The Indian River Lagoon is a grouping of three lagoons: Mosquito Lagoon, Banana River, and the Indian River, on the Atlantic Coast of Florida; it is the most biodiverse lagoon ecosystem in the Northern Hemisphere and is home to more than 10,000 species of plants and animals.The Lagoon contains five state parks, four federal wildlife refuges and a national seashore.The Lagoon varies in width from.5to and averages in depth.HistoryThe Indian River Lagoon was originally known as the Rio de Ais, after the Ais Indian tribe, who lived along the east coast of Florida.Prior to the arrival of the railroad, the river was an essential transportation link.From 1989 to 2013, the population along the lagoon increased 50% to 1.6 million people.CourseThe full length of the Indian River Lagoon is, extending from Ponce de León Inlet in Volusia County, Florida, to Jupiter Inlet in Palm Beach County, Florida, and includes Cape Canaveral. Lake Okeechobee is connected to the lagoon by the Okeechobee Waterway and the St. Lucie River meeting in Sewall's Point.
