Dog Waste and the Indian River Lagoon

Pet waste runoff is one of the leading contributors to nitrogen pollution in Port St. Lucie's waterways. Here's how your dog's bathroom habits affect the Indian River Lagoon.

The Indian River Lagoon

The Indian River Lagoon stretches 156 miles along Florida's east coast and passes directly through St. Lucie County. It's one of the most biologically diverse estuaries in North America — home to over 4,300 species of plants and animals, including manatees, dolphins, sea turtles, and more than 300 species of birds. It's also been in trouble for decades. Algae blooms, fish kills, seagrass die-offs, and declining water quality have made headlines across the region for years.

How Pet Waste Reaches the Lagoon

Port St. Lucie's stormwater system drains into the C-24 and C-25 canals, which discharge into the St. Lucie River, which flows directly into the Indian River Lagoon at the St. Lucie Inlet. When it rains — which in Port St. Lucie happens more than 130 days per year — stormwater picks up everything sitting on lawns and carries it into that drainage network.

Dog waste left on lawns contributes two things damaging to the Lagoon:

• Excess nitrogen and phosphorus — additional nitrogen from pet waste feeds algae, which blocks sunlight, kills seagrass beds, and depletes oxygen, creating dead zones.
• Bacterial contamination — dog waste carries fecal coliform bacteria, E. coli, and other pathogens — the same contaminants that cause beach closures and shellfish harvesting bans.

Studies from the University of Florida and EPA-funded research confirm pet waste is a measurable contributor to fecal coliform loading in Florida waterways.

The Scale of the Problem in St. Lucie County

St. Lucie County has approximately 50,000–60,000 dogs based on national household ownership averages. A single dog produces an estimated 274 pounds of waste per year. Collectively, that's potentially millions of pounds of waste per year across the county — with a significant portion going unremoved from lawns and reaching stormwater systems. Every pickup matters.

What You Can Do

• Remove waste from your yard at least once a week (twice during rainy season)
• Don't let waste accumulate in back corners
• Pick up immediately in public areas and along canal banks
• Dispose of waste in sealed bags in household trash — not storm drains
• For households where manual cleanup isn't happening consistently, professional pet waste removal ensures the yard is actually cleaned on a regular basis