The St. Johns River Water Management District, federal and state agencies, local governments, the IRL Council and educational institutions have worked individually and collectively to understand the causes of unprecedented algal blooms in a quest to identify what can be done to limit or avoid similar events in the Indian River Lagoon. The District and its partners continue to implement projects that remove legacy loads of nutrients and sediments and reduce the influx of these materials. Here is an overview of what partners are doing to help the lagoon.
Responsibility/ Role
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is responsible for overseeing Basin Management Actions Plans which provide a framework to restore water quality. In BMAPs, local, state, and federal partners commit to reducing loads of pollutants through current and future projects and strategies. BMAPs employ a comprehensive set of solutions, such as permits limiting discharges from wastewater facilities, urban and agricultural best management practices, and conservation programs designed to bring loads of pollutants down to levels considered safe or the total maximum daily load (TMDL). These broad-based plans rely on local input and commitment during development and implementation. Each BMAP is adopted by a Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretarial Order to make it legally enforceable. The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) has active BMAPs for Banana River Lagoon and the North and Central sections of the Indian River Lagoon.
A different approach is used to manage Mosquito Lagoon. Stakeholders developed and DEP approved a Reasonable Assurance Plan (RAP) that is designed to achieve the same goal as a BMAP. In the RAP, stakeholders have made commitments to implementing actions to reduce loads of pollutants.
Website(s)
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Central Indian River Lagoon BMAP
North Indian River Lagoon BMAP
Contact Information
DEP Division of Environmental Assessment and Restoration: 850-245-7508
Contact email
General Questions: Kevin.Coyne@dep.state.fl.us
Banana River Lagoon BMAP contact Stacy Cecil at Stacy. Cecil@FloridaDEP.gov
Central Indian River Lagoon BMAP contact Kevin Coyne at Kevin. Coyne@FloridaDEP.gov
North Indian River Lagooon BMAP contact: Stacy Cecil at Stacy.Cecil@FloridaDEP.gov
Responsibility/ Role
The St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) regularly surveys seagrasses and water quality in the IRL and collects samples of algal blooms when they are observed. These data are combined with those collected by federal and state agencies, local governments, and educational institutions to develop a more useful understanding of the IRL’s complexity as an underpinning for sound management strategies and cost-effective projects that will restore the IRL to a system dominated by seagrass. In addition, SJRWMD issues environmental resource and consumptive use permits designed to reduce future stress on the IRL. Simultaneously, SJRWMD and its partners continue to implement projects that remove legacy loads of nutrients and sediments and reduce the influx of these materials.
Website(s)
Indian River Lagoon – SJRWMD
Contact Information
386-312-2317
Contact email
Aevitt@sjrwmd.com
Responsibility/ Role
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers 28 Estuaries of National Significance, and it supports the development of comprehensive management plans to assure that these estuaries attain and maintain their ecological integrity. These National Estuary Programs (NEPs) are place-based, non-regulatory, and participatory programs focused on restoring and protecting estuaries and local watersheds.
Website(s)
Local Estuary Programs | US EPA
Contact Information
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Estuary Program
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Mail Code 4204M
Washington, DC 20460
Contact email
Email form
Responsibility/ Role
A principal mission of each NEP is to involve local residents at all stages in the development and implementation of a regional plan to protect, restore, or enhance the quality of water, sediments, and living resources. This regional plan is known as a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP), and it determines the current state of the estuary and the steps needed to return it to health. One of the primary jobs of the IRLNEP is to implement a CCMP for the IRL that facilitates and fosters communication among all constituents throughout the process. The process draws on the best available science and expertise via the IRLNEP Management Conference, it gathers input from the community and other stakeholders, and it tracks progress and adapts to challenges with revisions.
Website(s)
The Indian River Lagoon NEP – Indian River Lagoon
Contact Information
IRLNEP Contact Duane E. De Freese, Ph.D. Executive Director IRL Council & IRL National Estuary Program
1235 Main Street Sebastian, FL 32958
Mobile: 321-313-0764
Contact email
ddefreese@irlcouncil.org
Responsibility/ Role
The IRL Council sponsors the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program (IRLNEP). It is a special district of Florida guided by voting representatives from five counties bordering the IRL (Volusia, Brevard, Indian River County, St. Lucie, and Martin counties), the St. Johns River and South Florida water management districts, and DEP. The U.S. EPA provides guidance to the Council.
Website(s)
Home – Indian River Lagoon
Contact Information
Contact email
Responsibility/ Role
The Save Our Indian River Lagoon Project Plan was created in 2016 to manage proceeds from a half cent sales tax that Brevard County residents voted to impose on themselves. The program addresses excess nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in the Indian River Lagoon through various projects that reduce inputs, remove legacy loads, and restore natural filtration systems. It is estimated that the plan will bring in up to $489 million in revenue over 10 years to fund projects that will reduce or remove about 1.3 million pounds of excess nitrogen and 105,000 pounds of phosphorus annually from the Indian River Lagoon.
Website(s)
Save Our Lagoon Home
Contact Information
Natural Resources Management Department
2725 Judge Ran Jamieson Way Viera, FL 32940
(321) 633-2016
Contact email
IRLProject@brevardfl.gov
Responsibility/ Role
The two main responsibilities of this section are to implement county comprehensive plan environmental policies and to enforce general codes and ordinances enacted by the county to protect community standards. They also assist with Indian River Lagoon Comprehensive Conservation Management planning.
Website(s)
Indian River County Board of County Commissioners
Contact Information
Environmental Planning and Code Enforcement Division
1801 27th Street, Building A
Vero Beach 32960-3388
Community Development Entrance
(772) 226-1249
Contact email
Responsibility/ Role
The Martin County Board of County Commissioners is committed to protecting important waterways such as the St. Lucie Estuary and Indian River Lagoon. The county continues to invest significantly in this crucial effort and is a leader in the development of water quality improvement projects in our region. Clean local waterways are critical to our community and surrounding areas, and maintaining and improving water quality is essential to protect public health, quality of life, fisheries, wildlife and watersheds.
Website(s)
Environmental Division | Martin County Florida
Contact Information
2401 SE Monterey Road Stuart, FL 34996
772-288-5400
Contact email
Responsibility/ Role
Volusia County’s statement on the IRL is: To preserve, protect and restore the region’s unique environmental natural resources and improve and enhance the enjoyment and health of a growing population; to achieve a balance between the quality of the environment and economic interests of our citizens. Volusia County has been a charter member of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program (IRLNEP) since 1990. Volusia County is a member of the IRL Council, which sponsors and carries out the goals of the IRLNEP.
Website(s)
Indian River Lagoon Health
Contact Information
123 W. Indiana Ave
DeLand, FL 32720
386-736-2700
Contact emails
Ginger Adair
Director
gadair@volusia.org
Denise Colflesh
Admin Coordinator II
dcolflesh@volusia.org
Responsibility/ Role
The county’s Environmental Resources Department’s mission is to preserve, protect and enhance St. Lucie County’s environmental resources through sustainable land management practices, regulations, public education, and outreach.
Website(s)
Environmental Resources Department | St. Lucie County, FL
Contact Information
2300 Virgina Ave. Fort Pierce, FL 34982
772-462-1100
Contact email
EnvironmentalResources@stlucieco.org
Responsibility/ Role
The South Florida Water Management District is a regional governmental agency that manages the water resources in the southern half of the state, covering 16 counties from Orlando to the Florida Keys and serving a population of 9 million residents. It is the oldest and largest of the state’s five water management districts. Created in 1949, the agency is responsible for managing and protecting water resources of South Florida by balancing and improving flood control, water supply, water quality and natural systems.
A key initiative is restoration of the Everglades – the largest environmental restoration project in the nation’s history. The District is also working to improve the Kissimmee River and its floodplain, Lake Okeechobee and South Florida’s coastal estuaries.
Website(s)
South Florida Water Management District
Contact Information
3301 Gun Club Road West Palm Beach, FL 33406
561-686-8800