Where is the Tarpon River?
The Tarpon River is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It is an important element of the community described as the “Venice of America”. Tarpon Bend is at the easternmost mouth of the Tarpon River which bears channel marker 11 and 12. DMS Lat, Long; 26º 7’ 20.7768” North, 80º 8’ 14.3304 West.
What is the Tarpon River?
The Tarpon River is approximately 2.5 miles long and connects to the New River which leads to the Intracoastal Waterway and finally the Atlantic Ocean, via Port Everglades. As such, it is brackish water – a mixture of salt water (from the Atlantic Ocean) and fresh water (from the Everglades).
The Tarpon River is in the shape of a “U”. The northwest section of the River empties out near Cooley’s Landing Park and on the northeast section it empties out by Colee Hammock Park and Tarpon Bend.
The Tarpon River is surrounding by the following communities in Fort Lauderdale: Tarpon River, downtown Fort Lauderdale, Rio Vista, Cole Hammock, Beverly Heights, Sailboat Bend and Riverside Park.
There are six fixed bridges that traverse the Tarpon River located along: (1) SW 7th Street, (2) SW 4th Avenue, (3) a railroad bridge (between SW 4th Avenue and South Andrews Avenue), (4) South Andrews Avenue, (5) SE 3rd Avenue, and (6) US 1. The River is tidal since it connects to the Atlantic Ocean and navigable to small vessels and kayaks with the following exceptions: the railroad bridge (at low tide there is very shallow water), and Andrews Avenue (water flow is constrained to a few tunnels approximately two feet in diameter).
The Tarpon River is mostly contained by seawalls with some exceptions. There are several parks on the Tarpon River – Tarpon Cove Park and Tarpon River Park.
Unfortunately, the River is not as abundant with fish and wildlife as it was in the past. Water runoff from local streets dump into the River. Garbage liters its water. Raw sewage contaminates the River. And, careless people that maintain residential lawns blow their yard clippings into the River.
