What is the Florida Intercoastal Waterway?
General Description & Characteristics: The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) facilitates navigation along the southeastern seaboard of the United States. Its 1200 mile course includes manmade canals, bays protected by barrier islands, natural river channels, and estuaries. We shall also include in this description the St. John’s River, an extensive inland waterway in Florida, and the Okeechobee Waterway which connects the east and west coasts of Florida. Location and Navigable Mileage: The ICW extends from Norfolk, Virginia, to Key West, Florida.. The navigable mileage of the ICW is approximately 1200 miles. At Jacksonville, Florida, the St. John’s River enters the Atlantic Ocean. This river can be navigated upstream for about 170 miles through several lakes, with the head of navigation being Lake Harney near Sanford, Florida. The Okeechobee Waterway consists of two parts: 1) the St. Lucie Canal, which connects Stuart, Florida, (just north of West Palm Beach) to Lake Okeechobee, and
