Area Map

The North Indian River Lagoon Management Area extends from the northern end of Indian River Lagoon at the Turnbull Creek marshes in Volusia County southward to the town of Cocoa on the Mainland Side and through the Shiloh and T-10 marsh impoundments on the east side on Merritt Island adjacent to the Indian River Lagoon. Most of the impoundments are a part of Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, and therefore publicly owned. Impounded marsh acreage is 18,024 acres with 283 acres in the 3 Scotsmoor cells 1512 acres in 3 Shiloh cells, and 16,229 acres in the other MINWR impoundment cells that are adjacent to Indian River Lagoon.

Unimpounded marshes stretch southward from the Scotsmoor area to Mims extending inshore to the FEC railroad tracks. Marshes are absent from Titusville southward to Cocoa on the mainland because of the relatively steep bank of the Indian River.

The major features of this area are the shallow waters of the Indian River Lagoon, which average about three feet depth through the entire lagoon cross section. Because of the shallow depth, seagrasses are abundant throughout the area. Fresh water is available to all impoundments in the area from Turnbull Creek, or from runoff from the mainland or Merritt Island. The Scotsmoor and Shiloh groups of impoundments are important features as well as the Haulover connection between the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River Lagoon.

All the marshes are dominated by herbaceous halophytes because the area is too far north to support an abundance of mangrove vegetation. Because of distance from inlets the supply of juvenile fishes is probably limited, therefore waterfowl are a prime consideration in management planning. There are Sixteen endangered species in the region. Two of these, the endangered wood stork and the threatened Atlantic saltmarsh snake, are the primary species affected by marsh management.

The Scotsmoor impoundments are herbaceous salt marsh, with freshwater aquatics. These marshes, as well as some in the Turnbull area are proposed for purchase by the St. Johns Water Management District and CARL. The SJRWMD is funding culvert installation in the Shiloh impoundments to control cattails and Brevard County is working with several private owners of the Scotsmoor Impoundments to engage in an innovative management plan that features a cyclic rotational impoundment management-waterfowl management plan.

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge manages its impoundments for several objectives including optimizing habitat for natural salt marsh, for wading birds, for overwintering waterfowl, or other wildlife benefits including fisheries.

Area Map