Dr. Philip E. LaMoreaux executed and signed an affidavit (a copy of which appears below) attesting to the authenticity of the documents he submitted during litigation involving the Cross Florida Barge Canal. The purpose of the documentation was to prove that the Cross Florida Barge canal posed no danger to the central Florida fresh water supply. We at Save Rodman Reservoir, Inc. do not agree with Dr. LaMoreaux's determination that the Cross Florida Barge Canal would not have harmed Florida's fresh water. It is not that we do not agree with his science which we feel is good and therefore offer it to you for your information. Rather we feel that no government plan has ever been completed as planned or operated 100% as planned and herein lies the possibility for fowling the water supply. Besides, completion of the canal would have destroyed what remains of the old Ocklawaha River environment between Ocala and Eureka and this would have been tragic.

The Water Story

BEFORE ME, the undersigned authority, personally appeared Dr. Philip E. LaMoreaux, who, after being duly sworn, deposed and stated as follows:

My name is Philip E. LaMoreaux. I live in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and am the State Geologist - Oil and Gas Supervisor for the State of Alabama, and have held that position since May 1961. I also am a part-time professor in the Department of Geology, University of Alabama and undertake private consulting in the field of ground water hydrology.

I received my B.S. Degree from Denison University in Ohio, my M.A. from the University of Alabama, and recently received an Honorary Doctorate from Denison University.

I worked with the U. S. Geological Survey from 1943 to 1961, including assignments in Tuscaloosa and ultimate service in Washington, D. C. as Chief of the U. S. Geological Survey's Ground Water Branch.

I maintain memberships in numerous professional geological organizations, national as well as international in scope. These include: American Association of Petroleum Geology, American Geophysical Union, American Institute of Professional Geologists, Geological Society of America, International Association of Scientific Hydrologists, International Water Resources Association, and International Association of Hydrology. I presently am President of the American Geological Institute and a Past President of the Association of American State Geologists.

I have worked in overseas areas as a consultant for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, plus some direct foreign Governmental consultations and some overseas work under the U. S. Geological Survey. I presently am Chairman of an international committee, affiliated with the United Nations, studying the geohydrology of limestone terrains in conjunction with the International Hydrological Decade.

As a member of the U. S. Geological Survey, operating in the Southeastern U.S., I long have been acquainted with the proposed route and general design of the Cross-Florida Barge Canal. Once construction commenced, I served as a consultant to the Corps of Engineers in establishing the basic ground water monitoring wells and gaging stations from which the U. S. Geological Survey obtained its data for compiling the Geohydrology of the Cross-Florida Barge Canal with Special Reference to the Ocala vicinity, authored by Glen Faulkner. In this consultant capacity I have received and reviewed various Geological Survey reports dealing with the Barge Canal's effects upon the ground water resources of Florida.

Based upon my studies and personal knowledge, it is my professional scientific opinion that:

1. The physical effects of the Cross-Florida Barge Canal upon the ground water resources of Florida are limited to a narrow belt in the general order of five miles either side of the Canal route; the magnitude of these effects gradually changes from zero, at the outer edges of the belt, up to several feet at the actual edge of the Canal channel.
2. The Barge Canal has no effect upon either the ground water or surface water regimen of South Florida, nor those of North Florida; its impacts upon Central Florida are limited to those mentioned in "A" above.
3. The Barge Canal poses no significant threat to the Floridan aquifer, to Rainbow Springs, nor to Silver Springs, provided the project be constructed and operated as planned, using proven and available techniques.
4. The scope of investigations and techniques of compiling data, to date, have provided competent information upon which to base overall conclusions and to formulate general design criteria for constructing and operating the project; but as construction proceeds, continuing surveillance might indicate some modifications in operating procedures or design details.

I have reduced my studies of geohydrology of the Cross-Florida Barge Canal project to a simplified summary, couched in layman's language so as to facilitate understanding by individuals lacking technical training in the field of geohydrology. I have attached a copy hereto as Appendix "A".

SWORN TO AND SUBSCRIBED BEFORE ME, this 1st. day of December, 1972, in the County and State aforementioned.

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The Water Story