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(112 L 0 R I D A TECH Restore Lagoon Inflow Research Phase 1 Brief Project Summary and Project Outcomes The Indian River Lagoon(IRL)located along Florida's east central coast is under severe stress.The IRL has experienced multiple fish kills,massive brown algal blooms,flourishment of harmful bacteria,and the loss of over 47,000 acres of seagrass.Florida and the IRL community must ensure the best combination of restoration solutions are ultimately implemented to protect the 5 county region's quality of life and the IRL's$7.64 billion dollar impact to the economy. The Indian River Lagoon,as a bar-built estuary,is far different than the Tampa Bay and Chesapeake Bay systems. They have large,natural watersheds that enhance water circulation whereas the IRL does not. Historically,the IRL did benefit from the natural occurrence of inflows and wetlands before infrastructure was put in place to support a growing population.The goal of Florida Tech's Restore Lagoon Inflow (RLI)research study is to gauge the impacts of the controlled reintroduction of ocean seawater into the IRL as a contributing solution to restoration efforts. The RLI research project is not intended to support an artificial inlet or suggest a complete solution to restoring IRL water quality. With 2019-2020 State of Florida funding of$800,000 administered by the Florida Department of Education,Florida Tech faculty and students are planning and performing studies at lagoon and coastal study sites. An external peer-review panel and outreach efforts are providing calibration support for Florida Tech's RLI project team. The first phase of the RLI study will gather baseline data and modeling on existing water quality,biological parameters and hydrologic conditions at potential locations for future temporary permitted inflow test structures. The RLI Phase 1 Modeling and Engineering Project Research will proceed in parallel with Biological and Water Quality Monitoring in Advance of Enhanced Circulation Pilot. Modeling and Engineering Project Research Outcomes Objectives of the modeling and engineering component of the project are aimed at testing the overall hypothesis that controlled water exchanges between the Indian River Lagoon can be engineered to provide improved flushing and water quality within local compartments of the IRL without the negative impacts on littoral sediment budgets linked to permeant stabilized inlets. Specific project outcomes include: 1) Three specific locations will be identified(2 in Banana River and 1 in Indian River County) where exchanges of coastal ocean water into the IRL system can be optimized with respect to practicality,effective water control structures,and eventual permitting; 2) A system of nested hydrodynamic and transport models will be set up that can be operated by accurately exchanging model boundary conditions from the coastal ocean into the IRL estuarine system; 3) The modeling system will be calibrated with respect to historical process data; 4) The potential for improved circulation and flushing of based on controlled ocean inflows to IRL at three selected locations(2 in Banana River and 1 in Indian River County)will be determined; 5) A 20%percent design for water control structures at two locations will be created that can produce the modeled inflows. Page 1 of 3 Florida Institute of Technology • 150 West University Blvd • Melbourne,FL 32901 • FIT.edu vi 13‘a —I