At the same time exciting new promotions and programs rolled out, something was happening beneath the surface of our beloved Silver Springs. The large catfish that played bread football beneath the glass-bottomed boats disappeared at an alarming rate. Many of the diverse fish found in Ross Allen’s list in his book, “Eternal Spring,” seemed to be missing.

Lots of things got blamed for the fish loss, from otters to raccoons to anhingas. Thousands were spent on catfish restocking, only to hear that big catfish were being caught readily at the end of the line — the Rodman Dam.

Silver Springs is still a magical place but decades later, exotic blue tilapia and armored catfish replaced many of the native fish. The glass-bottomed boat rides shortened from 60 to 30 minutes with less to see below. The once beautiful lime green eelgrass is coated with brown algae. The massive schools of mullet that once grazed on the undesirable algae, keeping the ecosystem in balance, are few.

Silver Springs is not the only casualty from the dam. Breaching 2,000 feet of the Rodman/Kirkpatrick Dam would restore the historic fish and aquatic wildlife migratory path and boat way from the Atlantic Ocean to the St. Johns River up the Ocklawaha to Silver Springs. Connection of this Great Florida Riverway links 50 springs, including the 30 springs of Silver Springs, 20 lost springs of the Ocklawaha, and the Ocklawaha, Silver and St. Johns rivers.

The lower St. Johns River is in trouble, too. Seagrass expert Dr. Bob Virnstein recently shared with the St. Johns River Water Management Board that more than 90% of its eelgrass is gone. These grasses serve as habitat for baby fish and aquatic wildlife and a needed food source for suffering manatees. Additional clear fresh water would help protect the commercial and recreational fish and shellfish industries, knock back saltwater intrusion and create a more sustainable river system.

Resuscitating Silver Springs and unleashing the 20 lost springs of the Ocklawaha River is the largest springs restoration project currently available. It is time to achieve the late Marjorie Harris Carr’s final wish to reclaim the Ocklawaha River, springs, fish, wildlife and thousands of acres of floodplain forest lost for over 50 years.

To find out how you can help to reconnect The Great Florida Riverway, visit https://freetheocklawaha.com.

Margaret Hankinson Spontak is chair of the Free the Ocklawaha River Coalition for Everyone. She lives in Ocala. This column is part of The Sun’s Messages from the Springs Heartland series.