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Indian River Drive · Your waterfront project

Indian River Drive lagoon-front planning

Lagoon-front seawalls, riprap and docks on Indian River Drive south of Fort Pierce: storm washouts, seagrass, county permits and living shorelines.

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Indian River Drive waterfront mapNorth is up. The accent marker identifies the selected community. Choose a community label to open its local guide. Nearby guide links also appear below the map.Indian River DriveIndian River Drive waterfront mapNorth is up. The accent marker identifies the selected community. Choose a community label to open its local guide. Nearby guide links also appear below the map.Indian River Drive
Land: U.S. Census Bureau St. Lucie and Martin county geometry minus Census water features. Points: City of Port St. Lucie GIS, Census places, St. Lucie County GIS and USGS names. Snapshot: October 25, 2026. General reference only; not a survey, flood map or service boundary.

Get to know your waterfront

Indian River Drive runs along the Indian River Lagoon between Fort Pierce and the Martin County line, past historic places USGS names Ankona, Eden, Eldred and Walton. Indian River Estates, an unincorporated community of about 6,600 residents, touches the lagoon here.

USGS Geographic Names (populated places layer) · TIGERweb Census 2020 Census Designated Places layer (POP100, HU100 fields) · USGS NHD area layer

Wide fetch, washouts and seagrass

Lagoon-front walls take wind-driven waves across a wide fetch. Hurricane Frances washed out a one-mile section of Indian River Drive along the waterway in 2004, and Nicole caused washouts again in 2022.

Where seagrass is present, dock and riprap placement are constrained. When a permit is needed to repair a vertical wall on open lagoon frontage, Florida’s agencies generally require riprap facing or replacement with riprap. NWS Melbourne Storm Surveys: Hurricane Frances (September 4-5, 2004) · IMAGES: Tropical Storm Nicole's impacts in South Florida · Florida Statutes s. 373.414 - Additional criteria for activities in surface waters and wetlands

What could the work cost?

Ask for a riprap or living-shoreline alternative priced next to any vertical-wall proposal, and for barge versus land access costs.

Published examples are attributed context from Treasure Coast and nearby South Florida sources, not a Port St. Lucie average or a quote. Your wall needs a property-specific written scope.

Compare quotes and plan a budget →

Find the relevant permits and records

Indian River Drive researched starting points
Starting pointWhat to resolvePrepare and look up
St. Lucie County Building & Code Regulation
County marine permit for unincorporated parcels: seawalls, bulkheads, riprap, docks, piles.
Marine Construction Checklist; agency approvals uploaded with the submittal. 772-462-1553.
Permitting Contacts · Marine Construction Checklist (Building & Code Regulation)
FDEP and Army Corps
State exemption or permit and federal authorization required at upload.
FDEP Port St. Lucie office per county checklist: 772-398-2806; Southeast District 561-681-6600.
Marine Construction Checklist (Building & Code Regulation)
FDEP state lands (Indian River Lagoon preserve)
Consent to use state-owned bottom land in an Indian River Lagoon aquatic preserve.
Docks limited to 500 ft or 20% of waterbody width; access walkways 4 ft wide.
Florida Statutes s. 258.39 - Boundaries of preserves · Fla. Admin. Code R. 18-20.004 - Management Policies, Standards, and Criteria · Fla. Admin. Code R. 62-302.700 - Special Protection, Outstanding Florida Waters, Outstanding National Resource Waters

Prepare the questions for the responsible office.

An Indian River Drive checklist

Use these steps to gather records and prepare a property-specific conversation. Public records and project references do not describe the condition of your wall.

  1. Pull the permit history

    Search the address on the city or county permit portal for seawall, dock and lift permits and their final inspections before the first site visit.

  2. Confirm city or county

    Parts of the corridor are Fort Pierce; most is unincorporated county.

    Permitting Contacts

  3. Survey seagrass early

    Docks and riprap cannot fill seagrass; plan a survey before design.

    Fla. Admin. Code R. 62-330.431 - General Permit for Installation of Riprap

  4. Consider toe riprap

    A noticed general permit covers riprap at the toe of an existing wall.

    Fla. Admin. Code R. 62-330.431 - General Permit for Installation of Riprap

Start with what you know

Get help with your Indian River Drive seawall

Tell us what has changed and how to reach you. We’ll help you work out the next step; photos and measurements can follow later.

Getting your form ready…

Indian River Drive project questions

Is the lagoon here an aquatic preserve?

The Indian River–Vero Beach to Fort Pierce and Jensen Beach to Jupiter Inlet preserves cover parts of the lagoon; both are Outstanding Florida Waters.

Florida Statutes s. 258.39 - Boundaries of preserves · Fla. Admin. Code R. 62-302.700 - Special Protection, Outstanding Florida Waters, Outstanding National Resource Waters

Which manatee zones apply?

St. Lucie County’s zones in Rule 68C-22.008.

Chapter 68C-22 Manatee Protection Rules (rule list)

Keep planning

Prepare for an assessmentCompare repair and replacementReview the project scope

Nearby waterfront guides

White City, River Park, South Hutchinson Island, Jensen Beach

View the local guide directory.

Show sourcesHide sources
  1. USGS Geographic Names (populated places layer)Source reviewed 2026-10-25
  2. TIGERweb Census 2020 Census Designated Places layer (POP100, HU100 fields)Source reviewed 2026-10-25
  3. USGS NHD area layerSource reviewed 2026-10-25
  4. NWS Melbourne Storm Surveys: Hurricane Frances (September 4-5, 2004)Source reviewed 2026-10-25
  5. IMAGES: Tropical Storm Nicole's impacts in South FloridaSource reviewed 2026-10-25
  6. Florida Statutes s. 373.414 - Additional criteria for activities in surface waters and wetlandsSource reviewed 2026-10-25
  7. Permitting ContactsSource reviewed 2026-10-25 · official indexed text
  8. Marine Construction Checklist (Building & Code Regulation)Source reviewed 2026-10-25 · official indexed text
  9. Florida Statutes s. 258.39 - Boundaries of preservesSource reviewed 2026-10-25
  10. Fla. Admin. Code R. 18-20.004 - Management Policies, Standards, and CriteriaSource reviewed 2026-10-25
  11. Fla. Admin. Code R. 62-302.700 - Special Protection, Outstanding Florida Waters, Outstanding National Resource WatersSource reviewed 2026-10-25
  12. Fla. Admin. Code R. 62-330.431 - General Permit for Installation of RiprapSource reviewed 2026-10-25
  13. Chapter 68C-22 Manatee Protection Rules (rule list)Source reviewed 2026-10-25
Get seawall help(772) 272-8686