In the News

Follow the latest news about our St. Johns River

July 2, 2024 | Resident Community News
St. Johns RIVERKEEPER expedition monitors growth of vital river grasses

“We’ve been tracking the loss of eel grass due to saltwater intrusion for more than a decade,” Rinaman said. “But after Hurricane Irma, we saw the water levels were higher for an extended amount of time. We expected the grasses would come back pretty quickly after that – but they didn’t come back.”

May 26, 2024 | Action News Jax
St. Johns Riverkeeper heading out on second year of 5-year SAVe Our River’s Grasses Expedition

“Submerged river grasses are critical to the health of our river, providing biofiltration, fish habitat, flood protection and more. Without it, the St. Johns could turn into a dead zone, which is absolutely unacceptable,” urged Lisa Rinaman, the St. Johns Riverkeeper.

May 24, 2024 | News4Jax
Positively JAX Spotlight: How St. Johns Riverkeeper ensures a clean river for the community

“In our third episode of Positively JAX Spotlight, we sit down with the St. Johns Riverkeeper, Lisa Rinaman who serves as the chief advocate and public’s voice for the St. Johns River.”

May 20, 2024 | WFTV 9
Court rejects stay in wetlands fight

“Earthjustice filed the lawsuit in 2021 against the federal government on behalf of the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the Florida Wildlife Federation, Miami Waterkeeper and St. Johns Riverkeeper.​”

May 16, 2024 | Jax Today
Author’s Saturday talk should be a hotter topic​

“Author Jeff Goodell will speak Saturday at 2 p.m. at Jacksonville’s main library downtown, an event sponsored by St. Johns Riverkeeper, Jacksonville Climate Coalition, and Jacksonville Public Library. … Calling heat ‘the engine of planetary chaos,’ Goodell makes a big deal about trees, especially urban shade trees.​”

May 8, 2024 | WGCU
Groups urge state request in wetlands case be rejected

“Earthjustice filed the lawsuit in 2021 against the federal government on behalf of the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the Florida Wildlife Federation, Miami Waterkeeper and St. Johns Riverkeeper.”

May 2, 2024 | Florida Phoenix
Who put $400 million into Florida budget for new reservoir? No one will say

“If Grove Land moves forward as currently designed, it will increase phosphorous loads in the Upper St. Johns twenty-fold,” the St. Johns Riverkeeper, Lisa Rinaman said.

May 1, 2024 | Folio Weekly
Ride in Style With the St. Johns River Taxi

“At St. Johns Riverkeeper, we advocate for hands-on education, and what better way to teach the next generation about our local environment than to take them on a trip down the St. Johns River!” St. Johns Riverkeeper Education Director Jamie De Nisco said.

April 20, 2024 | Spectrum News 13
Over 170 volunteers clean up St. Johns River shoreline and area parks ahead of Earth Day

April 1, 2024 | Central Florida Public Media
Costly proposal for giant new reservoir, stormwater treatment area draws concern

“This is basically a public subsidy by taxpayers to fuel urban sprawl and harm the St. Johns River, our Florida springs, as well as potentially increase flood risk downstream.”
Lisa Rinaman, St. Johns Riverkeeper

January 25, 2024 | Orlando Sentinel
Sanford Sewage Spill Into Lake Monroe Swells to 13 Million Gallons

“Gabbie Milch, of St. Johns Riverkeeper, a non-profit organization that advocates for protection of the river, called the sewage overflow a ‘significant spill’ that could have short-term and long-term effects on Lake Monroe.”

January 24, 2024 | Action News Jax
Environmental group investigating possible sediment in the St. Johns River​

“If this is sedimentation runoff, water polluted with sediment, which can prevent natural submerged aquatic vegetation from growing and therefore threatening food sources of wildlife relying on it as well as can become a contributing factor for fish deaths,” Soraya Aidinejad, advocacy specialist for St. Johns Riverkeeper, said. “Runoff can pick up fertilizer, oil, pesticides, dirt, bacteria, and other pollutants that are harmful to the river and the organisms that rely on the river.”

January 5, 2024 | First Coast News
St. Johns Riverkeeper: clean and healthy river for current and future generations

“We are a nonprofit organization that is devoted to the health and well-being of the St. Johns River and the communities that rely on it,” St. Johns Riverkeeper’s outreach specialist, Steph Morse said.

December 3, 2023 | News4Jax
Volunteers put all hands on deck for Riverview Park clean-up

“Our goal as an organization is to protect the St. Johns River. We speak on behalf to the river, advocate for its health, and the health of the communities that live on it,” St. Johns Riverkeeper’s outreach specialist, Steph Morse said.

November 17, 2023 | First Coast News
St. Johns Riverkeeper starts six-part series to educate residents following state of the river report

“I think the most important thing is we can change the trajectory,” Lisa Rinaman, the St. Johns Riverkeeper said. “We can save the St. Johns [River]. We can work together to save our tributaries.”

August 2, 2023 | Jax Today
St. Johns Riverkeeper studies dying river grasses

“The fact that these grasses have not come back has been of utmost concern, not only to us as river enthusiasts but also to fishermen and anglers throughout the watershed,” the St. Johns Riverkeeper, Lisa Rinaman says.

July 5, 2023 | Jacksonville Mom
Live Like a Local: Summer Fun on the St. Johns River​

Are you ready to #ExploreTheStJohns this summer? For the big kids who are out for summer, the toddlers who always need a new activity, and the moms who just need to get outside and experience some new scenery — St. Johns Riverkeeper’s new website, Explore the St. Johns River has you covered.

June 21, 2023 | Folio Weekly
Radioactive Roads​

“They’re basically controlling the politics of this,” Rinaman said. “So, they’re not looking at Floridians’ health, not today, nor well into the future. They’re just looking at offsetting the cost [of road construction].”

June 20, 2023 | Palatka Daily News
Advocacy group on 5-year mission to ‘SAVe the Grasses’ in St. Johns River

“The aquatic grasses in the St. Johns River haven’t “bounced back” to relative abundance after several storms like they have in years past…”

June 1, 2023 | Clay Today
St. Johns RIVERKEEPER to issue Doctors Lake report this month​

“So what we are looking at now is doing this quarterly for the next five years to collect more data and connect people who live, work, and fish along St. Johns,” Lisa Lisa Rinaman said. St. Johns RIVERKEEPER team members and volunteers will visit numerous sampling sites and meet with homeowners, anglers, scientists, and community leaders to collect observational intel and data.

May 28, 2023 | The Villages Daily Sun
The curious case of St. Johns River’s missing seagrass

“Seagrass is an underappreciated player when it comes to stabilizing Florida waterways.”

May 18, 2023 | Clay Today
St. Johns RIVERKEEPER studies loss of grasses at Doctors Lake

“Aboard St. Johns RIVERKEEPER’s patrol boat, the Kingfisher, St. Johns RIVERKEEPER team members and volunteers will visit numerous sampling sites and meet with homeowners, anglers, scientists and community leaders to collect observational intel and data.”

May 18, 2023 | Ponte Vedra Recorder
29K pounds of trash removed in river cleanup effort

“We are blown away by the support we received from six county governments and numerous business and nonprofit partners throughout the watershed during our first ever month-long Great St. Johns River Cleanup,” said Meredith Jespersen, development director for St. Johns Riverkeeper. “We can’t wait to make this an annual, collaborative tradition and see how it grows over the years.”

May 17, 2023 | Palatka Daily News

Group studying aquatic grass disappearance

“St. Johns Riverkeeper has launched a multi-day expedition to investigate the lost grasses of the St. Johns River, raise awareness about the fragile state of the…”

May 15, 2023 | Action News Jax
The most threatened habitat of the St. Johns River to be monitored

“St. Johns Riverkeeper is launching a multi-day expedition to investigate the lost grasses of the St. Johns River. The mission is to raise awareness about the fragile state of the river and demonstrate the need for urgent action.”

May 11, 2023 | Daytona Beach News-Journal
29,336 pounds: How many tons of trash did volunteers pull from along St. Johns River?

“A bevy of volunteers collected more than a dozen tons of litter, literally, from the St. Johns River watershed this spring.”

April 18, 2023 | Putnam Daily News
St. Johns River Bartram Frolic returns to Palatka

“History came alive Monday and Tuesday as Putnam County second graders learned about explorer William Bartram and his friends… They even got to go out on the river with the [St. Johns] Riverkeeper to learn about all the animals that live there.”

April 11, 2023 | First Coast Living
Join St. Johns Riverkeeper

“The vision of St. Johns Riverkeeper is to ensure a clean and healthy river for current and future generations. Learn how you can get involved!”

March 23, 2023 | The Ponte Vedra Recorder 
Great St. Johns River Cleanup hits St. Johns County this weekend

“The goal of the collaboration is to increase awareness and participation of the cleanups and the importance of keeping local waterways clean, while also hoping to get as much trash out of the St. Johns River and its tributaries as possible.”

March 17, 2023 | Daytona Beach News-Journal
St. Johns River annual cleanup needs volunteers. Here’s how to help

“Volunteers, including boat owners, are needed for cleanup events along the state’s longest river, and participants who share their efforts on social media have a chance to win $1,000.”

March 16, 2023 | Palatka Daily News
Multi-county river cleanup happening this month, April

“St. Johns Riverkeeper is excited to launch the Great St. Johns River Cleanup with our county and business partners to coordinate and expand our cleanup efforts and make an even greater impact this year and into the future,” explained Meredith Jespersen, Development Director for St. Johns Riverkeeper.

March 13, 2023 | Resident News
The tunes that bind: Free concert held to support the Great Florida Riverway Reunion

“We are excited to provide this opportunity to gather on the banks of the St. Johns River and enjoy a family-friendly concert for an important cause,” said St. Johns Riverkeeper Executive Director Jimmy Orth.

February 2, 2023 | Florida Times Union
Riverway Reunion events include free Saturday concert in Jacksonville

“The Great Florida Riverway Reunion, scheduled for Saturday, is a series of events that draw attention to proposals to eliminate the Rodman Dam near Palatka and restore the Ocklawaha River’s natural flow into the St. Johns River.”

January 11, 2023 | Clay Today
St. Johns RIVERKEEPER launches new recreation website

“We want Explore the St. Johns River to be a website people can come back to as their one-stop-shop to find their next adventure along our St. Johns River, whether they’re looking for a new spot to camp for the weekend, a park to visit with the kids or simply a beautiful waterfront view for dinner,” said St. Johns RIVERKEEPER’s communications specialist, Rebecca Vecera. “Through this process of discovery, we also hope to establish in the community a greater sense of appreciation and stewardship for this amazing river.”

October 20, 2022 | Florida Politics
St. Johns River is better, but tributaries need help, according to report and Riverkeeper

“Even though we’re so fortunate to live in Jacksonville with this gorgeous river running through the heart of our community, we have to remember we’re downstream. We’re downstream from a lot of communities — there’s 18 counties that actually drain into the St. Johns River watershed,” said Lisa Rinaman, the St. Johns Riverkeeper.

October 19, 2022 | Clay Today
First Black Creek Eco Festival creates new generation of stewards for waterways

“It’s 310 miles long and serves over five million people. They fish, they recreate, and they live alongside it. They have cities. They have rural areas,” said Ashleigh Boice, Education Director of the St. John Riverkeeper, a nonprofit based in Jacksonville that’s dedicated to informing, involving, and engaging the community in the efforts to protect and restore the river’s health. “The St. Johns River is a wonderful place. I hope to get more people connected with it so that we can become more resilient and be better stewards of this wonderful resource.”

October 4, 2022 | WMFE Orlando
Hurricane Ian leaves St. Johns River swollen and stressed

“With the 8,800 square-mile watershed that’s made up of creeks and streams and swamps and wetlands, you have a lot of water pulsing through the system… The river begins it’s 310-mile journey just west of Vero Beach. And so it travels a long distance in collecting all this rain and floodwater along its way [to the Atlantic Ocean],” explains Lisa Rinaman, the St. Johns Riverkeeper.

September 22, 2022 | Palatka Daily News
Welaka council official joins Riverkeeper team

“St. Johns Riverkeeper is getting a more in-depth Putnam County perspective with its latest hire.”

August 22, 2022 | Florida Politics
Renew Jax campaign seeks Northside plant closure, 100% renewables by 2050

“Climate change and rising waters are undermining the health of our river, our community and our economy,” St. Johns Riverkeeper Lisa Rinaman said recently at a meeting to discuss the effort.

August 18, 2022 | First Coast News
Jacksonville environmentalists push for 100% renewable energy by 2050

“We are here in the Sunshine State so there’s opportunities for us to really commit to solar and renewable energies by taking local steps now,” said the St. Johns Riverkeeper, Lisa Rinaman.

August 10, 2022 | Florida Politics
Riverkeeper, Sierra Club tell JEA to address Northside plant pollution

“Jacksonville must take responsible steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of sea-level rise and a warming planet,” St. Johns Riverkeeper Lisa Rinaman said.

June 17, 2022 | Click Orlando
Summer heat brings lake warnings. Here’s what to know

“Harmful algae blooms are often detected in our lakes during the summer months when the heat settles in and the bodies of water warm up.”

June 17, 2022 | First Coast News
Tiny dock concert coming to Jacksonville this weekend

“We’re trying to inspire people to be part of something greater,” says Riverkeeper member Brian Osborn. “Especially with the pandemic and disconnection, our mission is community, to bring people together in a safe positive way and to invest in something greater than themselves.”

June 12, 2022 | Florida Times Union
Jax riverfront could be ‘a downtown that is everybody’s neighborhood’

“With our majestic St. Johns River and its beautiful bridges, we have the potential to set a new standard for an inviting Riverfront for All.”

May 31, 2022 | Action News Jax
St. Johns Riverkeeper speaks on toxic algal blooms in Clay County lake

“You should not swim in green slime, you shouldn’t fish, you shouldn’t boat. Because your boat weight can kick up the toxins,” said the St. Johns Riverkeeper, Lisa Rinaman.

May 25, 2022 | Florida Times-Union
Avoid algae blooms, Clay health alert says after modest toxin levels found in Doctors Lake

“You need to avoid blooms altogether,” said St. Johns Riverkeeper Executive Director Jimmy Orth. “There is no real-time system that warns you, ‘hey, this is a toxic bloom’.”

May 13, 2022 | First Coast News
Join the Saturday search for Bartram’s Ixia

“It’s a very rare flower, it’s a one of a kind in the world and it only grows here in 5 counties in northeast Florida,” Naturalist, Ayolane Halusky said.

March 28, 2022 | WJCT News
There’s a new plan to battle coal ash spills. But it doesn’t include banning the waste.

“But the St. Johns Riverkeeper, the Northeast Florida Sierra Club and Surfrider Foundation’s First [Coast Chapter] joined forces in calling for a local ban of the potentially toxic industrial byproduct.”

March 23, 2022 | Gainesville Sun
Dismantling portion of Kirkpatrick Dam would eliminate hazards from catastrophic failure

“However, this new report, while heavily redacted, has clearly established that the Kirkpatrick Dam is a high-hazard dam. That is, a catastrophic failure of the Kirkpatrick Dam will cause loss of life.”

March 10, 2022 | First Coast News
310 Miles: Only a select few have kayaked the length of the St. Johns River

“For the first time ever, the St. Johns Riverkeeper is recognizing the men and women who have paddled the entire St Johns River.”

March 4, 2022 | First Coast News
Explore the St. Johns River with paddleboard yoga

“We really do believe as people enjoy nature and they’re out in it they’ll want to protect it more.”

 

The St Johns Riverkeeper and Rising Tides has teamed up with Florida Yoga and Paddle Co. to do just that.

March 1, 2022 | Florida NewsLine
St. Johns Riverkeeper wants you to “Get Your Feet Wet!”

“Our mission is to defend and restore the St. Johns River plus its tributaries and springs on behalf of all who enjoy it,” said St. Johns Riverkeeper Lisa Rinaman. “We give the river a voice via advocacy, research and education.”

February 28, 2022 | First Coast News
National group lists Rodman Dam as one to watch in 2022

“American Rivers supports the notion that the Rodman Dam chokes the Ocklawaha River, as well as blocks the St. Johns River from getting fresh water from 20 springs. All of that affects water quality all the way up to Jacksonville.”

February 23, 2022 | First Coast News
Florida’s beloved manatees are dying at a record rate. Their cause of death traces back to humans.

“We are at a critical moment,” said Lisa Rinaman, the St. Johns Riverkeeper. “If we do not turn around the health of these waterways that will foster regrowth of these important grasses, we are going to lose our manatee population.”

February 11, 2022 | First Coast News
St. Johns Riverkeeper kicks off ‘Get Your Feet Wet’ campaign

“It is an opportunity to get people out and get their feet wet to get out and experience nature, we feel like the more people get out and experience something and enjoy it they’ll appreciate it more and want to protect it,” Karen Estella Smith, St. Johns Riverkeeper’s outreach director, said.

February 10, 2022 | Ponte Vedra Recorder
Riverkeeper invites locals to ‘get their feet wet’

“Get Your Feet Wet might be an introduction to the St. Johns River and nature for some, or a familiar experience for others,” said Lisa Rinaman, the St. Johns Riverkeeper. “Either way, we believe that the best way to appreciate something is to get out and experience it. In that spirit, we hope that as people learn more about the St. Johns, her tributaries and the watershed, they will be inspired and motivated to protect our river for generations to come.”

February 8, 2022 | First Coast News
‘To dam or not to dam’

The St. Johns Riverkeeper, along with the Free the Ocklawaha group, and dozens of others are joining forces, hoping to finally convince state lawmakers to unplug the dam. The goal is to have the Ocklawaha River freely flow again, connecting Silver Springs to the St. Johns River.​

 

“This restoration project will revitalize and restore the St. Johns River estuary from Welaka to Palatka to Jacksonville,” Rinaman said.

January 16, 2022 | Florida Times Union
Guest column: Time has come to remove Rodman Dam and restore the Ocklawaha

“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.”

November 5, 2021 | Palatka Daily News
Frolicking with History

“Since we started this in 2017, the kids have always loved (it),” said Emily Floore, education director for the St. Johns Riverkeeper. “I mean, who doesn’t love to learn outside?”

October 21, 2021 | Florida Times Union
Riverkeeper urges support for restoring the Ocklawaha

At St. Johns Riverkeeper, we sometimes feel like we are sticking our finger in the proverbial dam, doing all that we can to hold back the threats and prevent more degradation to our majestic river. However, there is one dam we do not need to keep in place — a dam that is an unnecessary relic of the past yet continues to harm the St. Johns.

October 20, 2021 | News 4 Jax
Riverkeeper gives St. Johns River a ‘C-’ grade

The State of the River Report addresses four main areas of river health: water quality; fisheries; aquatic life; and contaminants.

Fall 2021 | WUFT News and the UF College of Journalism and Communications
Sludge and the St. Johns

Wetlands and other vegetation surrounding the St. Johns help protect the river; they are the kidneys that filter pollution and help keep the water clean. But like kidneys, they can only take so much.

October 5, 2021 | News 4 Jax
Algae bloom toxins in St. Johns River raise concerns of Riverkeeper

“Our sample results demonstrate how toxic some of these algae blooms can be,” said Lisa Rinaman, the St. Johns Riverkeeper.

August 25, 2021 | WJCT News
3 Area Nonprofits Call For End To Coal Ash Transport Through Jacksonville

“Utilities must be required to take responsibility for their own waste and should not be allowed to put other communities at risk with their pollution, especially those who had nothing to do with producing it,” said Lisa Rinaman, the St. Johns Riverkeeper.

August 19, 2021 | First Coast News
St. Johns Riverkeeper EcoTours encourage conservation

“We just want to get people out on the tributaries and on the St. Johns River so we all learn about it and have a memory that we want to protect,” said St. Johns Riverkeeper Education Director Emily Floore.

April 7, 2021 | Florida Times-Union
When it comes to handling sewage, Florida is a sludge show

“We have a poop problem,” said Lisa Rinaman, the St. Johns Riverkeeper. “And it’s a brewing crisis.”

April 2, 2021 | The West Volusia Beacon
Water, water everywhere – at least we hope so

“People come to Florida with all these expectations, like a palm tree in their yard and perfectly manicured grass. That may not be the best thing,” said Gabbie Milch, St. Johns Riverkeeper Middle Basin Advocacy Coordinator. 

March 4, 2021 | The Resident News
Tiny Dock Concerts grow, activate the River 

“In line with our personal and wellness business mission, we really just want people to smile and be lifted up, to connect with each other, and to be inspired to infuse goodness and wellness around them,” shared Amber Osborne, creator of the Tiny Dock Concert Series.

March 3, 2021 | Eco-Magazine
Harmful Algae Blooms and the Land Disposal of Biosolids – What Are the Real Costs?

 “All agricultural crops can be grown profitably without the use of biosolids as a nutrient source. Land disposal of biosolids is not efficient nutrient management. It is simply convenient human waste disposal.”

February 26, 2021 | Florida Times-Union
Guest column: Our parks are not for sale

“The bottom line is we need more parks and access to our river, not less.  We also need to protect and invest in the ones we already own,” wrote Jimmy Orth, St. Johns Riverkeeper Executive Director.

February 23, 2021 | The Florida Times-Union
Khan’s plan for Four Seasons Hotel could replace some of Metropolitan Park with new park

 “We need to protect our parks. They are sacred ground, and we need to invest in the ones we already have, including Metropolitan Park,” said Jimmy Orth, Executive Director, and Steering Committee Member of Riverfront Parks Now.

February 17, 2021 | The Guardian
The Jacksonville environmental groups trying to tackle racial disparities

 

“We are trying to do that work and are extremely open to any community organization that represents communities of color, any community that doesn’t feel represented in the resiliency effort,” said Coalition Chair Shannon Blankinship and St Johns Riverkeeper Advocacy Director.

February 2, 2021 | The Gainesville Sun
Ocklawaha advocates want recreation hubs on free-flowing river

 “A wise Putnam County commissioner told me we have to show people what they will gain, not just what they will lose,” said Margaret Spontak, president of Free the Ocklawaha River Coalition for Everyone.

January 13, 2021 | WJCT 
St. Johns Riverkeeper Joins Suit Challenging Fla. Wetlands Permitting Change

 “For us to protect the St Johns River, it’s critical for us to protect wetlands. Wetlands are the kidneys of the river and of all Florida waters.

And so protecting our wetlands is critical not only for water quality, but also for the resiliency of our river and its tributaries. We’re very concerned with this delegation, because it could open up the floodgates for more destruction of wetlands,” said your St. Johns Riverkeeper Lisa Rinaman. 

January 13, 2021 | Florida Times-Union
Florida takes wetlands permitting role from federal government; only 3rd state to do so

“Important checks and balances that have protected thousands of acres of wetlands within our watershed will be lost without federal oversight,” said your St. Johns Riverkeeper Lisa Rinaman.

December 20, 2020 | Florida Times-Union
Editorial: Resiliency gains momentum in Jacksonville

“Jacksonville is fortunate to have so many people who are passionate about the river and its ecosystem. We hope there is the political will needed to incorporate standards for resiliency into our city codes and to set an expectation for developers that resiliency is just part of the cost of doing business in this river city.”

December 10, 2020 | Florida Times-Union
Green groups start drive to remove dam at Rodman Reservoir, opening Ocklawaha River

‘The restoration of the Ocklawaha is the most important step to restoring and making the St. Johns River resilient to sea-level rise and saltwater intrusion,” said St. Johns Riverkeeper Lisa Rinaman.

November 6, 2020 | Florida Times-Union
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp roll out license plates to support St. Johns Riverkeeper

“The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp acknowledgment of how important the river is sends a powerful message that we have to protect the river and we have to take care of it. It’s important to our community and important to our economy,” said Jimmy Orth St. Johns Riverkeeper Executive Director.

November 6, 2020 | Minor League Baseball
Jumbo Shrimp introduce specialty license tag, bobblehead specials for anniversary celebration

In partnership with the St. Johns Riverkeeper, we’re the first minor league team in Florida to offer a specialty license tag.

November 1, 2020 | Florida Times-Union
PASSIONATE ADVOCATE: Lisa Rinaman, St. Johns Riverkeeper, protects Jacksonville’s most valuable natural asset

“There will be a tipping point where we can’t get back. Now we still have an opportunity to do things right. We are fortunate to have 600,000 acres of conservation land along the St. Johns River. We need to protect that land. We need to protect the headwaters of our tributaries. We need to provide buffers so we can protect wetlands to keep out pollution,” said your St. Johns Riverkeeper, Lisa Rinaman.

October 30, 2020 | The Resident
New coalition advocates for public green space along river

“We need to prioritize the public use of the riverfront instead of making development the priority,” said Jimmy Orth, executive director of the St. Johns Riverkeeper. “That doesn’t mean there can’t be development. Parks attract both people and business, and are a buffer against sea-level rise, Louisville has seen a $40 million annual economic impact from its parks.”

October 15, 2020 | Florida Times-Union
Nate Monroe: Tens of millions in hidden St. Johns River dredging costs surface

“If the Army Corps did indeed recently determine the lines need to be higher, it would represent a massive error in its original analysis of the dredging project that would call into question its other significant findings — like, for example, the conclusion that dredging 7 feet out of the river bottom will only have negligible environmental impacts on the river. What else did the Army Corps get wrong?”

September 4, 2020 | Ocala Gazette 
Free the Ocklawaha and we’ll all benefit

“When Gov. Ron DeSantis took office last year, he made a lot of promises about water protection and preservation. Maybe he’ll join the long list of his predecessors and finally move to remove the Rodman.”

September 3, 2020 | Florida Times-Union Editorial Board
Editorial: A win-win plan for the Ocklawaha River

“An artificial lake doesn’t fit the desire for authenticity today. But a return to Mother Nature, the real Florida, does.”

August 25, 2020 | Waterkeeper Alliance
Poison Blooms

“The damage is going to be so deep and the soil so saturated that we are going to have decades of legacy pollution problems,” said your St. Johns Riverkeeper, Lisa Rinaman.

July 29, 2020 | JAX Daily Record
City Council authorizes $100 million for JaxPort St. Johns River dredging

“Any of you representing low-lying areas know that inches truly matter, and the bottom line is the dredging will harm our river and it will make our community more vulnerable to future storms and flooding,” said your St. Johns Riverkeeper Lisa Rinaman.

July 28, 2020 | WJCT News 89.9
Jacksonville City Council Unanimously Approves $75 M For St. Johns River Dredging

“Not only does this plan do nothing to offset even the damage the Corps has acknowledged is likely, it leaves us with absolutely no room for error. Our river is too complex, the models too imprecise and imperfect, our knowledge too limited, and the potential consequences too great to blindly accept the Corps’ analysis,” said St. Johns Riverkeeper Executive Director Jimmy Orth during the City Council meeting.

July 20, 2020 | Ocala Gazette
Endangered designation could reignite old debate about the future of Ocklawaha River

“Rodman Dam is the reason it’s in trouble,” Ritter said.

July 20, 2020 | News4Jax
State addressing silt plume from Roosevelt Marketplace construction site

Thank you to the community and residents in the area for documenting the plumes flowing into our River. Your reports are crucial in determining and solving problems!

July 19, 2020 | The Florida Times-Union Editorial Board
Capitalize on a big opportunity for Jacksonville’s riverfront parks

“Now let’s pull together all the waterfront into a great civic asset that takes full use of the majestic St. Johns River. What other city has dolphins frolicking in their front yard? That is why Riverfront Parks Now is needed. The time is right for effective advocacy of our Downtown riverfront. Let’s have a grand plan for a great river.”

July 19, 2020 | Florida Times-Union
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make Jacksonville’s riverfront parks great

“Together, we can seize this opportunity to prioritize public access and create a world-class riverfront that reestablishes downtown as the heartbeat of Jacksonville. Contact your City Council members. Let them know you support the creation of an iconic riverfront for the people, beginning with a cohesive master plan that is developed through a community-driven visioning process. The time is right. The time is now.”

July 13, 2020 | News4Jax
Construction site spills silt into Ortega River on rainy days

“The first time that we saw an active violation of construction at the Roosevelt mall was in January of 2020. We’ve continued to receive reports through April, May and June,” said Shannon Blanknship, St. Johns Riverkeeper Advocacy Director.

July 4, 2020 | Florida Times Union
Jacksonville City Council faces $70 million vote on river deepening for cargo ships

“This is too important of a decision to rush it through the council, especially considering the current economic situation our city is facing and the fact that, to date, the council as a body has not publicly discussed and evaluated the pros and cons of this project,” said Jimmy Orth, executive director of Riverkeeper.

Summer 2020 | Earth Island Journal
Florida’s Lost Springs

“When the dam went into place in 1968 it severed connections, and we are not seeing the biodiversity in Silver Springs that was there before the dam,” Lisa Rinaman, the St. Johns Riverkeeper and co-chair of the Free the Ocklawaha advocacy committee, says. (Riverkeepers are an international network of water protectors who are the voices of rivers and hold polluters accountable.)

June 2, 2020 | Florida Times Union
Editorial: More mitigation funding is needed as a result of deepening of the St. Johns River. 

“There will be a tipping point where we can’t get back,” Rinaman warned. “Now we still have an opportunity to do things right. We are fortunate to have 600,000 acres of conservation land along the St. Johns River. We need to protect that land. We need to protect the headwaters of our tributaries. We need to provide buffers so we can protect wetlands to keep out pollution.”

May 29, 2020 | WJCT
Jacksonville Climate Change Coalition Looks To Address Its Own Lack Of Diversity

“The steering committee certainly understands the diversity issue and it was glaringly obvious to our steering committee that we are not diverse, and so we recognize that as a real need,” replied St. Johns Riverkeeper Executive Director Jimmy Orth, who’s a member of the coalition’s steering committee.

May 29, 2020 | First Coast News
Jacksonville pollution enforcement another casualty of the pandemic

“Unfortunately, our environment has been seen as ‘nonessential,’ and it think that’s a mistake,” says St. Johns Riverkeeper Executive Director Jimmy Orth.

April 21, 2020 | Florida Times Union
Mark Woods: Even during pandemic, Earth Day matters

“Fifty years ago, smog routinely blanketed many big cities. In Jacksonville, the air smelled hold-your-nose rotten. And while Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River became the poster child for dirty water after it caught fire in the summer of 1969, the St. Johns River was so polluted that Gov. Claude Kirk said, ‘If you fall in, you will die of pollution before you drown.’

The fact that we’ve taken many positive steps since 1970 — both locally and nationally — didn’t happen by accident.”

April 14, 2020 | Florida Times Union
Waters close to Duval on ‘most endangered’ list for country

“Reconnecting and restoring the St. Johns, Ocklawaha and Silver Springs by breaching the Rodman Dam offers a much-needed stimulus project,” Rinaman argued. She said the change “provides jobs, increases visitor traffic and restores three of Florida’s most loved waterways creating an unprecedented environmental and economic lift to Northeast Florida during a critical point in our history.”

April 14, 2020 | Orlando Sentinel
Ocklawaha River of Central Florida named among nation’s 10 most endangered

“Dam removal wold bring “an unprecedented environmental and economic lift to Northeast Florida during a critical point in our history,” said Lisa Rinaman with the Jacksonville-based St. Johns Riverkeeper environmental group.

March 24, 2020 | WJCT
St. Johns Riverkeeper Asks People To Share Nature On Social Media To Cope With Isolation

“You may not be able to get out and experience the river right now, but we are going to try to bring the river to you,” Orth said. To do that, the Riverkeeper has started  #HeySJRKLookAtThis, inviting everyone to share pictures and videos of nature including the St. Johns River using the hashtag.”

March 3, 2020 | Florida Times Union
Mark Woods: We’re killing trees, growing ghost forests

“It’s not just dredging,” Rinaman said. “It’s also sea-level rise. As the ocean rises, you’re getting more saltwater further in. But the dredging is accelerating that. One of the studies talked about total tree mortality in some of these creeks.”

February 22, 2020 | West Volusia Beacon
Ghost forest: A battle between environmentalists and bass anglers locks the Ocklawaha in purgatory

“A boat tour for members of the media Feb. 18 was organized by the Free the Ocklawaha Coalition, which includes 33 organizations from across the state. Representatives from the St. Johns Riverkeeper, Florida Defenders of the Environment, and Defenders of Wildlife accompanied the journalists on our tour.”

February 12, 2020 | WJCT
Environmentalists Criticize Fla. Chief Science Officer For Praising Clean Waterways Act

“It is critical that the Legislature adopts strong, enforceable, science-based policies that not only protect our waters from existing pollution sources, but protects our waters from rapid growth and climate change. And this bill currently, as written, does not,” said St. Johns Riverkeeper Lisa Rinaman. “In 2019 the St. Johns River experienced more than 90 days of toxic blue green algae and this bill will not do anything to reverse that trend.”

February 11, 2020 | WJCT
JAXPORT Announces ‘Major Victory’ In Federal Funding For River Deepening

“If we’re going to continue to allow a project that will make us more vulnerable in the face of future storms, then the city needs to invest in resiliency, and that means having a chief resilience officer looking at the projects that need to happen immediately to protect us,” she said.

January 14, 2020 | First Coast News
Report: Jacksonville could see 100-year floods in 30 years due to rising sea-levels

“We’ve been seeing sunny day flooding events increasing gradually, but we’re seeing it already,” she said. “We don’t need to look to the next five, 10, 20 or 50 years to experience sea-level rise or to experience the impacts of climate change,” Blankinship said.”

November 28, 2019 | Florida Times Union
Selling JEA could harm the St. Johns River

“We need a utility that sees the St. Johns River as essential to our community’s identity, economy and quality of life, not as a source for waste disposal or the withdraw of surface water to fuel future growth. As a result, we believe JEA should remain a locally owned public utility.”

October 20, 2019 | Florida Times Union
Guest column: Saltwater intrusion is a threat to the St. Johns River

“While some may view climate change as a distant problem, sea level rise and a warming planet are having significant impacts on the St. Johns River and the state of Florida right now.”

October 7, 2019 | Florida Times Union
Algae board backs protection for downstream parts of St. Johns River

“The real answer, Rinaman said, is for protections from sludge spreading around the St. Johns to be the same as around the Everglades, so pollution from one part of Florida isn’t just moved down the road.”

September 16, 2019 | First Coast News
Riverkeeper: ‘Alarming’ findings in annual St. Johns River report

“If you can’t have boaters out there fishing, spending money in marinas, going to bait shops, restaurants, that’s an economic impact,” Rinaman said.

September 13, 2019 | Florida Today
Group: St. Johns River pollution threatens water supplies

“Florida must prioritize a comprehensive statewide solution to deal with human waste,” Lisa Rinaman, the St. Johns Riverkeeper, said in a statement.

August 31, 2019 | First Coast News
Alternative options for potable drinking water ahead of Hurricane Dorian

“Our first instinct is we want water, and we’re not thinking of the impact of all that plastic of those bottles we’re purchasing,” Jimmy Orth, executive director of the St. Johns Riverkeeper says many of those plastics are not being recycled.

August 26, 2019 | WJCT 
Sea Level Rise Task Force Wraps Up, Will Urge Jacksonville to Curb Emissions

“We should really round in this conversation that our group limited itself to discussing adaptation within this vulnerable land [the AAA], and did not discuss ways to mitigate against future sea level rise via policies about limiting greenhouse gas exposure or all the things that the City can be doing to reduce its impact on climate change at this point,” said Shannon Blankinship, St. Johns Riverkeeper Advocacy Director. 

August 14, 2019 | VOID Magazine
The River’s Voice: A look into the work of Lisa Rinaman

“There is a cost of doing nothing,” Lisa Rinaman, your St. Johns Riverkeeper warns. 

July 29, 2019 | First Coast News
Sewage Sludge is Polluting the River

“The petition is trying to ask for the same protection that South Florida has for the St. Johns River watershed until we can come up with a holistic solution for what to do with our waste,” said Shannon Blankinship, St. Johns Riverkeeper Advocacy Director. 

July 23, 2019 | Folio Weekly
Keep It Clean

“We believe Casey DeSantis is critically important because not only does she have our governor’s ear, she also has a platform through which she can make sure moms across Florida have a voice for clean water as well,” said Lisa Rinaman, your St. Johns Riverkeeper of our Moms for Clean Water campaign.

July 19, 2019 | Orlando Sentinel
Melbourne water supply found to contain potentially toxic algae

“It has really been discouraging,” said Lisa Rinaman, your St. Johns Riverkeeper, who has pushed state officials to impose more stringent regulations on the handling of biosolids.

July 19, 2019 | Florida Today
A ‘nasty’ algae blankets Lake Washington

“It was like kayaking in pea soup.The gas from the algae was bubbling up and giving off awful smells,” said Bill Zoby, St Johns Riverkeeper Headwaters Advisory Council. 

July 12, 2019 | Florida Sportman 
Watermen Documentaries – Biosolids

Mike Conner meets with St. Johns Riverkeeper, Lisa Rinaman to discuss the biosolids entering the St. John’s and how they are contributing to the increased phosphorus levels and toxic algal blooms.

July 9, 2019 | Clay Today
Toxic Puzzle pieces together research to understand algae blooms

“We don’t just want to show the film and have everyone go home scared of the water around them. We want this film to raise questions and we want to see those questions answered.” said Kelly Thompson, St. Johns Riverkeeper Outreach Director. 

July 2, 2019 | West Volusia Beacon
Algae Blooms in St. Johns River; fertilizer ban in effect

“Algal blooms are visual symptoms that the river is sick,” said Kelly Thompson, St. Johns Riverkeeper Outreach Director. 

June 21, 2019 | Florida Times-Union
EVE 2019: Lisa Rinaman puts focus on St. Johns River

“I fell in love with the magic of Florida waters,” said Lisa Rinaman, your St. Johns Riverkeeper.

June 14, 2019 | Palatka Daily News
Riverkeeper watching St. Johns for more algae blooms

“We’re using that science and using the power of citizen influence and voices to affect change,” said Kelly Thompson, St. Johns Riverkeeper Outreach Director. 

June 13, 2019 | WLRN
Can Florida’s New Blue-Green Algae Task Force Fix the State’s Fouled Waters?

“We can’t buy our way out of Florida’s algae crisis. We need to not only have projects but enhanced regulatory protections and education,” said Lisa Rinaman, your St. Johns Riverkeeper.

June 13, 2019 | Tampa Bay Business Journal
State task force tackles toxic algae

“We can’t buy our way out of Florida’s algae crisis,” said Lisa Rinaman, your St. Johns Riverkeeper.

May 20, 2019 | Florida Times-Union
Legislature dropped the ball on toxic green algae

“We urge DeSantis to make sure the task force addresses the needs of all of Florida’s waters — including the St. Johns — and focuses on stopping pollution at its source.” – wrote Lisa Rinaman, your St. Johns Riverkeeper. 

May 18, 2019 | Spectrum News 13
Experts Warn year Could be “Perfect Storm” for Toxic Algae Blooms

“The thing that concerns me about what’s happening up north is that it is happening so early in the year before the water temperatures and our summer really begins,” said Gabbie Milch, St. Johns Riverkeeper Middle Basin Coordinator.

May 10, 2019 | First Coast News
Algae conditions in the St. Johns River could be the ‘perfect storm’

“So this could truly turn into a super bloom. A super bloom is when you have a large area covered with green algae for a long period of time. Some people call it the green monster,” said Lisa Rinaman, your St. Johns Riverkeeper.