ATLASAQUIFEROUS MAPPING + MAKING THE FLORIDA LANDSCAPE

SAINT SEBASTIAN RIVER|CLAUDIO S. GONZALEZNANCY SANDERS & MARTIN GUNDERSEN | SUMMER 2015

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN

ST SEBASTIAN RIVER| RIVERS

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LOC

ATIO

N

Sbas

tian,

FL

LATIT

UDE

28

.278

8 N

LON

GITU

DE

81.5

333

W

LOC

ATIO

N

Seba

stia

n, F

LLA

TITUD

E

27.8

1008

NLO

NG

ITUDE

80

.502

694

W

A JOURNEY, TWO LANDSCAPES, ONE RIVERCLAUDIO S. GONZALEZ

ATLASAQUIFEROUS

Left page:St Sebastian River (South, Middle, & North) Images by Claudio S. Gonzalez

Right page:St Sebastian RiverMapping the two different landscapes of the river

The Presence of the past offers a sense of completion, of stability, of permanence in resistance to the rapid pace of contemporary life. Steen A.B. Hoyer. Recovering Landscape. 1999.My journey begins in Sebastian, Florida, a small town in the East Coast of the State of Florida. In this town I discovered that a river is home to two complete opposite landscapes. The St Sebastian River is a freshwater tributary, fed by rainfall, and by smaller creeks, and rivulets that drain the land between the Atlantic Sand Ridge, which runs more or less parallel to the present day location of US 1 and the Florida East Coast Railway. With prongs running to the North and South, the river drains the basin between those sand ridges. It is the principal tributary of the Indian River lagoon in the Sebastian area. A Western prong of the river, which existed when the area was settled, became part of the C54 drainage canal. The Indian River lagoon forms the Eastern border of the Sebastian area, and the St. Sebastian River forms the Western boundary.I chose this area because its one that Ive been to during holidays but never had the chance to explore and get familiar with. The mapping started as an analysis of the surrounding landscape, but later I discovered that human interaction has divided the river into two sections. The experience from beginning to end caries a sense of two complete opposite landscapes, and the concept of nature vs. human becomes important throughout the river. Human activity dominates the North Prong of the river. This section is wider, deeper, and clear, making it more appealing for fishing and suitable for motor boats. The South Prong is the complete opposite. The density is lower, the river is shallow and narrow, the water is brackish, and the landscape overall is greener, and has a peaceful environment.

South Prong (Begining)

North Prong (End)

Image of the US-1 Harbor

Nature vs. Human

Human Intervention

Natural Landscape

St Sebastian River

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Left pageMap of the South Prong of the St Sebastian River showing emphasis on the natural landscape

Right page(Top) Section of the natural landscape of the South Prong

(Bottom) South section, images of where the river begins

St Sebastian RiverImages by Claudio S. Gonzalez

ATLASAQUIFEROUS

The South Prong of the St Sebastian River has a lower human densi-ty and is more narrow and shallow. The water is brackish and has a diverse fauna and flora.

This area is more peaceful, and has a sense of going back in time. The dark, reflective waters moves slowly toward the Indian River Lagoon, and discharge into the North Atlantic Ocean.

Due to the fact that this section of the river is narrow, the only way to travel it is by canoe or kayak. The journey that I followed had a unique landscape in its surrounding and made it an unforgettable experience. The water flowing from the beginning to the end of the St. Sebastian River changes drastically.

As you travel toward the North, the water changes and becomes clearer, the flora and fauna becomes scare, and human activity begins to show in the surroundings.

St Sebastian RiverSouth Prong

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Journey of the South Prong

ATLASAQUIFEROUS

St. Sebastian River Images by Claudio S. Gonzalez

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Begi

nnin

g

Bra

ckish

Wat

er

Soft

Mud

dy

Land

ATLASAQUIFEROUS

Cyp

ress

Sw

amps

Mid

-Poi

nt

Man

grov

e Fo

rest

s

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St Sebastian RiverNorth Prong

The North Prong of the St Sebastian River has a much higherhuman density. This section is more open, wider, and deeper.

The water is less brackish and more clear making it more attractive to local fishermen, and suitable for motor boats. This area has a more open, flat, and less condense landscapes with a scare diversity of flora and fauna.

I was unable to travel this section of the river by canoe or kayak due to motor boat traffic. When a motor boat passes by it creates a wave that makes the canoe or kayak travel to the edge of the river making it extremely hard to move forward and enjoy the journey.

After failing to canoe this section of the river, I continued my journey by foot and discovered that human activity has a strong influence on the atmosphere of the North Prong.

There are a lot of things happening at the same time that end up distracting you, and lead you to take the things around you for granted.

The atmosphere here is completely different from the one at the South Prong. In the South Prong you become overwhelm by nature, and try to take everything in. While in the North Prong human activity takes over the landscape, and shapes it to suit its needs.

The unity of the South Prong is so overpowering that it gives you the sense that time stops. The North Prong has a unique diversity, and many things are happening and time wants to travel at its own pace.

ATLASAQUIFEROUS

Left page(Top) Section showing the water change in the North Prong of the St Sebastian River

(Bottom) Landscape of the North Prong

St Sebastian RiverImages by Claudio S. Gonzalez

Right pageMap of the North Prong showing change in water and landscape

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St Sebastian RiverImages by Claudio S. Gonzalez

ATLASAQUIFEROUS

Journey of the North Prong

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Mid

-Poi

nt

Sand

y &

Roc

ky L

and

Fish

ing

Clea

r Wat

er

ATLASAQUIFEROUS

End

Mo

tor B

oa

t Tra

ffic

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St Sebastian RiverOverall Journey of the river

Tracking my path with images to show the different landscapes and the unity of the two prongs to form the St Sebastian River

Left South Prong & where the river begins

RightNorth Prong & where the river ends

ATLASAQUIFEROUS

At the end of my journey I realized that although it might seem like the two prongs are two complete landscapes they are not. The North and South

Prongs unite to form the St Sebastian River. The River is very important not only to the community of Sebastian, Florida but to the entire county of

Indian River and counties that surround it. It is a biologically diverse and vulnerable stream that harbors threatened wildlife. It also provides critical

spawning grounds for local game fish. In addition, the river is critical to maintaining the aquifers for drinking water, and for irrigation of our homes

and recreation areas.