The Shields Painting Difference: Perfection with Every Brush Stroke
Many painting companies in Florida rely on flashy marketing and big promises to try and attract new clients. But when it comes time to work, they fall short of their promises. This is often due to a lack of experience, qualified painters, and a drive to overachieve. At Shields Painting, we do things a little differently than other painting companies in Citrus County. We believe that a professional paint job should be as close to perfect as possible. Our goal is to leave you 100% satisfied, whether we're touching up an old residential paint job or performing a complex commercial project. It might sound simple, but we achieve that goal through honesty, hard work, beautiful results, and reasonable pricing.
As a family-owned and operated painting company in Ocklawaha, FL, we strive to provide personalized, professional, and friendly service. Shields Painting has been in business since 1968 for a good reason. Whenever possible, we go the extra mile to make sure our customers are happy. Unlike some of our competition, we want to know all about your house or business painting project: your vision, your preferences, your challenges, and your goals. When we understand your needs, we can present you with a fantastic final product - one that you're proud to show off to friends and neighbors.
At Shields Painting, we combine our extensive experience with time-tested, meticulous painting processes, resulting in the highest quality painting results around. As a painting contractor in Citrus County, we can take on a variety of residential, commercial, and industrial projects in Florida.
A few of our most popular painting services include:
- Interior Painting
- Exterior Painting
- Residential Painting
- Commercial Painting
- Cabinet Painting
- Ceiling Painting
- Fence Painting
- Sign Painting
- MUCH More!
Our commercial, industrial, and residential painting contractors take the proper steps to protect your property and belongings while we work. Our team will clean up after ourselves, so your property is left clean and free of debris when we're done. After all, we think there's only one way to do a job, and that's the right way.
Painting Services

Eco-friendly & clean work area.

PDCA Certified Member.

Your Go-To House Painting Company in Ocklawaha, FL
Your home is a haven of relaxation and solitude. It is uniquely you - a place where you can express who you are through style and design. Whether you need interior touch-ups for your crown molding or a new exterior coat of paint, hiring a reliable painting contractor is the best way to get quality results.
At Shields Painting, we know how important it is to have a home that highlights your tastes and personality. That's why we offer an extensive array of residential painting services in Citrus County. As tempting as it might be to try a DIY paint job, without the proper skills and experience, there is a good chance that the results will turn out less than satisfactory.
High-quality painting requires skill, experience, and patience. If you're a homeowner who needs residential painting services but doesn't have the time, patience, or skills to handle the job, look no further than Shields Painting. We offer accuracy, precision, and longevity with each paint job we perform. Our customers choose Shields Painting for their home because they receive:
- Free Quotes with Detailed Project Breakdowns
- Affordable Pricing
- Expert Painting Contractors
- High-Quality Paint Products
- Combo of Traditional and Modern Techniques
- Well-Maintained Tools
- Unmatched Craftsmanship
- Friendly, Personalized Service
- Good Old-Fashioned Hard Work!
The majority of our house painting services come in two forms: interior and exterior.
Interior Residential Painting
As an interior painting contractor with decades of experience, our expert technicians have developed an interior painting process that maximizes quality and emphasizes customer satisfaction. We understand that interior painting goes beyond aesthetics. It protects your ceilings and walls and helps you sustain a healthier place to live for your family. When only the finest craftsmanship will do inside your home, Shields Painting is here for you.
Our seasoned team of painting experts and craftsmen is dedicated to respecting your space and providing you with the look and feel you're craving inside your home. Whether you bought a new house and want to make it your own or need minor touch-ups but have no time, Shields Painting is ready to tackle the job, no matter how small or large.
Unlike some painting companies, our interior house painters take the time to get the details right, every time. For instance, color is only one aspect of your interior paint job. The paint sheen or finish is just as important. Certain finishes are better for living rooms and bedrooms than in kitchens and bathrooms. We'll help you find the right finish and paint colors for your home, so you don't have to worry about touch-ups or repainting.
Some of our most popular interior house painting services include:
- Ceiling Painting
- Popcorn Ceiling Removal
- Living Room Painting
- Bathroom Painting
- Basement Painting
- Color Consultations
- More

Cabinet Painting
Citrus County cabinet painting deserves its own section on this page because it requires more time, skill, and quality paint than most sections of your home. If your home's cabinets are built into its woodwork, replacing them can be obnoxiously expensive. Compared to the cost of installing new cabinets, painting your kitchen cabinets is much more affordable.
At Shields Painting, we specialize in transforming old cabinets into new, gorgeous features that are just as usable as they are beautiful. Each step of our cabinet painting process is meticulous and thorough. And we'll take care of the entire job, from cleaning, prep, and sanding to priming, painting, and reassembly. This unique service lets you enjoy a brand-new look in your kitchen without having to go into debt by replacing your cabinets.
Whether your cabinets are new, but you want to change their color or you'd like to transition wood cabinets to a painted finish, Shields Painting has the expertise and experience to give you a new look you'll love.

Exterior Residential Painting
Your home - it's a place that not only keeps your belongings safe. It protects your family and loved ones, too. It's one of your largest investments, and like anything else of value, it should be protected. However, Florida weather can take a toll on your home's structure and paint, lowering your home's value and even putting your family at risk.
While it's true that a beautiful exterior affects your house's value, it shouldn't take thousands of remodeling dollars to make a positive change to your home. There's a fine line between reasonable pricing and top-quality painting, and that sweet spot is what Shields Painting aims for. If you want to transform how your friends and neighbors see your home, never underestimate the power of a professional paint job.
Our exterior residential painting services are designed to boost curb appeal, give your home a fresh look, and help it stand up to Florida's unique weather. But we provide more than that. When you hire Shields Painting for your outdoor painting project, you will enjoy peace of mind in knowing that your home is in truly capable hands. Our goal is to exceed your expectations and help bring out the best in your property, whether you need to re-stain your deck or remove old, peeling paint from your siding.
If you're on the hunt for the very best exterior painting contractor in Ocklawaha, FL, look no further than Shields Painting.
Some of our most popular exterior house painting services include:
- Vinyl Siding Painting
- Deck Painting and Staining
- Stucco Exterior Painting
- Wood Exterior Painting
- Porch Painting and Staining
- Soffit Painting
- Fascia Painting
- Window Painting
- Front Door Painting
- Thorough Painting Prep
- More

The Premier Commercial Painting Company in Ocklawaha, FL
When it comes to first impressions, your businesses' appearance plays an important role. Your commercial property's paint job factors into its overall aesthetics. A great-looking, well-maintained paint job can mean the difference between a customer walking in your storefront and passing by. Conversely, an old, worn-out commercial paint job can send the wrong message to prospective customers. If you can't take the time to keep up your property's appearance, why would a customer spend their hard-earned money on your products?
The same goes for your businesses' interior paint. Would you want to do business with a company that has peeling paint or unsightly crown molding? At Shield's Painting, our goal is to create a beautiful environment that your customers and employees will love inside and out. When you work with our business painters, you can rest easy knowing we treat your business like it were our own. We always clean up after ourselves and know that operations cannot come to a halt just because we're painting. As such, we'll work with your busy schedule to ensure the job gets done right the first time without disrupting your day-to-day commitments.
With decades of commercial painting experience, we know the demands of a commercial painting project necessitate a disciplined and focused approach from the start. Our team of business painters is committed to delivering quality, on-time results on every project, every time - no excuses

We offer professional business painting services to a variety of building types, including:

01
Industrial Painting
A high level of care and finesse are required to effectively paint an industrial property. At Shields Painting, we know that industrial paint jobs involve much more than aesthetics. That's why our industrial services are customized to your specifications, using industrial-grade materials that stand up to heavy-duty operations.
02
Retail Store Painting
Our commercial painters apply effective, yet appealing interior and exterior paint that stand up to the daily rigors of busy retail environments.


03
Small Business Painting
Do you own a restaurant franchise? Have a small "mom and pop" location that needs a fresh coat of paint? Shields Painting has the resources and reliability to efficiently get the job done the first time. That way, you can focus on serving your customers, not having your business repainted.
04
Healthcare Location Painting
From walk-in clinics to long-term care facilities, Shields Painting is sensitive to your patients' needs. We know you must protect your patient's privacy while maintaining productivity. Our approach to healthcare location painting centers around your schedule to avoid disruptions in care.


05
Apartment Complex Painting
Erase signs of wear and make your apartment complex or multi-family building a more desirable place to live with a stunning, professional paint job.
Florida's Most Trusted Painting Contractor
Shields Painting has been in the business since 1968. In a world where so much has changed, we are proud to uphold the ideals that make us successful: hard, honest work, getting the job done right, and excellent customer service. Providing you with trustworthy, quality work will always take priority over rushing through a project to serve the next customer. That is just not the way we choose to do business.
As professionals dedicated to perfection, we strive to provide a unique painting experience for every customer - one that focuses on their needs and desires instead of our own. Whether you need residential painting for your home or commercial painting for your business, we encourage you to reach out today to speak with our customer service team. Whether you have big ideas about a new paint project or need our expertise and guidance, we look forward to hearing from you soon.

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Latest News in Ocklawaha, FL
Area public relations and communications professionals honored
Chronicle Onlinehttps://www.chronicleonline.com/weeklies/levy_county_citizen/local_news/area-public-relations-and-communications-professionals-honored/article_49e03b25-dfeb-5071-857e-c6c8fa02d27f.html
OCALA — The Free the Ocklawaha River Coalition, led by its founder and longtime local environmentalist Margaret Spontak, has been named the 2022 Wilton F. Martin Institutional Communicator of the Year for efforts to reconnect the Ocklawaha River to the Silver and St. Johns rivers and Silver Springs.The three-year-old organization was honored by the Ocala Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association at the annual Mid-Florida Image and Communicator of the Year Awards which took place Wednesday, April 13, at the Marion Theat...
OCALA — The Free the Ocklawaha River Coalition, led by its founder and longtime local environmentalist Margaret Spontak, has been named the 2022 Wilton F. Martin Institutional Communicator of the Year for efforts to reconnect the Ocklawaha River to the Silver and St. Johns rivers and Silver Springs.
The three-year-old organization was honored by the Ocala Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association at the annual Mid-Florida Image and Communicator of the Year Awards which took place Wednesday, April 13, at the Marion Theatre. Founded in 1938, FPRA is the oldest professional association of public relations practitioners in the nation.
Recognizing that their work is ongoing until the Ocklawaha is “finally set free,” Spontak and Free the Ocklawaha’s efforts were lauded for “dramatically increasing the public interest, awareness, engagement, and support” needed to reunite the rivers.
The Communicator of the Year award honors institutions and individuals who have demonstrated excellence in strategic communications to improve the quality of life in Marion and Citrus counties. It is named in memory of the late Wilton F. Martin, native Ocalan and the Association’s co-founder.
NPR’s Joe Byrnes, a versatile and veteran reporter and editor for the Star-Banner and Gainesville Sun before joining WMFE in 2020, received the Wilton F. Martin Individual Communicator of the Year for his “unrelenting commitment to quality journalism … reporting, distilling, and communicating the most complex topics with uncommon clarity and color.”
Additionally, 14 Image awards were presented to public relations professionals from Marion, Lake, Volusia and Flagler counties. FPRA’s Image Awards and the state Golden Image competition have become the standard of public relations excellence throughout Florida, honoring the very best in public relations innovations, planning and design.
This year’s big winners were Jen Pagh, Scott Schroeder, APR, CPRC, and Matias Raby of Liquid Creative who received the Grand All Image Award in the digital tools of public relations division in the external video category for their Straight Line Construction video, which also earned an Image Award and Judges Award. Also, in the digital tools division website category, the team won an Image Award and Judges Award for rebuilding Straight Line Construction’s website. Lastly, in the public relations programs division promotional marketing category, they picked up an Award of Distinction for a comprehensive marketing strategy for Straight Line Construction.
Additional winners:
Beverly Brown and Taylor College won a Judges Award in digital tools of public relations division social media category for Taylor College Facebook Engagement Plan.
Rachel Cote and the College of Central Florida won an Award of Distinction and Judges Award in the digital tools of public relations website category for the College of Central Florida website redesign.
Heather Danenhower, APR, CPRC, and Duke Energy won an Image Award in the public relations programs division internal category for Duke Energy’s Power Plant Worker Appreciation Day Campaign.
Mary Dorn, APR, and Cindi Lane, APR, won an Award of Distinction and Judges Award in the public relations programs division special events category for the Volusia/Flagler Chapter of FPRA Media Day at Daytona International Speedway.
Savannah Silliman, Pamela Calero Wardell, and Andy Stracuzzi won an Award of Distinction and Judges Award in the public relations collateral brochure category for the Ocala Symphony’s 46th Season brochure.
FPRA is dedicated to developing public relations practitioners who, through ethical and standardized practices, enhance the public relations profession in Florida. Today there are more than 1,000 professional, at-large and student members throughout the state and country. The FPRA Ocala Chapter was established in 1980.
For more information about the chapter, go to www.fpraocala.org.
Student achievement, professional honors and more: Good news in Ocala/Marion County
The Star Bannerhttps://www.ocala.com/story/news/2022/04/23/checkout-these-achievements-and-good-deeds-ocala-florida/7393765001/
Ocala Star-BannerArea students excel in higher educationMallory Ivers, Ocala, was recently initiated into the Honor Society ofAleigh Papagno, Belleview, a senior at Bob Jones University pursuing a bachelor of keyboard performance degree, was admitted to the masters degree program in Piano Performance/Pedagogy at Ohio University.Biscuits, gravy and Monster Omelettes:...
Ocala Star-Banner
Area students excel in higher education
Mallory Ivers, Ocala, was recently initiated into the Honor Society of
Aleigh Papagno, Belleview, a senior at Bob Jones University pursuing a bachelor of keyboard performance degree, was admitted to the masters degree program in Piano Performance/Pedagogy at Ohio University.
Biscuits, gravy and Monster Omelettes:In Belleview, Mary's Place is like home. Maybe better.
Local controversy:Marion School Board member Don Browning speaks out, says he feels 'harassed and bullied'
Infinite Ale Works to the rescue:Will turn ex-Ocala fire station into restaurant, brewery
Seniors 4Newborns donate baby supplies to AdventHealth Midwives of Ocala
Seniors 4Newborns, a nonprofit Ocala charity, donated baby supplies to AdventHealth Midwives of Ocala on April 8, according to an email from Frances Morrison.
The organization filled 100 layette boxes with crocheted sweaters, hats, baby blankets, onesies, receiving blankets, toys and diapers.
Since 2010 the 20 ladies of Seniors 4Newborns have donated 1,305 layettes, the email said. The organization thanked the Belk Charity Sales for its fundraiser.
Dunnellon Community Thrift Shop donates to Food4Kids program and local food pantries
Dunnellon Community Thrift Shop volunteers Kim Hatfield and Vickie Witt recently presented a $500 check to Christine Avina and Pat Chapman, representatives of the Food4Kids program, a press release from the thrift shop said.
The program, which provides weekend food packages for children who are deemed food insecure, is currently operating through the Boys & Girls Club of Marion County, which distributes the bags of food every Friday, the release said.
The thrift shop also presented $500 checks to the food pantries at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and Holy Faith Episcopal Church.
Area public relations and communications professionals honored
The Free the Ocklawaha River Coalition, led by its founder and longtime local environmentalist, Margaret Spontak, has been named the 2022 Wilton F. Martin Institutional Communicator of the Year for efforts to reconnect the Ocklawaha River to the Silver and St. Johns rivers and Silver Springs, according to a press release from the
Florida Public Relations Association.
NPR’s Joe Byrnes, a versatile and veteran reporter and editor for the Star-Banner and Gainesville Sun before joining WMFE in 2020, received the Wilton F. Martin Individual Communicator of the Year for his “unrelenting commitment to quality journalism … reporting, distilling, and communicating the most complex topics with uncommon clarity and color,” the release said.
Additionally, 14 Image awards were presented to public relations professionals from Marion, Lake, Volusia and Flagler counties.
Jen Pagh, Scott Schroeder and Matias Raby of Liquid Creative received the Grand All Image Award in the digital tools of public relations division in the external video category for their Straight Line Construction video, which also earned an Image Award and Judges Award.
In the digital tools division website category, the team won an Image Award and Judges Award for rebuilding Straight Line Construction’s website. In the public relations programs division promotional marketing category, they picked up an Award of Distinction for a comprehensive marketing strategy for Straight Line
Construction
Additional winners:
Send items to calendar@starbanner.com
Guest column: Time has come to remove Rodman Dam and restore the Ocklawaha
Lisa Rinamanhttps://www.jacksonville.com/story/opinion/columns/guest/2022/01/16/guest-column-time-now-remove-rodman-dam-restore-ocklawaha/8975520002/
Guest columnistThe St. Johns River runs through the heart of Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, shaping our lives and driving our economy. Our river is also one of Florida’s most productive estuaries and the nursery grounds for numerous species of commercially harvested fish and shellfish we love to eat.Shrimp spawn offshore, but once their eggs hatch, the larvae migrate back to the ideal habitat of the St. Johns estuary to grow and mature. As a result, commercial and sport shrimpers enjoy the river’s bounty betwee...
Guest columnist
The St. Johns River runs through the heart of Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, shaping our lives and driving our economy. Our river is also one of Florida’s most productive estuaries and the nursery grounds for numerous species of commercially harvested fish and shellfish we love to eat.
Shrimp spawn offshore, but once their eggs hatch, the larvae migrate back to the ideal habitat of the St. Johns estuary to grow and mature. As a result, commercial and sport shrimpers enjoy the river’s bounty between Jacksonville and Palatka.
Blue crabs, the largest fishery in the river, release their eggs in the marine waters near the mouth of the river. Wind and tides will eventually carry the larvae upstream where they will find refuge in the submerged grasses that will nurture them. During the warmer months, blue crabs reach as far south as Lake George.
The St. Johns’ delicate tidal balance of salt and freshwater has historically enabled healthy underwater grasses to thrive, providing critical habitat for fresh and saltwater species that have attracted sportsmen from near and far.
Now our thriving estuary and fishing economy are at risk. Due to overuse of our aquifer, dredging and increasing saltwater intrusion, the St. Johns’ underwater grasses are disappearing, the cypress forest wetlands are stressed and fish habitat is vanishing within the St. Johns River estuary from Welaka to Palatka to Jacksonville.
The loss of our river’s submerged grasses also increase the threat of toxic blue green algae and increase flood risk throughout the lower St. Johns.
More than 50 years ago, the Rodman Dam (now known as the Kirkpatrick Dam) was built across the Ocklawaha River, the largest tributary of the St. Johns, as part of the failed Cross Florida Barge Canal. This resulted in the clearing and flooding of approximately 7,500 acres of floodplain forest, while submerging over 20 springs beneath a massive pool of water that significantly reduced freshwater flow to the St. Johns.
The boondoggle canal project was eventually halted by the federal government, but the dam remains in place after all these years.
The good news is that we have an opportunity to finally breach the dam and allow the Ocklawaha to run free, once again. By reuniting the natural connection of Silver Springs, the Ocklawaha River and the St. Johns, we can restore more than 150 million gallons of fresh water a day to our estuary, improve water quality, offset saltwater intrusion and restore habitat for fish and wildlife in the Lower St. Johns River.
A free-flowing Ocklawaha will also restore a lost migratory pathway used by numerous fish species that migrated between the Ocklawaha River and the South Atlantic Bight. Many species historically migrated far up the St. Johns and into the Ocklawaha River to feed and reproduce, including American shad, striped bass, American eel and mullet.
Unfortunately, the construction of the dam across the Ocklawaha severed this migratory pathway and fish populations in Silver Springs have sharply declined.
Few efforts to restore Florida’s biological wealth hold the prospect for such far-reaching benefits including making Northeast Florida more resilient from Welaka to Palatka to Jacksonville.
The science is clear and there is overwhelming public support based on the St. Johns River Water Management Survey conducted in October 2021, where more than 85 percent of the participants expressed a desire to restore the Ocklawaha River.
The time has come to finally restore the largest tributary of our St. Johns River and together, we can unleash the significant ecological and economic benefits of a free-flowing Ocklawaha.
To help save the St. Johns and free the Ocklawaha, visit StJohnsRiverkeeper.org.
Lisa Rinaman, St. Johns Riverkeeper
Over 85% of survey respondents favor breaching the Kirkpatrick Dam, restoring Ocklawaha
Danielle Johnsonhttps://www.ocala.com/story/news/environment/2021/11/10/most-florida-stakeholders-favor-breaching-kirkpatrick-dam-survey-says/6360345001/
Initial results from an online public survey about the future of the Kirkpatrick Dam, Rodman Reservoir and Ocklawaha River were announced on Tuesday, revealing that a majority of the 10,482 respondents favor breaching the dam and restoring a free-flowing river.Led by the Free the Ocklawaha Coalition for Everyone, advo...
Initial results from an online public survey about the future of the Kirkpatrick Dam, Rodman Reservoir and Ocklawaha River were announced on Tuesday, revealing that a majority of the 10,482 respondents favor breaching the dam and restoring a free-flowing river.
Led by the Free the Ocklawaha Coalition for Everyone, advocates hope that the survey results will help in their years-long effort to partially remove the dam and restore the Ocklawaha River and connecting bodies of water.
The St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) launched the month-long survey in September to collect feedback from community members and stakeholders on the Kirkpatrick Dam and Rodman Reservoir “to help inform future key decisions regarding the best path forward,” whether continued operation or an alternative restoration effort.
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Of over 10,000 responses, 86.5% favor restoration of the Ocklawaha
SJRWMD recently released 251 pages of raw responses, which the Florida Department of Environmental Protection plans to analyze.
In the meantime, Free the Ocklawaha and other advocates announced the results of a volunteer professional data analyst’s preliminary assessment during a public comment period at the district's governing board meeting on Tuesday.
“I watched the process happen,” SJRWMD's Chris Peterson said in a video recap from Free the Ocklawaha, calling it “an ample opportunity for fair feedback for all the stakeholders in the area and from the world."
“To get over 10,000 responses as to what we should do, it’s exciting that we were able to hear from so many people in a fair and very civil manner because it has been contentious in the past,” he said.
The survey asked respondents in what ways they use the dam and reservoir, what they would like to see happen, what supporting information they have, and what concerns they have if the desired outcome is not achieved.
Of the 9,793 individuals who answered what they would like to see happen with the Rodman Reservoir and Kirkpatrick Dam moving forward, 86.5% indicated they were in favor of breaching the dam and restoring a free-flowing Ocklawaha River.
Only 5.9% of respondents supported retaining the dam and reservoir, while the remainder did not express a clear position.
“I think the survey results are a reflection of us trying to bring people together because the results in Putnam and Marion were so encouraging,” Free the Ocklawaha Chair Margaret Spontak said on Wednesday. “We've got people talking about what this could look like and what could make it even better for users of all types from fisherman to paddlers to hikers, mountain bikers.”
A press release detailed that survey responses came from 66 of Florida’s 67 counties, and 1,327 responses, or 17.23%, came from stakeholders out of state.
Restoration would consider concerns and provide recreation infrastructure
In Marion County, whose northern edge borders the dam and reservoir, 75.3% of respondents favored restoration, and 15.6% favored maintaining the dam. In Putnam County, bordering Marion to the north, 63.6% favored restoration and 19.5% opposed.
Spontak says those who favor retaining the dam do so primarily for the fishing and recreation it provides, so they’ve made sure to incorporate these concerns into potential restoration plans.
Potential legislation would also have funding for priority recreation infrastructure for Marion and Putnam counties and an economic package for Putnam.
“When the river is restored, you'll have more banks, so you'll have 16 miles of banks, so that will create more spots for bank fishing, hiking, camping,” she said. “ We really want the recreation infrastructure to take into consideration both bank and shore fishermen.”
Spontak says there are many positive benefits of restoring the Ocklawaha, including providing better fish migration routes and suitable manatee habitats, improving water quality, restoring 7,500 acres of wetland forest and a wildlife corridor and recovering 20 springs drowned by the dam.
“The survey results show the public understands that this is a win-win-win proposal of restoration,” Chris Farrell, Northeast Florida policy associate for Audubon Florida, said at the meeting, according to Free the Ocklawaha's video. “It greatly improves our environment, recreation and economy along this great Florida riverway, so we’re excited about the future.”
Advocates are awaiting state funds for restoration
Among other steps, the partial restoration of the Ocklawaha would include removal of a portion of the earthen dam, restoration of Deep Creek and the Camp Branch channel and floodplain, closure of the Buckman Lock and partial filling of the spillway to bring the reservoir and the river to the same level.
The dam, which was completed in 1968, is “in a bad state of repair,” SJRWMD Chair Douglas Burnett said at the meeting, noting upgrades could cost $8.5 million to $12 million, but he challenged the board to look into it.
While the district oversees the permit for restoration and the FDEP would oversee the efforts, the Florida Legislature must first appropriate funds to move the project forward.
Spontak says many legislators were awaiting the survey results, so the current and future assessments may help finally spur the restoration.
"I feel like this is the year we're going to make this happen,” she said. “We're seeing a lot of people cross over, people talking to one another, which wasn't happening before. We've got support, I think non-partisan support.”
Contact reporter Danielle Johnson at djohnson@gannett.com.
'A dam shame': Taking down Rodman Reservoir financially beneficial, budget watchdog says
Steve Pattersonhttps://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/environment/2022/02/17/florida-taxwatch-supports-taking-down-dam-rodman-reservoir/6803706001/
A government watchdog group is recommending that Florida breach Putnam County’s Rodman dam and restore the Ocklawaha River’s natural flow to the St. Johns River.“To do otherwise would be a dam shame,” concluded ...
A government watchdog group is recommending that Florida breach Putnam County’s Rodman dam and restore the Ocklawaha River’s natural flow to the St. Johns River.
“To do otherwise would be a dam shame,” concluded a report that Florida TaxWatch released Tuesday endorsing an idea that environmental activists have championed for decades.
The report, which encourages state lawmakers to fund what’s called partial restoration of the Ocklawaha, bolsters calls from activists who this month produced polling reporting that 77 percent of likely voters in Putnam and Marion counties supported breaching the dam, which is about a half-century old and needs maintenance.
“At some point the state will have to ‘fish or cut bait’ and decide the future of the Kirkpatrick Dam and Rodman Reservoir. Florida TaxWatch thinks that time is now,” said the report, using the state’s formal name for the dam.
The dam, which blocks the Ocklawaha from reaching the St. Johns near Palatka, was built as part of a cross-state barge canal that was never completed because of its environmental impact.
But a core of defenders long ago embraced the dam and reservoir, which bass fishermen prize as prime fishing ground.
TaxWatch, maybe most visible through its yearly list of budget “turkeys” that bypass conventional state-funding requirements, argued that restoration would bring greater economic benefits that the reservoir, whose impact it priced at $6.6 million yearly.
Restoring the river by slowly drawing down the reservoir and creating a gap in the dam “stands to add an annual benefit of $9.1 million upon completion of the project,” said the report. The report also noted projections in a pro-restoration report that the number of reservoir visitors would decline.
It argued a restored river would boost tourism around the 74-mile Ocklawaha, which runs from the Harris chain of lakes to the St. Johns.
The state would also save costs of dam repairs estimated at anywhere from $4 million to $14 million, plus yearly maintenance expenses, TaxWatch said.
The report was cheered by dam-removal advocates who argue the Ocklawaha, the biggest tributary to the St. Johns, could add benefit the larger river by adding fresh water to slow a gradual rise in salinity in portions of the St. Johns in Jacksonville.
“It just underscores the fact that restoring the natural connection [between the rivers] … makes economic sense as well as environmental sense,” said St. Johns Riverkeeper Lisa Rinaman, who said her organization had been in contact with TaxWatch previously.
Rinaman, who like other restoration supporters speaks of the dam blocking a “Great Florida Riverway” including the Silver, Ocklawaha and St. Johns, has argued the dam could pose a significant risk to homes and businesses close downstream if the aging dam fails and releases water suddenly.
Rinaman said an updated dam safety report is expected to be released soon and could impact other parts of the debate over the dam.
A TaxWatch spokeswoman, Aly Coleman, said the group looked at the dam's future as an infrastructure issue and decided to issue its report in light of federal infrastructure funding that became law last fall.
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