the lagoon also experiences occasional flooding, when heavy rains hit the region, which has led to the proposition of a channel to the sea, to regulate the water levels, something that was used in the past, but led to falling water levels. even with the lagoons challenges, it still has dense atlantic vegetation surrounding it, which houses an interesting array of native species.

furthermore, the lagoon is in very close proximity to the praia da maricá, with nine kilometers of soft white sand, making it an idyllic retreat.

the study diagnóstico das restingas no brasil (diagnostic of brazilian sandbanks) by sandro menezes silva, of the botanical and biological sciences of the universidade federal do paraná gives a wealth of information on the types of flora and faunafound in sandbanks (restingas), typical of rio de janeiro's state lagoons.