Geographical Location

The Indian River Lagoon, 156 miles long, makes up 40 percent of Florida's east coast. The lagoon contains two of the fastest growing cities in the United States- Palm Bay in Palm Beach County and Port St. Lucie in the center of the Treasure Coast area. Not a River

The Indian River is an estuary where salt water from the sea mixes with fresh water from the land. The resulting brackish water is moved more by the wind than by the tide and does not flow from headwaters to a mouth like a river.

Talk About Variety

The Lagoon system contains more species than any other estuary in North America. There are more than 2,200 different animal species and at least 2,100 types of plants found in the Lagoon region. Included are 700 species of fish and 310 species of birds, the most diverse bird population anywhere in North America.

Animals

Living in the lagoon system are 36 rare and endangered animal species, one of which is the manatee. Over one-third of the nation's manatee population lives in or migrates through the Lagoon.

In addition, ocean beaches in the Lagoon region provide one of the densest sea turtle nesting found in the Western Hemisphere. Not only are there four species of fish that only breed in the Lagoon system, but it is the only location in the world where you can find the Atlantic salt marsh snake.

A Taste of the Tropics

The Lagoon is located on the Atlantic Flyway, a key "biological highway" for many species of birds between the tropic and temperate zones. It also contains 20 percent of the U.S. Eastern Seaboard mangrove forest.

The northern limit of mangroves is within the Lagoon boundries. Hammocks of subtropical maritime trees are here which are not found farther north. Plus, the Lagoon contains 27 percent of Florida's east coast salt marshes.

If You Like Parks

The Indian River Lagoon has five state parks, four federal wildlife refuges and a national seashore. More people visit Sebastian Inlet State Park than any other park in Florida.