The lagoon, in plain English.
Everything you were never told about the Indian River Lagoon — the science, the history, the fixes, the people, and how invasive plants and the water itself are managed — written for anyone who wants to understand the water in front of them. No jargon that is not defined. No claim without a source.
What is the Indian River Lagoon?
Estuary basics. Salinity zones. The six inlets. Why one of the most biodiverse estuaries in the Northern Hemisphere happens to be in Brevard County.
02 · The CollapseThe 2016 fish kill
A nutrient-fueled brown-tide bloom persisted through the winter. When it collapsed in March, the decomposition stripped oxygen from the water. Hundreds of thousands of dead fish in three days.
03 · The FixHow a lagoon gets fixed
You cannot un-pollute an estuary overnight. It takes four kinds of infrastructure work — septic-to-sewer, muck dredging, stormwater retrofits, and living shorelines. Here is what each one does.
04 · Plant ManagementManaging invasive aquatic plants
Herbicide spraying, mechanical harvesting, or something else? Four tools are actually available — mechanical harvesting, targeted herbicide treatment, biological control, and nutrient reduction. What each one does well, what each does poorly, and the decision matrix for when each is appropriate.
More Learn pages are being added over the summer and fall — the species guide, the glossary, the how-you-help-at-home guide, and the "meet the players" directory (SJRWMD, IRLNEP, MRC, Brevard SOIRL, FIT, HBOI). If there is something specific you want me to write about, email hello@lagoonfacts.org.
Want to help with the renewal effort?External
LagoonFacts provides independent information and evidence. Campaigning, volunteering, signs, donations, and voter outreach are handled by separate community organizations, not by LagoonFacts.
Find ways to get involved →LagoonFacts is an independent public-information resource. External campaign, advocacy, volunteer, and fundraising organizations are separate entities.