Dam and closing of Buckman Lock, and for restoration of the Ocklawaha River Valley and the federal property in the Ocala National Forest; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation urges the United States Forest Service to become a full partner with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and other state and federal agencies and work to ensure that the Ocklawaha River Restoration Project succeeds in restoring the hydrology of the Ocklawaha River and the forested floodplain forests associated with the Ocala National Forest, including the restoration of Blue Springs and other natural artesian springs located on national forest land.