Manatee River
Encyclopedia
The Manatee River is a 36 miles (57.9 km) river
in Manatee County
, Florida
. The river arises in the northeastern corner of Manatee County and flows into the Gulf of Mexico
at the southern edge of Tampa Bay
. The Manatee River has a watershed
that is approximately 360 square mile. Lake Manatee
, an artificial reservoir
, is located about midway in the river's course. The lower part of the river is an estuary
, with Bradenton
and other cities located along its banks. The river's main tributary is the Braden River, which runs through the communities of River Club and Lakewood Ranch. Wildlife in and around the river includes alligators, herons, manatees, dolphins, and fish such as bass, bluegill, catfish, and gar. Bull sharks are occasionally found in the brackish water near its delta.
The Manatee River Watershed has three different physiographic locations ranging from plains, lowlands, and uplands . These locations cause the river to contain areas that are as varied as hardwood swamps, mesic flatwoods, coastal lowlands, and marshes . The highlands include areas with scattered bushes, pine trees, and oak trees. The soil within the highlands tends to be moderately well drained . The marshes and swamps have very poorly drained soil and tend to have water tolerant grasses within these areas. The uplands consist of flatwoods which have poorly drained soils. These areas contain saw palmettos and slash pines .
There are many birds that can be found around the Manatee River. Some of the birds found such as the wood stork are considered endangered species. A few of the birds are considered threatened such as the snowy plover, bald eagle, Florida scrub-jay, and peregrine falcon. Other common birds that can be seen around the Manatee River include cattle egret, white ibis, great blue heron, and yellow-crowned night heron .
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in Manatee County
Manatee County, Florida
Manatee County is a county in the state of Florida. According to the 2010 census by the U.S. Census Bureau there are 322,833 people living in Manatee Country.Manatee County is part of the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. The river arises in the northeastern corner of Manatee County and flows into the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
at the southern edge of Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the west central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay."Tampa Bay" is not the name of any municipality...
. The Manatee River has a watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
that is approximately 360 square mile. Lake Manatee
Lake Manatee
Lake Manatee is located in Manatee County in southwestern Florida in the United States On the Contenent of North America. Highway 64 crosses the eastern end of the lake, while the Lake Manatee State Park is found at the southwestern end. The Manatee River flows into the lake at the eastern end,...
, an artificial reservoir
Water reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
, is located about midway in the river's course. The lower part of the river is an estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
, with Bradenton
Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's 2007 population to be 53,471. Bradenton is the largest Principal City of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2007 estimated population of 682,833...
and other cities located along its banks. The river's main tributary is the Braden River, which runs through the communities of River Club and Lakewood Ranch. Wildlife in and around the river includes alligators, herons, manatees, dolphins, and fish such as bass, bluegill, catfish, and gar. Bull sharks are occasionally found in the brackish water near its delta.
Watershed
The Manatee River watershed is positioned in the Tampa Bay sector of Manatee County. The watershed is approximately 395719.7 square meters long (360 square miles) . The Manatee River headwaters flow 72420.48 meters (45 miles) in a westerly direction towards the Gulf of Mexico and southern Tampa Bay . There are two major river systems that make up the Manatee River Watershed—Braden River and Manatee River. These two rivers have been seized to create two reservoirs for potable supply—Bill Evers and Lake Manatee Reservoir . Bill Evers Reservoir is located downstream of the narrow winding river. This reservoir, built in the 1930s, covers 2,400 acres and is responsible for the majority of the water for the city of Bradenton. Within these acres it is common to find small, isolated ponds, mangrove islands, wetlands, and salt marshes. The Lake Manatee Reservoir is located upstream of the river. This reservoir, built in 1967, is a 2,000 acre artificial reservoir used as Manatee County’s primary water supply .The Manatee River Watershed has three different physiographic locations ranging from plains, lowlands, and uplands . These locations cause the river to contain areas that are as varied as hardwood swamps, mesic flatwoods, coastal lowlands, and marshes . The highlands include areas with scattered bushes, pine trees, and oak trees. The soil within the highlands tends to be moderately well drained . The marshes and swamps have very poorly drained soil and tend to have water tolerant grasses within these areas. The uplands consist of flatwoods which have poorly drained soils. These areas contain saw palmettos and slash pines .
Wildlife
The Manatee River has a variety of different wildlife living within and around the river. Wildlife that can be found within the river include manatees, alligators, and various types of fish. Since Manatee River Estuary is widely used for commercial fishing many regulations apply. Everything from fin fish and invertebrates to bait and food shrimp are harvested for commercial fishing, therefore, many commercial fishing regulations apply . As the name would suggest, there are also many manatees found within the river. These mammals prefer warm water so they move throughout the river towards the warmest areas depending on the season.There are many birds that can be found around the Manatee River. Some of the birds found such as the wood stork are considered endangered species. A few of the birds are considered threatened such as the snowy plover, bald eagle, Florida scrub-jay, and peregrine falcon. Other common birds that can be seen around the Manatee River include cattle egret, white ibis, great blue heron, and yellow-crowned night heron .