Indian River Lagoon Facts

Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Facts

• The 156 mile long Indian River Lagoon National Estuary watershed covers an area of 2,284 square miles with 353 square miles of water surface area.
• The national estuary spans six Florida East Coast counties: Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach County. 71% of the national estuary lies within Brevard County.
• Mosquito, Banana River, and Indian River brackish water lagoons are the main water bodies in the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary.
• Five saltwater Atlantic Ocean inlets connect to the national estuary: Ponce de Leon, Sebastian, Ft. Pierce, St. Lucie, and Jupiter inlets. Ponce de Leon and Jupiter are natural inlets, the other three are man-made cuts through the barrier island.
• Major freshwater tributaries feeding the Indian River Lagoon include the Eau Gallie, St. Sebastian, St. Lucie, and Loxahatchee rivers.
• The national estuary has a 4ft average depth with large shallow flats under 2ft deep. Dredged channels, basins, and canals are deeper. The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) channel is maintained at an average 10-12ft depth by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
• 2,100 plant and 2,200 animal species are found in the national estuary.
• The national estuary contains 27 percent of eastern Florida’s coastal salt marshes.
• The Indian River Lagoon fishery generates $30 million in revenues, providing 50% of the annual fish harvest on Florida's East Coast.

Mosquito Lagoon Facts

• Mosquito Lagoon is located in Volusia and Brevard Counties.
• Second largest lagoon in the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary
• Majority lies within federal property that includes Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Canaveral National Seashore, and Kennedy Space Center.
• Designated as an "Outstanding Florida Water" by the State of Florida.
• Northern portion is a Florida Aquatic Preserve

Banana River Facts

• Banana River lagoon lies within Brevard County
• Smallest lagoon in the National Estuary
• Northern portion lies within Kennedy Space Center and is not open to the public.
• Banana River north of SR528 is a No-Motor Zone manatee preserve.
• Home to Annie the Dragon

Indian River Facts

• Indian River lies within 5 Florida East Coast counties: Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach County.
• 121 mile long Indian River is the largest lagoon in the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary.
• Four Atlantic Ocean inlets: Sebastian, Ft. Pierce, Jupiter, and Palm Beach
• Freshwater rivers: Eau Gallie River, St. Sebastian, St. Lucie, Loxahatchee
• Freshwater feeder creeks include: Turnbull, Addison, Crane, Turkey Creek, Goat, Kid, Trout, Crawford, and Taylor.

Web Links

• St. Johns River Water Management District - Fast facts about the Indian River Lagoon

Documents

• Harbor Branch - IRL Facts and Figures (PDF 2pp)

References