The St. Lucie River is a 35-mile-long (56 km)[1] estuary linked to a coastal river system in St. Lucie and Martin counties in the U.S. state of Florida. The St. Lucie River and St. Lucie Estuary are an "ecological jewel" of the Treasure Coast, central to the health and well-being of the surrounding communities.[2] The river is part of the larger Indian River Lagoon system, the most diverse estuarine environment in North America with more than 4,000 plant and animal species, including manatees, oysters, dolphins, sea turtles and seahorses.[2]
Historically, the St. Lucie was a freshwater river with no connection to either the Atlantic Ocean or Lake Okeechobee. In 1892, an inlet was dug by local residents to provide direct access to the Atlantic Ocean. During the 1900s, the river and its watershed underwent a series of modifications for navigation, flood control and water supply purposes, thus changing the St. Lucie from a river to an estuary.[2]
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed April 18, 2011
- ^ a b c "South Florida Water Management District -- The St. Lucie River and Estuary".