IRLNews:2020/12/13/Indian River Lagoon 2020 Health Update
The Indian River Lagoon Health Report Card represents the successful outcome of a public-private partnership between Marine Resources Council and Applied Ecology Inc. The partners have worked since 2015 to create a visual representation of water quality and seagrass data. The report has successfully been used to guide scientific investigation, raise awareness, inspire advocacy, and inform policy-makers.
The report card data were collected by state agency personnel and sent to a certified laboratory for analysis. All data were quality assured before being released to the public, a process that takes 6–12 months.
Six water quality indicators were rated in ten areas of the Banana River, Indian River, and Mosquito lagoons. The water quality indicators include:
- Nitrogen
- Phosphorus
- Chlorophyll-a
- Turbidity
- Water Quality Index
- Habitat Quality Index
The report card's 0-100 rating system is presented using color-coded spreadsheets and charts that are easy to comprehend.
Many areas of the estuary have scores of >70% and are slowly improving. Unfortunately, an entire lagoon needs improvement with scores of <70%.
Some North Indian River Lagoon tributaries are scoring 40% with habitat quality falling drastically since the 2016 algae bloom.
North Indian River Lagoon Water Quality Scores
Thanks to the Dr. Leesa Souto and the MRC team for putting together a water quality report we can all understand.
Link: MRC 2020 IRL Health Update Report Card #3
