A $302 million clean-up of the Indian River Lagoon isn't neglecting its shoreline.
Researchers are mapping some 200 miles of Indian River Lagoon shoreline in a first-of-its kind study in Brevard County aimed at understanding its condition.
Melinda Donnelly of the University of Central Florida led the team. She says natural shorelines help filter pollutants and provide habitat for an array of species.
"The biggest finding that we saw from getting out there is that almost all of the shoreline has been altered in some way. There actually is very little what you would consider natural condition shoreline."
The effort is part of an Indian River Lagoon clean-up approved last year in Brevard County, home to more than half of the troubled 156-mile waterway.
