Official Waterway GIS
& Monitoring Portals

Restoration & Recreation Areas: Notice the tight, winding loops of the river channel. Stagnation occurs primarily in the dead-end canal loops to the west of I-95, making flow dredging near Washington Park and Sweeting Park essential. Replanting foliage along these banks will help stabilize soil and filter stormwater runoff before it enters the channel.

Navigational Clearance & Ecology: The southern section of the North Fork (connecting to the main New River) is wide and deep enough to accommodate larger vessels, yachts, and sailboats. However, navigation is strictly restricted further north once you reach the low fixed bridge at Broward Boulevard. Past this barrier, the waterway is navigable only by smaller recreational crafts such as kayaks, canoes, and small motorboats. Features of ecological interest include the Ghostbusters Nature Preserve, representing localized green conservation efforts along the winding upper banks.

Ecology & Flow Concerns: As the river moves north of Broward Boulevard towards Sistrunk Boulevard, it becomes significantly more shallow. This segment faces severe water quality challenges, characterized by low water flow and a lack of active tidal flushing. Field inspections document copious amounts of floating garbage and overgrown, unmanaged shoreline foliage that chokes the channel. The area features Delevoe Park (with its large adjacent lake, visible on the left), representing a major recreational park that could be activated for community boating and kayaking once garbage cleanup and dredging restore the water's flow and clarity.

Hidden Neighborhood Corridor: Winding primarily through residential blocks and occasional light commercial lots, this section of the river is largely out of sight and out of mind for the broader public. Because of this isolation, the channel suffers from a profound lack of maintenance and public attention. Hydrologically, it experiences severely degraded water flow, low dissolved oxygen, and accumulated historic waste pollution. Lafayette Hart Park (located in the upper center bend) represents a local recreational asset situated directly along these stagnant waters, highlighting the urgent need for municipal cleanup and restoration.

Hydrology & Historical Pollution: In the upper left of the image, the flood control barrier restricts or opens water flow from the C-21 canal feed, controlling the headwater flushing velocities. This section runs directly adjacent to the Swap Shop (visible with its expansive drive-in structures), which historically housed exotic circus animals, may have contributing to animal waste runoff. Additionally, the channel lies just blocks away from a closed, historical waste treatment facility which may have utilized the river for water and waste disposal. Restoring flow from the C-21 canal and addressing sediment deposits in this section is critical to resolving downstream bacterial problems.