Why focus on the Indian River Lagoon?
We fortunately live in a culturally and economically diverse area surrounding the most biologically diverse estuary in North America. This natural treasure is a fragile environment influenced by our daily activities and plays a critical role in the economy and quality of life for Brevard County residents. Many of us are unaware of the delicate balance that exists for living organisms teeming under the surface and along the shoreline. The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) is 156 miles long, spanning from Ponce de Leon Inlet at the northern end to Jupiter Inlet at the southern end. The lagoon’s length covers approximately 40% of the eastern Florida shoreline. Six counties are included in the watershed. A watershed is the total land area that drains into a common surface body of water, which, in this case, is the Indian River Lagoon. Three distinct water bodies make up the lagoon-Mosquito lagoon, Banana River, and Indian River. The IRL is not a river at all, but an estuary (where freshwater and s
