Supporting Documents (Data and Analysis) - Satellite Beach

esulted in a stop to such wastewater discharges from the plants along this portion of the Banana
River. Urbanization within Satellite Beach and surrounding areas has led to increases in impervious
surface (roads, parking lots, etc.), and thus increases in non-point source pollution, such as
freshwater runoff, oil and grease, eroded soil, nutrients, pesticides, and heavy metals.
The Toxic Substances Survey for the Indian River Lagoon System published in 1993 for the St.
Johns River Water Management District and the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program
documents concentrations of metals, including silver, copper, and mercury in sediments and
cadmium, chromium, and mercury in clams, in the Banana River from Patrick Air Force Base to
Mathers Bridge as among the highest in the Indian River Lagoon. The values do not exceed
regulatory standards, but they are indicative of sources lying in the vicinity of the City.
Due to the nearly complete state of urbanization within Satellite Beach, there are no palustrine
wetlands within the City, thus the Banana River and it estuarine wetland habitats represent the major
natural environmental features of the City. The Banana River has been designated by the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection as an aquatic preserve. The Banana River Aquatic Preserve
Management Plan (1985) designates three ecological community types within the preserve; they are
mangrove areas, marine grassbeds, and the salt marsh. The seagrass beds which dominated shallow
waters off the City before the mid-1960s were gone by the mid-1970s, and at this time there are only
a few salt marsh areas on Samsons Island Nature Park. Thus the mangrove fringe around the island
represents the predominant remaining community type within Satellite Beach. The root structures of
the mangroves stabilize sediments, providing erosion control, and serve as a protective nursery area
for many of the finfish and shellfish species of the Banana River and Atlantic Ocean. Some of the
finfish species which may be found there include tarpon, snook, snapper, and ladyfish. Shellfish and
crustaceans would include blue crab, oysters, shrimp and clams.
The goal of the Aquatic Preserves Program is to protect, preserve, and manage existing State
submerged bottom lands so that their aesthetic, biological, and scientific value may endure for future
generations. Habitat preservation is also linked to the preservation of endangered species. There are
many endangered species which inhabit the City including wading birds, mammals, reptiles, and
plants. Species which merit closer attention are the West Indian manatee and the five species of sea
turtles inhabiting Florida (leatherback, green, Kemp's ridley, hawksbill, and loggerhead). The
manatee, protected by State and Federal law, is commonly seen in the finger canals, Grand Canal,
and Banana River.
The threatened loggerhead sea turtle has historically used the beaches of Brevard County (including
Satellite Beach) as nesting sites. Nesting densities within the City are not as high as in the southern
portions of the County. This is probably due to the interference of civilization with the nesting
process of the turtle, including pets digging up nests, bright lights disorienting hatchlings, and
seawalls limiting potential nest sites. Satellite Beach has enacted an ordinance restricting the use of
outdoor lighting on the beach during nesting season to reduce hatchling mortality.
The abundance of forage provided by the Banana River estuarine environment attracts many
difference species of birds. Although the list is too long to include here, some of the more common
birds which are observed include brown pelicans, cormorants, anhingas, king fishers, osprey, two
Coastal Management/Conservation Element
Data and Analysis 5-12