[2][3] Before the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers created the reservoir, they used a mammoth machine called the crusher-crawler to clear sections of the forest along the Ocklawaha's wooded riverbanks.

However, in 1971, due to the successful efforts of environmentalist Marjorie Harris Carr and Florida Defenders of the Environment (FDE), President Richard Nixon halted construction of the canal.

The transition section from Paynes Landing to Orange Springs consists of flooded standing timber and areas of floating vegetation.

The discontinued Barge Canal and the existing river channel have water depths up to 30 feet (9 m) deep.

Drawdowns are conducted every three to four years on the reservoir for aquatic plant control and fish and wildlife habitat enhancement.