More Protection for the Indian River Lagoon

The Indian River Lagoon is one of Florida’s most treasured environmental gems. Spanning the length of six counties along Florida’s east coast, the lagoon is the most biologically diverse estuary in North America. In excess of 4,000 species of plants and animals make their home in this watershed, including more 50 threatened or endangered species. There are a number of threats to the health of this vitally important ecosystem including growth, which brings along with it pollution, habitat loss and changes to the lagoon’s hydrologic system.

In the fall of 2007, the Department issued permits to Indian River County for a project that could potentially become the next big step in providing more protection for the lagoon. The benefits of the project, known as Spoonbill Marsh, will be cleaner water for the lagoon and an increase in critical environmental habitat. At the same time the project will provide Indian River County the ability to produce more drinking water for its increasing population.

The plan is to take the 750,000 gallons of salty wastewater, commonly referred to as brine, which is generated daily from the production of drinking water and combine it with water from the lagoon. The mixture will then be discharged into a series of ponds, wetlands and mangroves located along the lagoon’s boundaries where natural wetland vegetation will help to remove nutrients from the water. The project will also create an additional 10 acres of high marsh that will be located adjacent to the 60-acre Spoonbill Marsh.

Once the brine mixture and lagoon water makes its way through the wetland system back to the lagoon itself, the water will be cleaner with salinity levels more in tune with the natural lagoon environment. DEP’s commitment to the conservation of our State’s natural resources is helping to ensure that Spoonbill Marsh will benefit all Floridians while protecting marshlands and habitat for threatened and endangered species like the white ibis, wood stork and the small tropical killifish, the Mangrove rivulus, a Species of Special Concern.