Reunite the Rivers

03/24/2026

Thanks to the The Invading Sea for this great article on the benefits of Ocklawaha restoration. Our work to continues.

Advocates say restoring the river would revive lost springs and reshape the region’s ecological future.

03/16/2026

Please join us this Thursday in St. Augustine! Thanks to Spinster Abbott's for inviting our coalition members Erin Handy and Ryan Worthington to discuss the history of the Ocklawaha river and the next steps the Reunite the Rivers coalition will be taking to restore the natural flow of the river and the benefits to the environment, recreational opportunities, and local economies. .

This Thursday! Join us in the taproom to welcome Erin Handy, with Defenders of Wildlife. She and Reunite the Rivers Coalition will talk about the efforts to at long last remove the Rodman Dam and Restore the Ocklawaha River 🏞️🦦🛶

03/12/2026

“The decline of the St. Johns River from the Rodman/Kirkpatrick Dam has been gradual but undeniable. Commercial fishing for catfish, eels, and crabs has nearly disappeared. Eel grass beds have withered. The water has grown darker. In the spring of 2020, long stretches of the St. Johns turned a troubling green, choked with algae from nutrient overload and weakened flow. I urge Senate President Albritton and his fellow state senators to advance and approve SB 1066 to finally let the Ocklawaha run free again — and let the St. Johns breathe again.”

- Sam Carr, President, Bartram Trail Society of Florida & St. Johns River Homeowner

📣 Please, contact Senate President Albritton and your senator today.

03/10/2026

SB 1066 for Ocklawaha restoration has earned a floor vote. A bill this consequential should live or die in the daylight, not be suffocated in backrooms.

Contact Senate President Albritton and urge him to advance and approve SB 1066! https://reunitetherivers.com/contact-your-senator/

03/06/2026

Restore the Ocklawaha! The time is now!

Let's create an advisory committee consisting of local governments, business owners, conservation representatives, fishermen, and state agency representatives to create and implement plans for local economic development, outdoor recreation, and strategies for Ocklawaha restoration.

Florida Senate Bill 1066, "Tributaries of the St. Johns River," does just that and is awaiting a final vote in the Senate - but time is running out to pass this historic legislation. Act now to ask Senate President Albritton to help pass SB 1066! You can send a letter now, here: https://reunitetherivers.good.do/reunitetherivers/SB-1066-SenatePresident/

The text of SB 1066 entitled the “Northeast Florida Rivers, Springs, and Community Investment Act” can be found in the comments below.

This incredible drone footage of the Rodman Dam is by David Schrichte.

03/05/2026

The Northeast Florida Rivers, Springs, and Community Investment Act (SB 1066) will bring economic investment to Putnam and Marion counties.

Line 178 (a) states: "By January 1, 2028, the department shall develop a grant program for river communities in Clay, Marion, Putnam, and St. Johns Counties to implement the outdoor recreation plan."

Line 186 (a) states: "The Department of Commerce shall develop guidelines and processes for an economic development program for Marion and Putnam Counties. The economic development program must support projects that encourage job creation, capital investment, and strengthening and diversification of each county’s economy."

📣 Ask the Senate President to schedule this bill and support economic development for local river communities. https://reunitetherivers.good.do/reunitetherivers/SB-1066-SenatePresident/

03/04/2026

The Florida House has voted YES for Ocklawaha River Restoration.

But the job isn’t finished.

The Senate must vote to approve the Act and time is running out.

📣 Tell the Senate President to schedule a vote and pass the Northeast Florida Rivers, Springs, and Community Investment Act (SB 1066) before it’s too late.

Contact the Senate President TODAY! https://reunitetherivers.good.do/reunitetherivers/SB-1066-SenatePresident/

This legislation will reconnect the Ocklawaha, Silver Springs, and St. Johns River system, strengthen the Florida Wildlife Corridor, and invest in healthier waterways and communities.

The Senate vote is next and your voice matters.

03/02/2026

This decision is happening NOW. The safety of downstream families and the future of the Ocklawaha River are on the line.

📣 Call Senate President Ben Albritton TODAY and urge support for SB 1066. https://reunitetherivers.good.do/reunitetherivers/SB-1066-SenatePresident/

Former FWC Lieutenant and 30-year veteran Bob H. Lee is speaking out about dam safety and real public risk.

In this second video in his series on the Ocklawaha River, he addresses:

⚠️ The structural integrity of the Kirkpatrick (Rodman) Dam.

⚠️ What a catastrophic failure could mean for downstream homes, property, and lives.

Bob spent 13 years as a full-time water patrol officer on the St. Johns and Ocklawaha Rivers. He knows these waters. He knows the risks.

⏳ Don’t wait. Contact Senator Albritton today: https://reunitetherivers.good.do/reunitetherivers/SB-1066-SenatePresident/

https://youtu.be/PlbKLb0HX5Q?si=1B5IMUbDiT3nid_W

My name is Bob H. Lee, and I'm a former lieutenant and 30-year veteran of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. This video is the second in ...

02/27/2026

Great article written by retired U.S. Navy rear admiral and outdoor enthusiast William McQuilkin for The Florida Times-Union: https://www.jacksonville.com/story/opinion/columns/guest/2026/02/25/florida-bill-could-finally-restore-ocklawaha-river-opinion/88843466007/

"Despite the minority of naysayers claiming that it would take 100 years for the forest to recover once the dam is breached, creekside seedlings are emerging from the rich dark soil in the short time that the reservoir has been in drawdown.

If man can just get out of the way and let the river return to its natural historic channel - instead of driving it into a marginalized corner - the waterway will recover."

A local environmental advocate reports progress as Florida lawmakers push to restore the Ocklawaha River by breaching the Rodman Dam.