Begin Your Journey Touch Here

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Begin Your JourneyTouch Here
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Loxahatchee River

• A unique Florida treasure...

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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.

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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.

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Protecting the River

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

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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.

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Looking at the Watershed

• The Loxahatchee River covers approximately 260
  square miles. There are several key habitats
  contained within this ecosystem.

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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.

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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.

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Three forks of the River

• The Southwest Fork

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Three forks of the River

• The North Fork

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Three forks of the River

• The Northwest Fork

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Three forks of the River

• The Wild and Scenic portion of the river is in
  the Northwest Fork

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Wild and Scenic River

• The pristine waters of Floridas first Wild and
  Scenic River are a beautiful reminder of the joys
  of being in nature.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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North Fork

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

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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.

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Central Embayment

• All three forks flow into the Central Embayment
  area.

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Central Embayment

• This area provides wonderful recreational
  opportunities for boaters.

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Jupiter Inlet

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

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Jupiter Inlet

• This area provides marine habitat and is home to
  many coral reef species.

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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.

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Lagoons

• 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.

With more than 4,300 species of plants and
animals, the Indian River Lagoon is the most
biodiverse estuary in North America.
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Ecosystem

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

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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.

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Recreation

• The Loxahatchee River offers many wild and
  scenic adventures.

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Recreation

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

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Recreation

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