Over the course of six work days in the past four weeks, Oklawaha River Aquatic Preserve and Nature Coast Aquatic Preserve staff removed over 200 invasive tilapia from the headsprings of the Silver River. This is a huge accomplishment and almost 1,000 pounds of fish biomass removed! We are sincerely grateful for our team of three staff members and five volunteers for making this program such a success.

Oklawaha River Aquatic Preserve staff invited the Friends of the Silver Springs State Park’s President out on the Silver and Oklawaha rivers to complete their monthly water quality monitoring. It was a pleasure listening to Barbara teach us about the last of private land ownership along the aquatic preserve and the history of the amusement park ownership and its features over the decades.

ORAP and FWC staff completed another successful evening of electrofishing in the headsprings of the Silver River to remove invasive fish. The cool temperature, full moon, and alligator sightings made for a wonderful evening. Within two hours, the boat was full with 72 tilapia and one hoplo. Since January 2025, 647 tilapia have been removed from the headsprings.

The cooler temperatures brought in small herds of manatees to the warm waters of the Silver River. Staff, volunteers and visitors all enjoy seeing these friendly, curious giants! The cooler temperatures also pushed the invasive tilapia to the headsprings. Staff focused on the ones in the emergent vegetation this week and any that were showing early signs of spawning, which include pairing up, turning white, and clearing vegetation for beds.

Silver Springs State Park, Wekiwa Springs State Park, and Oklawaha River Aquatic Preserve hosted “Girl Scouts Love State Parks”. On the morning of September 13, 100 Girl Scouts of all ages arrived at Silver Springs State Park excited and curious. They rotated through several stations where they learned about the aquatic food web with live animals to touch, prescribed burning, and what lives in the different habitats within the state parks.

Oklawaha River Aquatic Preserve and FWC Freshwater Fisheries biologists partnered together to attempt an electrofishing event on the Silver River to remove invasive tilapia. FWC’s past attempts in spring systems earlier in the day were not successful because the tilapia were spooked before the electrofishing boat could even get close enough to deliver an effective electrical pulse.

If you're looking to step back in time, get away from the hustle and bustle, view wildlife in their natural habitat and immerse yourself in untouched Florida beauty, you've come to the right place. Oklawaha River Aquatic Preserve encompasses the crystal clear, spring-fed Silver River and a 20-mile stretch of the dark-water Oklawaha River. The aquatic preserve provides a window into the rich cultural history of Florida.