Common sense does not require a lot of intelligence but to prevail a bit of will is required. It seems that in Florida our leaders have neither because the Rodman Dam on the Ocklawaha remains as a blight on the river and the government of our state.
Allowing this useless money pit to remain serves no logical purpose and is damaging to our natural treasures.
As seen by the article below, dams can be removed.
Things to know about the Klamath River dam removal project, the largest in US history
The largest dam removal project in U.S. history is underway along the border between California and Oregon
The dam is one of a series of four dams along the Klamath River which are part of the largest dam removal project in United States history. Now underway along the Oregon border, the process won’t conclude until the end of next year with the help of heavy machinery and explosives.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The largest dam removal project in United States history is underway along the California-Oregon border.
The project will remove four dams on the Klamath River. Work has already begun on removing the smallest of the four dams. The other three will come down next year.
The project is part of a larger trend across the U.S. to remove dams blocking the natural flow of rivers and streams. Some things to know as the project gets going:
WHY ARE THE DAMS BEING REMOVED?
HOW WILL THE DAMS BE REMOVED?
There won’t be one giant explosion. Instead, workers will slowly drain the reservoirs behind the dams this spring. Once that work is done, crews will begin dismantling the dams, mostly using heavy machinery and some small explosives.
HOW MUCH WILL THIS COST AND WHO WILL PAY FOR IT?
The project has a $450 million budget, with a $50 million contingency fund. The cost is split between taxpayers and ratepayers of utility company PacifiCorp.
I have been following the whole dam removal process on the Klamath River for several years, and I have wondered so many times, why Florida cannot get this done!! The Rodman Dam absolutely needs to be removed despite what a bunch of bass fishermen think. It is not even a natural place to fish….it is all man made. Opening the Ocklawaha is such a no-brainer that it seems moot to have any further discussion. Manatees, and fish that used to go to the Silver River to reproduce would be the big winners, as well as lots of people who want to get out on the Ocklawaha. Why can’t we get this done??? I personally would like to get involved in educating the average Floridian on this matter. Most people I talk to , here in NW Florida, don’t even know what the Rodman Dam is. Clare Davis