The National Estuary Program was established by the Clean Water Act Amendments of 1987 to protect nationally significant estuaries threatened by pollution, development, and overuse. National Estuary Programs (NEPs) combine the knowledge and talents of citizen and technical advisors, senior government officials and staff, and elected officials (working through a Management Conference) to develop sound scientific information about the estuary and to promote effective management solutions to identified problems. 

The Indian River Lagoon was nominated for inclusion in the National Estuary Program in 1990 and, following review by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program (IRLNEP) was initiated in 1991. 

• Indian River Lagoon: An Introduction to a National Treasure (2007) (PDF)(40 pp, 4 MB)