NOAA $9.4M award and new lagoon economic study: county to host stakeholder workshops
February 25, 2026 | Indian River County, Florida
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The Indian River County Board of County Commissioners heard a briefing Feb. 24 on a $9.4 million NOAA NOAH habitat restoration grant and an updated economic valuation of the Indian River Lagoon, and approved two stakeholder workshops to align local projects and planning.
Dr. Dwayne DeFries, executive director of the Indian River Lagoon Council and the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program, and Courtney Cortez of the Balmoral Group presented the NOAA NOAH award and an economic update. DeFries said the NOAH award supports 15 restoration sites and 10 subawardees; "two of these projects are in Indian River County," he said, noting the county led seagrass restoration at Big Slough and Preacher’s Hole and is partnering on fish passage culvert work at Begum Point.
Courtney Cortez summarized the Balmoral Group’s economic analysis, which includes ecosystem-service values and property‑value premiums. The report estimates more than $10 billion per year in ecosystem-service benefits across the lagoon system, with roughly $3.1 billion in property-value premiums attributable to lagoon proximity in Indian River County; Cortez said being within 100 meters of the lagoon adds about $660,000 in value to a standard three-bedroom home in Indian River County. The analysis also produced benefit‑cost ratios for NOAA projects—Cortez reported benefit‑cost ratios ranging from 10:1 (excluding two very large projects) to 24:1 when the largest projects are included.
Commissioners praised the restoration results and stressed the need to pair restoration with water-quality and septic-to-sewer investments. "If we keep up the momentum and look at it from an economic standpoint too, I think we can continue to make a difference," said Commissioner Ehrman.
Staff recommended that county staff organize two stakeholder workshops—one focused on the county’s lagoon management plan and one on the Central Indian River Lagoon Basin Management Action Plan—to improve coordination among municipalities, mosquito control, environmental and tourism groups, and others. The board approved the workshops unanimously.
The presentation included references to monitoring and as‑built work, and staff said NOAA and the county will continue monitoring outcomes. The county will publicize workshop dates once staff finalize logistics.
Dr. Dwayne DeFries, executive director of the Indian River Lagoon Council and the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program, and Courtney Cortez of the Balmoral Group presented the NOAA NOAH award and an economic update. DeFries said the NOAH award supports 15 restoration sites and 10 subawardees; "two of these projects are in Indian River County," he said, noting the county led seagrass restoration at Big Slough and Preacher’s Hole and is partnering on fish passage culvert work at Begum Point.
Courtney Cortez summarized the Balmoral Group’s economic analysis, which includes ecosystem-service values and property‑value premiums. The report estimates more than $10 billion per year in ecosystem-service benefits across the lagoon system, with roughly $3.1 billion in property-value premiums attributable to lagoon proximity in Indian River County; Cortez said being within 100 meters of the lagoon adds about $660,000 in value to a standard three-bedroom home in Indian River County. The analysis also produced benefit‑cost ratios for NOAA projects—Cortez reported benefit‑cost ratios ranging from 10:1 (excluding two very large projects) to 24:1 when the largest projects are included.
Commissioners praised the restoration results and stressed the need to pair restoration with water-quality and septic-to-sewer investments. "If we keep up the momentum and look at it from an economic standpoint too, I think we can continue to make a difference," said Commissioner Ehrman.
Staff recommended that county staff organize two stakeholder workshops—one focused on the county’s lagoon management plan and one on the Central Indian River Lagoon Basin Management Action Plan—to improve coordination among municipalities, mosquito control, environmental and tourism groups, and others. The board approved the workshops unanimously.
The presentation included references to monitoring and as‑built work, and staff said NOAA and the county will continue monitoring outcomes. The county will publicize workshop dates once staff finalize logistics.
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