IRL Report Card
The report card is a visual representation of the lagoon’s condition through the data collected as part of the state’s monitoring program to determine if state regulatory standards are being met. Bottom line is, we need to do more.
The 2020 Report Card includes:
- 137,202 agency data including 25 years of seagrass and 23 years of water quality data
- 10 lagoon regions and 12 tributaries covering from Ponce Inlet to Jupiter Inlet
- Scored and color-coded tables and maps to easily see changes over time and space
The Indian River Lagoon Health Report Card represents the successful outcome of a public-private partnership between MRC and Applied Ecology Inc. (AEI) who have worked closely since 2015 to create an understandable translation of water quality and seagrass data. The report has successfully been used to guide scientific investigation, raise awareness, inspire advocacy, and inform policy-makers.
Reading the Report Card Scores (0 Is Bad and 100 Is Excellent)
Read the report card scores like you are reading school test scores (0 is bad and 100 is excellent). We have done the hard work of creating a simple score based on an off-set calculated as the difference between the regulatory target and the actual condition. These off-sets were standardized into a score from 0–100 with some additional room on either side for scores to go higher or lower than the current period of record. A score of 80 meets the regulatory target and is considered above average and is colored green. To learn more about how scores were calculated, to see the targets for each region, and to read other sciencey stuff, check out the 2020 Health Assessment Methodology Report.
The report card data were collected by state agency personnel and sent to a certified laboratory for analysis. All data were quality assured before being released to the public, a process that takes 6–12 months. If the actual condition is better than the regulatory target, it is colored in green (score of 80 or above).
Tables show the lagoon region scores over time with 23 years of water quality data and 25 years of habitat quality (seagrass) data. Maps show differences in regions of the lagoon and sample locations in a single year.
Click on the map below to visit a regional page.

Mosquito Lagoon
North Indian River Lagoon
Banana River
Central Indian River Lagoon
South Indian River Lagoon
Indian River Lagoon Health Indicators
Tables of Water Quality and Habitat Quality Scores Over Time
Maps of Water Quality and Habitat Quality Scores Over Space
Mosquito Lagoon, North Indian River Lagoon, and Banana River Lagoon Maps
Central and South Indian River Lagoon Maps
Additional Tributary Score Maps are available below.
Click to view in a lightbox, or right-click to download a high-resolution image.
North Lagoon & Tributary Scores
2018 North Lagoon & Tributary Chlorophyll-a Scores
2019 North Lagoon & Tributary Chlorophyll-a Scores
2017 North Lagoon & Tributary Nitrogen Scores
2018 North Lagoon & Tributary Nitrogen Scores
2019 North Lagoon & Tributary Nitrogen Scores
2017 North Lagoon & Tributary Phosphate Scores
2018 North Lagoon & Tributary Phosphate Scores
2019 North Lagoon & Tributary Phosphate Scores
2017 North Lagoon & Tributary Turbidity Scores
2018 North Lagoon & Tributary Turbidity Scores
2019 North Lagoon & Tributary Turbidity Scores
2017 North Lagoon & Tributary Water Quality Scores
2018 North Lagoon & Tributary Water Quality Scores
2019 North Lagoon & Tributary Water Quality Scores
North Central Lagoon & Tributary Scores
2018 North Central Lagoon & Tributary Chlorophyll-a Scores
2019 North Central Lagoon & Tributary Chlorophyll-a Scores
2017 North Central Lagoon & Tributary Nitrogen Scores
2018 North Central Lagoon & Tributary Nitrogen Scores
2019 North Central Lagoon & Tributary Nitrogen Scores
2017 North Central Lagoon & Tributary Phosphate Scores
2018 North Central Lagoon & Tributary Phosphate Scores
2019 North Central Lagoon & Tributary Phosphate Scores
2017 North Central Lagoon & Tributary Turbidity Scores
2018 North Central Lagoon & Tributary Turbidity Scores
2019 North Central Lagoon & Tributary Turbidity Scores
2017 North Central Lagoon & Tributary Water Quality Scores
2018 North Central Lagoon & Tributary Water Quality Scores
2019 North Central Lagoon & Tributary Water Quality Scores
North South Lagoon & Tributary Scores
2018 North South Lagoon & Tributary Chlorophyll-a Scores
2019 North South Lagoon & Tributary Chlorophyll-a Scores
2017 North South Lagoon & Tributary Nitrogen Scores
2018 North South Lagoon & Tributary Nitrogen Scores
2019 North South Lagoon & Tributary Nitrogen Scores
2017 North South Lagoon & Tributary Phosphate Scores
2018 North South Lagoon & Tributary Phosphate Scores
2019 North South Lagoon & Tributary Phosphate Scores
2017 North South Lagoon & Tributary Turbidity Scores
2018 North South Lagoon & Tributary Turbidity Scores
2019 North South Lagoon & Tributary Turbidity Scores
2017 North South Lagoon & Tributary Water Quality Scores
2018 North South Lagoon & Tributary Water Quality Scores
2019 North South Lagoon & Tributary Water Quality Scores
South South Lagoon & Tributary Scores
2018 South South Lagoon & Tributary Chlorophyll-a Scores
2019 South South Lagoon & Tributary Chlorophyll-a Scores
2017 South South Lagoon & Tributary Nitrogen Scores
2018 South South Lagoon & Tributary Nitrogen Scores
2019 South South Lagoon & Tributary Nitrogen Scores
2017 South South Lagoon & Tributary Phosphate Scores
2018 South South Lagoon & Tributary Phosphate Scores
2019 South South Lagoon & Tributary Phosphate Scores
2017 South South Lagoon & Tributary Turbidity Scores
2018 South South Lagoon & Tributary Turbidity Scores
2019 South South Lagoon & Tributary Turbidity Scores
2017 South South Lagoon & Tributary Water Quality Scores
2018 South South Lagoon & Tributary Water Quality Scores
2019 South South Lagoon & Tributary Water Quality Scores
Tables of Water Quality and Habitat Quality
Scores Over Time: Ten Regions of the IRL
Maps of Water Quality and Habitat Quality Scores Over Space
North Lagoon Phosphorus Scores: 2016–2019
North Lagoon Chlorophyll-a Scores: 2016–2019
North Lagoon Turbidity Scores: 2016–2019
North Lagoon Water Quality Scores: 2016–2019
North Lagoon Habitat Quality Scores: 2016–2019
Central and South Lagoon Phosphorus Scores: 2016–2019
Central and South Lagoon Chlorophyll-a Scores: 2016–2017
Central and South Lagoon Turbidity Scores: 2016–2019
Central and South Lagoon Water Quality Scores: 2016–2019
Central and South Lagoon Habitat Quality Scores: 2016–2019