Indian River Lagoon - South: C-44

E V E R G L A D E S
R E S T O R A T I O N
F A C T
S H E E T
Indian River Lagoon - South: C-44
STORAGE • WATER QUALITY • FLOW RESTORATION • SEEPAGE & FLOOD CONTROL
T
here is quite possibly no better example of how
environmental health translates to regional economic
health than the Indian River Lagoon, an ecosystem
spanning more than 150 miles of Florida’s Atlantic Coast
from Volusia County to Martin County. The Indian River
Lagoon is the most diverse estuary in North America and
an important economic driver with direct annual expenditures
for fishing, lodging, boating and other recreational and
commercial uses nearing $3 billion. In Martin and St. Lucie
Counties alone, surrounding the southern end of the Indian
River Lagoon and including the St. Lucie River Estuary,
the economic value exceeds $700 million. Unfortunately,
decades of development and nutrient pollution have degraded
the health of this once productive coastal ecosystem.
per day!) regulatory discharge of polluted water from Lake
Okeechobee into the St. Lucie River nearly every wet season.
When Lake Okeechobee water levels are high, this polluted
freshwater is released downstream, impairing water quality
and upsetting the salinity balance of the St. Lucie Estuary
and the southern Indian River Lagoon. These excessive
pulses of water and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus)
often end in algae blooms, toxic water, and fish kills across
the estuary.
The Indian River Lagoon-South (IRL-South) Restoration
Project is now underway to reverse this trend and restore the
environmental and economic health of this region. This project
has strong support in Martin County; the residents even taxed
themselves to purchase the lands for the project.
At the southern end, these pollution problems are compounded by the massive (often exceeding 1 billion gallons
CONTINUED ON OTHER SIDE
Aerial view downstream
showing the plume of polluted
lake water extending offshore.
Massive release of polluted Lake Okeechobee water at the St. Lucie Lock (S-80).
evergladesfoundation.org
E V E R G L A D E S
R E S T O R A T I O N
CONTINUED FROM THE FRONT SIDE
All IRL-South components combined will result in…
• 12,000 acres of storage, 9,000 acres of STAs, and
90,000 acres of natural areas
The IRL-South Project is a regional project to restore the St.
Lucie Estuary and Indian River Lagoon. Although the
artificial connection to Lake Okeechobee cannot be
undone, the goal of the project is to provide capacity to
store and treat water released from Lake Okeechobee and
flow it in a more natural way to the St. Lucie River. Habitat
restoration of natural areas will also provide storage and
treatment. The C-44 components of the IRL-South Project
include a 3,400-acre reservoir to capture storm water, a
6,300-acre STA to treat that water, and conveyance structures to flow treated water back to the C-44 canal in a more
natural way. The project will greatly improve water quality,
fish habitat, and recreational opportunities.
• 41% long-term reduction in phosphorus, 26%
reduction in nitrogen
• 889 acres of restored oyster habitat
• Reduced algal blooms
• Improved fish habitat, including seagrass
INITIAL Moving
PHASE Forward...
$510
MILLION
C-25 STA
OKEECHOBEE
COUNTY
C-23/24 North
Reservoir
C-23/24 STA
1
Northern
Diversion
of Existing
Watershed
Flows
ST. LUCIE
COUNTY
on
ago
er L
Riv
ian
Ind
ST. LUCIE
COUNTY
C-23/24 South
Reservoir
S H E E T
Project Benefits
Project Background
C-25 Reservoir
F A C T
Atlantic
Ocean
The project is estimated to be
completed in 2017. Initial project
activities include land acquisition
and excavation/ preparation for
construction. With initial funding,
construction on the C-44 reservoir and STAs is in progress.
Northfork
Floodplain
Restoration
Cypress Creek/Trail Ridge
Complex Natural Storage
& Water Quality Area
Muck
Remediation
Habitat
St. Lucie River
FLORIDA
95
Allapattah
Complex Natural Storage
& Water Quality Area
Southern
Diversion
of Existing
Watershed
Flows
1
Southfork
Natural Storage
& Water Quality Area
C-44
Reservoir
C-44
West STA
441
Lake
Okeechobee
98
MARTIN
COUNTY
Everglades
National Park
C-44
East STA
PALMAR
Complex Natural Storage
& Water Quality Area
evergladesfoundation.org

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