Florida Legislature Debates Ocklawaha River Restoration

Bill to remove Kirkpatrick Dam and restore natural flow gains momentum

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A renewed effort to remove a portion of the Kirkpatrick Dam and restore the Ocklawaha River to its natural flow in Putman and Marion counties will face its final committee hurdle Thursday in the Florida Senate. Senate Bill 1066, introduced by Sen. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, faces its final stop before arriving on the Senate floor. The House version, by Rep. Wyman Duggan, R-Jacksonville, has already passed through committees unanimously.

Why it matters

Environmentalists say the dam has caused ecological damage to aquatic plant life downstream and prohibits migratory fish from moving freely through the river system. The reservoir and Rodman Recreational Area draw thousands of outdoor tourists and anglers annually. Removing the dam could restore the Ocklawaha River and its floodplain to its natural state, while also potentially reducing the salinity of the St. Johns River with more fresh water flowing in.

The details

The 58-year-old Kirkpatrick Dam holds back 21 billion gallons of water in the Rodman Reservoir on the Ocklawaha, the largest tributary of the St. Johns River. The legislation says removing 2,000 feet of the dam would be enough to return the river to its natural flow. The bill also would create a grant program to assist river communities in Clay, Marion, Putnam, and St. Johns counties to implement new recreation plans.

  • The Florida Senate will consider the bill in its final committee on Thursday.
  • The House version of the bill has already passed through committees unanimously.
  • The legislation would require the state Department of Environmental Protection to complete an implementation plan by July 2027 and finish the project by Dec. 31, 2032.

The players

Sen. Jason Brodeur

The Republican senator from Sanford who introduced Senate Bill 1066 to remove a portion of the Kirkpatrick Dam and restore the Ocklawaha River.

Rep. Wyman Duggan

The Republican representative from Jacksonville who introduced the House version of the bill to remove the dam and restore the river.

Quinton White

A retired 48-year professor of biology and marine science at Jacksonville University and the founding executive director of the school's Marine Science Research Institute, who worked on a report showing the economic benefits of restoring the Ocklawaha River.

Larry Harvey

A Putnam County commissioner and executive director of Save Rodman Reservoir Inc., who opposes the legislation and believes the talk of draining the reservoir is more about politics than protecting the environment.

Linda Myers

A former Putnam County tax collector, former county commissioner, and president of the Great Florida Riverway Trust, who supports the latest proposal to restore the Ocklawaha River.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“It doesn't generate electricity. It doesn't create a source of drinking water. It doesn't have a role in flood control. It was built only to create a big puddle of water for the Cross Florida Barge Canal, which was terminated...because of environmental impacts. So it's an artifact. It's a relic.”

— Rep. Wyman Duggan (Jacksonville Today)

“A very valuable forested wetland system was destroyed when they submerged the land. And that system has a chance now to return. And I think people are going to be surprised at how quickly it happens. Because just within a matter of months you start seeing these trees try to sprout.”

— Quinton White, Retired professor of biology and marine science at Jacksonville University (Jacksonville Today)

“How would you like somebody to be in your backyard telling you what you should do in your area? We don't like it here in Putnam County. We have our citizens (who) want the reservoir...It's our water, it's our environment, and it's our decision to make – not out-of-town legislators who want higher office, and they're doing this just to get elected in purple regions.”

— Larry Harvey, Putnam County commissioner and executive director of Save Rodman Reservoir Inc. (Jacksonville Today)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.