Tag Archives: Steven Noll

“Ditch of Dreams” still controversial a century later

Aired on WUFT on July 11th, 2012

The health of Silver Springs and Silver River has been at the heart of recent debate over water permit requests in Marion County.  The Silver River which flows into the Ocklawaha River has also been a part of a century old debate. More than a 100 years ago early Spanish explorers and Florida businessmen had big dreams to put in a cross-the-state barge canal from the Gulf Coast to the St. John’s River to allow for more commerce.  The Nixon administration put a stop to the project because of budget and environmental concerns.  Nevertheless, remnants of the original barge construction remain with the Inglis Lock and dam on the west coast and the Kirkpatrick Dam and Rodman Reservoir in Putnam and Marion Counties.  Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend talked to Steven Noll, one of the two local historians who has captured the controversial history of the project in the book called:  “Ditch of Dreams: The Cross Florida Barge Canal and  the struggle for Florida’s future.”

(This program originally aired on WUFT-FM in late fall of 2010) 

Cross Florida Barge Canal Series

The Dream for the “Big Ditch”   Aired on WUFT, Feb 11-15th, 1997

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Aerial view of barge canal near Inglis on Florida’s west coast. (photo by Donna Green-Townsend)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part 1: Inglis Lock

Part 2: Barge Canal and Manatee Dilemma

Part 3: Barge Canal Project Uproots Historic Santos Community in Marion County

Part 4: The Debate over the Rodman Reservoir

Part 5: Remembering Marjorie Harris Carr

Part 6: Update on Rodman vs. Ocklawaha River Debate:

Part 7: Ditch of Dreams:  A Conversation With Author Steven Noll

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