The Indian River Lagoon Estuary Council has awarded the St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program a grant to construct oyster reefs/living shorelines at the outfall to the Indian Hills Stormwater Treatment Area (STA) on South Indian River Drive. Large stormwater discharges from this outfall alternatively scour seagrasses or cover the area surrounding the outfall with sediments
Starting in September, volunteers will start constructing oyster modules for construction of a 678-square-foot oyster reef. The oyster reef will be deployed in rows parallel to the shoreline to help protect the shoreline from scouring of seagrass beds and will also act to reduce buildup of sediments which are not removed by the STA. This oyster reef will create one last component of the stormwater treatment train to polish the water prior to its release into the Indian River Lagoon, disperse water more evenly as it exits the 60-inch outfall, and will provide habitat for invertebrates and birds.
This project is designed to increase the resiliency and sustainability of the Indian River Lagoon while also benefitting infrastructure (Indian River Drive) by stabilizing the shoreline. Indian River Drive has been the subject of closures after the hurricanes of 2004 and storm events afterward. A living shoreline along Indian River Drive will help reduce erosion of unconsolidated sediments while providing benefits to fish and wildlife.
Stormwater treatment along South Indian River Drive is also important to the resiliency of the Indian River Lagoon. The 23-acre Indian Hills STA is designed to remove pollutants from the 1,242-acre Virginia Avenue stormwater basin before the stormwater is discharged into the lagoon. Similarly, St. Lucie County is planning a stormwater baffle box/oyster reef/living shoreline at Old Fort Park along Indian River Drive. The 48-inch stormwater outfall at Old Fort Park delivers stormwater from the 216-acre Georgia Avenue basin into the Indian River Lagoon. This basin contains stormwater runoff from a mixture of land uses including residential, urban road (U.S. Highway 1), and a golf course.
Baffle boxes are large concrete boxes that remove nutrients and other pollutants from the stormwater before it is released into the Lagoon. Baffle boxes can be used when there isn’t enough space for a large STA but their installation requires the permission of the property owner where they are to be placed. The Old Fort Park project will show property owners what a baffle box/oyster reef/living shoreline looks like in hopes of obtaining permission to install additional baffle box/oyster reef/living shorelines along Indian River Drive. As more funding becomes available and as more of the homeowners become informed about this vital program, St. Lucie County hopes to partner with the Florida Oceanographic Society and the Ocean Research and Conservation Association to create more living shorelines, protecting Indian River Drive from erosion while preventing contaminants from entering the Indian River Lagoon.
The area has already been inspected by County personnel for potential oyster reef placement; however, the County will need to obtain permits for any oyster reef prior to working in coastal waters. These permits are necessary for all oyster reef construction to ensure that biological resources, such as seagrasses, are not harmed by oyster module placement.
For more information on the St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program or restoration of oyster reefs in St. Lucie County, contact Jim Oppenborn, St. Lucie County Coastal Resources Coordinator, at oppenbornj@stlucieco.org or (772) 462-1713.
