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Indian River Lagoon
Coastal and Estuary Quick Finder |
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Summary Information
| Year Established: | 1990 |
| Location: | Florida |
| Area of Watershed: | 3,575 square kilometers |
Priority Management Issues: |
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human population growth habitat loss/alteration fisheries loss/decline species loss/decline freshwater inflow |
nutrients sedimentation conventional pollutants introduced/pest species toxics |
Major Habitat Types: |
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submerged aquatic vegetation (seagrass and macroalgae) barrier islands/sand bars lagoon/shallow open water shellfish growing areas beach/dune (bare and vegetated) sand/mud/salt flats salt/brackish marsh |
freshwater marsh (non-tidal) mangrove forested wetland scrub/shrub non-wetland forest ocean inlets mosquito impoundments |
Federally Endangered or Threatened Species: |
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mammals: West Indian manatee southeastern beach mouse birds: Bachman's warbler bald eagle Florida scrub jay Kirtland's warbler peregrine falcon piping plover red-cockaded woodpecker roseate tern snail kite wood stork |
reptiles: American alligator Atlantic hawksbill turtle Atlantic green sea turtle Atlantic ridley sea turtle Atlantic salt marsh snake eastern indigo snake leatherback sea turtle loggerhead sea turtle fish shortnose sturgeon |
Overviews and Highlights
Excessive amounts of stormwater runoff deposit nutrients and sediment in the Indian River Lagoon. These impact bottom-dwelling organisms, foster algae overgrowth, and smother seagrasses, which are critical to the health of the estuary. To help keep sand, leaves, and litter out of the lagoon, the Indian River NEP built a concrete sediment trap - called a 'baffle box" - in a drainage system serving a developed section of the shoreline. This "baffle box" has captured approximately four tons of sediment since its installation in 1992. As a result, the use of this simple and relatively inexpensive technology is being expanded throughout the lagoon.
Maps
Select a map.
- Local Maps
Indian River Lagoon Study Area
(area where the program is concentrating its efforts)
Indian River Lagoon Watershed
(estuarine and fluvial drainage areas for the estuary)
- Regional Maps- Southeast
Locations of Estuaries in the NEP
Watersheds of Estuaries in the NEP
Study Areas of Estuaries in the NEP
