At that time, it was one-third complete with approximately $74 million having been spent on land acquisition and construction. In January 1971, President Richard Nixon signed an executive order stopping the Barge Canal. The continued construction of the Cross Florida Barge Canal drew strong opposition from environmental groups. Photo credit: Will Dickey, Florida Times-Union When the impoundment is full, this area is underwater. Stumps line the old river channel on Rodman Reservoir during a drawdown Sunday, Februon the Ocklawaha River in Florida. Remnants of the trees can still be seen today when the lake is drained for maintenance. They effectively bulldozed thousands of acres of trees, burned some and left the rest to be covered by water. What can be seen in pictures of the process was, to put it bluntly, ugly, at best. Army Corps of Engineers began work to create the Cross Florida Barge Canal. The first construction occurred in the 1930s. It is still commonly referred to as “the Rodman.” Originally the earthen dam was called the Rodman, after the nearby plantation, but the name was eventually changed to the George Kirkpatrick Dam to honor a strong political supporter who wanted to retain the dam. Several family-owned fishing camps along the Ocklawaha were displaced when the dam was built. Opposition to the canal construction argued that it would ruin the water quality, ruin the fishing, and ruin the local economy. Johns River and the Ocklawaha River was called the “Bass Capital of the World.” The area around the Palatka region of the St. The area was popular as a fishing destination long before the canal. It is interesting if you go back and look at some of the newspaper stories in the 1940s and ’50s about construction of the canal and the associated dams, locks and resulting water bodies. The canal would save time and keep ships and barges safe from storms and possible enemy attacks. The idea gained momentum during the Depression as an economic recovery program with a national defense twist. Now, the Ocklawaha is part of the ill-fated Cross Florida Barge Canal.Īccording to some historians, the idea of digging a canal across Florida goes back to the 1500’s. Johns River system, it is a complex series of lakes and streams that flow together to become the “River of Lakes.” For instance, the discharge from Silver Springs enters the Silver River, which in turn feeds into the Ocklawaha. GOOD LUCK to FDE and their excellent legal team and thank you for keeping all of us informed as to the goings-on regarding this matter.The Ocklawaha River is the largest tributary in the St. WE WILL SEE HOW THIS LEGAL ACTION PLAYS OUT in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. The United States Forest Service (designated as the "Federal Defendant") Januresponse to this entire litigation is in short, "Federal Defendant denies any allegations of the Complaint, whether express or implied, not specifically admitted, denied, or qualified herein." As far as the USFS is concerned their opinion is that the "Special Use Permit" between FDEP and USFS is still in effect even though it has expired. These two documents are available to the public for viewing on the Florida Defenders of the Environment website. United States Forest Service" "COMPLAINT FOR DECLARATORY AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF" (United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida ) comparing them to the Janu"FEDERAL DEFENDANT'S ANSWER TO PLAINTIFFS' COMPLAINT FOR DECLARATORY AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF" (USFS responses), again PARAGRAPH BY PARAGRAPH (91 numbered plus several unnumbered). TODAY, February 16, 2018, I have carefully, closely, and entirely reviewed the 91 numbered paragraphs (plus the several unnumbered paragraphs between them) - PARAGRAPH BY PARAGRAPH - of the Octo"Florida Defenders of the Environment et al v. An Information, Opinion, & Sources Report
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