# An Owner’s GuideFor generations, the Indian River Lagoon’s rich bounty has drawn people to its waters for sustenance, inspiration and pleasure. Flanking Florida’s east coast, the 156-mile-long waterway is rich with history, serving as a backdrop for Spanish explorers in the 1500s, space explorers in modern times, and an endless assortment of entrepreneurs, farmers, cattlemen
and fishermen.

Today, the lagoon supports a thriving economy spread across five coastal counties. The lagoon’s shallow, brackish waters offer more than a picturesque snapshot. Tourism, aerospace, commercial and recreational fishing, maritime industries and agriculture all comprise the fabric that defines this diverse region. Each year, more people arrive to visit, work and play, and live along its shores.

The Indian River Lagoon is not a river, but a special type of estuary known as a lagoon. Estuaries are biologically prolific waterways in which freshwater
from creeks and rivers blends with salt water from

the ocean — in this case the Atlantic Ocean. The lagoon also boasts the distinction of being the most biologically diverse estuary in the continental United States, supporting more than 4,000 species of plants and animals — including more than 700 species of fish, 300 species of birds and 1,300 species of plants. One-third of the United States’ endangered manatee population calls the lagoon home, as do more than 50 other endangered or threatened species.

The primary reason for the lagoon’s vast biodiversity is that it straddles a zone where tropical and temperate climates meet. Thus, lagoon residents include tropical and subtropical species that cannot survive cold weather, as well as temperate species that prefer

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# L agoonWhy should you care about the health of the Indian River Lagoon? If you’re an angler, good water quality means plenty of fish and natural spawning and feeding areas to support large, healthy fish populations. Boaters desire to ply clear waters unimpeded by hazards. To visitors, a healthy lagoon translates into sparkling vistas and the potential for manatee and dolphin sightings. To the waterfront homeowner, it means enjoying a view without worrying about foul-smelling mats of algae or floating dead fish, which can hurt property values.

Unfortunately, portions of the lagoon are no longer pristine. Population growth in the lagoon region is placing increasing pressure on the estuary. Roughly 92 percent of the lagoon’s salt marshes and mangrove wetlands have been lost or altered by impoundment for mosquito control or by commercial and residential development. Those activities have degraded water quality in the lagoon, affected lagoon fisheries and threatened the lagoon’s vast biological diversity.

The growing urbanization of the region may be the greatest threat to water quality in the lagoon. As impervious surfaces such as rooftops and streetscapes multiply, larger volumes of polluted storm water enter the lagoon from storm drains or as runoff from the surrounding landscape. 

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The lagoon is home to a rich array of plants and animals that depend on its water quality for their existence. Humans, likewise, depend on the lagoon for the many recreational and commercial opportunities it provides.

The lagoon is not

static. Human

activities have altered the lagoon in visible and less apparent ways. Silt, sediments,
nutrients,

chemicals, oils and
metals find their way into the lagoon through tributaries,

canals and stormwater pipes. The estuary’s bottom has been selectively dredged, filled or otherwise altered over the years. Mangrove wetlands have been replaced by homes and marinas. Soaring causeways string together its

eastern and western shorelines.

These changes impact sea grasses, which serve as a barometer of the lagoon’s health. Sea grasses provide food and habitat for fish, manatees and other wildlife, and the plants filter pollutants from the water and help to stabilize the lagoon bottom.

Poor water quality diminishes the ability of sunlight to reach sea grass, resulting in the decline of grass beds. These losses deprive wildlife of a key food source and fish of their most important habitat.Directly or indirectly, we are all responsible for maintaining the health of the Indian River Lagoon. Even if you live several miles away from the lagoon and never visit its shores, fertilizers and pesticides on your lawn can reach the estuary in the form of stormwater runoff when it rains. As residents, as government leaders, as visitors and as responsible individuals, we can each do our part to effect positive changes within the lagoon.



## Sources of pollution are:

•	 Storm water from urban and suburban

areas, which sends lawn fertilizers, eroded sediments, pesticides, roadway oils and greases, pet wastes and trash into storm drains. Storm drains and drainage systems in older developments send polluted rainwater and irrigation water into the canals and tributaries that drain directly to the lagoon, with no treatment.

•	 Other sources can include wastewater

from poorly located and maintained septic tanks and occasional discharges from the few wastewater treatment plants that have permits for discharges. 

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Nutrient pollution can cause an imbalance in the lagoon and trigger massive blooms of algae, which can harm the lagoon’s ecosystem by killing fish and adversely impacting beneficial plants, such as sea grasses.

Algae are the vital base of the aquatic food chain. Sometimes, however, too much algae can crowd together. The resulting mass, often called a “bloom,” blocks sunlight from reaching underwater plants.

Dying algae remove dissolved oxygen from the water. This can result in fish kills, when oxygen drops below

minimal levels.

In addition, algal blooms can wreak havoc on recreational activities and commerce, due to unsightly green scum, pungent odor and public health concerns about toxins associated with certain harmful algal species.

We are already witnessing the ways in which the lagoon is adapting to adversity. In localized areas of the lagoon, fishery populations are reduced and shellfish harvesting areas are diminished or closed. Some plants and animals that call the lagoon home are simply unable to adapt to change. 

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In some of the more urbanized areas of the Indian River Lagoon, the health of the estuary has been upset by human activities. Fish kills, algal blooms, toxins in some species of fish and shellfish and lesions on dolphins and turtles are all symptoms of an estuary in need of our help.

Everyday activities — fertilizing our lawns, flushing our toilets, washing our laundry and dishes, neglecting pet wastes in our yards and driving our cars — can directly impact water quality in the lagoon. While government agencies are working to address many of the problems, government alone cannot restore the lagoon’s health. With little effort, you can take simple steps to ensure that you are helping protect this magnificent waterway for generations to come.The old adage “more is better” doesn’t always ring true, particularly with lawn fertilizer. When fertilizing your lawn and landscape, applying the correct amount of fertilizer can reduce the amount of pollutants reaching waterways, save water, result in a healthier landscape and save you money. Applying too much fertilizer can stimulate excessive plant growth, aggravate pest problems and increase the need for irrigation.
Excess fertilizers can also wash into storm drains and waterways during heavy rains, harming water quality.

•	 Apply fertilizers sparingly, if at all, and follow the

manufacturer’s directions on the bag, particularly in the amount per application. Know exactly how much area (square footage) of your lawn the bag of
fertilizer is intended to cover.

•	 Use fertilizer with slow-release, water-insoluble

forms of nitrogen.

•	 Florida soil is naturally high in phosphorous. “No

phosphate” fertilizer is fine for most mature lawns and much better for waterways.

•	 Fertilize only during the growing season. 

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Fertilize Wisely

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Maintain Your Septic System

A properly located, designed, constructed and maintained septic tank system can serve your home as efficiently as a central sewer system, but a system that does not receive proper care and attention can be a
financial burden and a health threat.

•	 Know the location and capacity of your septic tank

system and drainfield, and have a licensed contractor inspect the tank at least every three years and pump
it out if needed.

•	 Keep records of inspections, pumping activity,

repairs and other work.

•	 Install the system so that rainfall and surface

water will flow away from the drainfield and at an appropriate distance from nearby waterways.

•	 Install water conservation devices or fixtures to

reduce the total volume of water entering the

system.

•	 Never flush paper towels, newspapers, diapers, cat

litter, sticks or toxic materials, such as pesticides, into the system.

•	 Never overuse ordinary household cleaning

chemicals that will be flushed into the system.

•	 Never use chemical solvents to clean plumbing lines

or a septic tank system, because chemicals can kill the microorganisms that consume harmful wastes in the system and can pollute the groundwater.

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Minimize Harm From Stormwater Runoff

Regardless of where you live, the rain that runs off your roof, lawn and driveway eventually ends up in the nearest water body by flowing over land, through canals

and into storm drains.

Storm drains are direct conduits to stormwater ponds, canals or natural waterways like the Indian River Lagoon. Water that enters a storm drain does not go to a treatment plant. Therefore, it is important to never dump anything down the storm drain inlet.

•	 Don’t dump waste oil, chemicals or paint into

ponds, inlets or storm drains. Contact your local government’s waste management department for a list of disposal facilities.

•	 Repair automobile leaks immediately to reduce

runoff from oil and heavy metals, such as lead, copper and cadmium, impacting waterways.

•	 Dispose of household hazardous wastes such

as antifreeze, used motor oil and batteries at designated collection or recycling facilities.

•	 Clean up after your pet to prevent animal waste

from washing into waterways.

•	 Compost or recycle yard waste and lawn clippings

when possible. Depositing lawn clippings in water bodies and storm drains can increase oxygen demand in the water, which can significantly harm fish populations and damage seagrass beds — vital habitat for animals and aquatic organisms.The Indian River Lagoon is the most biologically diverse estuary in North America. Unfortunately, exotic invasive species of plants and animals also find the lagoon a suitable habitat to call home. Whether introduced to the lagoon intentionally or by accident, nonnative species can cause significant economic harm to the lagoon region by displacing indigenous species.

Whether you live near the lagoon or spend time on its waters fishing or boating, you can take steps to ensure that you aren’t introducing plants or animals that don’t belong here.

•	 Use native or Florida-friendly plants in your landscaping and eradicate exotic species such as Brazilian pepper and Australian pine, which displace many native species with their thick growth habits.

•	 Never release exotic pets into the wild. Many, such as snakes and iguanas, have no natural predators

and can wreak havoc on the local
food chain.

•	 Never release the tropical fish from your aquarium into the lagoon. Instead, see if your local pet shop will buy or take the fish, or donate the fish to an aquarium society, hospital

or school.

•	 When launching your boat into the lagoon, make sure your propeller and hull are clean. Boats have the potential to act
as vectors for the introduction of new species — such as green mussels, Australian spotted jellyfish and aquatic plants — when they are transported to different waterways. 

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Prevent invaders from harming the natives

Brazilian pepper

Australian spotted jellyfish

Green musselIndian River Lagoon National Estuary Program St. Johns River Water Management District 525 Community College Parkway S.E. Palm Bay, FL 32909 (321) 984-4950 • (800) 226-3747

March 2009 For more tips on how you can help efforts to protect

and restore the Indian River Lagoon through your everyday activities, visit itsyourlagoon.com or contact the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program and the St. Johns River Water Management District.