By Art Jones, Founder, One Rake at a Time, Inc.
As this year comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on just how far we’ve come as a community in our mission to restore the Rainbow River. When I look back at where we started — with nothing more than hand rakes, determination, and a shared belief that this river deserved better — I’m filled with gratitude for the progress we’ve made together.
This year alone, an extraordinary amount of Hydrilla was removed by hand by our independent contractors and hardworking volunteers. It was blisteringly hot at times, stormy at others, but the commitment never wavered. Every pile of Hydrilla pulled out of the water represented another square foot of river given back to native plants, wildlife, and the people who love this place. And today, you can truly see the difference. The river is looking better than ever.
But what I’m especially grateful for — more than I can put into words — is that after two and a half years of scientific review, environmental assessment, agency oversight, and thousands of pages of submitted data, we finally received our Environmental Resource Permit at the end of November.
This is a major milestone. It is the green light that allows us to take the next essential step in restoration: diver vacuuming and muck removal.
Hand raking is wonderful, effective, and environmentally gentle — but it has its limits. No matter how dedicated our workers are, hand raking cannot remove the deep layers of muck that smother the river bottom. Muck is where decades of legacy nutrients, decayed Hydrilla, and accumulated debris rest, preventing eelgrass and other native vegetation from reestablishing. Without removing this muck, the river can never fully heal.
That is why receiving this permit is so meaningful. It allows us to bring in diver-vacuum technology — a carefully engineered, environmentally safe process that removes muck down to the clean sand bottom, separates out plant material, and returns clean water back to the river. This is what the Rainbow River has needed for a long time.
We expect to begin mobilizing for this next phase in early 2026. And to all the people who have asked me, over and over again, “When are you going to start?” — the answer is finally, now. The permit is approved, the plans are ready, and we are prepared to move forward with care, precision, and transparency.
I am deeply grateful to everyone who has supported us through these long delays. Your patience, encouragement, and belief in this work kept us going. Restoration is a marathon, not a sprint — and we’re now entering the phase where the most visible, transformative changes will begin.
I’m also incredibly proud of what our community accomplished together at our First Annual Springs Festival. Dozens of volunteers helped us set up, break down, run booths, manage vendors, coordinate music, serve food, and keep the day running smoothly. Despite the summer heat and the threat of thunderstorms, the event was a huge success.
Which makes me even more excited for our next Springs Festival:
March 21, 2026
Ernie Mills Park, Dunnellon
11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
This time the weather will be cooler, the storms will stay away, and we’re planning an even bigger event. Expect live music all day, food and drinks, kids’ activities, educational exhibits, environmental storyboards, local artisans, nonprofit partners, demonstrations, and plenty of opportunities to learn about what’s happening beneath the surface of the water you love.
We’re expanding vendor spaces, adding more environmental education stations, and building a stronger, more interactive experience. One of my hopes for next year is to provide guided tours of the diver vacuuming operation once it begins. People will be able to see firsthand how muck is removed, how sediment is processed, and — most inspiring of all — how clean sand beds are replanted with native eelgrass in areas that today are nothing but sludge.
Imagine standing on the bank and watching the river bottom come alive again. Imagine seeing eelgrass waving in the current where there has been nothing but muck for decades. Imagine the bass, the turtles, the birds, the otters — all returning in greater numbers as their habitat comes back.
That’s the future we’re working toward. And it’s only possible because of this community.
To our volunteers, our sponsors, our supporters, our vendors, our neighbors, and every person who ever picked up a rake, donated a dollar, sent an encouraging email, or simply believed in this mission: thank you.
If you’re interested in becoming a vendor or sponsor for the 2026 Springs Festival, visit our website at http://www.onerakeatatime.org. We would love to have you be part of this growing tradition.
Together, we are restoring a river — one season, one permit, and yes, one rake at a time.