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Comprehensive Plan Conservation Element designated as Outstanding Florida Waters (OFW) and are afforded the highest levels of protection through the FDEP. The portions of the IRL with an OFW designation are depicted in Figure 8.8. Overall, water quality throughout the IRL system in Indian River County is good. In certain areas, however, water quality is degraded. These areas include lagoon waters in the vicinity of Vero Beach and the St. Sebastian River. According to the IRL National Estuary Program (IRLNEP), the overall lagoon experienced a net gain in seagrass coverage of nearly 4,000 acres from 1992 to 1999. In 2007, an EPA National Estuary Program Coastal Condition Report noted that areas with good seagrass coverage tend to be located adjacent to undeveloped watersheds or close to inlets, with sparse seagrass coverage located adjacent to developed areas, tributaries, and major drainage systems. Consistent with that finding, seagrass coverage in Indian River County is sparsest in the Vero Beach narrows area. To lessen pollution impacts from stormwater entering the Lagoon from canal systems, the County, since 2000 has constructed sub -regional stormwater treatment facilities in Vero Lake Estates, Gifford and Roseland. The county has also approved the construction of two manmade treatment "marshes:" the Egret Marsh and the Spoonbill Marsh. While Egret Marsh will utilize natural biotic processes to treat stormwater, Spoonbill Marsh will treat brine effluent generated by county water treatment facilities. In 2008, the County constructed a pollution control facility in the Main Relief Canal. This facility uses "series screening methodology" designed to remove litter and debris from up to 300 million gallons per day that outflow into the Indian River Lagoon. Recently, a SJRWMD study found that one in 10 acres (10%) of the Indian River Lagoon bottom is covered in muck. In 22 of 72 sites tested (lagoon -wide), muck was found to be 39 inches or more in depth. According to the study, only one of these same 72 sites had muck 39 inches or deeper in 1989. • St. Sebastian River Water Quality In 2006 and 2007, approximately 800,000 cubic yards of muck were removed from the St. Sebastian River as part of a $20 million project conducted by the SJRWMD. The muck removal project is expected to be completed in 2009, at which time the muck removal will total approximately two million cubic yards. Despite the muck removal project, water quality in the St. Sebastian River, in 2007, failed to meet the designation of Class III (swimming and fishing). In 2007, the SJRWMD finished construction of the 166 acre Sebastian Stormwater Park, located within the City of Sebastian along the Collier canal and the Elkam waterway, two canals which discharge into the South Prong of the St. Sebastian River. According to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report, the Stormwater Park will reduce total suspended solids entering the South Prong by Community Development Department Indian River County 18