FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Karen Ahlers
Phone: (352) 546-3560
Email:

OCKLAWAHA RIVER YIELD UNCERTAIN GIVEN RECENT TRENDS

1995 Water Supply Study Outdated

A recent study commissioned by the Putnam County Environmental Council, Inc. (PCEC) documented a 36 percent decline in average Ocklawaha River flow at Rodman Dam since 1999 when compared to a long-term average. The study completed by SDI Environmental Services, Inc. (SDI) identified uncertainties in a 1995 St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) study (re-released in 2005 without update) estimate of 107 million gallons per day (mgd) "safe yield" water supply quantity due to recent hydrologic trends. SDI's study indicates too much uncertainty to justify the District using that estimate for current water supply planning purposes.

The average flow in Silver Springs and the Silver River, which provides most of the base flow to the Ocklawaha River, has declined nearly 33 percent since 1999 compared to a long-term average. To protect the "main-stem" of the Ocklawaha River from significant potential environmental impact, in 1995 SJRWMD determined that approximately 760 cubic feet per second (cfs) of flow was needed from Silver Springs. However, since 1999, flow from Silver Springs has averaged only 533 cfs. The SDI study reveals that in 19 of the past 21 years, the average discharge from Silver Springs has fallen below the "protective" flow level. "This makes us question whether any water can be withdrawn from the Ocklawaha River without doing further harm to the ecosystem," says PCEC president Karen Ahlers.

"We've shared the SDI report and met with the District, and they acknowledge the decline in flow and admit 107 million gallons per day may be an overestimate. However, they continue to line up water supply customers for water from the Ocklawaha," says Ahlers. One of SDI's recommendations for future SJRWMD studies was to resolve hydrologic data issues necessary to accurately set minimum flows and levels and determine the "safe yield" of the Ocklawaha River.

John R. Thomas, PCEC's lead attorney on water issues, says "Before people start thinking about taking water out of the Ocklawaha River, someone has to figure out what minimum flow in the Ocklawaha River is needed to protect the natural system and how much flow is needed for the on-going river restoration project." Both Ahlers and Thomas believe SJRWMD and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection need to resolve these issues and restore the river before allocating any water from the Ocklawaha River.

For comprehensive discussion of these issues, please read the recent PCEC report, "Implications of Recent Hydrological Trends on the Safe Yield Estimate for the Oklawaha River."

North Florida Journal: A Discussion

Karen Ahlers, president of PCEC, met for a discussion of the Rodman Reservoir with Dr. Steven Noll, author of Ditch of Dreams: The Cross Florida Barge Canal and the Struggle for Florida's Future (UPF 2009) and Putnam County Commissioner Ed Taylor on the April 22nd episode of North Florida Journal. Click here to watch the video. (Works best to let it download, then replay.) Comments welcomed. Enjoy!

Thanks for your help on behalf of the Putnam County Environmental Council.

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