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Minerals In Indian River County, recoverable mineral resources are scarce. During the 1950's, sand mining operations occurred south of Wabasso. Those operations ceased in the 1960's. Current extractive industries are limited to sand and rock mining. This involves excavating sand and coquina to be used for building fill and road base material. Those operations usually result in the creation of small lakes, ponds and borrow pits. Figure 2.22 depicts areas of current and past mining operations. Minerals are discussed more fully in the Conservation Element. Timberland Timber resources in Indian River County are limited to Pine and Cypress. In the county, forested land totals approximately 20,867 acres. That land occurs in bands along the Atlantic Coastal Ridge, the Ten Mile Ridge, the far western portion of the county and along Blue Cypress Lake. Past cutting and management practices have virtually eliminated the commercial value of those resources. Timberland is discussed in greater detail in the Conservation Element. Wetlands Located in the western area of the county, the St. Johns Marsh is the headwaters of the St. Johns River. The marsh receives most of its water from rainfall that falls directly on the marsh. Additional water enters the marsh via some small streams that flow into Blue Cypress lake, which in turn spills over into the marsh. While the depth of the marsh is estimated to be approximately three feet, an accurate survey has not been done to determine the actual depth. Overall, the marsh is prime habitat for many different animal and plant species, including deer, raccoons, river otter, maidencain and sawgrass. Located on the western edge of the St. Johns Marsh, Blue Cypress Lake is a large freshwater lake that is approximately 6,555 acres in size. It is the only sizeable lake in the county. Generally, the lake level fluctuates in much the same way that the St. Johns Marsh level fluctuates. Over much of its area, the lake has an average depth of approximately 8 feet. During prolonged dry spells, some lake water is used for irrigation. Several types of fish, including large mouth bass, perch, and blue gill, can be found in Blue Cypress Lake. Situated in the northern part of the county, the St. Sebastian River is the only true freshwater river in the county, as the Indian River is actually an estuarine lagoon. With a recent muck dredging project, the St. Sebastian River's water quality has improved significantly. The Indian River is the longest estuarine lagoon in the State of Florida. Associated with the lagoon are many areas of estuarine wetlands, both impounded and unimpounded. In the past, estuarine wetlands were impounded to control the mosquito population along the coastal areas of the county by keeping the impounded areas flooded during the mosquito breeding season. While impounded wetlands occur along the lagoon throughout the county, several large impoundments Future Land Use Element 55