(5.5) OPINION - "Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca on "Linkedin"
Ocklawahaman Paul Nosca
on
An Information, Opinion, & Photos Report
Compiled by Ocklawahaman Paul Nosca
Created: 01 May 2016
Last Revised: 31 May 2016
Largemouth Bass
Connect with the Ocklawahaman Paul Nosca Linked-In profile at
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-nosca-773a9a8b
"Ocklawahaman" asks: Do You Agree With the Restoration of Florida's Ocklawaha River?
Hello to all -- including those who didn't start bass fishing in Florida over 50 years ago, which I did!
Note that the above rarely-seen-before photo shows the Ocklawaha River at Rodman Dam in September 1968 just before the closure of the earthen dam!
And also view another extremely rare photo taken in September 1968 at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/september-1968-photo-floridas-ocklawaha-river-just-before-nosca?articleId=6131877452680568832#comments-6131877452680568832&trk=prof-post
In those two photos from September 1968 note that it appears that a roadway bridge across the Ocklawaha River channel was most likely buried inside the earthen Rodman Dam!
I have just recently started a project on "Linkedin" to compile a connection of like-minded individuals -- who like me -- earnestly believe in the restoration to free-and-swift-flowing again "Source to the Sea" of Florida's 56-stream-mile Ocklawaha River-Silver River-Silver Springs system which can only be made possible by the breaching of Rodman (Kilpatrick) Dam!
Your FREE "connect" with my "Linkedin" profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-nosca-773a9a8b would help me with this "connection" process.
To all of my friends who currently are employed by the U.S., Florida, or county government and wish not to make public your opinion on this subject, let me assure you that I understand your position. My work for the U.S. goes back as far as President Richard Nixon (who in my opinion we all owe an eternal debt of gratitude -- after all there basically would be no Ocklawaha River left to restore if it wasn't for President Nixon) and I was working for the State of Florida in Tallahassee in 1997 when Governor Lawton Chiles (and the Cabinet) ordered restoration as the established policy.
My readers with public sector jobs might still want to read from time to time -- for the latest Ocklawaha River data -- my various "Ocklawahaman" posts and other writings which started reporting online in 2008. An internet search for "Ocklawahaman" (in double quotes) and almost any Ocklawaha subject that you can think of (e.g., Ocklawaha River, manatees, bass fishing, striped bass, Rodman Dam, canoeing, river gradient, moon's influence on fishing, etc.) will find you several of my reports. I worked in Data Processing for both the U.S. and Florida governments.
Thank you for any of your consideration and time,
Sincerely,
"Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca
NEW as of May 16,2016: An online petition to the St. Johns River Management District and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection may be "in the works" soon for individuals to express their support for the restoration to free-flowing again of the 56-stream-mile Ocklawaha River-Silver River-Silver Springs system (with the breaching of Rodman [Kirkpatrick] Dam).
When I know more about this FREE online petition -- I am NOT writing it -- I will endeavor to spread the word! Maybe you can do so also?
SOME MORE INFORMATION
According to “Technical Publication SJ2016-1” entitled “Effects on Lower St. Johns River Nutrient Supply and TMDL Target Compliance from the Restoration of a Free-Flowing Ocklawaha River” by John Hendrickson of SJRWMD http://www.sjrwmd.com/technicalreports/pdfs/TP/SJ2016-1.pdf:
It seems that the ONE OFFICIAL REASON -- up until now -- for the SJRWMD not to offer to approve the Ocklawaha River restoration permit submitted in 1999 by the agency now known as FDEP has been the prediction of excessive algal bloom growth in the St. Johns River north of Palatka because of the expected (by 1999 science) 30-metric-ton phosphorus load per year of a free-flowing Ocklawaha River. Now, however, newer science and data by SJRWMD only predicts an average increase of about 8 metric-tons of phosphorus per year (which may be offset in the St. Johns River by other mitigation measures).
I would think that we would eventually be online petitioning (FREE or nearly so) SJRWMD to offer to approve FDEP's Ocklawaha River restoration permit BECAUSE the ONE OFFICIAL REASON (algal bloom growth in the SJR from the increased phosphorus load from a restored Ocklawaha) is now predicted to be a much smaller problem that may be offset by other measures. And FDEP should express to SJRWMD that they still would like their permit approved -- so that FDEP can begin the Ocklawaha River restoration (breaching Rodman [Kirkpatrick] Dam) which has been Florida's established policy since 1997.
For more historical background information regarding this ONE OFFICIAL REASON read this archived newspaper article from July 2000, "OCKLAWAHA RIVER -- Governor: Dam removal not immediate" at:
"Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca
Striped Bass
The restoration to free-and-swift-flowing again "Source to the Sea" of Florida's 56-stream-mile Ocklawaha River-Silver River-Silver Springs system would also allow the STRIPED BASS of the St. Johns River basin to once-again make spawning runs in that Ocklawaha River-Silver River-Silver Springs system!
End.