Everything about Biscayne Bay totally explained
Biscayne Bay (
Bahía Vizcaina, in
Spanish) is a
lagoon that's approximately 35 miles (56 km) long and up to 8 miles (13 km) wide located on the
Atlantic coast of south
Florida. It is usually divided for purposes of discussion and analysis into three parts, North Bay, Central Bay and South Bay.
North Bay separates
Miami Beach on its
barrier island from
Miami on the
mainland. It has been severely affected over the last century by raw
sewage releases, urban
runoff, shoreline
bulkheading,
dredging, the creation of
artificial islands and the loss of natural fresh water flow into the bay. North Bay accounts for only 10% of the water area of the bay.
Central Bay is the largest part of the bay. It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the
Safety Valve, a series of shallow flats separated by tidal flow channels, stretching from the south end of
Key Biscayne to the Ragged Keys at the north end of the
Florida Keys. It has been adversely affected primarily by bulkheading, urban runoff discharged by canals, and the loss of natural fresh water flow.
South Bay is nearly as large as Central Bay, and is the least affected by human activities, although it also suffers from the loss of natural fresh water flow. South Bay is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the northernmost of the Florida Keys, and is connected to
Florida Bay through channels and "sounds" lying between the mainland and the keys.
The first bridge across Biscayne Bay was the 2.5 mile wooden
Collins Bridge built by
John S. Collins and
Carl G. Fisher. The
toll bridge was "the longest wooden bridge in the world" when it was completed in
1913 at the southern terminus of the
Dixie Highway. The Collins Bridge was replaced in 1925. In modern times, the
Venetian Causeway follows the same route along the artificial
Venetian Islands. The
MacArthur,
Julia Tuttle, 79th Street and
Broad causeways connect Miami to Miami Beach, and the
Rickenbacker Causeway connects Miami to Key Biscayne. The
Card Sound Bridge connects the mainland in the
Homestead, Florida area to the northern part of
Key Largo.
The bay is home to
Biscayne National Park. The seven remaining houses of Biscayne Bay's
Stiltsville settlement are now within the boundaries of this National Park.
The bay has been known by several names.
Juan Ponce de Leon called it
Chequescha in 1513.
Pedro Menéndez de Avilés called it
Tequesta in 1565. The British, during their occupation of Florida, called the bay
Cape River,
Dartmouth Sound, and
Sandwich gulph.
Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda related that a sailor from the
Bay of Biscay called the
Viscayno or
Biscayno had lived on the lower east coast of Florida for a while after being shipwrecked, and a 17th century map shows a
Cayo de Biscainhos, the probable origin of
Key Biscayne. The bay was known as
Key Biscayne Bay in the 19th century, finally shrinking to
Biscayne Bay late in the 19th century.
The bay is also home to
Florida International University's Biscayne Bay Campus in North Miami.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Biscayne Bay'.
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