Reduce stormwater pollution into the Indian River Lagoon at Ballard Park

Ballard Park is located on the Indian River Lagoon in the City of Melbourne.  It has a public boat ramp and supports a wide variety of recreational pursuits in and out of the water.  On the weekends this public park is packed with local families with young children having barbecues and picnics, playing games, paddling, fishing and splashing around in the water. Because of the high public use of this park, the Space Coast Blue Water Task Force program has been monitoring water quality at Ballard Park since 2020.  Their test results show high bacteria levels that frequently exceed the state standard for safe swimming, with nearly half of the water samples collected here failing to meet health standards.  In fact, Ballard Park has made the Surfrider Foundation’s national list of beaches where high bacteria levels could be putting public health at risk for the past three years. 

The Space Coast Chapter is proposing to install an Ocean Friendly Garden project at Ballard Park that includes two native garden/buffer strips to intercept and soak up stormwater before it can flow in the Lagoon.  The chapter successfully received a One Lagoon grant from the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program to help fund this project and needs permission from the City of Melbourne to install the gardens and an agreement for garden maintenance and public signage. 

Victory! On August 13, 2024 the Melbourne City Council voted unanimously to give permission and enter into an agreement with the Space Coast Chapter to install and maintain the gardens and post educational signage on-site.