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INDIAN RIVER LAGOON IR, 2004
Citation:
Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program. INDIAN RIVER LAGOON IR, 2004. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
Description:
Since the Indian River Lagoon Program's last implementation review, the NEP through the local sponsorship of the St. Johns River Water Management District, has seen a three-fold increase in implementation funding from $6.7 million in 1999, to $21.3 million in FY 2003. This funding is implementing CCMP recommendations that address stormwater discharges from both large and small drainage basins, the targeted removal of over 2.6 million cubic yards of muck sediment deposits from lagoon tributaries, the reconnection of over 18,000 acres of impounded marsh wetlands, and the establishment of Pollutant Load Reduction Goals (PLRGs) that will help in the development of TMDLs and the implementation of the NPDES Program within the lagoon's northern and central watersheds. The South Florida Water Management District is continuing to implement over $1 0 million annually in storm water treatment and habitat enhancement projects in cooperation with the St. Lucie River Issues Team and county and city governments for projects such as canal and creek dredging, bank stabilization, agricultural BMP implementation and sediment trap installations in the southern lagoon watershed. They are also promoting the Indian River South Restoration Plan, a $1 billion Everglades Restoration component, in partnership with the US Army Corps of Engineers being considered by Congress for authorization and appropriations under WRDA 2004. The water management districts, and the other 16 members of the Indian River Lagoon Advisory Board continue to support the Indian River Lagoon Program by overseeing the development of the Program's Annual Work Plans and guiding the expenditure of the Program's annual funding allocations. In 2003, the Indian River Lagoon Program was successful in working with local governments and the state, taking a primary role in funds leveraging of $12.1 million in CCMP implementation resources, ranking well above the overall leveraging mean, and third among all the NEP's. When both primary and significant roles were considered, the Lagoon Program leveraged $13.3 million in resources, fourth among the 28 programs, and seventh overall when weighing all roles. All of the local governments partnering with the Lagoon Program are implementing water quality improvement and stormwater retrofit projects, habitat restoration initiatives, and environmentally endangered land acquisition programs.