The Controversial History Behind the Rodman Reservoir

[Metro Jacksonville]

The Controversial History Behind the Rodman Reservoir



Metro Jacksonville takes a brief look at the history Cross Florida Barge Canal. A project that created the Rodman Dam and Reservoir while also becoming the largest public works project in America to halted in the middle of construction.

Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2015-feb-the-controversial-history-behind-the-rodman-reservoir

[Josh]

Here's a really good short documentary about Rodman I stumbled across last week.

https://vimeo.com/92451063


Regardless of any of the other issues going on with the river (at either end), it's the right thing for this dam to be removed.

[spuwho]

The book called "Ditch of Dreams" is a great read for those who want to know the history and machinations of the politics around this.

Finehoe posted about the book earlier I believe.

[JohnnyK]

Grant it I know nothing about civil engineering but I'm not so sure if removing the dam now would be a good idea since it has been so many years.  This may actually do more damage to the environment.  How long would that area have to be under construction?  Would it ever be the exact way that it was prior to the dam?  I think the most practical and safe thing would be to just leave it as is unless the dam is deteriorating or is in bad repair and cannot be maintained.  Almost all man made things that block the natural flow of water has issues and need constant work to mitigate those issues to lessen the impact on the environment.  Maybe what the dam needs is to be updated to protect the environment better rather than try and remove it all together?

[urbanlibertarian]

Rodman Dam removal could be another shovel ready project to add to the next federal economic stimulus plan.  Building and later demolishing government projects is a great way to create jobs and stimulate the economy.  You know, like making weapons systems the Pentagon doesn't want.  (insert sarsastic emoji here)

[strider]

Actually, dams are being removed in many parts of the country.  There are documentaries out there talking about the real positives to the river systems seen by returning the areas back to how they were supposed to be not how they were poorly engineered to be.

[spuwho]

It is kind of an odd twist. Tear down something unnatural from 1968 to create something unnatural in 2015.

Remove something made for commerce so we can build something for commerce.

I am sure Putnam County will have something to say about it.

Also I would like to see the statistics that show that breaking the dam will increase net water flow into the St Johns.  The gates on the Kilpatrick Dam are open 24x7x365. As far as aquaculture improvements isnt there a dam bypass that allows fish and other species to enter the Ock without the dam blocking them?

I dont really have any skin in the game. But some of the information bandied around seem strange.

[Josh]

Grant it I know nothing about civil engineering but I'm not so sure if removing the dam now would be a good idea since it has been so many years.  This may actually do more damage to the environment.  How long would that area have to be under construction?  Would it ever be the exact way that it was prior to the dam?  I think the most practical and safe thing would be to just leave it as is unless the dam is deteriorating or is in bad repair and cannot be maintained.  Almost all man made things that block the natural flow of water has issues and need constant work to mitigate those issues to lessen the impact on the environment.  Maybe what the dam needs is to be updated to protect the environment better rather than try and remove it all together?

Breaching the dam would not do any permanent damage to the environment, and as far as dam removals go, it would actually be one of the easiest and cheapest to perform from what I have read. Your point about man-made structures needing constant work to mitigate issues is completely accurate and one of the biggest issues with this dam. Every few years the reservoir is drawn down for vegetation removal due to the fact it is such a poor ecosystem as far as water health goes. There are still issues with fish die offs in the reservoir.

Since they didn't dredge a canal when the dam was put in place, the river actually begins to returns to its original state and the uncovered land attempts to re-vegetate. Updating the dam makes zero sense since the dam is ultimately pointless, and already costs $1M/year in tax revenue just for maintenance. The only way to improve the environment around any dam is to remove it.

Actually, dams are being removed in many parts of the country.  There are documentaries out there talking about the real positives to the river systems seen by returning the areas back to how they were supposed to be not how they were poorly engineered to be.

Yup. See:

http://damnationfilm.com/
http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/70305212

It is kind of an odd twist. Tear down something unnatural from 1968 to create something unnatural in 2015.

Remove something made for commerce so we can build something for commerce.

I am sure Putnam County will have something to say about it.

Also I would like to see the statistics that show that breaking the dam will increase net water flow into the St Johns.  The gates on the Kilpatrick Dam are open 24x7x365. As far as aquaculture improvements isnt there a dam bypass that allows fish and other species to enter the Ock without the dam blocking them?

I dont really have any skin in the game. But some of the information bandied around seem strange.

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/ron-littlepage/2015-01-27/story/ron-littlepage-whats-difference-between-rodman-dam-and

The reservoir covers 9,500 acres. With that much water surface, satellite measurements have shown that 10 million gallons of water a day are lost to evaporation during the cooler months and 60 million gallons a day are lost during the warmer months.

There are also apparently several springs that are now underneath the reservoir and effectively drowned.

I agree that removing the dam as a political bargaining chip for JaxPort and the RiverKeeper is ultimately pretty shitty, and only going to add flames to the fire of the "battered child" that is Putnam County, but it's something that needs to happen. I would prefer that it be removed solely because it is the "right" thing to do, but that seldom is driving force enough for anything environment-related.

[simms3]

Was everything in this article redacted?  Why am I seeing gray over photos and words?

[Josh]

Was everything in this article redacted?  Why am I seeing gray over photos and words?

You need to interact with the survey on the first page to view front page articles on MetroJax now.

[acme54321]

Also I would like to see the statistics that show that breaking the dam will increase net water flow into the St Johns.  The gates on the Kilpatrick Dam are open 24x7x365. As far as aquaculture improvements isnt there a dam bypass that allows fish and other species to enter the Ock without the dam blocking them?

The lake has drowned a lot of springs that were in the watershed.  From what I understand some still flow but others don't due to the increased water pressure on them.  Theoretically the flow rates from the springs would increase.  Also, the reservoir is relatively shallow and warm.  Compared to the cool, shaded river the amount of evaporation is huge. 

As far as a dam that lets fish through.  No there isn't anything to allow fish through but the lock which is basically closed 24/7 unless a random boat comes.  These aren't salmon, fish ladders don't work here.  This dam destroyed the southernmost breeding ground for Stripers.  Now all of the Stripers in the St Johns are released by FWC.  The only time the lock is opened for wildlife is when manatees get into it.

[spuwho]

What about the Eureka Lock and Dam at the other end? A working functional lock that no boats can transit.

[acme54321]

What about the Eureka Lock and Dam at the other end? A working functional lock that no boats can transit.

Eureka was never completed and isn't functional

[spuwho]

Not that it means a whole lot at this point in its life, but it is registered as "complete". Functional is probably something else completely.

Meant to raise the water level through Silver Creek and provide high water back to the planned and never built Ocala Lock.

[acme54321]

Sorry, yes the lock itself is complete but the dam isn't so the lock was never put into service.