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Comprehensive Plan Conservation Element evapotranspiration. Also, water will flow over land surfaces as "surface runoff," flowing into surface water bodies. That portion of the water that falls on land and is absorbed directly into the soil recharges the underlying groundwater system. The term "water table" refers to the minimum soil depth at which groundwater can be found at a given location, subject to seasonal fluctuation as a result of rainfall. Surface water bodies such as lakes, ponds, and palustrine (freshwater) wetlands represent areas where the water table is exposed at ground surface. As depicted in Figure 8.6, surface water and groundwater are integral parts of the hydrologic cycle. Surface Water Throughout Indian River County, surface water is found in the form of natural lakes, ponds, rivers, and associated palustrine (freshwater) and estuarine (brackish) wetlands, with some surface water bodies created or altered by man (i.e. canals, stormwater retention ponds and mosquito impoundments). Public benefits associated with surface waters include: floodwater control, groundwater recharge and pollutant removal; habitat for waterfowl, fish and other wildlife; and recreational, educational, commercial and aesthetic functions. Surface water can be classified into two main categories: wetlands and deepwater habitats. Generally, wetlands are lands where saturation with water is the dominant factor determining the nature of soil development and the types of plant and animal communities living in the soil and on its surface. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States (1979) defines wetlands as follows: "Wetlands are lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water. For purposes of this classification, wetlands must have one or more of the following three attributes: (1) at least periodically, the land supports predominantly hydrophytes [plants adapted to growing in wet soils]; (2) the substrate is predominantly undrained hydric [saturated] soils; and (3) the substrate is non -soil and is saturated with water or covered by shallow water at some time during the growing season of each year." Deepwater habitats are defined as permanently flooded lands lying below the deepwater boundary of wetlands. Deepwater habitats include environments where surface water is permanent and often deep, so that water, rather than air, is the principal medium within which anaerobic organisms live. The three predominant surface water systems in Indian River County are: the Upper St. Johns River Basin, which includes Blue Cypress Lake and the St. Johns Marsh; the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) system and associated estuarine wetlands (including mosquito impoundments); and the St. Sebastian River, a tributary draining into the IRL. In addition, isolated freshwater wetlands are located throughout the county. Following is a description of the major surface water systems in Indian River County. A more detailed description of associated vegetation and wildlife is presented under the topic heading of "Flora and Fauna." Community Development Department Indian River County 13