|
Draft Indian River County Lagoon Management Plan Outline April 2019
<br />EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
<br />The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) system is a unique and diverse estuary that connects Volusia, Brevard, Indian River,
<br />St. Lucie, and Martin counties. The IRL is part of the National Estuary Program (NEP), one of 28 estuaries of
<br />National Significance. The IRL has sS-mething to offer for every resident and visitor to Indian River County including
<br />recreational and commercial fishing; s fling, kayaking, paddle boarding, and boating; site seeing and birdwatching;
<br />bioluminescent tours; dining on the wat rfront; and beautiful sunrises and sunsets. The IRL pro ':es $7.6 billion in
<br />economic value based on the 2016 IRL onomic Valuation Update report by the Treasure C. -st and East Central
<br />Florida Regional Planning Councils, and th's value does not consider the $934 million in ads -d real estate valuation.
<br />Of the total economic benefit, $738 million er year is directly attributed to the County.
<br />The IRL is an estuary, which is a coastal wat rbody where freshwater tributaries m - -t and mix with seawater. The
<br />IRL is oriented parallel to the coast with few en inlets to the east, which crea a restricted, but free, exchange
<br />with the adjacent open ocean. To the west, ch nnelized flow of canal system: into the IRL have drained the land
<br />and altered the lagoon freshwater inputs. T balance of this delicat- ecosystem has been disturbed as
<br />development in the area has led to harmful imp cts due to elevated le -Is of nutrients, sediments, and organic
<br />material entering the lagoon. Sources of these p Ilutants include, bu are not limited to, stormwater runoff from
<br />urban and agricultural areas, excess fertilizer applic tions, failing sep 'c systems, biosolids, atmospheric deposition,
<br />and organic material from uplands including leaf lift , grass clipp) gs, and sediment. These pollutants contribute
<br />to cloudy conditions in the lagoon and feed algal blo (ns, both owhich negatively affect the seagrass community
<br />that provides habitat for much of the lagoon's marine lif
<br />Efforts have been ongoing for decades to address thes spurces of pollution. Despite significant load reductions,
<br />recent signs of human impact to the IRL system have bee magnified. To the north of Indian River County, the 2011
<br />"superbloom" occurred, which was an intense algal b .o in the Mosquito Lagoon, Banana River Lagoon, and
<br />North IRL. While the County was spared the most s ere i pacts of the "superbloom," a secondary, less intense
<br />bloom occurred in the Central IRL in the Indian RivefCounty : rea. Since that time, there have been recurring algal
<br />blooms and fish kills in the County's portion of tt% IRL. The •roximity of the County to the Sebastian Inlet has
<br />lessened the effects of these algal blooms. duelo saltwater an freshwater exchange through the inlet. However,
<br />this access to the ocean has allowed red tide 6 enter the IRL, ich may cause impacts to the IRL in Indian River
<br />County. To the south, releases from Lake keechobee domin::te the issues in the IRL. Billions of gallons of
<br />freshwater, often polluted with algae, nutrie , ts, and other contamin:;nts, flow into the IRL through.the St. Lucie River
<br />causing harmful and often toxic algal bloQ s and other water qualit issues.
<br />of/
<br />While challenges for the lagoon to th north and south are clearer, the specific challenges and priorities for the
<br />County are not as clear. This plan se ks to identify the specific issue- having the greatest impacts to the County's
<br />portion of the lagoon, priorities for p jects needed to have the most e '-ct on improving the IRL, and research how
<br />these identified impacts can be re,Iuced or eliminated.
<br />To restore balance to the IRL, 1fie County seeks to develop a manage ent plan that is specific to the County's
<br />portion of the lagoon. The existing development, land uses, geography, a d hydrology associated with this portion
<br />of the lagoon vary significant! from conditions in the counties to the north d south. The initial step in this process
<br />is to evaluate existing dat to provide a better understanding of what e specific challenges are and what
<br />information is needed to develop a plan that provides a long-term strategic s• ution. To accomplish this, the County
<br />will implement the five RRe
<br />• Research to iidentify impacts and strategically target key items for the evitalization of the lagoon;
<br />• Reduce th /pollutant and nutrient inputs to the lagoon from fertilizer, f -:ling septic systems, groundwater
<br />seepage i to canals, and untreated stormwater runoff;
<br />• Revitalite the ecosystem by increasing water -filtering oyster habitat, seagr-:ss beds, lagoon related natural
<br />occurring components, and removing invasive species;
<br />n TETRA TECH
<br />v
<br />
|