What a year for the Indian River Lagoon. It’s a stagnant, almost landlocked place where salty ocean water and freshwater from rivers and creeks mix in ways that often result in a mixed bag for the health of the estuary.
This year has been better than recent years for the health of the lagoon.
Overall, the lagoon was recovering in 2024 compared to recent years, despite two hurricanes, sewage spills and young manatees dying from malnutrition caused by sparse seagrass, according to a regional environmental group.
But with all those malnourished manatees and stagnant seagrass growth, the ailing estuary still has a long way to go, says the nonprofit Marine Resources Council. Nearly 30% of the 506 manatees that died in Florida this year died within a year of birth.
In Brevard County, things were even worse: 50 of the 89 manatees that died here were less than 1 year old.
Scientists suspect malnutrition caused by a lack of seagrass could be the leading cause of death, according to data from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The view from Veterans Park in Titusville along the Indian River Lagoon of the June 5 launch of the NASA Boeing Starliner carrying two NASA astronauts from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Parts of the lagoon near the Kennedy Space Center are among the healthiest in the estuary, as there is far less residential and commercial development than along other parts of the lagoon.
More: Wastewater discharges from Hurricane Milton Hurricane Milton caused sewage spills in Palm Bay and Titusville
What’s happening?
On December 3 at noon, the Marine Resources Council will hold a seminar and Zoom meeting to present the findings and explain the methodology of its Indian River Lagoon Report 2024 – an annual estuary health assessment and marine evolution Resources Council Report. Map, first published in 2016.
Due to limited seating at the Lagoon House, 3275 Dixie Highway (US 1), Palm Bay, and an increased demand for in-person tickets, there will now be a $5 admission fee. Participants are free to bring their own lunch. Coffee and cookies are provided. The presentation via Zoom is free.
The seminar will conclude with a live question and answer session, but MRC encourages participants to email any questions on this topic to honor@mrcirl.org.
How do I register for the Lagoon Report Seminar?
You can attend in person at the Lagoon House, or via Zoom. To register, visit: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E342247&id=265
What if I can’t come that day?
A recording of the presentation will be posted to MRC’s YouTube page for future viewing: www.youtube.com/channel/UCcPQ8sGe0jMDI1ZDTczAUrg
Overall, what was on the 2024 IRL Report Card?
According to MRC:
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The overall health of the lagoon has improved in many ways between 2023 and 2024.
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“The Mosquito Lagoon had a good year with low concentrations of harmful algae and an increase in seagrass cover.”
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The Central Lagoon “continues to struggle with water quality and seagrass growth, but the other basins remained stable or showed slight improvements in several indicators of habitat health.
“This progress is a testament to the many organizations and individuals working to reduce pollution, runoff and wastewater leakage in their efforts to improve water and sediment quality,” MRC says.
What ‘killed’ the lagoon in the first place?
Decades of draining and filling wetlands, installing septic tanks, leaking sewage and fertilizing lawns caused a chronic and acute excess of algae and sediment that blocks the sunlight that seagrass needs for photosynthesis. Seagrass is the linchpin for the lagoon’s ecology, providing food and habitat for most marine life.
But in 2010-2011, a “perfect storm” of drought and then extreme cold set the stage for intense algae blooms that would eventually kill about 90% of the seagrass in the lagoon.
How does MRC measure lagoon health?
They collect data from partner and government organizations to assess five lagoon health indicators: harmful algae, seagrass cover, sediment health, wastewater discharges and water quality.
MRC measures these indicators for each of the five sub-basins: Mosquito Lagoon, North Indian River Lagoon, Banana River Lagoon, Central Indian River Lagoon and South Indian River Lagoon) on a scale of 0 (very poor) to 3 (good). . The five indicators were combined for a basin-wide average.
How are lagoon cleanups in Brevard paid for?
Voters in 2016 approved a 10-year, half-cent sales tax to fund the Save Our Lagoon Project Plan, created by the Brevard County Department of Natural Resources Management and consultants. It raises more than $54 million a year for lagoon cleanup, which includes removing organic debris from the lagoon bottom; stormwater, sewer and septic system upgrades; improved fertilizer management; oyster reef restoration; public education and more.
What happens to manatees?
Despite all the money spent, the number of projects and the increased awareness, efforts so far have not done much to help the many hundreds of manatees who have starved to death in 2021 and 2022 due to the loss of hundreds of hectares of seagrass.
The increase in deaths of young manatees this year – although the scientific jury is still out – could be a result of the two-year famine of manatees in the Indian River Lagoon region due to the loss of seagrass. Biologists from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission had warned of long-term health effects of malnutrition on the next generation of manatees. But it could also be a sign that manatee reproduction is slowly returning to normal after years of fewer births during the famine.
Where can I learn more?
Call the Marine Resource Council at (321) 725-7775 for more information, or visit their website at https://lovetheirl.org/.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Indian River Lagoon slowly coming back to life in 2024
