MICCO, Fla. -- It's a win-win down in south Brevard County -- new bike, hiking and horseback trails are now open to the public, and it's good for the Indian River Lagoon.
- Micco Water Management Area opens
- Designed to improve quality of water discharged into river
State and local officials, plus residents, marked the grand opening of the 450-acre Micco Water Management Area Wednesday morning.
The park is designed to improve the quality of water that's discharged into the north part of the Saint Sebastian River.
The area uses a series of ponds and improved wetlands to remove pollutants from a 21,000-acre watershed before it filters into the struggling lagoon.
“Open up these properties for everybody to enjoy them, when you know what you're protecting, because you've been there,” said Dr. Ann Shortell with St. John's Water Management District.
“Cleaning the water that's going into the lagoon is super, but then (also) being able to have a park that we can use,” said Nancy Eisele, a park user.
The St. John's Water Management District, Florida Department of Transportation, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and Brevard County all partnered on the $4.7 million dollar project that began in 2001.