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Begin Your Journey Touch Here

Begin Your Journey Touch Here. Loxahatchee River. A unique Florida treasure. Ecosystem and Habitats. This watershed is home to many rare and endangered species, such as the wood stork and four petal paw-paw, a shrub found only in this area. Changes Over Time.

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Begin Your Journey Touch Here

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  1. Begin Your JourneyTouch Here

  2. Loxahatchee River A unique Florida treasure...

  3. Ecosystem and Habitats This watershed is home to many rare and endangered species, such as the wood stork and four petal paw-paw, a shrub found only in this area.

  4. Changes Over Time Dredging, construction of canals and highways, and water use have changed water flow patterns, degraded water quality, and resulted in the loss of natural areas.

  5. Protecting the River Many efforts are under way to protect and restore the Loxahatchee River and its remaining 260-square-mile watershed.

  6. Loxahatchee River District The Loxahatchee River District is the leading authority on the Loxahatchee River. It has scientific and educational programs, and serves as an advisory agency for the many diverse efforts under way.

  7. Looking at the Watershed The Loxahatchee River covers approximately 260 square miles. There are several key habitats contained within this ecosystem.

  8. Grassy Waters Preserve The headwaters of the river are located in Grassy Waters Preserve. Sawgrass, spike rush, cypress trees, and hardwood hammocks are the dominant habitats in this area.

  9. Grassy Waters Preserve Historically, the water flowed from the Grassy Water marshes and swamps through the Loxahatchee Slough northward to the Southwest and Northwest Forks of the Loxahatchee River.

  10. Three forks of the River The Southwest Fork:

  11. Three forks of the River The North Fork:

  12. Three forks of the River The Northwest Fork:

  13. Three forks of the River The Wild and Scenic portion of the river is in the Northwest Fork

  14. Wild and Scenic River The pristine waters of Florida’s first Wild and Scenic River are a beautiful reminder of the joys of being in nature.

  15. Wild and Scenic River Cypress trees and sabal palms tower over you as you quietly canoe down the meandering river. The water here is fresh, and often you will see turtles and alligators basking in the sun and ospreys soaring above you.

  16. Wild and Scenic River Jonathan Dickinson State Park includes significant portions of the Northwest Fork. For this reason, many areas remain untouched by human development and impacts.

  17. Southwest Fork Today, the C-18 canal is connected to the Southwest Fork for flood control. During a flood control release, the structure near Indiantown Road and I-95 (S-46) is opened and freshwater moves into the Southwest Fork of the river.

  18. Southwest Fork The Southwest Fork has seen much residential and commercial development in the last century, but it is still home to oyster reefs. One oyster can clean up to 50 gallons per day!

  19. North Fork The North Fork has also been developed extensively. Seawalls, docks, and bridges are common along its banks.

  20. Estuary The downstream section of each fork is brackish, part saltwater and part freshwater, and support many important species such as mangroves, oysters, and seagrasses.

  21. Central Embayment All three forks flow into the Central Embayment area.

  22. Central Embayment This area provides wonderful recreational opportunities for boaters.

  23. Jupiter Inlet The Central Embayment then flows out through the Jupiter Inlet into the Atlantic Ocean and marine habitats.

  24. Jupiter Inlet This area provides marine habitat and is home to many coral reef species.

  25. Lagoons The Indian River Lagoon to the north and the Lake Worth Creek Aquatic Preserve to the south, also known as the Intracoastal Waterway, also flows into the embayment/inlet area.

  26. Lagoons With more than 4,300 species of plants and animals, the Indian River Lagoon is the most biodiverse estuary in North America. These two bodies of water are rich with marine species and are an important nursery habitat for reef fish and game fish such as snook and snapper.

  27. Ecosystem As you can see, the Loxahatchee River is a diverse and complex ecosystem, supporting a wide range of species.

  28. Recreation The Loxahatchee River is a vital part of our local community. Many people live on the water and enjoy its peacefulness and beauty. Others choose to use the river for their recreation.

  29. Recreation The Loxahatchee River offers many “wild and scenic” adventures.

  30. Recreation Fishing, boating, kayaking, canoeing, snorkeling, swimming, and hiking are all wonderful ways to experience the Loxahatchee River.

  31. Recreation We are responsible for the health of the river. Join the Loxahatchee River District as we "Preserve Nature by Design".

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