JULY FOCUS

St. Johns River and our Estuaries

Free the Ocklawaha River Coalition: Featured Member of the Month

“Restoring the Ocklawaha is bigger than the Ocklawaha — it would help restore the St. Johns River Estuary." - Lisa Rinaman, St. Johns Riverkeeper.

St. Johns Riverkeeper

The mission of St. Johns Riverkeeper is to defend the St. Johns River and advocate for its protection. We envision a clean and healthy River for current and future generations. St. Johns RIVERKEEPER is a privately-funded, independent and trusted voice for the St. Johns River and the public to whom it belongs. We are a 501(c)(3) environmental advocacy organization and rely on the support of our members, donors, and volunteers to accomplish our mission. Learn more at StJohnsRiverkeeper.org.

Benefits to the St. Johns River:

  • Water Quality - Restoring over 15,000 acres of forested wetlands will greatly enhance bio-filtration and improve the ecological function of the St. Johns River Ecosystem.
  • Dilution of Increased Salinity - Restoring the natural flow of the Ocklawaha River to the St. Johns River will offset a portion of the increased tidal force from the dredging that will push the saltwater wedge further upstream by adding 150 million gallons of water per day.
  • Habitat Connectivity - Restoring natural migration patterns by allowing eel and migratory Atlantic fish, like shad, striped bass, channel catfish and mullet, to access the upper parts of the river and Silver Springs. Bring back wildlife, such as black bears and the endangered manatee by restoring land and water connectivity and providing additional habitat.
  • Expansion of Recreation Opportunities - In addition to providing greater unique outdoor experiences including, kayaking, nature-based boat tours, and nature photography, the freeing the Ocklawaha River will benefit Silver Springs (the largest spring system in the St. Johns River Watershed and a major recreational haven) which is currently impaired from nutrient pollution and a severe reduction in flow.

Learn more through our virtual presentations and updates!

Facebook LIVE Update

Free the Ocklawaha!

Visit FreetheOcklawaha.com to explore all the regional benefits to the St. Johns River of this critical restoration project. We are proud to be a Free the Ocklawaha Coalition partner. Join the movement by taking action today! 1) Help us reach our goal of 10,000 signatures. Sign up to show your support for a free-flowing Ocklawaha. freetheocklawaha.com/signup 2) Follow Free the Ocklawaha to stay in the know on all Ocklawaha-related news. 3) Already done these? SHARE with yours friends!

Posted by St. Johns Riverkeeper on Thursday, July 23, 2020

Don’t Feed the Algae: Free the Ocklawaha Webinar

How will restoring the Ocklawaha help algae blooms in the St. Johns River? Find out by watching St. Johns Riverkeeper’s latest Don’t Feed the Algae Series Webinar.

Free the Ocklawaha and the St. Johns River

WATCH an informative video from your St. Johns Riverkeeper, Lisa Rinaman about the importance of restoring the Ocklawaha (the largest tributary of the St. Johns) as a free-flowing River. Why should we care? Find out more from Lisa!